The Joyous Jaunty June Perusals (Or what we are reading in June)

[Pyan]

Gissa chance! Once I started on the Assassin books, I've got to follow the whole series through...then I'll probably go on to the Soldier Sons...

 

[AE35Unit]

Errm,Help! So far this SF collection is not inspiring me,and I fancy something epic,a proper full on space opera. Wish i had some Peter F Hamilton or Alastairto Reynolds to hand. But well i just brought Dune down,its sat beside me,tempting me,but its so flipping huge and scary! Should i?

 

[Connavar]

Errm,Help! So far this SF collection is not inspiring me,and I fancy something epic,a proper full on space opera. Wish i had some Peter F Hamilton or Alastairto Reynolds to hand. But well i just brought Dune down,its sat beside me,tempting me,but its so flipping huge and scary! Should i?

Dune is a great SF book. It has enough good ideas to appeal to any fan of SF.


You have hardcover right ? In Paperback it isnt so big.

Which SF collection are you having problem with ?

 

[AE35Unit]

Hi Conn,its a paperback from 1975,NEL,complete and unabridged. Its huge! Just read the first chapter where Paul has the test to see if he's human. Weird stuff and i don't get all of it. Doesn't read like typical SF. To me its like the middle east but on another planet. Mentions the Jihad and other similar sounding words,as if from the middle east, and surely Arakkis is Iraq in disguise?

 

[Razorback]

Completed Chapterhouse Dune, by Frank Herbert. This is the 6th and final one by Frank. Another good story and an enjoyable read. The tribute to Herbert’s deceased wife at the end of the book was also rather touching. I rate this book 8 out of 10. As is often the case with longer series, the quality is a bit uneven. Nonetheless, it was a very good work overall. This book completed a trilogy with God Emperor of Dune and Heretics of Dune, but he left open threads for future work that he never got to write. I gather he left an outline that was turned into 2 more volumes. I’ve seen mixed reviews on the other Dune books by his son, Brian, and Kevin Anderson. I’ll probably check them out for my self at some point, especially the ones based on Frank’s outline.

 

[AE35Unit]

Well to be honest,i'm only 30 odd pages in to Dune and am bored! Its the politics,can't understand it. I want to read a SF story not a political debate. Yawn

 

[Razorback]

Getting into the Dune books takes some patience and perseverance. I found it well worth the effort, but it doesn’t provide much, if any, instant gratification.

 

[AE35Unit]

Parts of it interest me,young Paul learning to fight with his tutor Halleck was fun,i enjoyed that..good characterisation there. But when the scene changes and the talk is of empires and strategies i just want to skip it and get on with the sf. Reminds me very much of Asimov's Foundation books

 

[Connavar]

Fight through it AE3 its gets more SF like when the story is more about Arrakis and less the political struggle of the heroes family.

I also thought it was it was too little SF in the early parts, i got real interested when its about the planet,its people etc

Trust me there will be more epicness,action than Foundation in the first Dune book.

 

[AE35Unit]

Well I am looking forward to when they're on Arakkis,i find it hard to keep up with who is who. First i thought that Paul's father was dead,then i discover his father is Duke Leto. I get a feeling that Mr Herbert spent quite a bit of time in the middle east or at least was very interested in that part of the world.

 

[Pyan]

Still with Robin Hobb... on to Book I of the Tawny Man - Fool's Errand.

And stick with it, AE...as others have said, it gets more SF-y as you go on, but the political stuff at the beginning is important to the story.

 

[Nikitta]

I've just started in on The Left Hand of Darkness and am not quite sure what I think of it, yet.

 

[Marky Lazer]

Terry Pratchett - Lords and Ladies

 

[Durandal]

Recently read: "Up the Line", Robert Silverberg, 1969 -- Not bad at all. It's drenched in the standard kinky sex and psychedelic drugs of much late-60s sf, but after Silverberg gets some of that out of his system, he settles down to telling a great little time-travel tale with a good twist ending.

Just finished: "The Space Merchants", Pohl & Kornbluth, 1952 -- This was a complete surprise to me, and really, really great stuff. The science is dated, of course, but the social satire is unbelievably prescient. Great funny/sad story of a world completely ruled by advertising and consumer culture. Highly recommended.

Just started: "Gladiator-At-Law", Pohl & Kornbluth, 1955 -- Loaned to me by the same person who loaned me "Space Merchants" with the advice "it's like 'Space Merchants' but with lawyers instead of ad men". Sold.

Next on the pile: "Tower of Glass", Robert Silverberg, 1970

 

[Connavar]

Well I am looking forward to when they're on Arakkis,i find it hard to keep up with who is who. First i thought that Paul's father was dead,then i discover his father is Duke Leto. I get a feeling that Mr Herbert spent quite a bit of time in the middle east or at least was very interested in that part of the world.

Thats a big reason why i loved the book.

He was original enough to write a story about people based on the Bedouin of the middle east.

How many SF written by westerner has told good stories about middle eastern people and done it well ?

 

[Highlander II]

I actually put down "Furies of Calderon" (not b/c it's not good, but b/c it's a little clunky for the first few chapters - there's a LOT to take in) and I've been reading Jim Butcher's wife's (that'd be Shannon K. Butcher) book instead -> "No Regrets"

It's a Romance/Suspense and it's quite good! I don't typically read anything in the romance genre, but this works nicely. Does it classify as scifi? Er - well, only if you consider Cold War era cryptology 'scifi', I guess.

 

[AE35Unit]

Thats a big reason why i loved the book.

He was original enough to write a story about people based on the Bedouin of the middle east.

How many SF written by westerner has told good stories about middle eastern people and done it well ?

True,but i feel like i'm not reading a sf book,i'm reading an overblown boring history book. I feel a bit disappointed cos i wanted some good sf to read but got Dune instead! Found myself picking up an aldiss collection to read last night.

 

[Connavar]

So you gave up on it ? Thats a shame.

I think you expected wrong things from Dune. Its one of alltime famous Science Fantasy stories. Also like Foundation atleast the first of Dune series is about ideology,history,myths etc. Its not a Hard SF by RAH or ACC. This is why i think you should read classic SF works that appeal to you when you read about they are about. Never a good idea to read a book only because its a classic specially when its clear you dont like that type of story.



Speaking about what you are reading i have started reading

The Complete Western stories by Elmore Leonard

Many real good westerns short stories in it.

 

[AE35Unit]

Well,i haven't quite given up on it,just having a break from all the politicing. But yea i do prefer a good space opera. Maybe its a bit low brow compared to the likes of Dune but thats what i like.

 

[AE35Unit]

This is the kind of waffle i'm talking about:
Father,Paul said,will Arakkis be as dangerous as everyone says?
The duke forced himself to the casual gesture(what???),sat down on a corner of the table,smiled. A whole pattern of conversation welled up in his mind-the kind of thing he might use to dispel the vapours in his men before a battle. The pattern froze before it could be vocalised,confronted by the single thought:
this is my son
It'll be dangerous,he admitted.

Good grief no wonder the book's so big!