I’ve been reading lately (o.o) and I pretty much just plowed through The Gap Cycle.
… WOW.
The whole series (if you can stomach it) really plays hard on the classic space opera theme, but just as hard on back-room politics. In that manner, there’s a lot more interesting stuff going on here than “we’re shooting at evil aliens and space pirates.” In fact the concept of “good versus evil” is pretty vague here.
I’m also nearly done with Age of Misrule/The Dark Age/Kingdom of the Serpent, but these are fantasy and more linear action. The deep ethical and political issues don’t really show up too much, and when they do it’s just a short spat with an annoying power structure run by idiots that don’t understand how very soon they’re going to die (yeah, when you climb to the top at the end of the world, you get a short stay of power unless somebody STOPS the end of the world).
Anything else in the vein of The Gap Cycle that I should read? I’ve had short stories like Heinlein wrote recommended, and I’ve read bits of Ender’s series (Ender’s Game and Speaker for the Dead), but these are all lacking. I’ve heard Dune is all politics, maybe I’ll read that; but what I’ve heard of Dune isn’t much any good.
Maybe the problem is you can only do this once… ever.
Yes but the Utimate Hitchhikers guide has all six novels in one. Still not through them.
Planet of The Apes is a great story. Very different from the movie. The Apes have cars and planes. Cant understand why they didnt move closer to the book for that stupid remake.
Cap you are in error. The “hitchhikers trilogy” is not aptly named but contains only five books in canon. The “Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide” contains a little side short story (Young Zaphod Plays It Safe), which I believe you are taking as the sixth. While definitely under the penumbra of the Hitchhikers series it is not one of the “trilogy”, which includes HHGTTG, The Restaurant at the end of the universe, Life the Universe and Everything, So Long and Thanks for All the Fish, and finally, Mostly Harmless.
I do not consider posthumous non-Adams works (there is an alleged sixth novel called “And Another Thing” written by another author) to be in canon.
I do however heartily recommend the Dirk Gently pair of novels, which in a weird way I love more than the Hitchhikers series. Both are excellent but the original (Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency) is so delightfully complicated that I still don’t really understand all its inner workings after a dozen reads.
If you can find it, all of these books read by the author are magnificent. Douglas Adams reading the characters comes across brilliantly and you get an idea of what voices he imagined.
Hehe, you know I’m just being an a-hole because we Douglas Adams nerds (but, then, I repeat myself) are like that!
I once considered trying to divine a concoction for a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster based on Adams’ recipe, but on sober reflection decided it would taste like the Fallian marsh gas from whence it came.
I was thinking of having Dali type dinner party. Not to many people into surrealist cuisine these days though. Live eels boiled in transparent pots table side can be a little off putting.
Hey if you want to get really geeky, home brew some Romulan ale and cook up some Klingon food. ;D
Anyways,…
Ubik is another great stoy by Dick. That one would make a great movie. Im sure they will get around to it.
I love Stanislav Lems Sci Fi too. Solaris is awesome. A little bit too Sciencey but it is a short book soit balances out.
Tales of Pirx the Pilot is great too.
Im thinking of reading The Yiddish Policeman’s Union. Anyone read that?
Dune was indeed boring at spots. All the politics. I’m not sure why I read as much of it as I did.
If you like what they call “space opera” (as far as I can tell, it’s hard sci fi with a big story arc), check out Peter Hamiltion, Stephen Baxter, and Alistair Reynolds. You can see some of their stuff on Amazon.com
Did you only read the first one? If so you missed out. I admit the first few times I tried to read it I had a hard time getting into it - but when it “clicked” I couldn;t put it down. Fascinating Universe he created. Far from boring. If you think that’s boring I would recommend sticking to Harry Potter, Eclipse and the like.
The Hells Gate Series by David Weber is an interesting story. He’s only published the first 2 books so far but they are a different take on how divergent populations might develop along completely different lines and what happens when they meet.
The Destroyerman Series by Taylor Anderson is a good read too. It’s a parallel world story where humans end up on an “Earth” without any indigenous humans but some really nasty races.
The Dune books published by Herbert’s son really aren’t too bad. They aren’t Frank’s caliber but they do give a lot of background on how the universe of Dune got so freakishly messed up.
