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Escape Pod => Science Fiction Discussion => Topic started by: Russell Nash on November 13, 2007, 05:30:57 PM

Title: NPR:Out of This World: Great Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Post by: Russell Nash on November 13, 2007, 05:30:57 PM

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2163/2003194661_9a20a9dbfe_o.jpg)

NPR had this story yesterday (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16159971).  A librarian, who writes about books, came on to recommend six SF titles.

Title: Re: NPR:Out of This World: Great Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Post by: Tango Alpha Delta on February 17, 2008, 04:20:57 AM

How did I miss this thread?

Come to think of it... how did EVERYONE miss this thread?

Anyway... I've read a third of those books, and loved them immensely.

Forever War was one of a handful of outstanding SF books that had been "donated" to our watch floor when I was stationed in England.  I permanently borrowed Consider Phlebas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consider_Phlebas), but that copy of Forever War was literally worn to bits, so I left it behind...physically, at least.  It made a deep impression, though.  Whenever anyone starts in on how great Starship Troopers is, that's my answer.

Cryptonomicon especially appealed to me; I was a linguist, computer network installer, and family history researcher (two of the three professionally) and really got into the juxtapositions of the various threads of plot, historical detail, goofy detail, and general geekiness of it.  I've tried to tackle Stephenson's Baroque Cycle, but that has proven too much for me so far... really dug his earlier stuff, though.

Anyone got anything on the other four?  (off to listen to the NPR story, now that I've shot my mouth off... better see if it covered this in more eloquent detail!)

Title: Re: NPR:Out of This World: Great Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Post by: eytanz on February 17, 2008, 09:17:09 AM

I also read Cryptonomicon, which for me was just like every other Stephenson book - really, really enjoyable throughout with a badly written ending. Stephenson just doesn't know how to wrap things up (actually, The Baroque Cycle has his best ending yet).

The other book on this list I read is The Last Light of the Sun, which I really liked. If you read anything else by Guy Gavriel Kay you know what to expect; if you don't, you should expect a lot of adventure in a setting modelled closely after real world history (in this case, the British isles) with some magic thrown in.

Title: Re: NPR:Out of This World: Great Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Post by: stePH on February 18, 2008, 05:28:42 AM

Quote from: Tango Alpha Delta on February 17, 2008, 04:20:57 AM

How did I miss this thread?

Come to think of it... how did EVERYONE miss this thread?

Anyway... I've read a third of those books, and loved them immensely.

Forever War was one of a handful of outstanding SF books that had been "donated" to our watch floor when I was stationed in England. 

[snip]

Cryptonomicon especially appealed to me....

I've read the same two out of those six. 

BTW any time I find somebody reading Heinlein's Starship Troopers, I tell them to read The Forever War next.

Title: Re: NPR:Out of This World: Great Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Post by: CammoBlammo on February 24, 2008, 11:16:02 AM

I just sent this link to a librarian friend of mine, hoping she can bring some of these next time she comes through. She was got excited and showed me the Nancy Pearl Action Figure (http://www.mcphee.com/laf/).

The more I live, the better I think the world is getting.

<edit>Fix up embarrassing wrong link. This is why I can never have nice things...</edit>

Title: Re: NPR:Out of This World: Great Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Post by: Tango Alpha Delta on February 24, 2008, 12:56:12 PM

I didn't believe it, until I did a quick Googling: Nancy Pearl action figure (http://www.mcphee.com/amusements/current/11247.html).

Heck, even I have an "action figure" now.   :D

Title: Re: NPR:Out of This World: Great Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Post by: CammoBlammo on February 24, 2008, 05:56:46 PM

Wow. I stuffed that up. My librarian friend and I had been firing links at each other, and had the NPR one in my clipboard instead of the one I wanted. This (http://www.mcphee.com/laf/) is what I intended.
Moral: Check those URLs! Use that preview button! (With compliments to Slashdot)

I'll go and fix my post now.

Title: Re: NPR:Out of This World: Great Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Post by: Tommy Ceez on February 27, 2008, 05:11:02 AM

I cant say enough how the Baroque Cycle got BETTER with every book, unlike almost every other series out there.

Cryptonomicon would have been better served as a WWII novel with the END of the 'modern day' storyline serving as a final chapter flash foreward

Title: Re: NPR:Out of This World: Great Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Post by: bolddeceiver on March 16, 2008, 07:10:18 AM

Nancy Pearl is one of many reasons I'm proud to be a Seattlite.  She does a weekly bit on our NPR station where she reviews books, current and otherwise.  Last week she did a great one on Ender's Game (http://www.kuow.org/mp3high/m3u/NancyPearl/NancyPearl20080310.m3u).  I sort of felt like it had all been said on that book, and she had me wanting to read it again.