Book Log & a favor

[mikekn]

1. Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner *

Classic SF story from the 60s. Unlike many older stories, this one seems to have aged pretty well. Brunner puts together an interesting world (set in 2010) complete with an energy crisis (cars are a thing of the past), domestic terrorists (aka Muckers), super computers, and eugenic laws. The story mostly follows two roommates but is inner mixed with snippets of stories from other characters, broadcast announcements, and all sorts of stuff. The reader for the audio version did a great job keeping it flowing and understandable.

12 in 12 Challenge
1/12 Hugo Winners
1/12 Written Pre-1970

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As part of my 12 in 12 Challenge, 12 of the books I'm going to try and read this year are to come from recommendations. If you've got some time to kill and enjoy digging though someone else's book collection, follow the below link and pick a bunch of books that you think I should read this year ("You've not yet read X?! You've got to read it!") If you've got some favorites that I've never read and don't own, feel free to suggest a few of them as well.

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/MikeKn/toread
 

Comments

[moirla.livejournal.com]

Brian Jacques: I've read a lot of his Redwall books, the newest one I think was The Long Patrol. I really enjoyed them.

Fred Saberhagen: Lost Swords books! I read these in JR High or High School at my dad's recommendation. It was a long time ago, so I can't remember much about them except that there are a bunch of really cool magic swords, each of which have a unique and highly coveted property. I think they may have been forged by Hephaestus, there was definitely a Greek and/or Roman Mythology tie in.

Tad Williams: The Dragonbone Chair. Similarly, I read this a long time ago. I'm pretty sure the MC is a young man named Simon who is friends with a strange-but-harmless old man at the keep where Simon's family serves. Bad stuff happens, prompting the old man to take Simon under his wing and leave the keep behind. Adventure ensues. (or I'm remembering a completely different book, but I'm pretty sure I read this one and the second book Stone of Farewell, but then got intimidated by the physical weight of To Greenangel Tower, and thus never finished the series)

Robin McKinley: While I have not read A Door in the Hedge specifically, I have read a couple of her other titles and really enjoyed them (The Outlaws of Sherwood, Sunshine)

David Eddings: While I have a soft spot for this author, since I basically cracked my fantasy eyeteeth reading his stuff, I will agree that there's really no reason to read both the Belgariad and The Mallorean, or The Elenium and the Tamuli. Others will argue that one of the four series will pretty much cover all four of them, but if you have not read The Elenium or The Belgariad, I would recommend them both equally.

[bertana.livejournal.com]

In honor of your new hobby, you totally need to read My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon by Bart Yasso, the Mayor of Running!

[redkcolumbus.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh, you haven't read David Weber? I love his Honor Harrington series. it is one of my favorites.

Hmm, Gilgamesh, set the standard for heroic quests and tropes.

Skip Masterharper of Pern. Poor plotting

Sanctuary - I'd forgotten about that. Great fun world-building

Andre Norton and Witch World - changed the face of Fantasy forever, not to mention making female SF+F authors acceptable

You haven't read the Ship Who Sang????????? Oh, you need to read something of McCaffrey, just because she recently died. That's a good one. It's one of my "old friends" that I re-read every few years

One not on your list, that I think will become reality as much as Star Trek influenced the creation of the iPhone - a book called Hospital Station. Long out of print. SF with a medical theme. Well done, good science, another of my "old friends"

[mikekn]

Hospital Station by James White? (Eep 14 books in that series) I'll keep an eye out for it.

Thanks!