Shaf's Books - Late 2008

Shafpocalypse Now · Post by **Shafpocalypse Now** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 2:28 pm

"Anathem" by Neal Stephenson

-Interesting, ultimately entertaining and rewarding. This is a massive book and not for everyone. Read it concurrently with about 2-3 other books over several weeks

http://www.amazon.com/Anathem-Neal-Step ... 0061474096

The Captain Alatriste series by Arturo Perez-Reverte

-Entertaining novels set around the Thirty Year War, about a Spanish soldier and swordsman narrated by his teenaged ward. I had read some of Perez-Reverte's other novels and liked them and picked up these at the library. The POV is different. Short, easy reads. Read "Captain Alatriste", "Purity of Blood", and currently "Sun Over Breda"

http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Alatriste ... 039915275X

The Takeshi Kovacs novels by Richard Morgan

-"Altered Carbon", "Broken Angels", "Woken Furies" - one of my favorite post-cyberpunk series. I've reread these recently. These are massively entertaining and fun. Smart, hard-hitting sci-fi. If you liked any of the early cyberpunk stuff by Gibson or Walter John Williams or Bruce Sterling, you should enjoy these immensely. Look 'em up on Amazon for more info.

The Reactive Training System by Mike Tuchsherer

-It's not often that I come down thoroughly on the side of an informational training product, but the RTS manual is a short, easily understood guide to systematically manage your volume and intensity for powerlifting, with principles that can easily be transfered across for olympic lifting or even recreational strength training. This is stuff you can immediately use. It chimes in thoroughly with my personal theories and tendencies for training.

http://rts.activeboard.com/index.spark? ... 121829&p=1

Kazuya Mishima · Post by **Kazuya Mishima** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 2:38 pm

Shaf wrote:The Takeshi Kovacs novels by Richard Morgan

-"Altered Carbon", "Broken Angels", "Woken Furies" - one of my favorite post-cyberpunk series. I've reread these recently. These are massively entertaining and fun. Smart, hard-hitting sci-fi. If you liked any of the early cyberpunk stuff by Gibson or Walter John Williams or Bruce Sterling, you should enjoy these immensely. Look 'em up on Amazon for more info.

I highly recommend 'Thirteen' by Morgan if you haven't read it yet. Slow at first, but stick with it.

'Altered Carbon' is absolutely brilliant.

Shafpocalypse Now · Post by **Shafpocalypse Now** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 2:41 pm

I didn't like "Market Forces" but liked "Thirteen"

Shafpocalypse Now · Post by **Shafpocalypse Now** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 3:08 pm

I've read some of Hamilton, but can't remember what. It's been a while.

tough old man · Post by **tough old man** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:46 pm

Perez -Reverte is one of my favorites. The Club Dumas is a great read.

I can send you a few if youd like to read them.

GoDogGo! · Post by **GoDogGo!** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:36 pm

Mr Shaftastic:

Besides the above, can you think of any good recent SF? I need a prezzie for my BIL. Last year I gave him Ted Chiang and he liked that.

Shafpocalypse Now · Post by **Shafpocalypse Now** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 4:16 am

I'll tell you what, Jack, I'll grab one next time I'm at the library and let you know.

GDG...try giving your BIL the first "Destroyerman" novels, if he likes military type SF. Or the Kildare series by John Ringo (or anything, Ringo's almost always entertaining and worth a read)

Kazuya Mishima · Post by **Kazuya Mishima** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 2:40 pm

Shaf wrote:Or the Kildare series by John Ringo (or anything, Ringo's almost always entertaining and worth a read)

Have you read any of the Ghost series? That shit is ridiculous.

tough old man · Post by **tough old man** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 4:21 pm

"Besides the above, can you think of any good recent SF? I need a prezzie for my BIL. Last year I gave him Ted Chiang and he liked that."

My all time favorite is "Armor" by John Steakley. The warriors mindset in the whole book is awesome.

Shafpocalypse Now · Post by **Shafpocalypse Now** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 4:40 pm

I think that "Ghost" was the first of the "Kildare" stuff. Yeah, a bit far fetched and over the top, but entertaining if you suspend disbelief.

Kazuya Mishima · Post by **Kazuya Mishima** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 7:48 pm

Shaf wrote:I think that "Ghost" was the first of the "Kildare" stuff. Yeah, a bit far fetched and over the top, but entertaining if you suspend disbelief.

Actually, that was 'Gust Front'. The Kildar shit is just Starship Troopers on steroids, imo...but, it's still good stuff. Ringo lost interest after the 3rd book, and so did I when his writing began to suffer.

'Ghost' is his Paladin of Shadows series. That shit is straight trippin'. Techno thriller...main character is an ex-Navy SEAL and sexual deviant. Ringo writes these ultra-detailed BDSM scenes. Very explicit stuff...makes me wonder about Ringo. First book was great...second one was boring...I'm on the third right now, and it's good stuff so far. Very far fetched, very juvenile, and very macho...perfect reading material, imo.

Shafpocalypse Now · Post by **Shafpocalypse Now** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:00 pm

No....isn't the "Ghost" character called the "Kildare" or something by his Eastern European mountain army?

Gust Front, etc....I could tell he lost interest with the whole Posleen war stuff.

If you like that shit, check out the "Fireships" trilogy by David Drake.

Shafpocalypse Now · Post by **Shafpocalypse Now** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:01 pm

I read the first, second, and the one about the Bahamas.

Shafpocalypse Now · Post by **Shafpocalypse Now** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:02 pm

By the way, Jack, I picked up "Pandora's Box" by Hamilton. I'll let you know.

If you like cool space opera, Ian M. Banks is good.

Kazuya Mishima · Post by **Kazuya Mishima** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:20 pm

Shaf wrote:No....isn't the "Ghost" character called the "Kildare" or something by his Eastern European mountain army?

Gust Front, etc....I could tell he lost interest with the whole Posleen war stuff.

If you like that shit, check out the "Fireships" trilogy by David Drake.

Fack...you're right.

Keldara or some shit like that. Hell, I'm reading it right now and I can't even remember.

I'll check out the Drake trilogy.

GoDogGo! · Post by **GoDogGo!** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:54 pm

He also like WWZ a lot. Has anyone read "Monster Island?"

DrDonkeyLove · Post by **DrDonkeyLove** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:00 pm

GoDogGo! wrote:...Has anyone read "Monster Island?"

I just finished Monster Island and Monster Nation. Both are pretty good reads and I'll do Monster Planet next to see if I'm ultimately satisfied. It doesn't matter a lot, but reading Monster Nation will provide a few insights into Monster Island.

I preferred Wellington's vampire series a little more.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:15 am

One of the best SF short stories - "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes.
I recently rereaded it again.

IGX

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