Topic: Another Newie

[Svea]

gadfium - i liked the films even though they somehow always lack when you know the book. but i thought the films were well executed, each in their own way. the book itslef will give more depth to the characters, and i thought the book was much more scary (about what was going on) than the films could portray....

[MikeB]

Hi Derek

I've read all of Bernard Cornwall's books with the exception of the Arthurian Triology, I have a complete aversion to anything to do with King Arthur,  totally childish, but it goes back to having to learn the poem Mort D'Arthur at school.
Yes I too like historical adventure but the majority of authors in this genre treat it as historical romance, I've nothing against historical romance I even have a friend who reads it etc. etc.

Regards

MikeB

[Robert_Brenchley]

I hope that wasn't Malory's original epic in it's entirety! I enjoyed most of TH White's Arthur books years ago, but not the last one where he didn't have Malory to use as a basis. He wrote an interesting book about his adventures during a spell spent living in the woods trying, not very successfully, to train goshawks. I later discovered that he was actually hiding in fear of the IRA, but I don't know what he did to offend them.

[moonbells]

Oooh an SF thread :)

My favourites are CJ Cherryh, Larry Niven (+/- Barnes, Pournelle etc), Asimov, Anne McCaffrey. I do love the Cherryh SF as she's very scientific and is someone who allows for relativistic ageing and proper timescales of journeys. 
I tend to retreat into bookland in winter when I don't have to be at the lottie all the time!
Recently I've got into Catherine Asaro's universe though it's hard SF crossed with quite adult romance in parts! So if anyone wants to talk about her books we'd better shift to Watershed!

moonbells

[jennym]

Oh yes, at last, fellow SF readers  ;D ;D ;D ;D
My favourite authors are
Gregory Benford (especially Timescape)
Isaac Asimov (I have the original I Robot stories in hardback!) Ray Bradbury, Arthur C Clarke, Greg Bear, Poul Anderson, Robert Heinlein (even though he's a MCP)
Frank Herbert, Bob Shaw (especially Slow Glass in Light of Other Days),
Patrick Moore (he wrote awful stuff but it was the first I read), Geoff Ryman (especially the Child Garden)
Clifford Simak (soft homely stuff, especially Way Station),
George R Stewart (especially Earth Abides)
A.E.Van Vogt ...... I could go on forever....

[moonbells]

Oh yes, at last, fellow SF readers ;D ;D ;D ;D
My favourite authors are
Gregory Benford (especially Timescape)
Isaac Asimov (I have the original I Robot stories in hardback!) Ray Bradbury, Arthur C Clarke, Greg Bear, Poul Anderson, Robert Heinlein (even though he's a MCP)
Frank Herbert, Bob Shaw (especially Slow Glass in Light of Other Days),
Patrick Moore (he wrote awful stuff but it was the first I read), Geoff Ryman (especially the Child Garden)
Clifford Simak (soft homely stuff, especially Way Station),
George R Stewart (especially Earth Abides)
A.E.Van Vogt ...... I could go on forever....

Hmmm I should have added half of these to mine too! Greg Benford - definitely.  I like hard SF best and I know what you mean about RAH being an MCP but some of his society comments were spot on. Simak - yes, gentle SF though still thought-provoking...  just got my paws on some old paperbacks of his :)

Bob Shaw is also fun, though Orbitsville was the better of that series.  Talking of old-fashioned MCP hard SF writers,  I still like Doc Smith's Lensmen, even though he was almost worse than RAH! Though they'd be able to film those finally, I don't know if they'd dare! Not without seriously shredding the plot...  I first read them at 13 which was quite an eye-opener!

moonbells (bit older than 13 these days)

[MikeB]

Hi Moonells

Thanks for mentioning Doc Smith's Lensmen, I've been racking my brains ever since this topic was started trying to remember the first SF's I started reading, it was Doc Smith's. I was 17 and at sea (Royal Navy), had run out of my normal reading material (crime, spy, etc.) and read Doc Smith to pass the time, have been hooked ever since.

Regards

MikeB

[moonbells]

The Lensmen were definitely the first real (non-kids) SF I read - were staying at a holiday cottage in Burnsall in the Yorkshire Dales and they had a bookcase... four of the seven books were in there and I read them in a week! Then spent a few more tracking down the other three at the local library!

I don't include things like the Star Wars novelisations in the real SF category - that's SciFi (and I read that at 10!). If anyone reading this doesn't know the distinction, SciFi, sometimes pronounced skiffy, is the slightly derogatory term used of populist media science fiction by readers of the more thought-provoking less 'talking squid' type of science fiction which is generally referred to as SF and often comprises sociological stories of how humans react to different species (aka cultures) or conflicts.  Or even how aliens react to us (though that takes a very good author as they have to invent a completely different culture and mindset).

moonbells

[Robert_Brenchley]

I remember the Lensman books from when I was at university, though I don't think I'd be able to stomach them now.

[beejay]

Sorry, sort of butting in to this thread. But I thought I would suggest that you try Oryx & Crake by Margaret Atwood. A really enjoyable read set in the future. It was shortlisted for the Booker in 2003.

[undercarriage plan]

JennyM!! Read that book too!! Fascinating, but for life of me can't remember the author. If anyone does know, POST!!! I've just finished the first in the Triology by Philip Pullman, Northern Lights, had me transfixed!!! I'm also very partial to Dean Koontz, find some his stuff almost plausible, and some waaayyyyyyy out there, but keeps me out of trouble! Also love Anne Rice, read those one after the other, got fed up with me at library, so ended up ordering over net from them!! Love reading! Lottie  ;D

[Gadfium]

Return to Isis by Jean Stewart?

[Marianne]

Welcome MikeB

If you like dog training, we do dog sitting.
Check out our website !

 ;D

[MikeB]

Nice site

Regards

MikeB

[Marianne]

Ta very much.  ;)