I love Emily St John Mandel's writing so much. I would happily read her grocery lists 😂. If you like her work, there's another Canadian author you should check out: lisa brideau - her debut, Adrift, is a near-future climate fiction story that i LOVED. clever, well written, original, etc. 😊
Enjoyed that! And I've been watching too much of this sort of thing already. I'd like to know more 21st century specfic, who's on the cutting edge these days?
Great list! I've read (and loved) all except Player of Games. The Man in the High Castle tv show is VERY different from the book. It has a bunch of characters that aren't in the book at all. I'd say it takes a core kernel from Dick's work and then goes crazy. That being said, I ended up liking it quite a bit. Great video guys. Subscribed!
Thank you so much for the lovely comment :) That's good to know RE the TV show. To be honest, I did feel after reading the book that there was a lot of potential to explore the world more, so I don't begrudge the show doing that.
Solid list! Children of Time would definitely be on my top 10 as well. I'm curious about the Hyperion problem (def my top 10). Did you not like the ending of Hyperion, or was it the ending of Fall of Hyperion that you were disappointed by? Love the energy you both bring! 🙌
Yeah sorry, I didn't do a great job with the edit there; ended up taking out some of my reasoning. The end of Hyperion did annoy me, because I didn't realise it and Fall of Hyperion were one book split into two before I started reading. But my main problem was the Soldier's tale-hence the cold shower reference-and I also wasn't much entertained by the Detective's tale and the Consul's tale. Which is a shame, because the other three are SO good.
@donkey3235 I would give the same compliment to the Scholar's tale, but I have to be honest that the Consul's tale didn't resonate with me in the same way. It didn't feel fully incorporated in the text, like a tangent to the plot, which interrupted the arc of the book as it was coming towards a climax. If they'd kept the two books together, I would have had more time for it, I think.
We definitely will! I've been trying to decide whether to do it before or after we move, which will hopefully be before Christmas. The flat is far too small for all these books though so-to avoid showing you all our clutter-after is looking far more likely!
Hear, hear, Laura! Excellent selection. While historical context is useful when reading _Fahrenheit 451,_ one does not need to go furhter for a real world example than the present day US. (BTW, the '66 film adaptation by François Truffaut is very good.)
I must say whenever people compare the modern world to 1984 it does make my eyebrow raise a bit. There are much more prescient dystopian sci-fi books out there.
Fun list! I love Exhalation. I liked Station 11 but think the mini series is better thank the book. Man In The High Castle is my favourite PKD. The Left Hand of Darkness would definitely be in my top 10. Children of Time probably would be in mine too, I kind of nearly like spiders now. I actually think the culture books get better after Player of Games, the first two are the weakest for me, Excession and Look To Windward are my favourites. I like Frankenstein and Fahrenheit 451. I didn't really like the MaddAddam trilogy, I prefer her non-sci fi stuff especially Alias Grace. Subscribed!
Very interesting RE Culture series! I have Look To Windward lined up after I finish Empire Of Silence (Christopher Ruocchio). Glad to know it keeps getting better.
I don't think either of us have. Where's a good place to start? Easy answer on favourite dead author for me (Ross), it's Terry Pratchett. Laura said "Emily Bronte" 😂
1:46 - Finally, somebody mentions Chiang. That guy is utterly incapable of writing a merely very good story. Very slow output, but everything is excellent.
8:24 - Ah, surprise! You are mentioning "non-M" Iain Banks! May I recommend "almost-SciFi" _The Bridge_ (my favourite) and _Walking on Glass,_: as well as "Scottish magical realism" novel _The Crow Road_ ? And for _Culture,_ make sure to read _Use of Weapons_ and _Excession_ and, well, everything. (He does have two or three merely good "mainstream" novels, and I quite often disagree with fellow Banks fans which exactly those are.) 8:35 - Umm, _Culture_ is the civilization, the society. Those AI's "close to Gods, at the _far_ side", by their own modest words, are _Minds._ 9:00 - Blackmailed, actually. And _Culture_ does not colonize other societies. Gently nudge them, yes, but no more. (See _The State of the Art_ about their encounter with Earth. In short, the protagonist, young Contact Section member Diziet Sma, left traumatized.) They fought a vicious war (that they still agonize over a millennium later) against an expansionist empire (Idirans).
Thank you so much for the gentle correction RE the Culture-I'm quite new to the series and that was a misrecollection! Very much looking forward to NaNo being over so I can get back to my TBR which features a whole plethora of Culture novels.
I love Emily St John Mandel's writing so much. I would happily read her grocery lists 😂. If you like her work, there's another Canadian author you should check out: lisa brideau - her debut, Adrift, is a near-future climate fiction story that i LOVED. clever, well written, original, etc. 😊
I think Laura recommended Station Eleven to me back in the Twitter days. So glad to have found you both and catching up on your videos.
Hello! Is this Jamrock by any chance?
Enjoyed that! And I've been watching too much of this sort of thing already. I'd like to know more 21st century specfic, who's on the cutting edge these days?
Christopher Ruocchio’s Suneater Saga is absolutely incredible- give that a go!
7:25 - Why, spiders in Vinge's _A Deepnes in the Sky_ are very likable!
Been hearing very good things about Vinge from The Library Ladder!
Great list! I've read (and loved) all except Player of Games.
The Man in the High Castle tv show is VERY different from the book. It has a bunch of characters that aren't in the book at all. I'd say it takes a core kernel from Dick's work and then goes crazy. That being said, I ended up liking it quite a bit.
Great video guys. Subscribed!
Thank you so much for the lovely comment :) That's good to know RE the TV show. To be honest, I did feel after reading the book that there was a lot of potential to explore the world more, so I don't begrudge the show doing that.
Solid list! Children of Time would definitely be on my top 10 as well. I'm curious about the Hyperion problem (def my top 10). Did you not like the ending of Hyperion, or was it the ending of Fall of Hyperion that you were disappointed by? Love the energy you both bring! 🙌
Yeah sorry, I didn't do a great job with the edit there; ended up taking out some of my reasoning. The end of Hyperion did annoy me, because I didn't realise it and Fall of Hyperion were one book split into two before I started reading. But my main problem was the Soldier's tale-hence the cold shower reference-and I also wasn't much entertained by the Detective's tale and the Consul's tale. Which is a shame, because the other three are SO good.
@@hardysbooksConsuls tale is one of the greatest moments in fiction😭
@donkey3235 I would give the same compliment to the Scholar's tale, but I have to be honest that the Consul's tale didn't resonate with me in the same way. It didn't feel fully incorporated in the text, like a tangent to the plot, which interrupted the arc of the book as it was coming towards a climax. If they'd kept the two books together, I would have had more time for it, I think.
@@hardysbooks The Priest’s Tale had me holding my breath! 😱
Love the videos. Can you do a book tour. You have books up there I'm interested in getting but I can't see them lol.😂
We definitely will! I've been trying to decide whether to do it before or after we move, which will hopefully be before Christmas. The flat is far too small for all these books though so-to avoid showing you all our clutter-after is looking far more likely!
Hello Laura here! I am overruling Ross on this one- we’ll be doing a book tour before we move 😂
YAY! lol thanks for the reply and all the book info. I have bought some great books thanks to you both. Have a great day.@@hardysbooks
Hear, hear, Laura! Excellent selection.
While historical context is useful when reading _Fahrenheit 451,_ one does not need to go furhter for a real world example than the present day US.
(BTW, the '66 film adaptation by François Truffaut is very good.)
I must say whenever people compare the modern world to 1984 it does make my eyebrow raise a bit. There are much more prescient dystopian sci-fi books out there.
Fun list! I love Exhalation. I liked Station 11 but think the mini series is better thank the book. Man In The High Castle is my favourite PKD. The Left Hand of Darkness would definitely be in my top 10. Children of Time probably would be in mine too, I kind of nearly like spiders now. I actually think the culture books get better after Player of Games, the first two are the weakest for me, Excession and Look To Windward are my favourites. I like Frankenstein and Fahrenheit 451. I didn't really like the MaddAddam trilogy, I prefer her non-sci fi stuff especially Alias Grace. Subscribed!
Very interesting RE Culture series! I have Look To Windward lined up after I finish Empire Of Silence (Christopher Ruocchio). Glad to know it keeps getting better.
@@hardysbooks The whole series is great really.
Have you read any Neal Asher? He has the best AI sci-fi, imho. Who is your favorite dead author?
I don't think either of us have. Where's a good place to start? Easy answer on favourite dead author for me (Ross), it's Terry Pratchett. Laura said "Emily Bronte" 😂
Try Gridlinked, it is the first in his Agent Cormac series. Good to see you're having fun.@@hardysbooks
1:46 - Finally, somebody mentions Chiang. That guy is utterly incapable of writing a merely very good story. Very slow output, but everything is excellent.
He's my go-to sci-fi recommendation now.
8:24 - Ah, surprise! You are mentioning "non-M" Iain Banks! May I recommend "almost-SciFi" _The Bridge_ (my favourite) and _Walking on Glass,_: as well as "Scottish magical realism" novel _The Crow Road_ ? And for _Culture,_ make sure to read _Use of Weapons_ and _Excession_ and, well, everything. (He does have two or three merely good "mainstream" novels, and I quite often disagree with fellow Banks fans which exactly those are.)
8:35 - Umm, _Culture_ is the civilization, the society. Those AI's "close to Gods, at the _far_ side", by their own modest words, are _Minds._
9:00 - Blackmailed, actually. And _Culture_ does not colonize other societies. Gently nudge them, yes, but no more. (See _The State of the Art_ about their encounter with Earth. In short, the protagonist, young Contact Section member Diziet Sma, left traumatized.) They fought a vicious war (that they still agonize over a millennium later) against an expansionist empire (Idirans).
Thank you so much for the gentle correction RE the Culture-I'm quite new to the series and that was a misrecollection! Very much looking forward to NaNo being over so I can get back to my TBR which features a whole plethora of Culture novels.
Great list, and you guys are so charming.
Thank you @zionthedon7745 :) At the start of your next turn you get to make a Charisma saving throw against the Charm effect
@@hardysbooks it was a nat 1 fortunately 😄
Why does Dan Simmons need a cold shower?? 😳
That comment specifically refers to the Soldier's tale-it felt like he was enjoying himself a little too much
@@hardysbooks I think I remember what you mean…. It felt “fitting”, you know, the reader was meant to feel uncomfortable