11-19-2012, 03:24 PM
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#21
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wins 10 internets
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: slightly to the left
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what the hell is Battlefield Earth doing on that list? what accolades or awards has it ever gotten? all it is, is thinly veiled scientology propaganda. terrible list for that selection alone
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11-19-2012, 03:27 PM
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#22
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First Line Centre
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Calgary
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aeneas
Hyperion is certainly a favourite of mine.
I also enjoyed The Legacy of Heorot.
Second troutman's Riverworld suggestion, and sevenarms The Forever War.
And I always like to throw out The Wolves Of Memory by Effinger, Silverberg's majipoor books, or is there any love for Gene Wolfe's Shadow of the Torturer?
I found Peter F Hamilton's Pandora's Star quite remarkable.
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I'd put Hyperion on the list too, and the Mars Trilogy. I enjoyed Forever War, Pandora's War and Shadow of the Torturer as well. I'm shamed to admit I've never read Riverworld or the Majipoor books despite their significance in the field.
Foundation comes across as a bit dated now and some of the writing isn't great, so whether it makes a list like this depends on your criteria.
I might also add Use of Weapons (Iain M. Banks) to my own list.
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11-19-2012, 03:34 PM
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#23
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First Line Centre
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Ontario
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vulcan
I can't remember if I've read "Battlefield Earth", or not, it could have been that book I tried to read, but L. Ron Hubbard is a terrible writer. Maybe if you're 10 years old, he's interesting but it's no wonder he went into another line of work.
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What makes you think he did?
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11-19-2012, 03:37 PM
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#24
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Powerplay Quarterback
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Calgary
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I've thought about it, and I would have to go with a different Niven co-authored book - other than Mote in God's Eye, if I were to pick one of his. Lucifer's Hammer was one of my favorite books ever, and one of my go-to Christmas gifts if I couldn't figure out what to get someone.
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11-19-2012, 03:37 PM
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#25
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The new goggles also do nothing.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Calgary
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Guh I've tried Red Mars twice in the last 6 months and couldn't get into it.
__________________
Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
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11-19-2012, 03:39 PM
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#26
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Powerplay Quarterback
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Calgary
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The other choice I would put in there for consideration: A Princess of Mars. I thought it was just so much fun.
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11-19-2012, 03:41 PM
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#27
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Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Winebar Kensington
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Last edited by troutman; 11-19-2012 at 03:46 PM.
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11-19-2012, 04:04 PM
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#28
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Powerplay Quarterback
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Toronto
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Another big thumbs up here for Ender's Game.
As a small aside, I just finished 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Sort of sci-fi-ish (deals with time travel). A bit slow in the middle, but all in all an awesome read.
__________________
I like to quote myself - scotty2hotty
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11-19-2012, 04:10 PM
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#29
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Retired
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Quote:
Originally Posted by troutman
Jurassic Park is an okay movie treatment, and an awful book. Timeline might be the worst book I have ever read, in any genre.
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I really liked that book - better than the movie.
But it was probably because I was 12 at the time.
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11-19-2012, 04:59 PM
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#30
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Powerplay Quarterback
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Calgary AB
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I would put all of Crichton's work as nothing more than leisure read, my favorite of his would have to be The Great Train Robbery. I'm not a big fan of Sci-fi so I can't comment on most of the titles listed. Dan Simmons has had some other good novels outside of the Sci-fi realm like The Terror and Summer of Night.
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11-19-2012, 05:01 PM
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#31
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Atomic Nerd
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Calgary
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Like Enders game, not a fan of Orson Scott Card's political views (think Glenn Beck).
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11-19-2012, 08:01 PM
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#32
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Franchise Player
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Finny61
I would put all of Crichton's work as nothing more than leisure read, my favorite of his would have to be The Great Train Robbery. I'm not a big fan of Sci-fi so I can't comment on most of the titles listed. Dan Simmons has had some other good novels outside of the Sci-fi realm like The Terror and Summer of Night.
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I really liked The Terror. Phases Of Gravity would be another by Simmons that is outside Sci-fi.
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11-19-2012, 08:05 PM
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#33
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Lifetime Suspension
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Fahrenheit 451?
I'm a sucker for dystopian themes though.
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11-19-2012, 09:37 PM
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#34
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First Line Centre
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Calgary
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm
Fahrenheit 451?
I'm a sucker for dystopian themes though.
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Good one - and one that still seems relevant.
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11-19-2012, 09:50 PM
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#35
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Craig McTavish' Merkin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Knalus
I've thought about it, and I would have to go with a different Niven co-authored book - other than Mote in God's Eye, if I were to pick one of his. Lucifer's Hammer was one of my favorite books ever, and one of my go-to Christmas gifts if I couldn't figure out what to get someone.
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I've tried to get into Lucifer's Hammer a couple of times. Does it just start slow or is the pacing the same throughout?
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11-20-2012, 12:27 AM
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#36
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First Line Centre
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Ender's Game is utterly amazing. Hyperion is very good space opera, too--it's more of a collection of novellas which get tied up. One of my favourite villains, and I enjoyed the sequels more, I think. The Mars trilogy is pretty good. Oryx and Crake had a very 1984ish feel, and I enjoyed it.
I agree with others that this is a pretty common list, and if I were to try and stray away from what you might find commonly find on such lists, but are also worth reading: American Gods, The Forever War, Caves of Steel, The Stars My Destination, Snow Crash, The Thrawn trilogy (Star Wars, if you're into that), Wind-up Girl.
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11-20-2012, 12:37 AM
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#37
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First Line Centre
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As for Jurassic Park, I believe I was in grade three when I read it, and thought it was the best thing in the world at the time. When I was in grade four or five, the movie came out and I was blown away. It was truly the first time I'd seen dinosaurs as real creaures, and not skeletons, and it really struck a chord with my imagination. It remains one of my favourite movies/books based on those memories alone.
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11-20-2012, 12:41 AM
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#38
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First Line Centre
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Olympic Saddledome
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Pretty much agree with a loot of the choices, although I would have probably chosen "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" for Heinlein. I'd boot out Battlefield Earth, and put in as my dark horse pic either "Starseed" by Spider Robinson (although more of a novella)o r "Lord Valentine's Castle" (if it is si-fi enough). A personal favorite that probably isn't on a lot of people's list is Moving Mars by Greg Bear.
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11-20-2012, 12:47 AM
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#39
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A Fiddler Crab
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Chicago
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I'll throw out the Uplift series by David Brin, The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, and The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi.
David Brin has the best aliens ever, Mote In God's Eye is just all-around phenomenal, and Paolo Bacigalupi is the new William Gibson.
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11-20-2012, 01:31 AM
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#40
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AltaGuy has a magnetic personality and exudes positive energy, which is infectious to those around him. He has an unparalleled ability to communicate with people, whether he is speaking to a room of three or an arena of 30,000.
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: At le pub...
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I enjoyed every one of the Culture novels by Iain M. Banks. For sheer grandiosity in sci-fi I haven't read much better. Use of Weapons and Surface Detail were two of my favourites.
Should note that these two books fit together in a pretty cool way.
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