It looks like we have similar tastes. I agree with PKD right into S-tier, Solaris C tier (it was a slog for me), and your excitement over There is No Anti-Memetic Division. You got a new sub, cheers!
If Ubik was your first PKD book and you managed it OK, then you're off to a good start. Next one is Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. Not so trippy but highly enjoyable. His short stories tend to be very similar in theme, exploring the crossover between human consciousness and whatever the 'opposite of the day' is - sometimes AI, sometimes alien mind control, sometimes something else. There is one delightful ending of a short story where the husband has been taken over by an alien and the wife prefers the alien in her husband's body rather than the husband himself.
I have really been in the mood for some sci fi short stories, I will try to grab a collection of his. I think Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch is one of PKD's only books I don't already have haha.
Quite a few parallels in our reading last year: Ubik was a top three book for me last year. Moon is a Harsh Mistress was interesting plotwise, but the political talk really weighs it down and many of the side characters were unbelievably dumb, imo. Ninefox Gambit was brillant! I rarely read series, but I made the exception for this. I like both Raven Stratagem and Reverent Gun but neither of them come close to Ninefox. Solaris was good, not great. In my limited experience, it feels like Soviet Bloc sf has Advanced Philosophy courses tucked into the narratives and they really overstay their welcome, souring an otherwise magical experience. I took a huge break between the Murderbot novels and I actually DNF'd the newest one, though maybe I should try it again. :)
Yeah until was fantastic, such a hard book to follow up, the sort of book that has a halo effect around it, making the books I read before and after it feels worse in comparison.
Perhaps, but I felt confused in parts where it seems clear that Bear was just describing the surroundings. Either way, doesn't really improve how much I enjoyed it ha.
awesome video! And awesome shirt!!
Haha thanks! I grabbed a few DBZ shirts from Uniqlo recently and love em.
Rendevous with Rama was one of the first SF books I ever read and it still occupies a place within my top 10. Great video!
Thanks so much! Yeah it'll be in my top 10 for the foreseeable future I suspect! Such a good book, the rumours of a movie have me very excited as well
It looks like we have similar tastes. I agree with PKD right into S-tier, Solaris C tier (it was a slog for me), and your excitement over There is No Anti-Memetic Division. You got a new sub, cheers!
Thanks so much! I really need to get around to reading RA and Fine Struture by Qntm as well.
If Ubik was your first PKD book and you managed it OK, then you're off to a good start. Next one is Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. Not so trippy but highly enjoyable.
His short stories tend to be very similar in theme, exploring the crossover between human consciousness and whatever the 'opposite of the day' is - sometimes AI, sometimes alien mind control, sometimes something else. There is one delightful ending of a short story where the husband has been taken over by an alien and the wife prefers the alien in her husband's body rather than the husband himself.
I have really been in the mood for some sci fi short stories, I will try to grab a collection of his. I think Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch is one of PKD's only books I don't already have haha.
I haven’t read a single one of these books but still loved the video! I’m already excited to see your tier list for next year!
Thanks! It was a lot of fun to make. I may do one for 2022 as well
Quite a few parallels in our reading last year:
Ubik was a top three book for me last year.
Moon is a Harsh Mistress was interesting plotwise, but the political talk really weighs it down and many of the side characters were unbelievably dumb, imo.
Ninefox Gambit was brillant! I rarely read series, but I made the exception for this. I like both Raven Stratagem and Reverent Gun but neither of them come close to Ninefox.
Solaris was good, not great. In my limited experience, it feels like Soviet Bloc sf has Advanced Philosophy courses tucked into the narratives and they really overstay their welcome, souring an otherwise magical experience.
I took a huge break between the Murderbot novels and I actually DNF'd the newest one, though maybe I should try it again. :)
Yeah until was fantastic, such a hard book to follow up, the sort of book that has a halo effect around it, making the books I read before and after it feels worse in comparison.
Hull Zero Three. I felt lost a bit too, but I think that may have been the point as the VPC was utterly lost and without memory.
Perhaps, but I felt confused in parts where it seems clear that Bear was just describing the surroundings.
Either way, doesn't really improve how much I enjoyed it ha.
Tier rankings 😊
Gotta do a few tier lists if you make UA-cam videos right? It's probably the law.
Giving Rama such high A+ praise, but not enjoying Solaris is a choice.
I fully admit I need to re-read Solaris. I suspect I was just expecting something else, or wasn't in the right mind when I read it.
Solaris is good, but not great.
Going to recommend you check out A Maze of Death, by PKD. It's really something.
Added to the list! Thanks!
@@BenjaminsBookclub You might have read it, but give Blindsight, by Peter Watts, a look as well.
This is the next PKD book I want to buy. So far I've enjoyed all of his most underrated books, even more than some of his most famous ones.