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Quote from: Pete on August 12, 2015, 11:37:24 PMQuote from: 8manpick on August 12, 2015, 10:04:24 PMQuote from: Pete on August 11, 2015, 02:03:57 AMI'm glad you like it! Have you read "Ready Player One?"I'm 1/3 of the way through (Aech cleared gate) based on (hopefully not misread) recommendos ITT, and I'm starting to wonder if it is ever going to get past surface level nerd culture and 80's references?Well, if you don't like the nerd stuff and 80's stuff you are reading the wrong book.It's not that I don't like nerd stuff and 80's stuff... I just feel like the first 50-100 pages were the author trying to cram as many references in them as possible. And not really references, but lists of things that people familiar with sci-fi or gaming or the 80's would recognize. It just feels cheap to set a novel in the future and try and draw people in by using a shotgun blast of references so you can touch a nostalgic nerve for every male between the ages of 14 and 55.Also, l33t speak? In the 2030's, really? I mean the author invented something called the "L33t Hax0rz Warezhous" that is basically the Silk Road. "Sux0rz"? Is this a CS chatroom in 2001?Don't get me wrong, it's picked up a bit and is a fairly fun novel. I'll finish it, I would just much rather be reading one of Halliday's favorite author's:Quote from: Actual quote from the bookDouglas Adams. Kurt Vonnegut. Neal Stephenson. Richard K. Morgan. Stephen King. Orson Scott Card. Terry Pratchett. Terry Brooks. Bester, Bradbury, Haldeman, Heinlein, Tolkein, Vance, Gibson, Gainman, Sterling, Moorcock, Scalzi, Zelezny
Quote from: 8manpick on August 12, 2015, 10:04:24 PMQuote from: Pete on August 11, 2015, 02:03:57 AMI'm glad you like it! Have you read "Ready Player One?"I'm 1/3 of the way through (Aech cleared gate) based on (hopefully not misread) recommendos ITT, and I'm starting to wonder if it is ever going to get past surface level nerd culture and 80's references?Well, if you don't like the nerd stuff and 80's stuff you are reading the wrong book.
Quote from: Pete on August 11, 2015, 02:03:57 AMI'm glad you like it! Have you read "Ready Player One?"I'm 1/3 of the way through (Aech cleared gate) based on (hopefully not misread) recommendos ITT, and I'm starting to wonder if it is ever going to get past surface level nerd culture and 80's references?
I'm glad you like it! Have you read "Ready Player One?"
Douglas Adams. Kurt Vonnegut. Neal Stephenson. Richard K. Morgan. Stephen King. Orson Scott Card. Terry Pratchett. Terry Brooks. Bester, Bradbury, Haldeman, Heinlein, Tolkein, Vance, Gibson, Gainman, Sterling, Moorcock, Scalzi, Zelezny
Quote from: 8manpick on August 13, 2015, 08:31:11 AMQuote from: Pete on August 12, 2015, 11:37:24 PMQuote from: 8manpick on August 12, 2015, 10:04:24 PMQuote from: Pete on August 11, 2015, 02:03:57 AMI'm glad you like it! Have you read "Ready Player One?"I'm 1/3 of the way through (Aech cleared gate) based on (hopefully not misread) recommendos ITT, and I'm starting to wonder if it is ever going to get past surface level nerd culture and 80's references?Well, if you don't like the nerd stuff and 80's stuff you are reading the wrong book.It's not that I don't like nerd stuff and 80's stuff... I just feel like the first 50-100 pages were the author trying to cram as many references in them as possible. And not really references, but lists of things that people familiar with sci-fi or gaming or the 80's would recognize. It just feels cheap to set a novel in the future and try and draw people in by using a shotgun blast of references so you can touch a nostalgic nerve for every male between the ages of 14 and 55.Also, l33t speak? In the 2030's, really? I mean the author invented something called the "L33t Hax0rz Warezhous" that is basically the Silk Road. "Sux0rz"? Is this a CS chatroom in 2001?Don't get me wrong, it's picked up a bit and is a fairly fun novel. I'll finish it, I would just much rather be reading one of Halliday's favorite author's:Quote from: Actual quote from the bookDouglas Adams. Kurt Vonnegut. Neal Stephenson. Richard K. Morgan. Stephen King. Orson Scott Card. Terry Pratchett. Terry Brooks. Bester, Bradbury, Haldeman, Heinlein, Tolkein, Vance, Gibson, Gainman, Sterling, Moorcock, Scalzi, ZeleznyI listened to the audiobook version narrated by Will Wheaton. I enjoyed it. I have a feeling I wouldn't have enjoyed actually reading the book for the reasons you've stated.
Quote from: roidhead on August 13, 2015, 11:16:46 AMQuote from: 8manpick on August 13, 2015, 08:31:11 AMQuote from: Pete on August 12, 2015, 11:37:24 PMQuote from: 8manpick on August 12, 2015, 10:04:24 PMQuote from: Pete on August 11, 2015, 02:03:57 AMI'm glad you like it! Have you read "Ready Player One?"I'm 1/3 of the way through (Aech cleared gate) based on (hopefully not misread) recommendos ITT, and I'm starting to wonder if it is ever going to get past surface level nerd culture and 80's references?Well, if you don't like the nerd stuff and 80's stuff you are reading the wrong book.It's not that I don't like nerd stuff and 80's stuff... I just feel like the first 50-100 pages were the author trying to cram as many references in them as possible. And not really references, but lists of things that people familiar with sci-fi or gaming or the 80's would recognize. It just feels cheap to set a novel in the future and try and draw people in by using a shotgun blast of references so you can touch a nostalgic nerve for every male between the ages of 14 and 55.Also, l33t speak? In the 2030's, really? I mean the author invented something called the "L33t Hax0rz Warezhous" that is basically the Silk Road. "Sux0rz"? Is this a CS chatroom in 2001?Don't get me wrong, it's picked up a bit and is a fairly fun novel. I'll finish it, I would just much rather be reading one of Halliday's favorite author's:Quote from: Actual quote from the bookDouglas Adams. Kurt Vonnegut. Neal Stephenson. Richard K. Morgan. Stephen King. Orson Scott Card. Terry Pratchett. Terry Brooks. Bester, Bradbury, Haldeman, Heinlein, Tolkein, Vance, Gibson, Gainman, Sterling, Moorcock, Scalzi, ZeleznyI listened to the audiobook version narrated by Will Wheaton. I enjoyed it. I have a feeling I wouldn't have enjoyed actually reading the book for the reasons you've stated.Same here, the Will Wheaton narration was amazingly good. However, the 80's nostalgia is not merely trivia...it's a character in the book.
did the martian audiobook on my recent travels. very good. super science joyride.
I'm going to read Lev Grossman's The Magicians next. A trilogy. Will report back.
It was not good. Also, syfi Chan is making it a tv series. Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Or the Hyperion books by Dan Simmons?
Quote from: steve dave on August 22, 2015, 03:40:03 PMOr the Hyperion books by Dan Simmons?Thanks. Started "Terror" last night.
Quote from: IPA4Me on August 23, 2015, 07:18:26 AMQuote from: steve dave on August 22, 2015, 03:40:03 PMOr the Hyperion books by Dan Simmons?Thanks. Started "Terror" last night.These look interesting. Have you read the earlier ones as well?
I haven't read any of those. Tell me more!
Quote from: Pete on August 23, 2015, 07:14:01 AMI haven't read any of those. Tell me more!John Dies at the End is kind of an over the top horror/comedy. Easy read and had a couple parts that made me LOL.Hyperion stuff is kind of a blend of fantasy/sci fi. The first one (I think just called Hyperion) is like Canterbury Tales where all the people on some quest like tell some story and they all kind of circle back on each other later on in the books.Winds Of War (and the second book War and Remembrance) is historical fiction set in WWII. A lot of good history and a great story. Probably my favorite books.
Quote from: libliblibliblibliblib on March 05, 2015, 09:04:12 PMQuote from: Chingon on March 05, 2015, 03:47:32 PMQuote from: michigancat on March 05, 2015, 03:21:08 PMAlso reading Shift omnibus. Incredible combination of a great story with horrible prose.yup, just like ASOIAF imhoAnd also would make a great hbo show!I'm super pumped for Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell on BBC. That had a great story AND fantastic dialogue.
Quote from: Chingon on March 05, 2015, 03:47:32 PMQuote from: michigancat on March 05, 2015, 03:21:08 PMAlso reading Shift omnibus. Incredible combination of a great story with horrible prose.yup, just like ASOIAF imhoAnd also would make a great hbo show!
Quote from: michigancat on March 05, 2015, 03:21:08 PMAlso reading Shift omnibus. Incredible combination of a great story with horrible prose.yup, just like ASOIAF imho
Also reading Shift omnibus. Incredible combination of a great story with horrible prose.
I'm about finished with Kafka on the Shore. Very enjoyable, probably more than 1Q84.