mikekn: (Books)
[personal profile] mikekn
So I've pulled out the books from the list that I haven't read yet. What should I read next? Italics mean I already own a copy. Bold means I've never even heard of the author.

A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin
Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick
Children of the Atom, Wilmar Shiras
Cities in Flight, James Blish
The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany
Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey
Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
The Forever War, Joe Haldeman
Gateway, Frederik Pohl
I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
Little, Big, John Crowley
The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick
Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement
More Than Human, Theodore Sturgeon
The Rediscovery of Man, Cordwainer Smith
On the Beach, Nevil Shute
Rogue Moon, Algis Budrys
Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner
The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester
Timescape, Gregory Benford

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Date: 2006-11-15 04:47 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] siobhan1214.livejournal.com
OMG. Ender's Game, definitely. Then Childhood's End. Phil Dick is good but *weird*, and Anne McCaffrey is sweet but really light. Those are the ones I know well.

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Date: 2006-11-15 04:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kbuxton.livejournal.com
Definitely Ender's Game. Man in a High Castle is un-weird for Dick and definitely worth a read.

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Date: 2006-11-15 09:47 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kbuxton.livejournal.com
absolutely don't read any of the Ender's universe stuff before reading Ender's Game.

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Date: 2006-11-15 07:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fosveny.livejournal.com
Note that Ender Wiggin is an analog of Adolf Hitler. Same birthdays, same .. all sorts of stuff.

No, really. Look for Elaine Radford's Ender and Hitler: Sympathy for the Superman. Just realize she's a bit over-the-top.

A different angle, with a bit more of the story behind the story, can be found here: http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2005/5/28/22428/7034 Realize that it's likely to be biased, based on the fact that the author is a friend of Radford.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-11-15 04:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] danabren.livejournal.com
Why make it harder on yourself? Start from the top shelf and work your way down....

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Date: 2006-11-15 07:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] danabren.livejournal.com
*glances at bookshelves at home which are double-stacked, and considers the boxes still in storage*

Uh huh....

(no subject)

Date: 2006-11-15 04:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sskipstress.livejournal.com
I've only heard of Nevil Shute because we had to read On the Beach in public school. I have no idea if he wrote anything else of interest (or not).

Of the ones I've read, here's a list from most upbeat to most depressing:
Dragonflight
Interview with the Vampire
A Wizard of Earthsea
Ender's Game
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
The Man in the High Castle
On the Beach

I can't remember if I've read The Forever War or if that's another one the libraries haven't had when I've visited. Looking at the wikipedia synopsis, it doesn't sound familiar, so I'm guessing I haven't read it, but I read and liked Gateway but don't remember it very well and the wikipedia synopsis of that isn't helping me remember the book enough to rank it with the others.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-11-15 04:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] beththeevilone.livejournal.com
Ender's game is a pretty dang good book.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-11-15 05:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] math5.livejournal.com
I'm a big fan of Cordwainer Smith, think people never know about him though.
I'll post my list tomorrow, I think.
The ones you have in italics,I've read (except Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card & The Forever War, Joe Haldeman) and liked.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-11-15 05:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lissa510.livejournal.com
hehe...I just finsihed reading something by Cordwainer Smith ...a little choppy..but interesting...

(no subject)

Date: 2006-11-15 05:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] serista.livejournal.com
Ender's Game and all the subsequent books, including the Ender's Shadow series, which I think are much better done.

I just read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and really enjoyed it. It's a quick read.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-11-15 09:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kbuxton.livejournal.com
Oh, and to be complete, of these I've read:

A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin -- good but I read it ages ago
Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke -- ok, but I don't remember being overwhelmed
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick -- good
The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester -- good
Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card -- excellent
The Forever War, Joe Haldeman -- good
Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice -- better than the movie
The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick -- liked it
Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement -- liked it
Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner -- remember liking it
The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester -- good
Timescape, Gregory Benford -- unimpressed
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