Karsa Orlong

Um, okaaaaay. My thread seems to have entered The Twilight Zone

Hmm, I wonder where sf and fantasy gets its crap reputation from Now, if the women had been wearing nurses uniforms ...

Oh gawd, just when I thought it was over Go and sit on the naughty step, VF.

Dammit

You'll have to wait till I've stopped whinging ... ... Right, I'm back, and have given forth with opinion

Ooh, she giveth with one hand and taketh with the other (and is sexist with the other). Hang on, that's three hands And we weren't whinging, we were commenting, but if that's what it takes to get you to read some sf then ... Oh, and go for the John Brunner one - then you can let me know what his stuff's like

Good on ya, Kylie And I haven't even read any Harry Harrison or John Brunner myself, so I'm not exactly one to talk! Any recommendations? Interesting what you say about historical fiction, Timstar, it's another one of my favourite genres. I'm noticing a pattern here ...

I think a lot of it's due to perception. There is a certain stigma attached to sf and fantasy. Maybe people think they'll lose their street cred if they're seen reading it, or that it'll turn them into the type of person who dresses up in a Star Trek uniform and spends all their time at conventions talking in Klingon. I'm joking, but you can see how that sort of image gets attached to the genres. Me, I didn't have any street cred to begin with, so it's never bothered me

Don't be daft Paranoid much? And I know you have tried, which is more than a lot of people do! I think it's safe to say that, on this board, there aren't that many fans of sf and fantasy, unless it's [swear mode on]Twilight or The Hunger Games[/swear mode off]

That's what I keep telling everyone

Yeah, they're big old bar stewards

Yay! So nice to see another thread on here with some sf and fantasy!

I'm liking this thread already, Timstar Out of interest, I noticed you've got Peter F Hamilton's 'Greg Mandel' books on your wishlist - have you read his 'Night's Dawn' trilogy? Cos if not, I'd highly, highly, highly recommend going for them first. Not that the 'Greg Mandel' books aren't good (they are!) but 'Night's Dawn' is astonishingly good

That's right, Mary, starting with Storm Front

Ah yeah, Rendezvous With Rama is very good

Yes, pretty much. I doubt you'll be disappointed. Do read them in order, though, as there is an ongoing sub-plot that runs through The Redbreast, Nemesis and The Devil's Star.

That makes all of us on here sad, then

I've got The Blue World on my radar, although I'm waiting to see how I get on with the Vances I've already got before buying any more. I'm struggling with his Tales of the Dying Earth books but I liked Emphyrio, and I'm hoping I'll like the Lyonesse books more. I've read Bester's two novels - The Demolished Man wasn't so good, but I loved The Stars My Destination. It's a bit dated maybe but, for sheer inventiveness and Gully Foyle being a brilliant anti-hero, it's great. What is your favourite sf out of what you've read so far Timstar?

Cool. It's a great book, one of my faves. That's why I can't quite bring myself to read the sequels, as I've heard they're not so good. What you need now is this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Stars-Destination-S-F-Masterworks/dp/0575094192/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337165007&sr=8-1

Best bit for me, apart from Arya and Tywin, was Ygritte saying "You know nothing Jon Snow" for the first time

Sheesh, Grace Dent interviewing George RR Martin after last night's episode: Dent: "George, I just wanted to say that I think you're marvellous, fantastic, a genius!" Martin: "I know I am." Okay, I may be exaggerating, but still the sycophancy was a bit much

Nah, you should never feel bad for getting someone to read a book, even if they don't like it! Anyway, going by the 270-odd pages I've read so far, I think you're safe