blue_lotus13 | (no subject)

Entry tags:

books

(no subject)

Okay,

So I really liked Octavia Butler's "Kindred" and books written by Connie Willis.

Is there anyone else that you would recommend in a similar, science fiction genre?

I like revisionist history sci-fi or urban fantasy sci fi, with strong characters and good writing. No space opera stuff, please.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Random Acts of Senseless Violence by Jack Womack (http://books.google.ca/books?id=uIsbPk6qbvAC&dq=Jack+Womack&hl=en&prev=http://www.google.ca/search?q=jack+womack&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&sa=X&oi=print&ct=result&cd=1&cad=author-navigational). One of the most powerful books I've ever read, but not happy.

Try:
"Perdido Street Station" by China Mieville, considered to be steampunk so vaguely Victorian and totally excellent

Emma Bull: Bone Dance (kind of cyber punk). She has a new one called "Territory" that I still have to get, I think it's a alternative history Western.

John Crowley's "Little, Big" was excellent. It's more urban fantasy but in a very subtle mannon.

I'm currently reading a book called "The Lies of Locke Lamora" which are set in a fantasy feudal alternative Venice, I'm really enjoying it.

Do a google search, metafilter had a women sci-fi authors discussion that was widely talked about that may have some good suggestions.

My troupe is dancing at BaltiCon in May, and Connie Willis is the special guest.

I second the recommendation of Crowley's Little, Big -- not urban fantasy so much as... mythic.

Probably my favourite book over the last decade or so - I carry it with me whenever I travel anywhere.

Lies of Locke Lamora is awesome, but Alexis, you might find it quite violent.

I just joined a feminist sci fi book club. Our first book is China Mountain Zhang and I think we are going to read something by Kage Baker. Although it's not urban sci fi - you've tried some Ursula Le Guin and Anne McCaffrey, right?

I read Anne McCaffrey long ago. I also read Buffalo Gals by LeGuin, and "The Left Hand of Darkness", which I did not.

Oh man, I've read the Company Series by Kage Baker and enjoyed them very much. They're not necessarily bubble gum sort of fiction, but compared to Kindred or Parable of the Sower they're pretty light reading.

I don't think this is space opera, but The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russel is absolutely fansastic, as is it's sequel Children of God. I almost cried with joy when I found out there was a sequel, that's how much it moved me. They're definitely more toward the harder end of science fiction with the space travel and all, but they raise some huge social implication type questions. And they're just fantasic books anyways.

Via friendsfriends; I second the rec for Mieville's stories. I liked his short stories better than Perdido Street Station (and some of them KNOCKED ME OUT).

You might like The Execution Channel by Ken MacLeod. Contemporary, slightly revisionist history, slightly future, post-9/11.

I like Harry Turtledove's alternate history novels; they're easy to read, like candy, not particularly deep.

If you haven't read Audrey Niffenegger's "The Time Traveler's Wife" it might be up your alley.

If you liked Kindred, I highly recommend Parable of the Sower (http://www.amazon.com/Parable-Sower-Octavia-E-Butler/dp/0446601977) by Butler, set in a futurist dystopic California.

Whoops, forgot to add this bit.

I took a class many years ago on Utopia/distopia fiction by women writers, I'll see if I can dig up the reading list for that if you'd like. I know Parable of the Sower was on that list, along with the Handmaiden's Tale and old school fiction like Herland

Have you read any Cory Doctorow? I've liked all his stuff so far, but liked Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom and some of the short stories in A Place So Foreign and Eight More best. And he's a serious evangelist about Creative Commons and information freedom (I saw him speak at SFU last year), so all his stuff is available free to read and distribute at his Web site, http://craphound.com/.

may I suggest Tim Powers? try:
Three Days to Never
Last Call
Expiration Date

also, have you read any William Gibson?

No, but he's on my list thanks to his Vancouver connection.

There's a book called Replay by Ken Grimwood (I think it's Ken) that might suit. I have no idea if it's in print though. It's about a man who essentially replays his life over and over.

I'd also say Tim Powers, but I haven't actually read any. I have three of his books, and The Stress of Her Regard is supposed to be about the muses as vampires. I really want to read it, just haven't gotten there yet. It starts off with oh, someone like Byron and Shelley in a boat somewhere being attacked by the vampire things in a storm.

Everyone's snagging the Tim Powers recs!
I would actually recommend The Anubis Gates and Drawing of the Dark as the most fun.

I would also recommend Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin, and, although it isn't fantasy, The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Stirling.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only