Posthumanism edition. What's your favorite work of post- or transhuman SF?
Previously: >>7996125
>Fantasy
Selected: http://i.imgur.com/3v2oXAY.jpg (embed)
General: http://i.imgur.com/igBYngL.jpg (embed)
Flowchart: http://i.imgur.com/uykqKJn.jpg (embed)
>Sci-Fi
Selected: http://i.imgur.com/A96mTQX.jpg (embed)
General: http://i.imgur.com/r55ODlL.jpg/ http://i.imgur.com/gNTrDmc.jpg (embed)
>>8003215
>(embed)
>>8003222
Shit. That'll teach me to just ctrl+v from the last thread.
>>8003222
>weeb
Any fantasy with a little girl protagonist?
There's plenty of weird scifi, but what is some good weird fantasy?
>>8003236
The Iron Dragon's Daughter.
It's different in a good way
Also most stuff on the Masterwork list is good, but not everything on it is weird
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_Masterworks
Somebody had also linked some sort of meta-fantasy before which had a really low rating on goodreads.
But those people were complaining it was too complex, too meta.
It's weird, but I don't know if it's any good.
>>8003215
Top 3 fantasy books \ series of all time?
>>8003299
fellowship of the rings
the two towers
return of the king
any fantasy with a black protagonist?
can't a brotha get some representation? smdh
>>8003353
Rivers of London
>>8003353
Also is there a black female protagonist?
Preferably a little girl
>>8003299
Lions of Al Rassan
The Buried Giant
Lies of Locke Lamora
>>8003353
>black protagonist
>black
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
>>8003363
Anything else master?
>>8003299
Book of the New Sun
Children of Hurin
Gormenghast
>>8003363
September from the Fairyland Series is black! The cover art depicts her as white, but it also depicts the blue skinned water spirit as being tan.
Any fantasy where the protagonist can switch genders? Or is cursed and turned into alittlegirl or something?
>>8003396
Write it yourself!
>>8003299
the Odyssey
Dune
Anathem
>>8003401
FANTASY
A
N
T
A
S
Y
>>8003407
debate me
>>8003425
Bring it on son
>>8003398
But I'm not a writer..
>>8003396
Stop being such a tremendous fucking faggot.
You shit up every fucking thread with this crap.
>>8003436
I'm not that guy and my request is completely different dude.
>>8003299
The fellowship of the king
The two rings
Return of the tower
Which Fantasy/Sci Fi book character is the most like Donald Trump?
>>8003434
So be one!
>>8003443
Severian
>>8003432
All three books I mentioned fantastical elements that require suspension of disbelief, therefore are of the fantasy genre
>>8003443
Do NOT put Fantasy and Sci Fi in the same sentence ever again you faggot, it's a different genre !
>>8003445
Not interested. I'm pretty good with coming up with draft ideas and such, but actual writing and refining over years is boring to me.
>>8003441
Great so theres two of them now
Take your fetishes over to d and stop fucking up our thread
>>8003449
DELET THIS
Any Sci Fi where the protagonist can switch genders? Or is cursed and turned into a little girl or something?
>>8003451
That isn't really a fetish, don't you think it'd be interesting as hell if protagonist did something, and a witch or something cursed him into being a girl? That concept really makes me want to read about it.
>>8003449
Why? I love reading Fantasy and Sci Fi books!
>>8003443
Arioch, beautiful lord of chaos
>>8003453
DELETE THIS
>>8003449Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror
>>8003443
Havelock Vetinari
>>8003459
>>8003482
>>8003484
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRAMA TV SHOW AND ACTION TV SHOW?
IT'S NOT THE SAME GENRE!
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
>>8003451
This is my first time going on this general did I make a mistake suggesting him a series?
(a series that is also one of my favorites)
>>8003497
What is steampunk then?
>>8003507
>This is my first time going on this general
Wow, you are not seeing us at our best.
>>8003507
What series? My post has no responses except "Write it yourself"...
>>8003508
A terrible name. There's nothing remotely punkish about it.
>>8003497
It's more closer to what's the difference between a drama set in space and a drama set in the Middlearth.
Are there any real life / urban fantasy that aren't trashy with females posing on the covers?
>>8003526
The first Anita Blake (Guilty Pleasures) is a good read
It also ends nicely so you don't ever have to touch the other books because everything is handled in the first book.
>>8003497
A Game of Thrones is both tho
>>8003526
Is Locke Lamora even fantasy? Don't spoil me if possible but I'm 100~ pages in and as far as I can tell there is no fantastical elements. It's just a bunch of dudes, funny banter and heists. Not complaining as the dialogue is pretty fun, just wondering if it's ever gonna be more.
>>8003569
There's a bit of magic, mostly remnants of things that don't exist anymore.
>>8003236
Michael Cisco
>Foundation and Earth
>Solaria
Feels like a weird point in time to be finally reading this bit.
>>8003526
Vurt by Jeff Noon
Winds of Winter when? ;_;
>>8003717
Winds of Winter never.
>>8003353
>fantasy with a black protagonist
If you count magical realism it's practically a trope.
Not for bruvas tho, most seem to be black women.
>tfw A Method For Madness is never coming out
fuck you David Gerrold
>>8003353
I M A R O
>>8003569
Yes there's magic. It figures quite prominently in the 3rd book especially.
>>8003717
Not as if it's salvageable.
>>8003353
Hogg
![200px-MistbornTrilogy[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/HqSlB00.jpg "200px-MistbornTrilogy[1].jpg")
>>8003215
I've been hearing good things about this series from many sources I respect. I can't believe I listened to the hype, I just finished the first book and it was shit.
I like his world, and lore and even his specific plot wasn't bad but he writes like a 10 year old. Seriously he butchered the whole fucking book with it.
wtf why is this so highly regarded.
>>8004153
Most fantasy readers don't care about prose, just ideas. Sanderson doesn't care about polishing it because it doesn't matter at the end of the day. People still buy his books in droves
Well I stuck with it and I'm reading The Dread Wyrm, the third book in The Red Knight series.
Im just starting it, but after a shaky start it got really good very quickly.
It's far better than either of the previous titles.
>>8004153
I only read it because of Kelsier
Fucking Kelsier
I actually don't think I read past the first book because of Salt
Just finished reading pic related, here's my opinion in case anybody cares:
The book is not actually bad, I just couldn't get much into his universe. I hardly ever found the awe in reading it like I found when I read Clark's The Gardens of Paradise. I think the world building was just lazy. For a future where humans have colonized Mars and a great number of asteroids, it is rather shocking not to find a single sentence referring robots or A.I, and for that matter, any kind of cool sci-fi technology. It was 2016 with ships. I haven't read much sci-fi books, but wondering about the future is what I like the most about them. Had he taken 40 more pages into describing more of the world and it could earn a few easy points.
Besides that, the characters were solid. The plot was good, yet lacking some collateral points of view. A war is going on and is like , I don't know. Just couldn't feel it.
Still, 8/10. I'll read the next one and see if the series is worth it.
Feel free to discuss this, you are my only reading friends.
>>8004241
but my favorite character won't be in it so whats the point? :(
I just finishedlisteningto Neuromancer.
>barely had any idea what was going on most of the time
>at points i had mental blackouts, but later on i could still recognize a part i previously heard
This helped a great deal with immersion, but now i'm not sure if i should properly read it sometime, or if that's just the way the book is.
Also, about to start Metro 2033, what do you guys think of it?
Any books with girls in it? I'm looking for recommendations
![Harold+comp_14d8fe_5466614[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/AhsWiOY.jpg "Harold+comp_14d8fe_5466614[1].jpg")
>“This book is a beta from an indie making magic spell apps. It's an interactive guide to artisanal potions. This book is the first person you know with a crazy realist 3D tattoo. This book is a hipster and a nerd and when you read it you'll know what I mean.”– Maureen McHugh, award-winning author of China Mountain Zhang
>“Everything you could ask for in a debut novel – a fresh look at science fiction’s most cherished memes, ruthlessly shredded and lovingly reassembled.” ―Cory Doctorow
>Nobody here is participating in based Paolini's /r/fantasy AMA
Plebs, the lot of you
>>8004344
Fucking pedos..
>>8004344
The Hunger Games and Divergent are pretty damn good.
>>8004344
Too vague. Please tell us what you'd like to read about.
>>8004363
DELET THIS
>>8004216
>cuck fantasy
Plz anon
Recommend me some good Christian fantasy and SciFi writers.
>>8004344
Mistborn
>>8004417
CS Lewis is the obvious one, although the Perelandra trilogy isn't that great. Also Chesterton, PKD, and Gene Wolfe.
>>8004321
Finish Bands of Mourning.
Then read Secret History.
Thank me later.
>>8004422
Google says All the Birds in the Sky, from some girl? named Charlie Jane Andrews.
>it gets compared to Cloud Atlas and William Gibson's works
I'm triggered.
>>8004417
John of Patmos. But be warned: his shit is pretty trippy.
>>8004241
>The Wax and Wayne series is markedly better than the first trilogy in every single way
>Every single way
>Shoehorned in stupid feminist ideology
>Much less interesting than the first trilogy
>Hey did you notice how strong and smart the females are in this book
![Untitled%206_2[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/XNtuJp6.jpg "Untitled%206_2[1].jpg")
>>8004422
>>8004443
Yes, >girl in the /r9k/ sense
Reading the blurbs reminded me that most SFF writers are hopeless at discussing books
>Has a female subject to the changing of the times
>more often than not a pawn for social change in a scenario that is sound and not insulting to the reader
>end of a western era with the emergence of a new culture, new way of life and new issues
>has one strong female character that gets screen time
"feminism is ruining books, guys. this woman is a main character and more than just a love interest. someone call the cops abloo bloo bloo"
>>8004476
Yeah I should have expected it as I was reading a fantasy novel.
>>8004349
Cory Doctorow has shit taste, and half the time he's just recommending his personal friends anyway.
>>8004417
You might wanna check out Brad Torgersen. The Chaplain’s War apparently has pretty heavy Christian themes.
https://bradrtorgersen.wordpress.com/2014/03/16/why-publish-with-baen/
>>8004432
Alright lad, will check them out, please don't go breaking my heart though.
>>8004432
I read the secret history after finishing the first mistborn book
I think I fucked up a bit
i thought it felt so damn rushed, until I finished it, checked out the wiki and realized you're supposed to read at least the entire trilogy
>>8004417
John C. Wright is worth a look, although his best known work, The Golden Age, was written before he was a Christian.
>>8003215
so i just ordered all asoiaf books after years of shitting on grrm and game of thrones. all because i want to know more about barristan the bold.
>>8003396
Anything by Ed Greenwood
>>8003396
Any scifi book where Crystal memory is a thing.
All you would have to do is plant your subconscious and memory in a girl and walk out of the body bank with
>>8004417
Tolkien, Gene Wolfe, C. S. Lewis, John C Wright, Walter M. Miller, Chesterton.
All of these are either pretty solid writers, or absolute masters, Wolfe, Tolkien and Chesterton are the best.
>>8004867
I find John C. Wright's prose unbearably bad. Wolfe, Chesterton, and Miller are great, though.
>>8004882
I don't find it anything special, but I enjoy his nonsense words for space stuff.
Aside from The Martian (tried it, overrated) is there any good SF about plausible near-future
space missions? I considered Baxter's NASA trilogy, but that's more alternate history.
>>8004417
R.A. Lafferty. 'Name of the Snake' is an incredibly creepy story about interplanetary missionary work.
>>8003446
Severian is more thoughtful and more human than anyone could expect given his upbringing. Once he becomes Autarch, he bans torture and at least seriously considers becoming a vegetarian.
And he's not a megalomaniac; he does what he wants to, but, crucially, he's a good person because he wants to be one. He has perspective. He cares about things. He has some self-awareness. He's good at stuff. He's a leader because he's good, not because it's all he ever wanted to be.
>>8004417
>>8004241
I really hope Wayne becomes a worldhopper with MeLaan.
So what's your personal fave fantasy novel? Mine is pic related
>>8004935
hue
>>8004905
Isn't this a sperg out Moorcock had when he thought himself a worthy thinker?
>>8004948
>>8004153
the sheer number of times some character would 'roll their eyes' at another. fuck me. Never read another in this series.
>>8003234
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making - Catherynne M. Valente.
Just got parts 2-5 for my birthday.
>>8004216
Agree but the power creep is a bit out of hand by the end.
>>8004417
In terms of Christian content in the literal sense there's a fair amount in Miles Cameron's Traitor Son cycle. Also Dan Simmons Hyperion Cantos.
>>8005068
*raises eyebrow*
>>8004643
Wow, how did you fuck that up so badly? Doesn't it even say on the amazon page that Secret History is a literal spoiler for the entire trilogy?
>>8005080
Sounds fun.
>>8005068
Characters in a fantasy setting acting like modern Westerners really bugs me
>>8005200
I think it's only mid tier. Read Lions of Al Rassan if you want to see his definite best, then you can decide if you want to continue reading him.
I'm looking for a pdf. It's a book about the extreme far future evolution of humans. It's completely fictional and has some illustrations. Kind of in the vein of Dougal Dixon works. There's basically a bunch of passages on different future evolution of humans. I remember there being one of like humans becoming almost brick-like. One kind of human becoming this weird ultra-intelligent brain species, and some other ones. Most of the illustrations were only made with shades of blue, I believe. Thanks.
Anyone have any short stories they wanna share?
Saw this in my local bookstore today. Anyone read it?
>>8005244
I have something I did for a creative writing workshop. I've been too shy to post it outright but if you want to read it that'll neat. BTW I had a 2000 word limit so if it feels rushed lemme know.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dintzt46elhmerc/Ariphates%20the%20Lord%20of%20Magic.pdf?dl=0
Best character Wolfe ever wrote isOreb
>>8005274
thats not Hethor
>>8005278
Funny raven>hatchback beastmaster with hots for 40 years younger sociopaths
>>8004287
The TV show based on Leviathan Rising (The Expanse) was pretty meh as well. They never went into the world or setting much either, not read the book yet but after watching the TV show i'm not expecting much.
>>8005293
I've seen the show and it's good for pointlessly killing time with space sf
you meant to say transhumanism not post
>>8005211
All Tomorrows. Pretty sure it's on libgen but I don't have a link on me
Just got the White Luck Warrior by Bakker as ebook. According to my Kobo, it has only 150 pages. Did I download a corrupted version or something? All his previous books were 400 to 600 pages.
>>8005402
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7704943-the-white-luck-warrior
Trade Paperback, 587 pages
How hard can 1 google be you fucking enormous retard.
>>8005405
Already saw that on Wikipedia, but the final page of the book was an acknowledgement. I was wondering if it had anything to do with my download or my ereader, or that I somehow downloaded an early version.
No need to get mad my friend.
>>8005408
I am not your friend.
>>8005193
That wasn't the plot mind you, but Richard K Morgan and Neal Asher.
>>8004904
Hi Aram, when will you start tripping? :~)
>>8005134
>>8005268
>Americlap symbolism with the eagles
>has throne in title so deals with a monarchy
>by the end of the book some cunt will move feom a monarchy to freedum(republic)
How much out of 3 did I get right? I'm just speculating here.
Anyone realize that ALL fantasy that has a throne in it changes to democracy by the end?
>>8005443
>Americlap symbolism with the eagles
>What is the Double-Headed eagle?
>What is Russia?
>What is the Holy Roman Empire?
>What is Austria?
>what is Montenegro?
>What is Serbia?
>>8005455
>replying to the underage redditors that have invaded these threads over the last couple of weeks
http://www.pornokitsch.com/2016/05/15-amazing-genre-fiction-books-by-female-authors-breaking-glass-slipper.html
Any scifi stuff about isolation in space? Cabin fever in a ship or station?
>>8005466
>26
>here on lit since 09
>was in the first sffg last year
>made 5 threads because everyone else was lazy as fuck
>never went to reddit
>gets shit because I don't care for Sandhuggers, vodka bros and stoop stance symbolism
Not my fault you Americlaps behave like the eagle only belongs to you. That's probably why people are killing off bald eagles over their.
Is there a /lit/ list of dystopian scifi/fantasy books? That's what I'm in the mood to binge read, but off the top of my head, all I can think of is
>We
>The Iron Heel
>Fahrenheit 451
>Brave New World
>1984
Please help
>>8005542
Iron Dragon Daaughte.r
>>8005542
The Departure - Neal Asher
>>8005542
The Handmaid's Tale maybe? I don't know if it's /sff/ enough for the list.
>>8003491
Almost gave me a stroke, good one motherfucker
>>8005080
I'm assuming these books aren't written in this style.
Anyone red the second three body book? Heard the translation is bad
>>8005666
Satan's number tells me it's shit
>>8004890
Red Mars by Robinson is the start of a good hard sf trilogy
Which is the grittiest Sci-Fantasy work?
Black Company? Malazan? First Law?
>>8005912
The second apocalypse
>>8005912
What do you mean as gritty?
Top 5 favorite/best SFF short stories or novella in your opinion?
>>8006018
Fifth Head of Cerberus
Minority Report
My Name is Joe
The Marching Morons
Tbh I didn't read too many.
>>8003215
>What's your favorite work of post- or transhuman SF?
"The Twenty-first Voyage" from Lem's "The Star Diaries".
>>8006005
grimdark probably
>he/she raised an eyebrow
Why is Sanderson so obsessed with this action? To raise an eyebrow? Nobody does that ever.
I've read all Mistborn, Reckoners and I'm halfway through Stormlight Archive and this fat fuck repeats this every few pages / sentences.
I clearly remember a part when Shallan was doing whatever with Jasnah and I kid you not, the fuck repeated she raised an eyebrow, she raised an eyebrow, she raised an eyebrow like 4 times in a paragraph or something. It was real cringe.
That being said, I love how epic he is in scope. I missed uber high fantasy with crazy happenings and his Stormlight Archive is actually enjoyable.
>>8006094
I raised an eyebrow at this post to be honest.
New thread >>8005960
>>8006107
We aren't even halfway through this thread retard.
>>8006107
Yeah no
>>8006107
Go away retard
>>8006107
Cool thanks
>>8006101
"I raised an eyebrow" anon said, raising a suspicious eyebrow at the other anon.
>>8006107
gj very dank
>>8006051
hannu rajaniemi - jean le flambeur trilogy
what did the publisher mean by this?
>>8006132
They're both kind of bad
>When he saw her break the surface of the sea, Devin wept.
Might have something to do with me having the emotionality of a brick but this is becoming a bit ridiculous.
>>8006162
Why'd you delete your last post faggot?
>>8006166
Coz I fucked it up replying to unrelated shit. Is Lions a big improvement?
>>8006172
Yes. Tigana is middle of the pack.
I saw a book in the new fantasy section at Barnes and Noble that I wanted to look up, but I forget the title and author. It was a fantasy book set in the east (maybe China, but it might have been Japan) and the cover was very nice. It was an off white with a simply drawn scene with the cover being a rough paper, almost more like card stock. Not mass market paperback sized, it was a bit taller and longer, though a bit thinner, probably like 200 pages?
Anyone know what I'm talking about? Anyone read it? I remember thinking it might have been a YA novel, which is why I wanted to look up some more info.
Is it true both PKD and Robert Anton Wilson claimed to be channeling an alien?
>>8006094
>she had raised an eyebrow in quizzical mystification
t. Guy Gavriel Kay
>>8005423
t'weren't me there. but, lo, here I am. I am actually in the camp that Severian is not all that great of a person even at the end, and that much of his subtext is to encourage blind obedience to an order that is increasingly alien and a salvation *not* for humanity per se.
>>8006249
Would certainly explain a few things.
>>8006270
But he is cool regardless. Tripping about the Hugos, you mean? The good news is the text of the book will be included in the Hugo Packet, version 2 with the typos corrected. The bad news ... I doubt it will be read. But that doesn't matter. The hardcover for Wolfe scholars is what i wanted, and general SF fans who can be swayed by association and ad hominem attacks beneath my notice. I can separate art from the artist - i can read De Sade regardless of his reputation for sadism and torture because I read his books for other things, like the sadism and torture!
>>8006107
amazing anon, thank you very much
>>8006270
Marc I'm 55% in On Green's Jungles and they are now back on Green via teleportation or something and I'm confused as fuck.
Last time I was this confused was when I read Kant.
When is Part II of your book coming? I want the essays on Long, Short and Wizard Knight.
>>8006270
And also the salvation of mankind there is symbolic for the one Wolfe professes, and to my knowledge you too. The obedience is I think really genuine Wolfe. Major themes of New Sun and Wizard Knight were of a classical church/monarchy obedience and living in accordance with the Logos.
>>8006333
My video does a fair job explaining that in my opinion but wait until you are done to watch it. Short sun has confused just about every reader, and most of them are still too dense after my explanation to acknowledge that I have explained it. Wolfe outdid himself in short sun. Email me when you are done and I will send you my long sun and short sun essays. I dont know that the wizard knight one will have the same kind of sublime insight, thoigh, at least not yet. Still working on it. 12 essays to finish of 132 for volume 2
>>8005340
Thank you!
>>8006391
SHIIIIIET
Yeah, I've been waiting to watch them because I couldn't get a hand on Short Sun for ages.
Wizard Knight is retrospectively much more interesting than what the first impression left on me. There is a lot of cosmic order in it, it's all about virtue and proper ways in which a man should act before other man and God.
"You think you have escaped the gods and the punishments gods mete out to such as you. You are mistaken. The Outsider is sitting amongst you unseen, and he has given you his judgement. He has appointed a scourge fit for you. I will not call you together again, and it may be that no one will ever summon you a second time. I think it very likely. If you wish to speak with me again, come to me singly. Perhaps I'll find time for you, if you do. Perhaps not."
"Who can plumb the mind of the Outsider, or search out all his ways? Our riches are his dross, and our gods his toys."
>>8005484
The Lifeship by Harry Harrison and Gordon Dickson
Sabotage cripples a civilian transport. The story follows a group of survivors on an escape pod that hopelessly attempts to limp to port before starvation, or other calamity, finishes them off.
Survey Ship by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Specially trained crew of a deep space scout encounter computer issues. The focus seems to be on crew relationships.
Two of C. J. Cherryh's books touch on this.
The first 60 pages of Heavy Time has a two person, tiny mining sip crew rescuing a delirious crash survivor. Greed stemming from the potential salvage of the unfortunate's ship, and
nerves worn thin from his incoherent ramblings/actions in the cramped ship cause some cabin fever.
Merchant's Luck features the sole survivor of a pirate attack (two uncles also made it, but died later) who, with the help of illegal automation, crews a cargo ship meant to house an entire clan. Most of the isolation bits are near the beginning, and flashbacks.
>tfw even adderall can't push you to work on your science fantasy magnum opus
I'm fucked
>>8004417
Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan
>>8006107
DELETE THIS
>>8006931
>tfw you just finished two adderall filled weeks consumed w working on your science fantasy magnum opus and its better than you ever thought it'd be
just handed it in as a final project today, or a contained section I transformed into a short story, which was a very frustrating process but actually ended up being a lot of fun
It's the first success I've had writing anything besides incredible amounts of papers. And I don't mean that I'm prolific, at the whacky school I go to I do nothing but write papers. I haven't taken a single test since high school.
Thoughts on Heroes Die / Acts of Caine? I initially dismissed it because of the pulpy cover but it seems to have pretty good reviews. Does it wrap up well and how are the following books in the series?
Just finished Stanislaw's Lem Eden and I have previously read The Invincible; which one should I read now?
I have heard that Solaris is the most recommended, any suggestions?
>>8007069
Cyberiad is actually my favorite of Lem's stuff.
>>8007068
It's an easy recommendation for me. The series does become increasingly 'out there' as it progresses but really has some great concepts.
Really though Caine himself as a character is what makes it. An honest to fuck all-time badass.
the best post-human SF novels I've read are the Banks Culture novels andThe Quantum Thief
How do I get into Terry Pratchett? What are his best works?
>>8007068
Basic gist is a an Earth future caste-based corporatocracy has discovered an alternate Earth called 'overworld' which is akin to a fantasy world. So, a mash-up.
The actor or entertainer caste 'travel' there to collect experiences, have adventures, which form the basis of saleable media for consumption back on Earth. Something like the wealthier citizens experience the content directly off of a live feed with full feedback from the 'actor' and cheaper derivations make their way down the social hierarchy. The protag is the biggest star etc.
Some of the best action I've read which probably has a lot to do with the author being a legit martial artist. Which isn't to say it's a one-dimensional series. A lot of ground covered in terms of politics, philosophy, theology, metaphysics and by the end of it maybe to the point of incoherence but still ultimately worthwhile I think.
Also kind of ahead of its time. At least way pre-empting Abercrombie and Morgan in the grimdark stakes.
>>8007164
Just pick one of the discworld novels that looks fun and go, most of them are great if you like the sort of thing they are
They are loosely connected and the individual series with a group of character follow a chronoligcal order, but by no means to the point where you would need to start at the very beginning and work your way through everything he ever wrote or even read every book a (main)character stars in in chronological order
I haven't read his entire catalogue so sadly I'm unable to tell you which of his novels are best
The usual "start at the beginning" approach doesn't apply 100% in this case because I believe The Color of Magic and that other first book are considred not as good as his later work
I like the ones about the city guard best, they sort of build on each other but I believe you can still enjoy a book even if you haven't read every previous book the characters appeared in
This is a fact known to me because I happened to start with The Fifth Elephant, a book my grandma gifted me, and enjoyed it without reading any of the previous books that would have told me about the characters involved
Also you should keep in mind when the books were written, they aren't outdated but now that I think about it reading them while in a "boy i hate those liberals and tubmlrs and their faggot shit" 4chan mindset might not be benefitial to your enjoyment
I remember there being a male dwarf character that decided he would like to be a woman and the older dwarfs opposing that, I had some good laffs about the guy shaving off his dwarf beard and wearing a dress and the other characters in the wacky setting reacting to it back when and the book was written almost 20 years ago, many years before any of that politcal correctness internet stuff became a thing
I have the vague desire to read a science-fiction book.
What are some good/fun science fiction books I can read that will still make me feel like I'm an adult?
So far the only science fiction in literature form I have really engaged in is Dune.
I would like recommendations other than Asimov, Lem, Clarke and Heinlein.
The OP has a lot of recommendet science fiction books, but it's just titles and covers, reading summaries on wikipedia doesn't really help me decide which book could be the thing I want.
I don't want to read some shit like Ready Player One or Ender's Game.
Can anyone tell me if Red/Green/Blue Mars is any good? It seems interesting
>>8007278
Anathem - Neal Stephenson
>>8007288
Seconded.
>>8007278
Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand
>>8007278
Most Iain M. Banks fits your bill, I think. I started with Use of Weapons but Player of Games is more accessible.
I am glad to hear someone doesn't want to read Ready Player One. God that book is terrible.
>>8005272
That was pretty good dude!
>>8007288
>>8007303
>>8007320
Thank you for the recommendations, I will look into reading those soon.
Is there any literature I should be familar before going into these?
I've been looking at Hyperion because that seems neat, but they want 25 american pesos for an edition that doesn't say "Winner of the Hugo Award" on it
>>8007333
nice trips
Player of Games seems fun and the premise creative, I think I might start with that one
Why don't we make direct downloads for those lists? I remember how much time I wasted downloading everything from different sources, converting to mobi and such...
>>8007355
Why does the only edition of Player of Games that I can buy look like garbage?
The one wikipedia enticed me with looked much better, I'm upset
>>8007377
Eh, just rip the cover off when it gets there, print a new one off the internet.
>>8007355
The Hyperion Cantos is fun. You can probably find the mass market paperbacks at your local used bookstore for $1 each.
>>8007377
The old cover is a favourite of mine.
>>8007379
So pretty much the same then.
>>8007278
>Can anyone tell me if Red/Green/Blue Mars is any good? It seems interesting
Yeah, I enjoyed it. Would recommend based on your description.
>>8005272
Please please please, do you have notes or exercises of this workshop? I want to practice my prose. I have such a lack of confidence. I feel like I need to read every book ever before daring to write one. Like I should know about everything that ever existed and how the universe and every being works. Help.
>>8007386
That's barbaric.
>>8007389
This one looks really really nice, it's very upsetting I can't just go buy it somewhere
>>8007387
Sadly I don't live in an English speaking country, so my local used bookstore doesn't have a good selection of English books and I'm forced to order it over the internet, new copies seem expensive and I don't trust ebay people that don't take photographs of their books, I'm never sure if they will actually send me the edition that the ebay description claims they have
I said "american pesos" because I think pesos are really really funny as a currency and I added the american so nobody would think I was talking about literal pesos that are worth much less than real money
>>8007412
Thanks anon, I'll read Red Mars
I was told that it can get a little dry in parts and describe rocks a lot, but I like rocks.
What are some good, long-running, sword & sorcery style fantasy series? Stuff like Conan or Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser.
>>8007278
For a quick novelette, For a Breath I Tarry by Roger Zelazny highly recommended. Wikipedia entry has links to the full text. I found it intriguing.
>tfw your biggest story idea is too animesque to make a good novel but you know if you try to make it a game it will never happen
>>8007472
Comic book? Indie film? Concept album? There are lots of media.
>>8007446
That's neat, I like literature that you can finish in one sitting.
Thank you for recommending that one, I'll read it later today
>>8007443
L. Sprague de Camp
>>8007472
>too animesque to make a good novel
Literally giant robot anime: the book.Granted, I think it sold poorly enough that he never wrote the third one, so it might not be the best example...
>>8007507
i think you forgot your image
>>8007507
Interestingly, Battletech has a shitload of books.
>>8007507
I will never not forget the picture.
>>8007472
There's almost no distinction between anime and the average fantasy novel so just do it.
>>8007419
We have lectures but they're not very helpful. I'll upload all the notes and presentation slides I have for you though soon.
>>8007513
Battletech novels are based on a wargame franchise, they're guaranteed sales. When you've got a fanbase of people willing to spend a hundred dollars on five unpainted unassembled models you can pretty much take the sale of twenty-dollar books for granted.
>>8007539
Are they dumpster tier? Always liked the setting for the games on PC.
http://bestfantasybooks.com/top25-fantasy-books.php
>1
>A Game of Thrones
>2
>The Name of the wind
Goddamn, why are plebs aloud to vote?
>>8007483
Game and book are all im capable of, and the game assumes i can make a demo and kickstart it to get a sprite artist and musicianits a YA story about an broke angry teen looking for his father whom his mother claims is a man made of rats, a physics prodigy who sold her soul for an apple product from the future, a nun from a parallel universe, an edgelord who thinks hes the antichrist and is trying to raise an army, a homeless child raised by cats who wants to be one of them, and some more planned characters
>>8007546
Not that anon, but quality varies WILDLY. I would ask here: >>>/tg/47102534
>>8007550
That could work fine as a novel. I've read trippier shit.
>>8007548
Dunno. Blame the Greeks.
>>8007550
just call it "surrealism" and plebs will think its deep
>>8007546
They're standard tie-in novel stuff. Paint-by-numbers plots and characters devised not to disrupt the canon. Quality beyond that varies wildly between novels, as it always does. Of the few I read I never found any of them more than mediocre, and one was just shit.
>>8007526
>>8007419
Okay here are all the ones up to now. Like I said, I really don't find the slides helpful at all, usually because the lectures she goes into detail herself, and most of the actual work and discussion comes from the workshops, where a dozen of us share and critique each others work. I'd highly advice finding a workshop, even if you're uncomfortable with going through other people's work or them going through yours, it does help quite a bit.
That said:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vzboigwb34w1bvn/Notes.7z?dl=0
>>8007550
That sounds kind of neat. If you haven't seen it, I'd recommend you watch Detention. It's a satire horror movie where each of the main characters is a hero from a different movie (like one character is living in Freaky Friday, and another is The Fly) That sounds kind of conceptually similar with how all of those come crashing together.
>>8007573
Thank you either way.
>>8007553
>>8007559
>>8007574
Unfortunately I left out the animesque part: they all have super powers:
>mac geek can create gravitational fields
>antichrist has magnetism
>nun can summon lightning bolts and lay-on-hands (which is really just defibrilating people)
>cat child can create things ex nihilo but must conserve color
>and the angry manlet has the power to change how anything tastes (which he's pissed about until he finds out he can make people's eyeballs spicy)
Oh, also, talking animals are literally everywhere. The pigeon court controls the parks, and their dead reborn as parakeets hold sway over greenwood cemetery. The alley cats and stray dogs are ruled by a cheshire trickster, and the rat king watches from the sewers with his thousand eyes. Time square is home to the cricket court, while the squires remains neutral until the day the rats and pigeons become one people again. Deep below the streets and the subways however, sewer gators grow restless, dreaming of the day when they might rise up and take back their city
>>8007278
*raises eyebrow while looking in your direction*
ALASTAIR
REYNOLDS
WELCOME TO YOUR NEW SCI-FI OVERLORD
>>8007554
Underrated post
11/10
>>8007687
>not Baxter
>>8004241
Yeah I'm definitely not reading 1000 pages worth of shit to get to a maybe good fantasy series I'm just going to spend my time reading better stuff.
What Sci-fi books should I check out that have fighting crime like a vigilante or caped crusader?
I misplaced the list I had for books about capes.
