Rate the last book you read

[jobberone]

Finished ‘Children of Dune’, and I’m going to stop here for now in this series. These books are interesting how they touch on politics, religion, ecology, prescience, and the interrelatedness thereof, but I’m ready for something different. I have downloaded a few books / series, but not decided which order to begin:


Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Perdido Street Station
Hyperion Cantos
Malazan Book of the Fallen

Haven't read the Dune series in a long time. Try
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

 

[Denim Chicken]

Haven't read the Dune series in a long time. Try
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

Thanks, I'll add it to my list

 

[Denim Chicken]

Continuing to scratch titles off the NPR 100 best Sci-Fi & Fantasy:

Necromancer by William Gibson: Good, fast-paced read. Crazy some of the language and themes in this book regarding the internet and technology, while have been written in 80’s before the internet. Did you know he coined the term ‘cyberspace’? That’s why I love Sci-fi.

Do Andriods Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick: Read this one in a day and found it was the novel the film ‘Blade Runner’ was based on. Explored more deeply than the film about the human trait of empathy and really goves a new perspective to android related fiction (caught A.I. on TV after I read this and the similatites in theme were quite startiling).

Starting on the four novel 'Hyperion Cantos' now.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Here is the NPR list for anyone interested:

1. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
3. Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card
4. The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert
5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin
6. 1984, by George Orwell
7. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
8. The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov
9. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
10. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
11. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
12. The Wheel Of Time Series, by Robert Jordan
13. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
14. Neuromancer, by William Gibson
15. Watchmen, by Alan Moore
16. I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
17. Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein
18. The Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfuss
19. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
20. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
21. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick
22. The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
23. The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke
25. The Stand, by Stephen King
26. Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson
27. The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
28. Cat’s Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
29. The Sandman Series, by Neil Gaiman
30. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
31. Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein
32. Watership Down, by Richard Adams
33. Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey
34. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein
35. A Canticle For Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller
36. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells
37. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, by Jules Verne
38. Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel Keys
39. The War Of The Worlds, by H.G. Wells
40. The Chronicles Of Amber, by Roger Zelazny
41. The Belgariad, by David Eddings
42. The Mists Of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
43. The Mistborn Series, by Brandon Sanderson
44. Ringworld, by Larry Niven
45. The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin
46. The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien
47. The Once And Future King, by T.H. White
48. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
49. Childhood’s End, by Arthur C. Clarke
50. Contact, by Carl Sagan
51. The Hyperion Cantos, by Dan Simmons
52. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
53. Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson
54. World War Z, by Max Brooks
55. The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
56. The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
57. Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett
58. The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, by Stephen R. Donaldson
59. The Vorkosigan Saga, by Lois McMaster Bujold
60. Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett
61. The Mote In God’s Eye, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
62. The Sword Of Truth, by Terry Goodkind
63. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
64. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
65. I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson
66. The Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist
67. The Shannara Trilogy, by Terry Brooks
68. The Conan The Barbarian Series, by R.E. Howard
69. The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobb
70. The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
71. The Way Of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
72. A Journey To The Center Of The Earth, by Jules Verne
73. The Legend Of Drizzt Series, by R.A. Salvatore
74. Old Man’s War, by John Scalzi
75. The Diamond Age, by Neil Stephenson
76. Rendezvous With Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke
77. The Kushiel’s Legacy Series, by Jacqueline Carey
78. The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. LeGuin
79. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
80. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
81. The Malazan Book Of The Fallen Series, by Steven Erikson
82. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
83. The Culture Series, by Iain M. Banks
84. The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
85. Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
86. The Codex Alera Series, by Jim Butcher
87. The Book Of The New Sun, by Gene Wolfe
88. The Thrawn Trilogy, by Timothy Zahn
89. The Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldan
90. The Elric Saga, by Michael Moorcock
91. The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury
92. Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
93. A Fire Upon The Deep, by Vernor Vinge
94. The Caves Of Steel, by Isaac Asimov
95. The Mars Trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson
96. Lucifer’s Hammer, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
97. Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis
98. Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville
99. The Xanth Series, by Piers Anthony
100. The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis

 

[ragman]

Continuing to scratch titles off the NPR 100 best Sci-Fi & Fantasy:

Necromancer by William Gibson: Good, fast-paced read. Crazy some of the language and themes in this book regarding the internet and technology, while have been written in 80’s before the internet. Did you know he coined the term ‘cyberspace’? That’s why I love Sci-fi.

Do Andriods Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick: Read this one in a day and found it was the novel the film ‘Blade Runner’ was based on. Explored more deeply than the film about the human trait of empathy and really goves a new perspective to android related fiction (caught A.I. on TV after I read this and the similatites in theme were quite startiling).

Starting on the four novel 'Hyperion Cantos' now.

Funny that you should mention the Hyperion Cantos. I just finished Book 2, The Fall of Hyperion, yesterday. Good book, but I liked Hyperion better.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

The Black Count by Tom Reiss. Is a partial biography of Alex Dumas, father of the great author Alexandre Dumas (The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers).

Learned a lot about the fate of mullatos/men of colour during the French Revolution, Saint Domingue (Haiti) and other aspects usually not found in books on that time. Pretty good read.

 

[ethiostar]

Continuing to scratch titles off the NPR 100 best Sci-Fi & Fantasy:

Necromancer by William Gibson: Good, fast-paced read. Crazy some of the language and themes in this book regarding the internet and technology, while have been written in 80’s before the internet. Did you know he coined the term ‘cyberspace’? That’s why I love Sci-fi.

Do Andriods Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick: Read this one in a day and found it was the novel the film ‘Blade Runner’ was based on. Explored more deeply than the film about the human trait of empathy and really goves a new perspective to android related fiction (caught A.I. on TV after I read this and the similatites in theme were quite startiling).

Starting on the four novel 'Hyperion Cantos' now.

Both great books. I'm assuming you meant to say Neuromancer by Gibson. I read Neuromancer after I had seen The Matrix and similarities were uncanny.

 

[rash]

Wall Street and the Rise of Hitler - Antony Sutton

If you want a parallax view of world history--and not the crap that public school feeds you--read some of Tony Sutton's work.

Also,

The Underground History of American Education by John Taylor Gatto

Definitely one of the greatest revelations that I have stumbled upon...
Mr. Gatto's work is an eye opener folks...

 

[Future]

This thread is super long, I don't know if anybody has mentioned in, but Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series is pretty epic. Gets a bit slow and bogged down but unnecessary details at times as you get a bit past the midway point, but it's the only series that's kept my attention for as many pages.

Be warned, it's not a series to take lightly. You're looking at over 10,000 pages to read all of it.

George Lippard's The Quaker City; or the Monks of Monk Hall is also pretty great. Didn't get a lot of praise originally considering the time it was published and some of the things going on, but it's a great read. Captivating, gruesome, and at some times, funny. Excellent character development and a plot deep enough to be a page turner.

Ya know, it's funny. I'm a few pages of thesis wrting from an M.A. in English, and I had to really think hard to figure out the last books I read that I could offer any insight on :laugh2:

 

[junk]

Continuing to scratch titles off the NPR 100 best Sci-Fi & Fantasy:

Necromancer by William Gibson: Good, fast-paced read. Crazy some of the language and themes in this book regarding the internet and technology, while have been written in 80’s before the internet. Did you know he coined the term ‘cyberspace’? That’s why I love Sci-fi.

Do Andriods Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick: Read this one in a day and found it was the novel the film ‘Blade Runner’ was based on. Explored more deeply than the film about the human trait of empathy and really goves a new perspective to android related fiction (caught A.I. on TV after I read this and the similatites in theme were quite startiling).

Starting on the four novel 'Hyperion Cantos' now.

That NPR list is pretty solid. I usually go to it if I'm looking for something to read (that or peruse recent Hugo and Nebula award winners)

Dan Simmons has some other pretty solid stuff as well. Illium/Olympos is good. Summer of Night is good. Flashback is his most recent effort and was really solid as well.

I recently tried to read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It has received a lot of accolades, but I found it long and boring. Only the second book in my life I couldn't finish. Ditched it and picked up "The Dog Stars" by Peter Heller. Much better.

Reading my first Neal Stephenson book now (Reamde)

 

[Denim Chicken]

Funny that you should mention the Hyperion Cantos. I just finished Book 2, The Fall of Hyperion, yesterday. Good book, but I liked Hyperion better.

Are you going to read the other two?

 

[Denim Chicken]

This thread is super long, I don't know if anybody has mentioned in, but Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series is pretty epic. Gets a bit slow and bogged down but unnecessary details at times as you get a bit past the midway point, but it's the only series that's kept my attention for as many pages.

Be warned, it's not a series to take lightly. You're looking at over 10,000 pages to read all of it.

Yep, Wheel of Time is #12 on the list. I know that it is 13 books, so I've kinda been dodging that one.

What is the subject for your thesis?

 

[Denim Chicken]

Both great books. I'm assuming you meant to say Neuromancer by Gibson. I read Neuromancer after I had seen The Matrix and similarities were uncanny.

Yep, damn spell check got me. Your right about the Matrix. Thought the female character (Molly) was like Trintiy and the main protagonist was akin to Neo.

As a bonus this book let me add Derm to my mental collection of crazy, made-up, dystopian drugs, like: Soma, Mélange, & Milk-plus

 

[Hopeuhavechange]

Predator Nation-- Chuck Ferguson 8.5
maddening as it is insightful. Sharpen yer pitchforks

Darwin's Dogs-- Emma Townshend, 9.8

Delightful insights in CD and how his passion for dogs infromed and guided his life's work.

Black Rednecks and White Liberals-- Thomas Sowell 10.00

Brilliant racial commentary, historically researched and full of surprises, written with ease and simplcity and absent any flamethrowing or red meat, to the greatest extent possible political commentary avoided. Carefully, accurately cited. Provactive to the hilt.

Mayflower-- Nathaniel Philbrick, 11
Mesmerizing. Uplifting and hopeful.

Grimm's Fairy Tales-- Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, 9.9
instructive, enertaining and creative; morally proufound. Timeless.

Friedrich Hayek-- Road to Serfdom, 12
Critical read. Do so twice.


Add your own

 

[Kristen82]

"Baudolino" & "The Prague Cemetery" - Umberto Eco
"Pilgrim" - Timothy Findley
= 10's

If you like European history, these are for you.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Still working on NPR list. Knocked off recently: Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville -Really good Steampunk novel Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut -Anti-war satire, right up my alley. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells -Why didn't I read any Wells sooner? Working on Cat’s Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut now.

 

[Denim Chicken]

-fixing block of text from last post-

Still working on NPR list.

Knocked off recently:

Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville
-Really good Steampunk novel

Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
-Anti-war satire, right up my alley.

The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells
-Why didn't I read any Wells sooner?

Working on Cat’s Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut now.

 

[Khartun]

Continuing to scratch titles off the NPR 100 best Sci-Fi & Fantasy:

Necromancer by William Gibson: Good, fast-paced read. Crazy some of the language and themes in this book regarding the internet and technology, while have been written in 80’s before the internet. Did you know he coined the term ‘cyberspace’? That’s why I love Sci-fi.

Do Andriods Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick: Read this one in a day and found it was the novel the film ‘Blade Runner’ was based on. Explored more deeply than the film about the human trait of empathy and really goves a new perspective to android related fiction (caught A.I. on TV after I read this and the similatites in theme were quite startiling).

Starting on the four novel 'Hyperion Cantos' now.

Hey Denim, I'm a Fantasy/Sci Fi fan also, have you read "The First Law" trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. I highly recommend it. It is one of my favorites. I just finished it and am now reading one of his other books.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Hey Denim, I'm a Fantasy/Sci Fi fan also, have you read "The First Law" trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. I highly recommend it. It is one of my favorites. I just finished it and am now reading one of his other books.

I have not read that. Is the title a reference to Asimov's three laws of robotics, perchance?

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

Savages by Don Winslow - I really loved this book. I watched the movie a couple of week later and it completely sucked.

The Kings of Cool by Don Winslow - The prequel to Savages. Also fantastic, I think I may have even liked it a little better.

Wool Omnibus Edition by Hugh Howey - A post apocalyptic story about a community living underground. Really cool book and unpredictable.

The Hunger Games - I usually don't read off the best seller list but my wife insisted I read them. I loved all 3 books.

The Land That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs - I really like Burroughs and Jules Verne type books. I'm about 1/2 way through this one and so far it's really cool.