Books

[Major_Gilbear]

How about 'In the Name of the Rose', or 'Misreadings' by Umberto Echo?

The first has been made into a film (with Sean Connery and Christian Slater), and is about a series of murders that take place in a monastery...

The latter is a series of short stories that are all varied topics. There is a very funny one about the discovery of America, written in the commentry style of the Moon Landing.

Though Echo is not to everybody's tastes, he writes exceptionally well, and has a very sharp wit. I thoroughly recommend him.

[Frodo]

i read The Discovery of Heaven by Henry Mulisch thanks to Earthnuker's recommendation, and I must say, it is a great book!

[Terror]

Never Assume.

No I havent actually read any of those books (Dune Series). Although I have been in love with the storyline for a long time. Which one is the best?

Also people I really appreciate all this feedback but please list the category that the book you state falls into so I can categorize them, thanks.

If it's not too much trouble can you go back and modify your posts to include what TYPE of books they are.

Thanks Again

i guess the original is the best, and has the most connections to the dune games.

[Gh0stzzz]

The original is called?

[Terror]

Dune :)

[Major_Gilbear]

I reckon the first two Dune books taken together are best - 'Dune' and 'Dune Messiah'.

The original is called?

The original is called..... Dune.

<ahem> original, isn't it?

note: sorry for the awful pun.

[Frodo]

i thought the first book was the best. the second was good but was very political. the third was cool, and 4-6 were good, but not as good because they jump like 4000 years.

[nemafakei]

Hitch hiker's guide to the Galaxy (all five parts) is extremely funny.

'The Political Animal' by Jeremy Paxman is worth reading if you're interested in politics (though mainly concerns the UK, rules apply to all over).

[Apollyon]

I would just like to say the following books were the greatest books I ever read.

Homeland, Exile, and Soujorn were my all time favorite Sci/Fi Fantasy Novels.

The Author is R.A. Salvatore and these books belonged to the Forgotten Realms Series.

Yeah theyre great arent they? If you liked those I'd reccomend reading "The Redemption of Althalus".

As Nema also suggested, Hitch-hiker's guide to the Galaxy is also very good although the Radio edition is, in my opinion, far superior.

[Vanguard3000]

I agree with Nema about the HHGttG "trilogy in five parts". Excellent stuff.

Personally, I recommend Calculating God, by Robert J Sawyer. It's sort of sci-fi, but it's about a lot of other stuff too. The main debate is about the existence of a Divine Creator (i.e. God).

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0812580354/qid=1046210495/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/103-0155925-4288615?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[Gh0stzzz]

Hey Apollyon,

Who is the author and what kind of book is "The Redeption of Althalus."

???

Guys please, if you are gonna recommend a book please give author and category of book. :P

I am trying to research all the books mentioned to see if I might already have some of them but without an author and category it will be quite hard since there is thousands of books here at my house.

[Inoculator9]

I have a couple recommendations:

1. I agree with Nema ;)

2. The Dosadi Experiment, Frank Herbert

3. Roger Zelazny, anything. He wrote brilliant fantasy novels that I would put on level with Tolkien.

[sneezer3]

I would recomend

God's word

The Hitch hiker's guide to the Galaxy Filled with humor and jokes.

Left Behind a Great Book. Christan or not you will probbly enjoy this.

Last off, i gotta recomend King of Kings and Lord of Lords its the hole Bible one event after the other, i have orderd and read it personly, its preety good. or you could try the jumbo pack. all of the comics for less.

[bob_fox]

The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy is very funny! I like the first two books very much (the third one's a little TOO silly and the last two are just too much).

My favourite sci-fi book is Dune. A close second is Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (HTTE) by Timothy Zahn (HTTE is just the first book in a trilogy; all three books are very good but the first one's the best).

[Caid Ivik]

Sci-fi has many good authors. But highest triumvirate are Asimov, Herbert and Lem.

Fantasy? Milan Durica: Dejiny Slovenska a Slovakov. History book, written as chronicle, but some things had to be made only by a brilliant fantast ;D

[Apollyon]

Hey Apollyon,

Who is the author and what kind of book is "The Redeption of Althalus."

???

it's a very entertaining fantasy book (although the ending could be considered a bit anticlimactic) I can't quite remember the authors (theyre brothers) something like David Elliot/Eddings (not sure which) and whoever his brother is...

[Apollyon]

2. The Dosadi Experiment, Frank Herbert

That's been gathering dust on my bookshelf for years now... maybe I'll actually get around to reading it some day ;-).

[Major_Gilbear]

Caid is correct, Isaac Asimov is *amazing*. :O

Anything by him, though especially his 'Robot' and 'Foundation' sagas. He invented the Three Lawas Of Robotics, and even coigned the term 'Robotics'. :)

Remeber when you read him that he predates Herbert by at least ten years.

Really, top stuff.

[exatreide]

actully Herbert released some short stories in the early 40's same time as asimov.

oh the best charles Shefield book is defently Dark as day.

its sci-fi its awsome...

[Tenzul]

Did you know that the expression "robot" was used for the first time

by a Czech sci-fy writer called Karel Capek?

It comes from the slovak word "robit" which means "to work".

He wrote Krakatit, R.U.R, ...

[Vanguard3000]

Three Lawas Of Robotics, and even coigned the term 'Robotics'. :)

He may have coined the term "robotics" (which is little more than adding a desired sufix to an existing word), but the term "robot" was coined by Karel Capek in his play Rossum's Universal Robots (R.U.R.). It's Czech for "worker".

[edit] this was in 1921, by the way.

[Tenzul]

Actually it's slovak for "worker". But our languages are very similar.

[bob_fox]

I read Pebble In the Sky (one of Asimov's first books (written in the mid 50's)) and it's incredible for its time.

[Caid Ivik]

Actually it's slovak for "worker". But our languages are very similar.

"Worker" is "robotnik" in Slovak and Czech. "Robot" was a word created by Karel Capek's brother Josef (Karel wanted to use word "labor" as he said), which is based on word "robota" (it is "work" too; noun). It's a new word, but undoubtely created by Capek. Altough I have to say Asimov brought to robotics most. Capek's robots were mindless slaves, until they received mind and nearly annihilated mankind (at end they create emotions and that saves the world). Asimov's robots were unable to do anything against human.

[Major_Gilbear]

Either way, he was well ahead of his time, and the discussion my post generated surely dislpays the merits of checking out this author ;)

And Pebble in the Sky is not his best by a looong way. I loved Nightfall, and the Foundation series. I, Robot is one of the books on the recommended reading list for GCSE*.

*In fact, this is where I first discovered him. I was sat in my English exam, and havimg finished early, I began to read the other literature excerpts in the exam booklet. I enjoyed the 'I, Robot' one so much, I went to the library after the exam, and got the book out. I never looked back; Asimov is one of my all-time favourite authors.