What are you currently reading?

[deadly7]

Mmhm.  That's why I liked Ender's game, and that's why I continue to read the other books in the series.  It gets progressively harder to suffer through, though.  There was very little of it in Ender's Game, there was a little more in Speaker of the Dead, and there's a whole chapter in the first quarter of Xenocide that talks about the "philotic connections between people".

Have you read the other books in the series?

I don't mind the space travel stuff at all.  That's kind of enjoyable, actually.  It's interesting to read about a world that sees the effects of relativistic space travel.  I was actually quite pleased that OSC included those details.  The other scifi details are starting to become a little painful, though.  The "philotic connections", the pseudo-sentient subatomic particles, the details of the piggies' reproductive cycle, and descriptions of the Descolada are getting ridiculous.  I continue reading because I enjoy the bits in between (especially the initially separate story about the girl on Path, the Chinese world), but holy shit that chapter aboute the philotes was fucking paiiinnfful.

I've read the entire series, including the Bean saga. It's probably my favorite sci-fi series. That said, some of the science is a bit ridiculous. I agree. I just say "so what?" and continue reading. It's easy to lose yourself in the story if you stop trying to analyze everything.

If you dislike the weird pseudoscience then you may want to just stop because Children of the Mind (book 4) will make you cry. Start reading the Bean saga instead -- it's full of what OSC does well. The entire saga is about his relationships with people. It has some pseudoscience in there, but it's moreso just to progress the story than as a central axiom, imo.

[Sidoh]

Mmhm.  That's why I liked Ender's game, and that's why I continue to read the other books in the series.  It gets progressively harder to suffer through, though.  There was very little of it in Ender's Game, there was a little more in Speaker of the Dead, and there's a whole chapter in the first quarter of Xenocide that talks about the "philotic connections between people".

Have you read the other books in the series?

I don't mind the space travel stuff at all.  That's kind of enjoyable, actually.  It's interesting to read about a world that sees the effects of relativistic space travel.  I was actually quite pleased that OSC included those details.  The other scifi details are starting to become a little painful, though.  The "philotic connections", the pseudo-sentient subatomic particles, the details of the piggies' reproductive cycle, and descriptions of the Descolada are getting ridiculous.  I continue reading because I enjoy the bits in between (especially the initially separate story about the girl on Path, the Chinese world), but holy shit that chapter aboute the philotes was fucking paiiinnfful.

I've read the entire series, including the Bean saga. It's probably my favorite sci-fi series. That said, some of the science is a bit ridiculous. I agree. I just say "so what?" and continue reading. It's easy to lose yourself in the story if you stop trying to analyze everything.

If you dislike the weird pseudoscience then you may want to just stop because Children of the Mind (book 4) will make you cry. Start reading the Bean saga instead -- it's full of what OSC does well. The entire saga is about his relationships with people. It has some pseudoscience in there, but it's moreso just to progress the story than as a central axiom, imo.

Trust me, I'm the type of person that usually gets lost in the story.  I don't try to analyze everything.  I don't care if the science is ridiculous or grossly inaccurate.  I'm willing to grant all of that without much thought.

It's not the inaccuracy or the scientific absurdity that bothers me.  Some of it is just. plain. goofy.  The chapter when Miro and Valentine first conversed felt like I was sitting in a philosophy class with a bunch of stoned hippies.  It hurt me.

That's really my only complaint, though.  I'm still enjoying the books.

Thanks for the recommendation.  I'll probably try to finish up the series, though.  The silly crap doesn't ruin the book for me, but it certainly makes it a little less enjoyable.

[Sidoh]

P.S., thanks for the recommendations, everyone.

I looked into that first series you recommended, rabbit.  Sounds like my kind of book.  Amazon doesn't have a kindle edition, though.  Very sad.  Maybe I can find somewhere else to get an ebook from.

I'm also considering the following books.  They seem like the kinds of things I should read:

1. Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand (already got a copy of this)
2. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Phillip Dick

Any other recommendations along these lines?

[deadly7]

Trust me, I'm the type of person that usually gets lost in the story.  I don't try to analyze everything.  I don't care if the science is ridiculous or grossly inaccurate.  I'm willing to grant all of that without much thought.

It's not the inaccuracy or the scientific absurdity that bothers me.  Some of it is just. plain. goofy.  The chapter when Miro and Valentine first conversed felt like I was sitting in a philosophy class with a bunch of stoned hippies.  It hurt me.

Ah. It's usually a fault I have. It's very easy to go "Wtf is up with this?" and then pull yourself out of a book.

That's really my only complaint, though.  I'm still enjoying the books.

Thanks for the recommendation.  I'll probably try to finish up the series, though.  The silly crap doesn't ruin the book for me, but it certainly makes it a little less enjoyable.

Ah. Yeah, just be ready for super weird shit to happen throughout the end.

P.S., thanks for the recommendations, everyone.

I looked into that first series you recommended, rabbit.  Sounds like my kind of book.  Amazon doesn't have a kindle edition, though.  Very sad.  Maybe I can find somewhere else to get an ebook from.

I'm also considering the following books.  They seem like the kinds of things I should read:

1. Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand (already got a copy of this)
2. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Phillip Dick

Any other recommendations along these lines?

Atlas Shrugged is a really long read if you haven't experienced Rand's particular style of writing. For a less pronounced philosophical Rand novel, I always recommended "The Fountainhead".

I'm trying to power through War and Peace. Books in which little happens early on are just death.

[Sidoh]

I think I'm gonna read Atlas Shrugged, but I'll probably read The Fountainhead too.

[dark_drake]

I think I'm gonna read Atlas Shrugged, but I'll probably read The Fountainhead too.

Good choice. I enjoyed both of those, but Atlas Shrugged about lost me with the three hour speech at the end.

I've been reading through the Dune series. I can easily recommend the first two (Dune and Dune Messiah). The next two, Children of Dune and God Emperor of Dune, aren't nearly as good. Frank Herbert struggled telling a story in which one of the characters was omniscient, and it showed. The stories plodded along with little to nothing happening. After this lull, Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune bring the books back to deep and complex storylines and characters. They do drag out at parts, but these two rank up there with Dune Messiah.

[Sidoh]

I did like Dune!  I think someone told me the sequels get progressively worse, but it's nice to hear they recover.  I'll grab those too.

[Rule]

I'm curious about the book "Letters to a Young Contrarian" (Christopher Hitchens), but I am not sure what to expect.

[Ender]

I did like Dune!  I think someone told me the sequels get progressively worse, but it's nice to hear they recover.  I'll grab those too.

Hm, since your into Sci-Fi, you might want to look into Asimov's Foundation series. I haven't read it, but I hear it's very good. Also, Brave New World by Huxley, though I haven't read that either.

Oh, and have you read His Dark Materials? If not you should definitely get on that.

I think I'm gonna read Atlas Shrugged, but I'll probably read The Fountainhead too.

Good choice. I enjoyed both of those, but Atlas Shrugged about lost me with the three hour speech at the end.

I've been reading through the Dune series. I can easily recommend the first two (Dune and Dune Messiah). The next two, Children of Dune and God Emperor of Dune, aren't nearly as good. Frank Herbert struggled telling a story in which one of the characters was omniscient, and it showed. The stories plodded along with little to nothing happening. After this lull, Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune bring the books back to deep and complex storylines and characters. They do drag out at parts, but these two rank up there with Dune Messiah.

That's interesting. I read the first three or four Dune books, but I think they may have started to wane on me. Good to know that it picks up again.

[Armin]

I'm curious about the book "Letters to a Young Contrarian" (Christopher Hitchens), but I am not sure what to expect.

you should read Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse sometime. the main character often reminded me of you as I read it.

[Sidoh]

Hm, since your into Sci-Fi, you might want to look into Asimov's Foundation series. I haven't read it, but I hear it's very good. Also, Brave New World by Huxley, though I haven't read that either.

Oh, and have you read His Dark Materials? If not you should definitely get on that.

Thanks for the recommendations!  I like scifi, but I'm not particular to any kind of writing.

Yep, I've read the whole trilogy in middle school, and reread it a couple of years ago.  They're very good books!

[iago]

I'd be remiss if I didn't recommend Terry Pratchett

Strata and Good Omens are both short/easyish reads, but really good and completely standalone.

[rabbit]

I'd be remiss to not suggest The StarCraft Bible.