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Seeking The Advice Of Avid Sci-fi Writers and Readers...

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Wed, 2010-02-10 15:04

ardent_seeker ardent_seeker's picture

Seeking The Advice Of Avid Sci-fi Writers and Readers...

For starters, this is not EP fiction but I couldn't think of a better place to post this...than to those who obviously write and read SF. I have always been SF fan although mostly in the realm of RPGs. I have read a few SF books in my time but mostly short story collections. So, having absolutely fallen in love with Eclipse Phase! I have now become a full on SF geek. I decided to get some books to read, so I got a few by authors recommended by the EP crew (on the resource page). I wanted something that influenced EP and/or was EP-ish. Basically, right now I want some educated opinions from people well versed in both sci fi and EP. In my book choices so far I tried to stick with things that had elements hard SF and a litte space opera, since these appeal to me the most. In your opinion, out of these three books, which should I read and why? 1) A Deepness In They Sky - Vernor Vinge 2) Consider Phlebas: Book 1 of The Culture Series - IaIn M. Banks 3) The Reality Dysfunction - Peter Hamiliton If not one of these three, then what would you suggest instead? Thanks for your opinions.

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"I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure." - Ripley, "Aliens"

Wed, 2010-02-10 21:09

Arenamontanus Arenamontanus's picture

Re: Seeking The Advice Of Avid Sci-fi Writers and Readers...

I would recommend Consider Phlebas because Banks is the best author. His novels are often very good, and you will want to read at least the culture novels (Consider Phlebas is a good start). His "Use of Weapons" is among the top five books I have *ever* read. The non-culture novel "The Wasp Factory" gave me plenty of ideas for the Lost. A Deepness - great book, some transhuman technologies. Not quite EP darkness. Reality Dysfunction - a fun read. Hamilton knows how to make page-turning space opera. Unfortunately there is perhaps not that much depth to the enormous story, but there are so many fun things in it that you won't care while reading. For a *really* EP novel I would recommend Peter Watt's "Blindsight". A very creepy first contact story, with a spaceship with a crew so enhanced that they are insane by our current standard, and some very worrying speculations about the limitations of humanity. It can be read online, at http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm (see also http://www.rifters.com/blindsight/BS_main.htm for more details, including the best corporate presentation ever...)

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Thu, 2010-02-11 16:55

ardent_seeker ardent_seeker's picture

Re: Seeking The Advice Of Avid Sci-fi Writers and Readers...

I started reading "Consider Phelbas" and I really like it. It is page turner in its own right. Still, I am looking for something a little more EP. I actually looked for "Blindsight" and, surprisingly, the bookstore didn't have it at the moment so I picked up another book instead (I wanted instant gratification sadly...I also didn't know about the online "Blindsight", thanks for that one). The other book I got is a fairly new release that looks very good and in many ways is very EP, almost more EP than any of the other books I've looked into so far, save a few differences. The book is "The Quiet War" by Paul McAuley...heard of it? In this story earth is not destroyed and as far as I know their is nothing like the TITANs but the whole social, political, and socio-political aspect of a "colonial" solar system. The book was nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke award and it's on the 2008 Locus recommended reading list as well as a ton of good reviews. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book... "FROM THE TEEMING CITIES OF EARTH TO THE SCRUPULOUSLY REALIZED LANDSCAPES OF THE MOONS OF JUPITER AND SATURN, THE QUIET WAR, AN EXOTIC, FAST-PACED SPACE OPERA, TURNS ON A SINGLE QUESTION: WHO DECIDES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN? Twenty-third century Earth, ravaged by climate change, looks backwards to the holy ideal of a pre-industrial Eden. Political power has been grabbed by a few powerful families and their green saints. Millions of people are imprisoned in teeming cities; millions more labour on Pharaonic projects to rebuild ruined ecosystems. On the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, the Outers, descendants of refugees from Earth's repressive regimes, have constructed a wild variety of self-sufficient cities and settlements: scientific utopias crammed with exuberant creations of the genetic arts; the last outposts of every kind of democratic tradition. The fragile detente between the Outer cities and the dynasties of Earth is threatened by the ambitions of the rising generation of Outers, who want to break free of their cosy, inward-looking pocket paradises, colonise the rest of the Solar System, and drive human evolution in a hundred new directions. On Earth, many demand pre-emptive action against the Outers before it's too late; others want to exploit the talents of their scientists and gene wizards. Amid campaigns for peace and reconciliation, political machinations, crude displays of military might, and espionage by cunningly wrought agents, the two branches of humanity edge towards war . . ." I think this sounds pretty EP-ish in many ways (although not so EP-ish in some to, but let's face it until there is EP book...we just have do pick and choose and use or imaginations! That is a good question though...will there ever be an EP book or line of books...that would be awesome!) Has anyone heard of/read this? Any opinions?

—

"I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure." - Ripley, "Aliens"