[KraskiNetu]

Frank Herbert wrote Dune. Then he wrote a couple of so-so sequels. Somewhere along there he died, and his relatives have been pumping out Dune sequels and cashing in ever since. There was a horrible movie, a better but still not great TV series... it goes on and on simply because that first book was so good. It's considered a classic of the SF genre, although it doesn't normally get lumped in as fantasy.

The movies were rubbish. You are correct, it does not get lumped with fantasy, but im not sure sci-fi is a perfect clasification either. So i just threw it out there.

[qQVXpYM6]

Word is that somebody finished the book Robert Heinlein was writing when he died.

[QWNPdpr5]

The movies were rubbish.

I must have been the only one who liked the Dino De Laurentiis version.

[Shinegayboyx]

You are correct, it does not get lumped with fantasy, but im not sure sci-fi is a perfect clasification either.

Most people would classify it squarely as science fiction. It's not hard science fiction in that there isn't a huge focus on tech to the exclusion of character. But it's set in a fairly plausible future, there's no magic, it's got space travel and a bunch of tech-y stuff. Furthermore it speculates on the future culture, the ecology of the planet on which it's set, and the politics of the galaxy which are all common elements in the genre. No fantastical elements at all, really.

[casinobonusnolimit]

I think i liked God Emperor better than the first Dune, but i agree that the sequels have been terrible. A brilliant fantasy and scifi writer is Ursula K LeGuin. Her Earthsea series are fantasy classics and her Ecumen series (particularily The Left Hand of Darkness) enjoy similar standing in the scifi genre.

[weightpillsnow]

Yeah, Herbert is noted for writing the first really successful enviro-sci-fi novel, a novel that goes into depth the impact of the environment on its characters and their society. In this case, it's he planet and the spice and how it affects everything.

I read a few and *shrug* am not a huge fan.

[aAaBecker]

ttt for King of Myrrh.

About a fifth of the way into Shibumi and loving it.

I'm the worst kind of bibliophile - one that only shops at used book stores. Hey, we're watching every dime in the Kondek house!

[Rnlvifov]

Glad you like Shibumi. Did you ever check out any McKillip?

[regfortruegoo]

Not yet, but he is on my hit-list.

[hasasnn2345tv]

What do you guys think about George RR martins, "A song of Ice and Fire" series, I personally think they are some of the best Fantasy out.


John, whats better, painting your own picture, or having it painted for you, or is it just a matter of preference?

[finasteridonline]

I want to pick up the shibumi book, but I was wondering if there are prequels, or books I should read before it.

[logpogingg]

Shibumi you can read straight, stand-alone.

Been meaning to check out those Martin books. I'm kinda picky about my medieval fantasy.

[PypeMaypetasy]

Shibumi you can read straight, stand-alone.

Been meaning to check out those Martin books. I'm kinda picky about my medieval fantasy.

I thought they were OK, but I stopped 2 or 3 books in. I'm not a big fan of the switching-perspectives-every-chapter style of storytelling.

If you like medieval fantasy, maybe try one of Guy Gavriel Kay's novels. It's alterna-universe historical fantasy, where he'll take a place and time, juggle the map a little and rename stuff but essentially keep the flavour, and then tell a really good story with a little of the fantastical. Try "Tigana" or "A Song for Arbonne".

PS McKillip is a she.

[sessoorale]

Nice zanshin, Charlie.

[Candykiss]

Shibumi you can read straight, stand-alone.

Been meaning to check out those Martin books. I'm kinda picky about my medieval fantasy.

Me too, I have read too much of it(fantasy in general), and now only go for the good stuff. I have been having a hard time finding anything good that I havn't read, I am glad you have pointed me towards "Shibumi", I am going to pick it up ASAP, if you have other books to recommend, I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[Knongargoapex]

shibumi is ace one of the best gifts that i ever did receive....

[dodadaxia]

ttt for King of Myrrh.

About a fifth of the way into Shibumi and loving it.

I'm the worst kind of bibliophile - one that only shops at used book stores. Hey, we're watching every dime in the Kondek house!

Thanks Charlie. I'll be sure to check it out!

[ViaxobbimeVar]

Cheers!

You know, Ahmed, for me, I read a lot of crime fiction, history/biography, sports writing and random bits of literature. I used to read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi but am just lost when it comes to navigating my way through other genres, I'm lost. And I just don't go for series - like, one look at those Robert Jordan Wheel of Time books gives me shivers.

To tell you the truth, I'm picky about the stuff I know well, too. Like for crime fiction, I absolutely cannot stand cutesy detective novels. And I cannnot stand posturing macho-fake-Quentin-Tarantino-bullshit. Like Dennis Lahane and George Pelicanos? Unimpressed. James Lee Burke, on the other hand, Jim Crumley... I guess, for me what it is, is the prose. Many fans of genre fiction are willing to overlook mediocre prose if the genre is in a style they like. Not me. I like good reading, plain and simple. If that takes me to Trevanian, Cormac MacCarthy, those excellent Aubry-Maturin novels, whatever, that's where I go. I just love good writing - and, as a parting blow, I'd like to add that just because something is literary doesn't mean it's good - spare me the precious Iowa Writer's Workshop-type writing, I got no use for it.

I basically like virile Lit., adventure stories, history, sports stories or thrillers that are well-written. Why didn't I say that in my first sentence?

[leijggeds]

Lol, I think I understand what you mean. You should shiver when you see the Robert Jordan Novels, he just goes on and on and on, I know, because I have read them! (I did like them for a while.....but..) Anywho, Im definitly going to give some of those authors a shot, and definitly going for Shibumi soon.

[Buildityrit]

This past year was an odd one book-wise, I had a bunch of school work and some other activities (made a magazine, woo!) which severely cut down on my reading time, but there was one good thing. I decided to give Douglas Coupland a try, I had avoided him for the longest time thinking that he was going to be hipster-bestseller pap, but i was pleasantly surprised (for those who don't know him, maybe Generation X rings a bell) I bought one of his novels (Microserfs) at a used bookstore and sat down on a park until i finished it. Since then I've read another 5 of his novels (Generation X, Shampoo Planet, Miss Wyoming, Eleanor Rigby and Hey Nostradamus!), all of which were very good, I thought Generation X was the weakest of the 6 even if Coupland will forever be advertised as "the writer of Generation X". Hey Nostradamus! is probably one of the most influential books i've read and certainly one of the saddest; probaby up there with The Stranger and Demian. I'd encourage everyone to give him a try, Microserfs or Miss Wyoming being the most accesible of the ones i've read.
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