Re-reading a sci-fi classic....

scottielvr · Post by **scottielvr** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:08 pm

Tyler Morris wrote:They've also gone and done a sequel that comprises the events of Dune Messiah and Children of Dune.

Don't miss it if you can.

Put me in the first-book-was-a-classic, the-rest-not-so-much group. I think I might have put the fourth one down unfinished ...which is pretty rare, for me.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:45 pm

Dune has long been a favorite of mine, as is Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. Great Sci-Fi.

scottielvr · Post by **scottielvr** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:05 pm

Joseph E. Smith wrote:Dune has long been a favorite of mine, as is Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. Great Sci-Fi.

Yep ...also, Ursula LeGuin's Hainish series... possibly the best-ever series framework. I want to be an Observer of the Ekumen when I grow up.

Tyler · Post by **Tyler** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:40 am

I'm about 160 pages into Dune now.
The thing I love most about re-reading favorites of my youth is the emotional renaissance I experience.
For example, I'm remided of how much I admired young Paul Atreides. I may have been about twelve or thirteen when I first read Dune , so I was about the same age as Paul; there were many things about the boy that I felt (and still feel to a degree) I could identify with....
I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed this book.

wgority · Post by **wgority** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 2:36 pm

Save yourself! Save yourself! Fergawdsake don't read anything in the series by Brian Herbert!!!!!!!!!!!!

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:08 pm

Tyler Morris wrote:For example, I'm remided of how much I admired young Paul Atreides. I may have been about twelve or thirteen when I first read Dune , so I was about the same age as Paul; there were many things about the boy that I felt (and still feel to a degree) I could identify with....

That creepy old woman who put yer hand in a box....

...did she get you too, Tyler?

jsluder · Post by **jsluder** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:19 pm

wgority wrote:Save yourself! Save yourself! Fergawdsake don't read anything in the series by Brian Herbert!!!!!!!!!!!!

I read Man of Two Worlds (by Brian and Frank Herbert) and Dreamer of Dune (Brian's biography of his dad). That was enough to convince me that I don't want to read anything else written (or co-written) by Brian Herbert, no matter how much of the story is based on Frank's notes. Bleh.

Azalin · Post by **Azalin** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:40 pm

On a totally different style, and far from being a classic, I recently started reading the 5th book in the "Dark Tower" series from Stephen King. Being a big reader of sci-fi and fantasy books, it always feel a little weird to read some fantasy/sci-fi from Stephen King. But it's surprinsingly somehow refreshing, he blends many different styles in this series, it's like a cocktail of horror/sci-fi/fantasy. Also, no matter what we say, he's a great storyteller for sure.

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:42 pm

Every so often I reread Heinlein. Sometimes I think the books have aged gracefully, and others I wonder why I ever thought Heinlein was worth the time. Okay, I still enjoy Time Enough For Love.

The only Dune book I ever read was the first. I still enjoy nearly all the Bradbury I have on the shelves.

Can anyone point me to a recent SF novel that holds a candle to these?

fel bautista · Post by **fel bautista** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:52 pm

Am I the only person who thought that reading the Brian Herbert stuff was ok- not great- way too long; but it did fill in the spaces. BUT on to better things

Zelazny and the Amber series- My kids and I love that series; along with the Piers Anthony stuff...did I mention Terry Pratchett?...

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:02 pm

I absolutely adored the entire Miles Vorkosigan series.

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:02 am

Dune was great, but (so far as my questionable memory serves) the author had a habit of switching viewpoint between characters without warning... Great story, though. Didn't really like any of the sequels.

Most impressive thing I read recently was Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. I wasn't convinced at first, but on a second reading I now consider it absolute genius, and possibly an interesting balance to Lewis's Narnia stuff.

I re-read classic SF regularly, and recently I've gone back through Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, Piers Anthony's Of Man and Manta, Larry Niven's Protector and Ringworld books, Moorcock's Final Programme and M John Harrison's Viriconium.

I find myself searching charity shops for books I loved in years gone by, but I still get through plenty of new stuff too.

I'm another one of those people with a huge stack of books awaiting attention...

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:52 am

Slight change of topic, but did anyone ever read the whole of "The Wheel of Time" series by Robert Jordan?

I started reading this series of books (about ten years ago, probably more) when I thought there were three volumes total. Imagine my horror when, having ploughed through over 1,500 pages of print, the story was still left hanging.

I later bought volume 4 and read it... and the story still wasn't done.

Volume 5... by this point I'm getting more than a bit tired of the whole thing, and I'm losing track of the dozens of characters being introduced.

Volume 6, I never even read it, got it in a charity shop for 50p.

Volume 7.... yawn. I gave up.

In fact, forget that, I see nobody could have, because it's going to run to 12 volumes, and #11 was only published in October 2005.

How is anyone supposed to keep their interest in a series of books that takes over 6,000 pages and twelve years to reach a conclusion?

Tyler · Post by **Tyler** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 5:50 am

I hope I don't offend anyone, but I can't stand Robert Jordan...
I read the first four and part of the fifth(skipped ahead a good deal, cause it just seemed to repeat the others) of the Wheel of Time Thingymabopper, and it seemed that each book was just a new way of trying to sell the same plot line as the first and second books.
IMHO, the entire mess could have been done in two books, maybe three.
It's just my opinion, but I don't think Robert Jordan is a very good writer/storyteller.
The thing that kind of lost my interest (besides the repetition of plot themes) was that it felt like quite a few of his ideas seemed to be vaguely familiar to other authors works with one or two things changed...I dunno.
Just my opinion, and as James would say, "Worth what you paid to read it."

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 5:55 am

Tyler Morris wrote:I hope I don't offend anyone, but I can't stand Robert Jordan...
I read the first four and part of the fifth(skipped ahead a good deal, cause it just seemed to repeat the others) of the Wheel of Time Thingymabopper, and it seemed that each book was just a new way of trying to sell the same plot line as the first and second books.
IMHO, the entire mess could have been done in two books, maybe three.
It's just my opinion, but I don't think Robert Jordan is a very good writer/storyteller.

Absolutely. One of my favourite Sci-Fi authors is John Wyndham, and I don't think any of his books ran more than 250 pages. That's how to tell a story.