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10 Books You Pretend to Have Read (And Why You Should Really Read Them) (science fiction/fantasy)
io9 ^ | July 30, 2015 | Charlie Jane Anders

Posted on 08/01/2015 1:29:27 PM PDT by EveningStar

Science fiction and fantasy offer a rich legacy of great books--but that abundant pile of reading material can also be daunting. So sometimes, it's easier to fake it. We asked some of our favorite writers, and they told us the 10 books that everyone pretends to have read. And why you should actually read them.

From Asimov to Pynchon, science fiction contains some fantastic, ambitious works of genre fiction. But a lot of us get overwhelmed. And it's not that hard to fake a first-hand knowledge of these books, because they're everywhere, and we've heard people talk about them so many times. We SF fans are good at pretending. But these books are classics for a reason -- and they're worth reading.

(Excerpt) Read more at io9.com ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature
KEYWORDS: 1984; books; cryptonomnicon; dhalgren; dune; fantasy; firstandlastmen; foundationtrilogy; gravitysrainbow; infinitejest; jonathanstrange; sciencefiction; scifi; starmaker; thelongtomorrow
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To: EveningStar
The only science fiction book I've ever read is Fahrenheit 451.Great,great book...great,great film.
41 posted on 08/01/2015 2:08:11 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Obamanomics:Trickle Up Poverty)
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To: EveningStar

In the early 1960’s our high school required that we read “Brave New World” and “1984”. Sadly the future described in both of these books is or has come true despite our being warned about it. If today’s students read them, I fear they would accept the conditions described as the norm, not something to be feared.


42 posted on 08/01/2015 2:08:42 PM PDT by Boomer One ( ToUse)
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To: Pontiac

You’ve never heard of it r are you asking me? I first read “1984” when I was 11 or 12...and find it fascinating to this day.

“A boot stamping on a human face, forever”.....chilling quote in that that too many people try to justify oppression as “for our own good”.


43 posted on 08/01/2015 2:10:59 PM PDT by FreeperinRATcage (I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for every thing I do. - R. A. Heinlein)
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To: EveningStar

As fantasy is included...
The Lord of the Rings - Tolkien
The Space Trilogy - CS Lewis ( only Christian SF ever written )


44 posted on 08/01/2015 2:14:08 PM PDT by HangnJudge (Cthulhu for President, why vote for a lesser Evil)
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To: EveningStar; All

This is an opportunity I’ve been waiting for...

Years ago, someone posted here on F R, a book about the negative consequences of a successful SETI contact.

It sounded fascinating, but I’ve searched here and Google, etc., and I’ll be damned if I can find it. Does anyone here know or remember it? If so, please post.

Thanks in advance.


45 posted on 08/01/2015 2:16:54 PM PDT by VMI70
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To: FreeperinRATcage

No, I have read 1984.

My question was directed at Harleylady27 (who I posted to origanaly) who said that she had not heard of any of the books.

Athat most any American over the age of 30 would have heard of 1984 and particularly any Freeper over the age of 30 would have heard of 1984.


46 posted on 08/01/2015 2:19:12 PM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: EveningStar

Cryptonomicon is a long and difficult read but worth it

If one adds precursor SF types
The HP Lovecraft Necronomicon bases series are very good for their time


47 posted on 08/01/2015 2:19:24 PM PDT by HangnJudge (Cthulhu for President, why vote for a lesser Evil)
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To: VMI70
I don't know if this is the one you're thinking of, but I know that this one, as corny as the content is, supposedly results directly from an alien race finding the Voyager spacecraft in open space and follows the trail back to Earth.


48 posted on 08/01/2015 2:20:03 PM PDT by BlueLancer (Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action.)
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To: Pontiac

49 posted on 08/01/2015 2:20:23 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Sad fact, most people just want a candidate to tell them what they want to hear)
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To: EveningStar

House of Suns
The Fractal Prince (Bk 1)
The Quantum Thief (Bk 2)
The Causal Angle (Bk 3)
The Foundation Trilogy
Dune
Neuromancer
All four books of the Hyperion Cantos

And so many more...


50 posted on 08/01/2015 2:21:40 PM PDT by SunTzuWu
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To: cripplecreek

I should reread that book


51 posted on 08/01/2015 2:26:38 PM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: EveningStar

I was reading “The Note In God’s Eye” by Larry Niven when I went to boot camp. My Drill Sargent took it from me before I finished it.

Years later I found it and finished it. It was worth the wait.


52 posted on 08/01/2015 2:31:56 PM PDT by airborne (My heroes don't wear capes - My heroes wear dog tags!)
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To: Texan5

Love “This Perfect Day”

Amen to Heinlein


53 posted on 08/01/2015 2:33:11 PM PDT by SouthWall (If we are having diversity classes, shouldn't we be having unity classes?)
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To: airborne

The Mote In Gods Eye


54 posted on 08/01/2015 2:33:21 PM PDT by airborne (My heroes don't wear capes - My heroes wear dog tags!)
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To: BlueLancer
OooOOo...LRon! I can beat that 10 times!

This kinda falls into the "I read it, I liked it, I'll never admit it" catagory :)


55 posted on 08/01/2015 2:35:18 PM PDT by FreeperinRATcage (I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for every thing I do. - R. A. Heinlein)
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To: Pontiac

Phillip K Dick is underrated. Many of his 1950s short stories have become modern movies. For instance “Second Variety” became the “Screamers” flicks.


56 posted on 08/01/2015 2:35:23 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Sad fact, most people just want a candidate to tell them what they want to hear)
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To: EveningStar

I read four out of the ten and although I’m an obsessive re-reader, I have not read any of them more than once, except maybe Dune but it was a long time ago and I may just be remembering one of the sequels.

I don’t know what hard core scifi folks stick to but I did enjoy The Hunger Games series and the Divergent series. Although I doubt I’ll read them again. I read them because my teenager read them.

My all time favorite scifi is C.S.Lewis’s trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Paralandra; and That Hideous Strength.

For the most part I prefer fantasy.


57 posted on 08/01/2015 2:35:52 PM PDT by Mercat (I will vote for any viable candidate running against Hillary.)
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To: FreeperinRATcage
I have to admit that I fall into two of those categories ... I read it, I liked it, but I'm not afraid to admit it.

I still read "Battlefield Earth" at least once a year.

58 posted on 08/01/2015 2:37:48 PM PDT by BlueLancer (Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action.)
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To: EveningStar
I can add a couple of worlds I spent some time in long ago:

Gormanghast Trilogy

Worm Ouroborus

59 posted on 08/01/2015 2:38:49 PM PDT by HandyDandy (Don't make-up stuff. It just wastes everybody's time.)
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To: cripplecreek

Blade Runner and The Minority Report


60 posted on 08/01/2015 2:41:29 PM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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