Former Introduction Thread Showing 4,101-4,150 of 6,846

[Art]

Welcome, V.W.!

[Samuel]

Hello all,

I've been in this group for quite some time now, followed bits and pieces of discussions here, but never really took part.
I am not a fast reader and essentially read SF, and I don’t care if a book is 100 pages or 1000 pages long. As long as it is good.

My love for SF started way before my love for reading. Since a kid, I was always looking up to the stars and wondering what was out there; and asking the same questions asked by humankind since we discovered how insignificant we are in this universe: Are we alone ? Why us ?

I fondly remember for one of my birthdays (or was it Christmas?) the best gift I ever had, a telescope. It was quite basic but, my god I was the happiest kid on earth. Once assembled, I immediately turned all lights off and went outside with it while my parents were having dinner with candles. I spent the whole night gazing at the sky.

I hated reading at school, I think this is the reason that took me a while to buy my first book. One day, I was in a library with my mom and of course, as a kid, I was looking at the comics section. My mom told me to get a real book to read and, despite my rejection to do so, I was in front of books area. If I must read something, why not read something which I love : space.

I took the smallest book out of the lot. My thinking being of course to make my mom happy and to not get to read a lot. This little book literally changed my life: 2001, a space odyssey.

I swallowed it whole in a matter of days and was impressed to find that I loved every bits of it. I then bought the following books and read them in a few months time. Then I discovered more authors, more stories and more passion.
I am now married, a happy father of awesome little boy and living a happy and quiet life. I don’t have the time I had for reading but it still takes a huge part of my life.

However, I don’t really read a lot, I prefer to read something slowly, absorb everything out of it and even after my read, I ponder the ideas and hidden meaning or message the story might have. Everything I read always adds or changes something to my views and perceptions (being religion, science, beliefs, social values, etc).

My favourite books :

All Dan Simmons SF novels (Hyperion Cantos, Endymion, Illium and Olympos).
The Road
The windup girl
The martian
Wool (only the first story)
2001, a space Odyssey

[V.W.]

Welcome Samuel!

I tend to gulp down my books and then re-read the ones I like :)

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Hi, welcome.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Hi, welcome...we'll do our best to load you down with book suggestions.

:)

[V.W.]

Welcome Rachel. Always glad to see anther SF reader :)

[Byl]

Hello everyone. I'm Byl and live near Portland, Oregon in the Pacific Northwest, U.S. I'm a geezer too I suppose (born in 1951). I like all kinds of fiction and non-fiction but have a special place for science fiction, especially old-school SF and anthologies. I still follow Analog and Asimov's Science Fiction magazines. Looking forward to participating a little more than I have in the past and getting to know some of you. I've been a member of Goodreads for a while now but have gotten active only recently.

At the moment I'm doing a re-read of the Timothy Zahn Thrawn series since it's been about twenty years since I first read them.

Anyway, best regards to all.

[V.W.]

Welcome Byl :)

Have you read Zahn's "Cobra" series?

[Byl]

V.W. wrote: "Welcome Byl :)

Have you read Zahn's "Cobra" series?"

I read the first one back in the 80's when it was relatively new. Reminded me a bit of Heinlein's Starship Troopers. I like Zahn a lot but--well, you know--so many books, so little time.

[Don]

Byl wrote: "Hello everyone. I'm Byl and live near Portland, Oregon in the Pacific Northwest, U.S. I'm a geezer too I suppose (born in 1951). I like all kinds of fiction and non-fiction but have a special place..."

Welcome, Byl.
I am a year older geezer who just published my first, SciFi novel, EPOCH. It's hard science much like Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and Sagan. Glad you have joined us. I plan on reading Timoth Zahn again as well.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Yo...I'm a kid here now!

[Alan]

Interesting that over the last few weeks this conference has gathered a fair collection of 'geezers' - giving ages in the low 60s. This generation do not have a naturally high rate of IT literacy (at least, from my experience, and I teach IT to beginners, many of them in this age range!).
So what I want to point out is an apparent unnaturally high correlation between approximate retirement age, a certain level of IT literacy, and an addiction to Science Fiction - or its close cousin, Fantasy.
Is this a genuine correlation? Any comments anyone?

Incidentally 'Me too' . . . born 1949.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I doubt it, LOL. I'm really a "point and clicker". I have a friend who works in a computer based business who bails me out when I have trouble. I know enough to get the right video card and enough memory for the PC games I want to play.

I use my computer as a tool, but I'm sure I'm pretty much basic as to actual knowledge.

BUT I've been hooked on science fiction and fantasy since I was a kid. You probably remember that good fantasy was hard to find back in the '50s, Some pulp magazines and so on but still sparse. I read Tom Swift when I could find it and searched out our school library for anything close to sci/fi or fantasy.

[Byl]

Alan wrote: "Interesting that over the last few weeks this conference has gathered a fair collection of 'geezers' - giving ages in the low 60s. This generation do not have a naturally high rate of IT literacy ..."

I do IT for a living. For a few more years hopefully. I've been reading science fiction since I was a kid though. I still have 8.5"x11" Analogs around somewhere. I think it was David Hartwell (the editor) who once famously said that the Golden Age of science fiction was twelve. That's me.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

LOL. I subscribed to Analog from the time I was 13 till I was 18 (when I left home). I was also a member of the Science Fiction Book Club...the books were almost all a dollar each.

[Dave]

Hello everyone! I am 28 years old attorney in Nebraska. I've been reading science fiction and fantasy for as long as I can remember but am ashamed to say that I've missed out on most of the pillars of these genres. This year I am hoping to change that. I just finished Brave New World and will be starting The Foundation Trilogy soon. If anyone has any suggestions for me on some genre-defying sci-fi/fantasy books I'd be delighted to hear them.

I am looking forward to getting more involved in interesting Goodreads groups this year as well.

[V.W.]

Welcome Dave!

If you are doing Foundation, don't forget to try the "Caves of Steel" series as well (assuming you haven't already read it.) It set the tone for most of the human/android relations stories ever since.

[Dave]

V.W. wrote: "Welcome Dave!

If you are doing Foundation, don't forget to try the "Caves of Steel" series as well (assuming you haven't already read it.) It set the tone for most of the human/android relations s..."

Thank you for the tip, I've added it to my list.

[Byl]

Dave wrote: "V.W. wrote: "Welcome Dave!

If you are doing Foundation, don't forget to try the "Caves of Steel" series as well (assuming you haven't already read it.) It set the tone for most of the human/androi..."

In fact, all of the Robot novels and short stories along with the so-called Empire series (The Stars Like Dust, The Currents of Space, and Pebble in the Sky) are all related and set in the same universe although the connections are sometimes tenuous.

When you wrap it up, check into some of the Foundation books by other authors. There are half-a-dozen or so of those as well. The Wikipedia article on the Foundation series will provide a list. There's likely one on this site as well.

In any case, welcome.

[Al "Tank"]

Alan wrote: "Interesting that over the last few weeks this conference has gathered a fair collection of 'geezers' - giving ages in the low 60s. This generation do not have a naturally high rate of IT literacy ..."

Which generation do you suppose it was that CREATED all this neat stuff? Ding, ding, ding! Yep. Old geezers. Computers got their start in the 40's to support the war effort. Monsters that took up complete rooms -- you could walk through them (I walked through one of them when I was young and another just before the last ones were retired).

BUT, the computer in your iPad, pretty much works with the same internal logic as the old tube-enabled monsters. The differences are physical: the switch to solid-state circuitry and miniaturization; and more sophisticated (and sloppier) programs made possible by cheaper memory that is now measured in the gigabyte ranges and in rare instances, terabytes.

All created by the "clueless" geezers and the generation that followed and built on their foundation.

[Al "Tank"]

Dave wrote: "Hello everyone! I am 28 years old attorney in Nebraska. I've been reading science fiction and fantasy for as long as I can remember but am ashamed to say that I've missed out on most of the pillars..."

Don't forget the "Dean" of science fiction, Robert Heinlein. He wrote stuff for all ages from mid-grade to sophisticated adults. No "classical" library is complete without some of his stuff.

Also E. E. "Doc" Smith. You may find his Lensman Series a bit "corny", but once you get "acclimated" to it, the stories are quite entertaining.

[V.W.]

Al wrote: "Dave wrote: "Hello everyone! I am 28 years old attorney in Nebraska. I've been reading science fiction and fantasy for as long as I can remember but am ashamed to say that I've missed out on most o..."

Ah, love the smell of exploding Duodec in the morning. Makes me want to hug my Bergenholm.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

And you can hug it without worrying about inertia.

[Tyler]

Hi I'm a 20 year old SciFi and fantasy fan living near Seattle, WA. My tastes lean towards sf but I'm beginning to read a bit more fantasy. Some of my favorite authors are timothy zahn, Brandon Sanderson, beth revis, Hugh howey, and Michael crichton. I've got a lot more works to discover and I hope this will be a great place to do that.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Hi, welcome.

[Ryan]

My Name's Ryan Abe. I live in Seattle WA (Belltown) I Love the draw of owning my own starship with a loyal crew, one X-Wing attached for my own use, a blaster and lightsaber holstered on my hips, with badass armor and robes. All the while exploring, swashbuckling, romnatic-ing, and adventuring in some galaxy far far away in any universe. Me thinks that's why i love reading Sci-fi/Fantasy so much.


Not much to say other than HAI! And i look forward to book recommendations.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Yo! Have you found the Lost Fleet book? The first one is The Lost Fleet: Dauntless. Lots of "Space Action".

[Ryan]

I have in fact. i am up to date on them as we speak. absolutely love them.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Cool...let's see, other space opera....

I'll get back to you. LOL

[Rob]

If you want space opera, I really enjoy the expanse books, starting with Leviathan Wakes and if you want more epic space opera, the Commonwealth duology starting with Pandora's Star

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Thanks, haven't read Hamilton.

[V.W.]

Welcome Tyler, Ryan!

Ryan:

I assume you've read David Weber's "Dahak-Empire from the Ashes" series. If not I'd give it a try. Lots of "A Man and His (really big) Spaceship" action.

Less recommended these days is Keith Laumer's "Galactic Odyssey". Real "Hero fights his way across the Galaxy to rescue fair maiden" stuff.

Another way out recommendation is Gordon Rennie's "Battlefleet Gothic" books from the Warhammer 40K series. Unlike most of the other books, this is about the Imperial Navy rather than ground troops or Space Marines.

And yet another forgotten space opera, is H Beam Piper's "Space Viking". Man pursues vengeance amongst the stars in the guise of a lawless Space Viking.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I forgot the 40K books. I've got several of those on my shelves. There's also William C. Dietz Legion series.

[Byl]

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Thanks, haven't read Hamilton."
If you haven't read anything by Peter F. Hamilton and you enjoy large-scale space opera I think you might be in for a treat.

[Todd]

Hi all, I'm another new member, and someone relatively new to sci-fi. I started reading sci if when I joined the Army seven years ago. Before that, I stuck mostly to traditional literature. I still don't have much use for fantasy, but that's just taste. Looking forward to seeing books I haven't had a chance to check out yet.

[Jim]

TPB, wrote: "Hi all, I'm another new member, and someone relatively new to sci-fi. I started reading sci if when I joined the Army seven years ago. Before that, I stuck mostly to traditional literature. I still..."

Welcome, TPB - and thank you for your military service.
You will find this group a source of interesting and diverse opinions regarding science fiction and fantasy literature.

[V.W.]

Welcome TPB!

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Hi TPB. When I was in there was a period when i sort had to read whatever was available. We all sort of passed whatever each of us had around. It was mostly westerns, LOL.

I will hold out hope for you that you may come to appreciate fantasy. :)

Welcome.

[Todd]

Chuckle, Mike, for some reason, the book we all passed around in Iraq was McCarthy's _The Road_. That was probably the most depressing thing we could read over there.

[Todd]

Thanks for the welcome, Jim and VW!

[DavidO]

Yo TPB

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Most of the ones that made the rounds were Louis L'Amour. Actually I still like his stuff.

[Allison]

Hello everyone, my name is Allison and I'm new to the group. I've been reading Science Fiction for over a decade now. It all started when I found my father's copy of Stranger in a Strange Land. Since then I've been reading all things SciFi. I would say a couple of my favorite authors are Andre Norton and Ray Bradbury. I'm looking forward to reading some new things and hearing other fans opinions! Thanks!

[Michael]

Welcome

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Hi Allison, welcome.

[V.W.]

Welcome Allison!

Andre Norton was one of the authors who introduced SF to me, and still holds a special place in my heart.

[Ryan]

You open to book recommendations, Allison?
The lost fleet is an excellent sci-fi series.

[Scott]

Hi, I recently joined. I was weaned on the old-school of Bradbury, Heinlein, Asimov, and Vonnegut and moved mostly into supernatural and dark fantasy, but I still enjoy a wide variety of fiction.

One of my favorite books is Ira Levin's This Perfect Day. I also enjoy zombies, ghosts, and science fiction-based horror. GODZILLA!!!!

[Allison]

@Ryan. I am absolutely open to new suggestions! In what vein does the Lost Fleet series run?

[Markus]

Hi! I'm a 19 year old fantasy reader/writer from Norway. I have been reading a lot of books in most genres since I discovered the works of Umberto Eco and Marion Zimmer Bradley as an 8 or 9 year old boy. After that, it didn't take long before I discovered the Lord of the Rings, and I have been completely lost in fantasy worlds for the ten years that have passed since then!
My favourite authors (at least in fantasy/sci-fi) are J.R.R. Tolkien, Frank Herbert, Drew Karpyshyn, George R.R. Martin and Andrzej Sapkowski.
At the moment I am reading my way through the Shannara series by Terry Brooks :)