November 26, 20241 yr Author So finished Cage of Souls and yeah, it was something. Again, excellent writing and world building, but a bit depressing. Not sure why I'm doing this to myself (probably because I had it in my Audible accout) but I'm reading another one of his books, Service Model. It's interesting for sure. Like Cage of Souls, not sure exactly where he's going with it and I'm 2/3 through. Next up, I'm hitting the latest Expeditionary Force book. I also got this recommendation from Audible - Ilium by Dan Simmons. It's about the Trojan War more or less it seems. Any of you recommend it? I liked the Hyperion series as I said above.
December 10, 20241 yr On 9/14/2020 at 1:40 PM, THUJONE said: It's pink. Hope you enjoy it. Here's a page on my website where I aggregated book launch event videos as well as essays I wrote for Scalzi's blog and others. https://chrispanatier.com/interviews-etcetera/ I went to HS with Scalzi. Still stay connected via FB.
December 12, 20241 yr I’m onto the Expanse series. This is more sci-fi for me in the past five months than in the previous ten years
December 12, 20241 yr 5 hours ago, MrX said: I’m onto the Expanse series. This is more sci-fi for me in the past five months than in the previous ten years I really enjoyed it until they got to the book where they went forward a bunch of years. I just stopped at that point, but I want to finish it.
December 12, 20241 yr 12 minutes ago, SimonBolivar said: I really enjoyed it until they got to the book where they went forward a bunch of years. I just stopped at that point, but I want to finish it. As usual, the last couple of books aren't as good, but the grand finale is very satisfying, a perfect ending to the series, imo. I also liked the epilogue.
December 14, 20241 yr Author Finished Service Model week before last. It was good. Enjoyed it more than Cage of Souls for sure. That said, I'm not reading another one of his books for a while. Didn't realize I'd missed an Expeditionary Force novel last year, Aftermath, so fire that up and finished it yesterday. Lots of good laughs but overall the story was meh. Really I'm surprised they continued the series. It was pretty wrapped up I felt at the book before that. Not sure what I'm going to listen to next. Don't want to just plow through the next Expeditionary Force novel. On 12/12/2024 at 2:29 PM, High Plains Drifter said: As usual, the last couple of books aren't as good, but the grand finale is very satisfying, a perfect ending to the series, imo. I also liked the epilogue. Agreed. Finale was very satisfying and the epilogue was fantastic.
January 9Jan 9 Author About halfway through the next installment of the Bobiverse, Not Till We Are Lost. Enjoying it. In some respects, it's more of the same, but he's able to make the scenarios they face fairly unique and interesting. One thing that I kind of find annoying, but also undertand, is that they've dropped the time stamps at the beginning of chapters. Not sure if they did this in the 3rd and 4th books, but I noticed it while listening today as he's exploring what a couple of the Bobs have been doing that otherwise had not been heard from. Edit: Either he skipped the date stamps for a while or they just weren't registering with me as each chapter I listened to last night had them. Edited January 10Jan 10 by Hellraiser97
January 29Jan 29 I just finished a reread of Dune and am still amazed at what an incredible book it is. It really hammered home to me how poorly the movies rendered it. I'm going to go ahead and work my way through a re read of the rest of the original books. Edited January 29Jan 29 by NeverMarryAStripper
February 4Feb 4 Author On 1/29/2025 at 4:28 PM, NeverMarryAStripper said: I just finished a reread of Dune and am still amazed at what an incredible book it is. It really hammered home to me how poorly the movies rendered it. I'm going to go ahead and work my way through a re read of the rest of the original books. I've considered that. I think I only got through the first 2 or 3 books when I read them 10 or 15 years ago. How far do the original books go?
February 4Feb 4 There were 6 original books written by Frank Herbert Dune Dune Messiah Children of Dune God Emperor of Dune Heretics of Dune Chapterhouse:Dune
March 1Mar 1 Recently finished the Silo series. Currently halfway through the Zones of Thought series by Vernor Vinge. I finished the first book “A Fire Upon the Deep” and part way through the second “A Deepness in the Sky”. Very interesting universe, characters, and concepts. Really enjoying it. The Hyperion Cantos and “3 Body Problem” are on the list, but may not be next. One of these days I may pick up Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars trilogy again. Only made it halfway through “Red Mars”
March 8Mar 8 On 3/1/2025 at 5:04 PM, randomhorn said: Recently finished the Silo series. Currently halfway through the Zones of Thought series by Vernor Vinge. I finished the first book “A Fire Upon the Deep” and part way through the second “A Deepness in the Sky”. Very interesting universe, characters, and concepts. Really enjoying it. The Hyperion Cantos and “3 Body Problem” are on the list, but may not be next. One of these days I may pick up Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars trilogy again. Only made it halfway through “Red Mars” Not a big fan of Kim Stanely Robinson. Couldn't make it through Red Mars, or the one about New York City after sea level flooding.
March 10Mar 10 Author On 3/1/2025 at 5:04 PM, randomhorn said: Recently finished the Silo series. Currently halfway through the Zones of Thought series by Vernor Vinge. I finished the first book “A Fire Upon the Deep” and part way through the second “A Deepness in the Sky”. Very interesting universe, characters, and concepts. Really enjoying it. The Hyperion Cantos and “3 Body Problem” are on the list, but may not be next. One of these days I may pick up Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars trilogy again. Only made it halfway through “Red Mars” I listened to the Silo series last year. I really liked it. Have you listed to his Sand series? I just finished the second book and enjoyed it. 3 Body Problem is on my list as well, but I've read that the translation isn't great. Not sure how much that will bother me. I too only made it halfway through Red Mars. Fantastic detail but just got BORING. Edited March 10Mar 10 by Hellraiser97
March 11Mar 11 13 hours ago, Hellraiser97 said: I listened to the Silo series last year. I really liked it. Have you listed to his Sand series? I just finished the second book and enjoyed it. 3 Body Problem is on my list as well, but I've read that the translation isn't great. Not sure how much that will bother me. I too only made it halfway through Red Mars. Fantastic detail but just got BORING. The Ken Liu translation of 3BP is good.
March 29Mar 29 On 2/4/2025 at 9:43 AM, NeverMarryAStripper said: There were 6 original books written by Frank Herbert Dune Dune Messiah Children of Dune God Emperor of Dune Heretics of Dune Chapterhouse:Dune His kid finished off the original series using Frank Herbert’s notes in Hunters of Dune and Sandworms of Dune. It’s not like Sanderson finishing The Wheel of Time or anything but it does tie up all the loose ends so I’d recommend giving those a read too. I would NOT recommend Al; the prequels his kid did.
April 18Apr 18 Picked this up from Half Price for the first short story "The Prize of Peril" from 1959. Great story. He predicts various reality TV and popular entertainment trends 40 years in advance. And King had to have used it as inspiration for The Running Man. Though I mostly remember the movie not the story, so maybe the filmmakers to a greater extent.
April 20Apr 20 Just finished Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds. Not bad. The plot was interesting enough, but there just wasn't much character development so the ending was just, "meh", for me. His Prefect books set in the same universe were much better in that regard. Revelation Space was really good and I think I'll continue in his universe after a quick read in a different genre.
April 21Apr 21 On 12/10/2024 at 12:42 PM, SimonBolivar said: I just started my first Star Trek book. God help me. I want to comment on this, hopefully you are not institutionalized by this point. There are some really good ST novels, particularly covering the original characters, that were written by legit sci-fi authors who happened to write some ST novels (and even some episodes of Star Trek TV). Then there are ST novels written by people who were…authors…and most likely commissioned to pump them out. There were as bad as some of the shitty Star Wars EU stuff, complete with Kirk and Spock saving the universe dozens of times.
May 27May 27 Just finished Abercrombie's latest The Devils. Very much enjoyed it - it's not in his First Law universe, it's in a parallel/alternate history of Europe. I recommend it.
June 16Jun 16 Author Finally finished book 5 of the Stormlight Chronicles. I like Sanderson, but I really feel this whole series was way too wordy. He does an amazing job of world building but damn, this last book was a beatdown at times. Onto Gateway, Book 18 of Expeditionary Force, then I'm trying something new. My brother recommeded Dungeon Crawler Carl.
June 17Jun 17 On 4/20/2025 at 7:29 PM, atomheartbevo said: I want to comment on this, hopefully you are not institutionalized by this point. There are some really good ST novels This!
July 2Jul 2 On 7/22/2022 at 7:59 AM, GlenFromTheMailRoom said: Really enjoying the "He who fights with monsters" series by Shirtaloon/Travis Deverell. @THUJONE would be right up your alley. Just discovered this and its been excellent so far. Such a fun read.
July 2Jul 2 On 6/16/2025 at 12:33 PM, Hellraiser97 said: Finally finished book 5 of the Stormlight Chronicles. I'm struggling to finish the first one.
July 2Jul 2 6 minutes ago, Rimbo said: I'm struggling to finish the first one. I really enjoyed the first 3. The 4th dragged on in spots and the 5th was a struggle to get through.
July 2Jul 2 13 minutes ago, Chewbacca said: I really enjoyed the first 3. The 4th dragged on in spots and the 5th was a struggle to get through. I'm enjoying it, but it's JUST so damn long...
July 2Jul 2 7 minutes ago, Rimbo said: I'm enjoying it, but it's JUST so damn long... I love long books when they are engaging. Book 5 was not that and was the longest of them all.
July 2Jul 2 16 minutes ago, Chewbacca said: I love long books when they are engaging. Book 5 was not that and was the longest of them all. What bothered me is that this is a 3-week e-library loans. I had to shut off my Kindle's WiFi for the past month. I just finished Part II last night. Also, I picked it up when I was binging webcomics, so for weeks I wasn't making progress. But yeah. The due date made me feel rushed.
July 2Jul 2 1 minute ago, Rimbo said: What bothered me is that this is a 3-week e-library loans. I had to shut off my Kindle's WiFi for the past month. I just finished Part II last night. Also, I picked it up when I was binging webcomics, so for weeks I wasn't making progress. But yeah. The due date made me feel rushed. Reading these books with a due date would be tough indeed.
July 2Jul 2 Read Sandkings by George RR Martin. It's a short story that gave me a real Creepshow kind of vibe.
July 4Jul 4 Author On 7/2/2025 at 5:12 PM, Rimbo said: I'm struggling to finish the first one. Yeah, I struggled with it too. WAY too much setup for me. On 7/2/2025 at 5:19 PM, Chewbacca said: I really enjoyed the first 3. The 4th dragged on in spots and the 5th was a struggle to get through. I enjoyed Books 2 and 3 a lot. I think I actually may have skipped booked 4. I have it on Audible, and it says finished, but I think I might have accidentally marked it finsihed. There was a lot going on in Book 5 that I didn't remember. On 7/2/2025 at 6:00 PM, Chewbacca said: Reading these books with a due date would be tough indeed. I read the Game of Thrones books largely that way. I ended up getting Calibre and stripping the DRM from the checked out books so I could finish them.
July 5Jul 5 Author Just finished book 1 of Dungeon Crawler Carl. Absolutely hilarious. As usual, I'm listening to it rather than reading, and the narrator is just top notch. Really makes it even funnier.
July 5Jul 5 Any recommendations for "hard" sci-fi books? I read a book a long time ago that was in that catagory. I can't remember the name though. It was very nerdy. I liked the complex explanations of the physics that seamed close enough to reasonable. I just grabbed Carbide Tipped Pens based on no information other than: it's an anthology, about 13 hours long, and reviews had some good hard sci-fi things to say. https://www.amazon.com/Carbide-Tipped-Pens-Seventeen-Science/dp/0765334313 Hard science fiction is the literature of change, rigorously examining the impact-both beneficial and dangerous-of science and technology on humanity, the future, and the cosmos. As science advances, expanding our knowledge of the universe, astounding new frontiers in storytelling open up as well. In Carbide Tipped Pens, over a dozen of today's most creative imaginations explore these frontiers, carrying on the grand tradition of such legendary masters as Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and John W. Campbell, while bringing hard science fiction into the 21st century by extrapolating from the latest scientific developments and discoveries. Ranging from ancient China to the outer reaches of the solar system, this outstanding collection of original stories, written by an international roster of authors, finds wonder, terror, and gripping human drama in topics as diverse as space exploration, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, climate change, alternate history, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, interplanetary war, and even the future of baseball. From tattoos that treat allergies to hazardous missions to Mars and beyond, from the end of the world to the farthest limits of human invention, Carbide Tipped Pens turns startling new ideas into state-of-the art science fiction. Includes short stories by Ben Bova, Gregory Benford, Robert Reed, Aliette de Bodard, Jack McDevitt, Howard Hendrix, Daniel H. Wilson, and many others!
July 6Jul 6 Author 16 hours ago, Elvis said: Any recommendations for "hard" sci-fi books? I read a book a long time ago that was in that catagory. I can't remember the name though. It was very nerdy. I liked the complex explanations of the physics that seamed close enough to reasonable. I just grabbed Carbide Tipped Pens based on no information other than: it's an anthology, about 13 hours long, and reviews had some good hard sci-fi things to say. https://www.amazon.com/Carbide-Tipped-Pens-Seventeen-Science/dp/0765334313 Hard science fiction is the literature of change, rigorously examining the impact-both beneficial and dangerous-of science and technology on humanity, the future, and the cosmos. As science advances, expanding our knowledge of the universe, astounding new frontiers in storytelling open up as well. In Carbide Tipped Pens, over a dozen of today's most creative imaginations explore these frontiers, carrying on the grand tradition of such legendary masters as Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and John W. Campbell, while bringing hard science fiction into the 21st century by extrapolating from the latest scientific developments and discoveries. Ranging from ancient China to the outer reaches of the solar system, this outstanding collection of original stories, written by an international roster of authors, finds wonder, terror, and gripping human drama in topics as diverse as space exploration, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, climate change, alternate history, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, interplanetary war, and even the future of baseball. From tattoos that treat allergies to hazardous missions to Mars and beyond, from the end of the world to the farthest limits of human invention, Carbide Tipped Pens turns startling new ideas into state-of-the art science fiction. Includes short stories by Ben Bova, Gregory Benford, Robert Reed, Aliette de Bodard, Jack McDevitt, Howard Hendrix, Daniel H. Wilson, and many others! I think pretty much anything by Adrian Tchaikovsky falls into that category. I know specifically that the Children of Time series was considered Hard Sci-Fi.
July 14Jul 14 Been absolutely raging through fantasy books... Dresden Files Jim Butcher - 4/5 I honestly only read it because I was on a long trip with a buddy and his choice of music sucks, so fired up the audio book. Wizard who is also a private detective in Chicago. Sounds lame right? It's really fucking good Codex Alera 5/5 - another Butcher series. Apparently at some Comicon type event, a person challenged Butcher that he couldn't write a series based on a lame idea. He responded with not one lame idea, but two. The Lost Roman Legion and Pokémon were suggested. This m'fer wrote his best series, in my opinion, on a fucking dare. The Cinder Spires 3/5 - yet another Butcher series. I should love it, steam punk is my jam, the Golden Age of Piracy is my jam, but typical Butcher, he starts out his first couple of books driving 15 mph, then completely opens it up. After he blasted past 100mph, the series is waiting for the next book Spells, Swords and Sheath by Drew Hayes 4/5 - it's a fun D&D inspired series. You don't have to like D&D to appreciate the series, it's really easy and smart First Law Trilogy and the stand alone novels 5/5 - holy fuck, this dude Joe Abercrombie can spin a tale. I almost bailed in the beginning, but glad I didn't. He can fucking swing it Powder Mage Trilogy 4.5/5 - shout out to @TKthunder2, at least I think it was him. Someone (tk) compiled a list of fantasy novels and this was on it. Revolutionary/Napoleonic era but with magic. It's really fun, and if you prefer audio books, Christian Rodska is the best I've ever come across. This fucking guy has/had so many different voices and ranges. I actually think the second series is better than the first.
July 14Jul 14 I need something new. I know this is kinda niche and not exactly on topic, but any alternate history/speculative or dystopian recs?
July 23Jul 23 On 7/14/2025 at 2:43 PM, Saint Austin said: I need something new. I know this is kinda niche and not exactly on topic, but any alternate history/speculative or dystopian recs? Edited July 23Jul 23 by Grippe
July 23Jul 23 You might like S. M. Stirling's Emberverse series. The whole series is grouped into three different time periods and covers 15 books. The first group is a trilogy which I thought was very good. Dies the Fire, The Protector's War, and A Meeting at Corvalis
July 24Jul 24 After slogging through Book 5 of the Stormlight Archive, I found the Blacktongue Thief. Really enjoyed the first book and I'm halfway through book #2. Highly recommend.
August 2Aug 2 Best comment: "Who would have guessed Gene Wolfe would say "son of a bitch, motherfucker" before Harlan?
August 17Aug 17 Was reading DCC and started on NPCs, but my kid is reading Pratchett (Discworld)and asked me about The Long Earth. I realized I had not finished the first book. I thought I idid, but checked the date and realized it came out close to when of my kids was about to be born so I must have put it aside. Now I.m going to do the whole series. First book is great.
September 29Sep 29 Author https://www.amazon.com/Shattering-Peace-Old-Mans-War/dp/0765389193/ New book in John Scalzi's Old Man's War series. I really loved the first 6, hoping this one holds up.
September 29Sep 29 30 minutes ago, Hellraiser97 said: https://www.amazon.com/Shattering-Peace-Old-Mans-War/dp/0765389193/ New book in John Scalzi's Old Man's War series. I really loved the first 6, hoping this one holds up. Didn't even know that was coming out, and I'm very intrigued. I'm never keen when writers decide they need to add one more novel to a series (and maybe he had this planned all along), but I like the premise.
October 6Oct 6 Just finished First in a planned trilogy by The Expanse writers. Not as good as The Expanse series, kind of out there. But I'll probably read the entire trilogy when it comes out.
October 6Oct 6 Author 14 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said: Just finished First in a planned trilogy by The Expanse writers. Not as good as The Expanse series, kind of out there. But I'll probably read the entire trilogy when it comes out. I'm on the fence on this one. The story and characters I was 50/50 on. Some of their writing has always driven me nuts (the constant "Everything was exactly the same...except it wasn't"). What killed me though, and I had problems with the Expanse as well because of it, is the narrator (I listened to all of these). I just can't stand the way he enunciates things. When the next volume comes out, I think I'm going to try to actually read it.
October 6Oct 6 17 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said: Just finished First in a planned trilogy by The Expanse writers. Not as good as The Expanse series, kind of out there. But I'll probably read the entire trilogy when it comes out. Read Livesuit. It adds a ton of nuance and background, and makes the "Great Enemy" and the Swarm a lot more fulfilling. I re-read TMOG after Livesuit and picked up on a bunch of things that hadn't seen important on first read. I also started listening to a podcast about the series call "The Mercy of The Pods," and I really like it. The two hosts are very funny, and they also get into the Expanse - which made me re-read that series this summer. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2418493 Edited October 6Oct 6 by hornian Podcast link
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