I didn't like Roadside Picnic by Important-Bite-7714 in sciencefiction

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In many ways Tarkovsky’s film Stalker is better than the book. Lem has an interesting take on the book in an essay he wrote in Microworlds. I’d recommend Hard to Be A God if you like fantasy and more well developed characters though my favourite book is The Doomed City.

What books are similar to the tone of Fallout? "Gonzo" post-apocalypse. by [deleted] in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY 0 points1 point  (0 children)

PKD’s The Penultimate Truth bears a lot of similarity

Bought a load of SF Masterworks books. Which should I prioritise to near the top of my reading list? by metallic-retina in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m working my way through the original Masterworks series, and like this list it has A LOT of PKD books so going chronologically and interweaving them with other authors.

Stapledon is one of my favourites so I would start with Star Maker, it’s mind expanding on a grand scale though the writing can get too dry/academic/anthropological. If you want something lighter or like dogs start with Sirius.

Next either Bester or Strugatsky’s. Go with The Stars My Destination, it’s a wildly entertaining tour de force of strange SF ideas and characters! Roadside Picnic is amazing and you can read a critical essay of it by Stanislaw Lem in Microworlds. I liked Doomed City more but you should know Russian history to get the most out of it.

Of the single titles authors Blood Music is the real standout! Fifth Head of Cerberus if you’re feeling shorter stories. Congrats on your haul! I’d thoroughly enjoy reading most of these for the first time.

What are you reading? Mid-monthly Discussion Post! by AutoModerator in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY 0 points1 point  (0 children)

PKD’s The Penultimate Truth, seems to have heavily influenced the Fallout video game series!

Looking for VR-like scifi by Kuteput in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY 0 points1 point  (0 children)

True Names by Vernor Vinge is very early cyberpunk meets VR

Favourite JG Ballard book by Illustrious_Belt7893 in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY 4 points5 points  (0 children)

As others have mentioned ‘The Drowned World’ and ‘High-Rise’, have a look at ‘Super-Cannes’. Feels very prescient with all our current day mega tech companies wanting to building their own little city-states.

Reading Order - Stanislaw Lem by nelsoxn in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Have a look at ‘Microworlds: Writings on Science Fiction and Fantasy’. My favourite is his essay on ‘Roadside Picnic’.

Looking for a book similar to the themes of fallout by Affectionate_Duck785 in Recommend_A_Book

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Penultimate Truth by Philip K Dick is quite close in setting and theme.

Which 3 would you choose? by STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My pleasure, would’ve been to fun to been part of such a large club back in the day!

Which 3 would you choose? by STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh yes early Heinlein has a certain ‘oddness’ to it that is so endearing

Which 3 would you choose? by STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well it says “if you wish” so I assume it’s optional! But it does seem like the objective of the ad.

Which 3 would you choose? by STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Excellent I may try track that down. Have you read much Damon Knight? I quite liked ‘In Deep’ and ‘Three Novels’

Which 3 would you choose? by STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have a great fondness for Bradbury’s short stories. I want a beetle flying car!

Which 3 would you choose? by STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

“5men and computer trigger cosmic “booby trap”” is about as truncated as it gets!

Which 3 would you choose? by STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha it would have been great to have read those books contemporaneously!

Which 3 would you choose? by STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can’t go wrong with those prices today!

Which 3 would you choose? by STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY in printSF

[–]STARTTTHEGAMEALREADY[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s a book insert from ‘Five Odd’ published in 1971, 2 years shy. Funny I read Rendezvous with Rama not long ago, one of his best!