Introduce Yourself - Part I Showing 1,151-1,200 of 1,884

[Pythagorasstorm]

Hello everyone. I'm a meteorologist living in Wellington NZ that spends a lot of spare time reading Sci fi and fantasy novels. Recently read and really enjoyed Peter f. Hamiltons work if anyone has more recommendations along those lines. I have also read some Iain M. Banks and its ok. Honestly I really like the large amount of unnecessary detail in Hamiltons books. I am more into character and world development than too much action. Fantasy wise I'm a big Brandon Sanderson fan.

[Anna]

Pythagorasstorm wrote: "Hello everyone. I'm a meteorologist living in Wellington NZ that spends a lot of spare time reading Sci fi and fantasy novels. Recently read and really enjoyed Peter f. Hamiltons work if anyone has..."

Welcome Pythagorasstorm! We interviewed Peter F. Hamilton at one point, was really interesting. You can find the interview HERE: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Also, have you tried Dan Simmons Hyperion. Those are some nice fat doorstoppers you might enjoy :-)

[Pythagorasstorm]

Thanks Anna. I'll be sure to check out the interview, and move Hyperion closer to the top of my to read list, I have read good things about it :)

[Leonie]

Hi Pythagorasstorm, I'm just across the ditch in Australia :) I'm currently reading the first book in Peter F Hamilton's Void Trilogy.

[Alan]

Heather wrote: "Hi everyone. I believe I am a space opera fan and joined this group hoping for some good recommendations/ group reads. I love discussions! My favorite space opera was Hyperion series a..."
Welcome to the group. Hyperion is moving up the TBR pile. This year I'm trying to work in more new authors and alternating genres as I read (currently one science fiction, one crime on licensed and one comic TPB being read).

[Heather]

Pythagorasstorm wrote: "Hello everyone. I'm a meteorologist living in Wellington NZ that spends a lot of spare time reading Sci fi and fantasy novels. Recently read and really enjoyed Peter f. Hamiltons work if anyone has..."

Welcome! Here are some shorter non-military sci-fi that I liked: Ringworld, A World Out of Time, The End of Eternity, Gateway (trigger warning on that one, though).

[C. John]

Pythagorasstorm wrote: "Hello everyone. I'm a meteorologist living in Wellington NZ that spends a lot of spare time reading Sci fi and fantasy novels. Recently read and really enjoyed Peter f. Hamiltons work if anyone has..."

Unfortunately the authors you mentioned are ones I haven't read. Still here are some suggestions from my years of reading
James Blish Cities in Flight
Poul Anderson Operation Chaos

[Monika]

I second Ringworld and Gateway. They are two of my long time favourites. They both have sequels that aren't as great as the first book, but enjoyable for building up these universes and uncovering some mysteries. I'm also currently loving Leviathan Wakes (part of a 5 part series I think) which is a bit more action heavy, but doesn't feel gratuitous so far.

[Heather]

Monika wrote: "I second Ringworld and Gateway. They are two of my long time favourites. They both have sequels that aren't as great as the first book, but enjoyable for building up these universes and uncovering ..."

I like Leviathan as well. At first you'll feel like there isn't enough "alien" but you get more of it as you get through. It is unique in that the two main characters aren't likable characters! I've read the first two.

[Monika]

I'm halfway through the first one and I really enjoy how messy and screwed up and real the world and characters all feel.

[Pythagorasstorm]

Thanks everyone! Will definitely look into those books. Its great to get some reccomendations :)

[Nolan]

Hi, my name is Nolan, and I'm a recovering literary snob. Until recently, I only read literary fiction, but I finally shook that disease and have really been getting into sci-fi. I haven't read much in the genre yet, but early favorites are Snow Crash, Wool, and Neuromancer. None of which are space operas, obviously. Any recommendations?

As for other media, I love the Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Orphan Black, and everything Star Wars. My favorite foods all involve fried carbohydrates and cheese in some combination.

Outside of reading, I enjoy running, playing guitar, writing, and homebrewing beer.

Also, I'm new to Goodreads and none of my IRL friends are on here, so I'd welcome any friend requests.

Nice to meet you all!

[C. John]

Nolan wrote: "Hi, my name is Nolan, and I'm a recovering literary snob. Until recently, I only read literary fiction, but I finally shook that disease and have really been getting into sci-fi. I haven't read muc..."

Oh man would I have loved to introduce you to some of the members of the Toronto SF fan group back in the 70s. They were into SF that had literary pretensions. They preferred the term SF to the term Sci-Fi because SF could also mean Speculative Fiction. People like me drove them crazy because we used the two terms interchangeably , sometimes in the same sentence. As for recommendations I tend towards the older authors (probably my age showing through) but some you could try are:
Robert A. Heinlein; L. Sprague deCamp; Poul Anderson: Jack Williamson and Edmond Hamilton. For really old time stuff (and a bit dated as well) try Edgar Rice Burroughs and Ray Cummings. One modern author I do read is Harry S. Turtledove who is considered the master of Alternative History.

[Nolan]

John wrote: "Nolan wrote: "Hi, my name is Nolan, and I'm a recovering literary snob. Until recently, I only read literary fiction, but I finally shook that disease and have really been getting into sci-fi. I ha..."

Thanks for the recommendations, John. I have read Stranger in a Strange Land. I'll check out those other authors as well.

[Anna]

Nolan wrote: "Hi, my name is Nolan, and I'm a recovering literary snob. Until recently, I only read literary fiction, but I finally shook that disease and have really been getting into sci-fi. I haven't read muc..."

Welcome Nolan! Be ready to embrace the awesomeness that is space opera, where it's okay to tell a story ... in space. Some space opera actually approaches 'literary' quality. But most of it is just plain fun. We tend to have a variety of styles of space opera. The old-fashioned 'pulp' fiction, which was light-hearted and fun. Some of the more serious stuff, hidden behind a pulp mask (such as Heinlein). Military science fiction, which is pew-pew-pew in space. And then some of the latest stuff that has won Hugo awards such as Ann Leckie's books, which might be a good place for somebody used to literary fiction to start.

[Lizzie]

Pythagorasstorm wrote: "Hello everyone. I'm a meteorologist living in Wellington NZ that spends a lot of spare time reading Sci fi and fantasy novels. Recently read and really enjoyed Peter f. Hamiltons work if anyone has..."

I have a friend in AZ who is a meteorologist too. He doesn't spend enough time reading fiction though.

I 2nd the recommendation of Blish's Cities in Flight. I have read it several times. If you like traditional sci fi characters of intelligent AI, unexpected hero, crazy scientist, on the newer author side, I like Lallo's Big Sigma series.

I haven't read Peter Hamilton, but for world building, Niven's Ringworld series and David Brin's Uplift novels are generally at the top of most people's lists.

[Heather]

Is it worth reading the Ringworld series? I read the first one and loved it.

[Monika]

I'd say it's worth reading the rest, certainly worth a look from the library or borrowing

[Kirsten]

Heather wrote: "Is it worth reading the Ringworld series? I read the first one and loved it."

I read one of the later ones --- Fleet of Worlds -- and really enjoyed it. Love the idea of a race of horse-like creatures.

[Gaines]

Nice to meet you, recent group-joiners. And Happy ANZAC Day :-)

[Jemima]

Hello to everyone I've missed during April when I've been at Camp NaNo and doing the April A to Z Challenge. Glutton for punishment.

I really must catch up on some of the books people love here, too!

[Heather]

Great, thanks. I will check out the second one. I really liked the first.

[Gaines]

Heather wrote: "Is it worth reading the Ringworld series? I read the first one and loved it."

I haven't met a Niven book I didn't like, to be honest.

[Leonie]

Hi Nolan! Welcome :)

[R.]

Gaines wrote: "Heather wrote: "Is it worth reading the Ringworld series? I read the first one and loved it."

I haven't met a Niven book I didn't like, to be honest."

Agreed.

[Heather]

I have liked everything from Niven as well!

[Kirsten]

My dad considered Larry Niven as required reading!

[Gaines]

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "My dad considered Larry Niven as required reading!"

Sounds like you have a cool dad :-)

[Anna]

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "My dad considered Larry Niven as required reading!"

I got to hear Larry Niven's co-author on a lot of his works, Jerry Pournelle, speak at BOSKONE a few years back. I'm a long-time fan of the both of them, so it was interesting to hear how Jerry did the hardcore science plotting while Larry did the more character driven building, and how they worked well together.

[Gaines]

That sounds interesting. I bet it would be hard to co-write.

[Heather]

I felt that book one of The Expanse was clunky because of the co-writing. Book two felt much smoother so they figured something out.

[Stephen]

Hi all, I'm a n00b here... I enjoy reading all kinds of sci-fi, space opera especially. Some of my favorites: the Foundation series by Asimov, The Sirens of Titan, and the latest favorite of mine is Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Some favorite authors: Asimov, PKD, Vonnegut, Octavia E. Butler, and Pierce Brown.

Other than that, I loved the latest Star Wars (but I think George Lucas is awful), I love Firefly/Serenity (but am not much of a Whedon fan otherwise) and I still watch more X Files than I probably ought to.

Say hi any time and recommend some books for me!

[Gaines]

Hi Stephen!

[Anna]

stephen wrote: "Hi all, I'm a n00b here... I enjoy reading all kinds of sci-fi, space opera especially. Some of my favorites: the Foundation series by Asimov, The Sirens of Titan, and the latest favorite of mine i..."

Welcome Stephen! A Star Wars Browncoat X-File conspiracy theorist? Yup, you'll fit right in :-)

[Stephen]

Anna wrote: "stephen wrote: "Hi all, I'm a n00b here... I enjoy reading all kinds of sci-fi, space opera especially. Some of my favorites: the Foundation series by Asimov, The Sirens of Titan, and the latest fa..."

Thanks, I figured as much!

[Kirsten]

Gaines wrote: "Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "My dad considered Larry Niven as required reading!"

Sounds like you have a cool dad :-)"

He was wonderful!!

[Kirsten]

Gaines wrote: "That sounds interesting. I bet it would be hard to co-write."

They wrote two books my dad considered required reading together: Lucifer's Hammer and The Mote in God's Eye

[Anna]

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "They wrote two books my dad considered required reading together: Lucifer's Hammer and The Mote in ..."

Lucifer's Hammer is one of my all-time favorite books. :-) Pepper and chocolate!!!

[Gaines]

I couldn't decide where best to post this, so I'll just post it here (sorry if this is the wrong place):

Happy Mother's Day to people on this side of the international date line, and Happy Mother's Day for tomorrow to everyone else :-)

[Anna]

Gaines wrote: "I couldn't decide where best to post this, so I'll just post it here (sorry if this is the wrong place): Happy Mother's Day to people on this side of the international date line, and Happy Mother..."

Thanks Gaines! There really -is- no wrong place to wish people well :)

[Heather]

I thought Lucifer's Hammer was quite good. If you like that kinda thing, with a dash of spiritualism, The Stand and Swan Song was post apocalyptic.

[Kirsten]

Loved The Stand, have never read Swan Song.

[Heather]

Swan Song is very much like The Stand except it is after a nuclear apocalypse.

[Gaines]

I've not read Lucifer's Hammer. Adding it :-)

[[deleted user]]

Wow. I just discovered this group.
I have too many favorites to name without regretting that I left some out, but Dune may be my all time favorite, the Foundation series by Asimov, Honor Harrington books by David Weber, books by David Niven; C.J. Cherryh, Iain Banks, Gordon Dickson, Orson Scott Card, Heinlein, Silverberg, . . .
Looking forward to discussions.

[Betsy]

Welcome, Charles.

[Kirsten]

Welcome, Charles! Hope you have some great discussions! I'm really discovering some great new authors/series here!

[Gaines]

Same. Not sure I would have picked up Hidden Empire if not for this group. I'm reading it now, and enjoying it; it's nice and light compared to the past few books I've read.

[Heather]

Welcome Charles. I have all the Foundation series but haven't read them yet. I really want to after I get through those last Dune books.

[Jemima]

Welcome, Charles. Lots of authors there I like - and many I need to catch up with!