Posted on 02/09/2013 4:41:00 PM PST by narses
TechRepublic member lcallander asked me for some suggested reading material, with a rather intriguing sci-fi stipulation:
“I was rereading an old post, where guys were reminiscing about reading ‘Heinlein, Asimov, and Clark,’ my personal favorites. I got out of reading SF in the ’80s and am bewildered by the variety today. What do guys who liked H, A, and C read today?”
Well, that’s a really interesting question. I’m really only able to answer the Heinlein part of it, since I’ve read very, very little Clarke or Asimov (blasphemy, I know). John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War, The Ghost Brigades, and The Last Colony are openly admitted Heinlein pastiches, the first of which won the Campbell Award and was nominated for the Hugo.
Scalzi’s style is breezy and easy to pick up, so I’d start there. I’m also told (though haven’t read) that John Varley’s Red Thunder and Red Lightning ably pick up the Rocket Ship Galileo torch. That’s about the extent of my advice.
Thankfully, Amazon.com can actually help some here. (Shocking, I know.) See, Amazon has a nice bit of collaborative filtering that lets you view items that Amazon customers bought before and after buying a product that you’re interested in. That’s a fancy way of saying: These people bought X and also bought Y, so if you like X, odds are you’ll also like Y.
So, let’s take Stranger in a Strange Land (my favorite Heinlein novel) and check out its extended list of Customers Also Bought items, scrolling until we find some modern stuff not written by Uncle Bob himself. Filtering out the usual suspects of Hugo winners who get bought out of sheer notoriety, we find: Hyperion by Dan Simmons. Now, let’s do the same thing with Clarke’s Rendezvous with Rama, and we get: Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. For Asimov’s Foundation we get: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.
Do this for a number of books by Asimov, Clarke, and Heinlein, and you’ll begin to get a picture of where adherents of the Old Masters go to sate their sci-fi thirst today. Do the same for Hyperion, Red Mars, and Ender’s Game, and you’ll link into a web of recommendations that open whole new doors of possibility.
Of course, for all of Amazon’s tech, there’s nothing like a good old-fashioned reader recommendation. So, how about it Geekenders — what modern writer (published since 1990) would most satisfy a fan of Asimov, Clarke, and/or Heinlein? Post your recommendations in the comments sections. With any luck, we can help a fellow member out (and maybe even attract some SFSignal attention).
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just finished “Directive 51” by john Barnes. first good sci fi I’ve read in a long time.
The other two aren’t as good. Decent. Count Zero and Burning Chrome have their good parts, but Neuro was easily the best of the bunch.
The Johnny Mnemonic movie was OK for what it was, but it was NOT Neuromancer by a long shot.
Considering the rate of advance predicted in the old Mondo 2000 days, I am really surprised Cyberpunk only goes through occasional/Small resurgences in popularity. Japan, it’s common and a strong source of their fiction/Anime. But here, notsomuch.
I’ve never heard it called cyberpunk, thanks for the title, I will add it to my list. I completely blow my book budget every time.
I’ve recently gotten into steam punk, and that’ a whole ‘nother level of . . . Odd. Fun, but odd.
I am wondering how to continue this story... I was thrown off by a TV commercial advertising a website where you bid and pay for dates... prostitution!!!
ROFLOL! The dog just glared at me for disturbing her sleep.
Bruce Sterling/William Gibson - Difference Engine.
Steampunk heaven ;) Spawned quite the dress-up culture too.
There’s your answer.
uh... no... heh
If you decide to write regularly, order a copy of “The observation Deck” by Naomi Epel. It’s a deck of cards that you shuffle for random ideas you might never think of. In extreme cases, just pick a random card and force yourself down whatever path it gives you. I love it.
GREAT tool. There’s a\a similar thing for musicians too.
lol.. interesting idea
I’ve read Count Zero, not Burning Chrome. I thought Count Zero was pretty close to ‘mancer, still I would give it to ‘mancer.
As far as manga from Japan, Akira is one of the best comics ever. That, Appleseed, and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, although it isn’t cyberpunkish at all, just awesome. All three blow the anime versions out of the water no contest, although Akira and Nausicaa are great anime as well.
As far as anime series with cyberpunk have you seen the Ghost in the Shell episodes?
Freegards
I loved Callahan’s Crosstime Saloon...it was even a video game from somewhere in the 90s.
I love Heinlein, Asimov and to a lesser degree Clark. I’m a hard science fiction fan.
Most recently, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Troy Rising books by John Ringo. In fact, I pretty much love anything by Ringo. He’s pretty much as conservative as you get in an author, so I enjoy reading him.
I think everyone on Free Republic should read The Last Centurion by Ringo. It’s a great story.
Also in that category is David Weber. Pretty much everything he’s written is good. His first couple books were “weak” but still good...he gets his stride not far into his career.
Both authors are hard science fiction and even when they introduce fantasy elements, there is a hard science fiction reason that makes it possible.
Finally another author, David Drake, has the Hammer’s Slammer’s books and they are great hard science fiction war books that are just a blast to read. Man what I wouldn’t give for a 2 cm powergun.
It’s pretty basic, but really useful. One card says “Combine elements” and from that, you might take a couple prior aspects of your story in a way you had not intended to go. Then explore what happens when you do.
Another says “Change your point of view”. So have your character question whatever is happening. Things like that. It is designed to rip you out of whatever headspace you are in, throw you into chaos and let you develop ideas in finding your way back to your original intent.
At least thats what it is for me.
I have them all on DVD and the script about memorized ;)
I am a hardcore GITS nut. THAT is a masterwork. The original movie, the SACs and Solid State Society, which is SO damn topical right now in Japan with the nutcase wanting people to just die, it’s not funny.
I’ll keep that in mind.
Yup GITS shell is awesome. It’s one series where the anime series is better than both any of the comics I have seen as well as the anime movies. Although I do dig the movies. Solid State is pretty on the nose, but I have to go with the whole ‘laughing man’ schtick as far as cool takes on society. Everyone is so plugged in they can’t see people’s faces in real life if they are hacked, genius.
Have you ever read Shirow’s Appleseed? This is where I found the Japanese take on sci-fi back in the late 80’s, from epic comics, then Dark Horse. I take it he saw where tech might lead and switched to GitS. Still Appleseed is a tremendous post apocalyptic/Utopian/Dystopian sci fi story. The movies don’t do it 10% justice. As great as GitS series is I have to give it to Appleseed. Appleseed is much more classicly sci-fi. It still has the Shirow ‘what the hell is happening effect’ of GitS, though.
Freegards
Nope, but I have all Shirow’s Anime and the remake of Appleseed and love them.
GITS “Innocence” (forgot to mention that one) was also awesome...But then I love Basset Hounds ;)
A CHILD’S EYE VIEW OF JOHN KERRY :)
Side note...for the standard GITS episodes, the Oragami episode “The boy who folds Cranes’ if I remember the title right) had to be the deepest of the bunch. To call that story a mere ‘cartoon’ a person would have to be insane.
In my opinion, GitS series blows the appleseed anime efforts out of the water. So good.
But if you are into comics at all, the Appleseed manga is worth checking out. I wish he would finish it, but I guess he is on to GitS. One of the few stories where robotic/bioriod power/speed is shown. Of course GitS shows this as well to great effect, but maybe not as well as Appleseed.
Fregeards
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