rolling fantasy, science fiction, speculative fiction &c. thread

I loved Slam so much. Opening chapter with the drive down to Galveston with the annoying lawyer who ends phone calls with bad lawyer jokes is ultra-classic. Would be a fantastic opening to a movie.

By who? (Guessing it's not the Hornby I just Googled)

Slam is by Lewis Shiner. it's not really sf.

Coincidentally to Dow's repost, am reading Robert Charles Wilson's new one, Burning Paradise. Really good so far: Earth invaded without even noticing it by a "distributed lifeform" that forms a technologically useful thin extra layer to the atmosphere.

Harold Waldrop alt-history thumbsup. haven't read turtledove but assuming waldrop is the superior harry.

My younger brother has asked for 'sci fi/fantasy' books for Christmas. He's really only read LOTR, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones (which is odd because given that he's a big fan of video games and rpgs and D&D you'd think he'd've read more of this sort of stuff by now)

I have a few ideas for what I might get him but thought I'd put the question out there - so does anyone have any suggestions for good sci fi/fantasy books or series for new readers? Any suggestions appreciated...

I'd get him a big Golden Age anthology (30s-50s), a big New Wave anthology (60s-70s) and an anthology of 80s and beyond that includes a bit of cyberpunk. Dozens of authors, let him figure his own path from there.

I always liked mirrorshades: the cyberpunk anthology even though none of the stories had people brain jacking into terminals or anything.

Is that in print? I just recently bought the ebook of Cyberpunk: Stories of Hardware, Software, Wetware, Evolution and Revolution for pretty cheap.

http://images.amcnetworks.com/blogs.amctv.com/wp-content/uploads/mt-legacy/scifi-scanner/jcblbmar.jpg

yikes that's a big bad picture. sorry.

I agree with William about the Golden Age anthology, but then again I'm a corny old dude who thinks people who like rock music should listen to Chuck Berry and Little Richard every once in a while and perhaps even some of that doo wop stuff that even Lou Reed and his archenemy Frank Zappa could agree on.

this was amazing to me and i loved it so much. would recommend it to anybody:

http://www.amazon.com/Good-New-Stuff-Adventure-Tradition/dp/0312198906/ref=pd_sim_b_1

Been meaning to read that Bruce Sterling story, will check that out, thanks.

Amazon reviewer OTM:

I started this book convinced that I don't really care for the adventure story/space opera genre of science fiction. Now, I strongly believe that ANYBODY interested in science fiction should read this book. Almost everyone of these stories pulled me into a world of wonder, adventure, and suspense. I had a great time.

'Good New Stuff' looks like a good choice - I think going with an anthology and a few specific selections might be the way to go.

I might even secretly read the anthology before I wrap it :$

Robert Silverberg's Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol 1 is great for Golden Age. If you can find it (it's OP), James Gunn's The Road to Science Fiction Vol. 3 is good and covers a little more ground – late 30s to mid 70s. It has a little overlap with the Silverberg anthology. I remember enjoying Mirrorshades when it came out, but haven't reread anything in it since then. Dangerous Visions is worth its rep, imo.

If you're near a good used bookstore, finding a bunch of stuff in well-worn paperback editions and bundling it all together would be a cool way to pass the torch to the next nerd generation.

Speaking of used paperbacks, I grew up on those old Ballantine/del Rey Best Of paperbacks with the spiral logo in the corner, the upward slanted printing and the fun cover art paintings of intrusive robots, star mice and Underpeople. Any one else remember these?

we aren't really helping with fantasy though. i don't read much of it. maybe some fritz leiber or jack vance.

Talking to you, James Morrison!

Although maybe you didn't have them in your neck of the woods.

Jack Vance sounds good. Finally started reading him recently.

for fantasy patricia mckillip's riddlemaster trilogy is good iirc

Keep saying the name Raymond Z. Gallun in anthologies but know nothing about him and have never read a single word by him. And no, I didn't have the Ballantine Best Of.

Amazon reviewer OTM:

I started this book convinced that I don't really care for the adventure story/space opera genre of science fiction. Now, I strongly believe that ANYBODY interested in science fiction should read this book. Almost everyone of these stories pulled me into a world of wonder, adventure, and suspense. I had a great time.

Been donkeys years since I read it, but you might give him Heinlein's Glory Road. The narrator's voice still seems timely: a Viet vet (in 1963), who's also an irate taxpayer, but gets schooled out of kneejerk reactions by a multiverse blonde swashbuckler---well, of course since it's Heinlein he becomes a very cosmopolitan, still somewhat military-minded libertarian, and yet citizen of the Empire---layers of tension there, can't say too much---kind of a grown-up Holden Caulfield with sword & sandals, but he doesn't whine, he's just restless by nature(though always has been a good student in his way; would have a couple software patents under his belt today, and maybe he does), which is why he's recruited into an epic fractured fairy tale/series of problem-solving adventures (hey, it is '63), and then something else. An occasional lecture, but that goes with the Salinger suggestion too. Seems like a unique book for Heinlein.

Have you ever read the Sladek parody of Heinlein, don?

Nah. There's often plenty to parody, but this one seemed pretty satisfying (my girlfriend and I used to quote it to each other, even though we was all peace & wuv man)

Maybe will type in the beginning one of these days.

ENGINEER TO THE GODS

BY HITLER I.E. BONNER

Jeremiah Lashard had a string of letters behind his name as long as his arm, which was itself exceptionally long. Since his days as boxing champion of M.I.T., this misanthrope hadn't particularly felt the need of asking favours of anyone. No one had helped him become a chess Grand Master, a world-renowned oenologist, an Olympic medal winner, frisbee expert and astronaut. No one had given him a hand with his hit plays and best-selling novels. No one helped discover 'light water', name a new family of spider, invent the Lashard bearing or create 'Lashard's Law' of capital gains.
Lashard lived in seclusion in Thunder Crag, though by no means alone. Today he sat on the veranda at his specially-built typewriter, pounding out a pulp science-fiction story, while simultaneously dictating a botanical paper to his butler.

But perhaps you will prefer his Ray Bradbury pastiche

JOY RIDE

BY BARRY DUBRAY

It was the best of times.
It was the worst of times.
It was the waiting time, before the ride to come. The airport was furiously busy. Two butterflies had just come in for a landing, and one dragonfly was taking off, while overhead a swarm of brown, honey-heavy bees flew lazy holding patterns. And right smack in the middle of it sat three humans, warming their human skins at the Indian summer sun.
The old man took a flask of rhubarb wine from one of his forty-seven pockets, tipped it and drank solemnly to the health of all his companions- not omitting a distant gopher on Runway Three. The girl wandered off to investigate this great open place, while the boy hunkered down in the sand to hear a story from his grandfather.
'The old days were good days, boy. They were people days. No one had to be afraid of anyone, ever, and folks used to even leave leave their doors unlocked. There was good people everywhere, and they were all neighbours.

But I suspect that what would really float your boat is the Philip K. Dick sendup

SOLAR SHOE-SALESMAN

BY CHIPDIP K. KILL

I
Stan Houseman, shoe-salesman, punched a cupee of Kaff from the kitchen and scanned the footlines of his morning newsper:
OLYMPIC FINALS AT CARMODY STADIUM
POLICE BREAK UP HATTONITE RIOT

The stock market report listed only two corporations- the two which had between them divided the world- North American Boot & Shoe (Nabs) and Eurasian Footwear. Nabs was up two points, Eurafoot down the same, inevitably. In this two-person, zero-sum game, one side could only profit at the expense of another.

I leave it up to you to get a copy of The Steam-Driven Boy to read the rest of those parodies, of which I have provided only the beginning, and discover the parodies of Arthur C. Clarke, J.G. Ballard, H. G. Wells, Cordwainer Smith and the rest.

See somebody upthread posted the Ballantine/Del Rey edition of Gateway with the cover scheme I was describing.

Asimov parody is, un-surprisingly, painful to read.

Although I lolled at the "nullitronic brain."

It gets better.

Anyway, as threads converge I am thinking you know what sf author was a giant Lou Reed fan, aside from the usual suspects in the cyberpunk anthologies? Elizabeth Hand. Think it may be time to read her book set in some kind of faux-Factory setting called- guess what- Black Light.

Although maybe you didn't have them in your neck of the woods.

sadly, no! I've only seen them online

w/r/t the thread opener, I stood next to Brian Aldiss in a bar last weekend, heard him talk about ye olden days of SF, and he was v v charming and still seems totally with-it despite looking p frail. Wish I'd had a book on me for him to sign.

Should have printed out this thread and had him sign that.

I don't think I've read any Sladek beyond some random stories in New Worlds anthologies but I would totally read those parodies

Speaking of used paperbacks, I grew up on those old Ballantine/del Rey Best Of paperbacks with the spiral logo in the corner, the upward slanted printing and the fun cover art paintings of intrusive robots, star mice and Underpeople. Any one else remember these?

Best gateway drugs for a 14 year old ever! I had this one.

http://www.thephildickian.com/images/philipkdick/philip_k_dick_besof_pb1.jpg

Would have bought Aldiss a drink for Helliconia Spring alone

Su-weet! Will check it out. Thank you, Ward (from the books to fall asleep to thread)
I like to fall asleep to the Uncle books by J.P. Martin - childhood comforts, dreams of food and friendship.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Uncle-J-P-Martin/dp/1783062835/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384259349&sr=1-1&keywords=j+p+martin

― Ward Fowler, Tuesday, 12 November 2013 12:29 (10 hours ago) Permalink

yuck
http://www.hngn.com/articles/16485/20131103/peta-protests-against-cyborg-cockroaches-roboroach.htm

helping Great North Woods to adapt (might be dangerous)
http://www.startribune.com/local/228250501.html

Now cut that out!

http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/11/black-hole-caught-blasting-heavy-metal-in-jets/

http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/black_hole_accretion-640x453.jpg
credit: NASA / CXC / M. Weiss

I am reading - Titans of Siren by Vonegut, and I started Foundation by Asimov but couldn't get into it.

I recently finished Mockingbird by Walter Tevis and thought it was really good!

Mockingbird? Describe please.

Mockingbird: elegaic decaying future of drugged-up docility and illiteracy as everything grinds to a halt, with AIs and robots basically in mostly benevolent dictatorship. Good stuff.

Titans of Siren
You switched these as joek?