1. Gibson: Neuromancer is the classic but probably not the can’t-miss on-ramp to cyberpunk it once was. (And it’s not even his best book in the Sprawl future.) Try Idoru. 2. Paolini. Can’t help you. 3. Gaiman. American Gods was another ambitious debut that I don’t think comes near to most anything he did later. Stardust might be more palatable. 4. If you couldn’t connect to Slaughterhouse-Five then you probably just shouldn’t bother with Vonnegut. 5. I love a lot of PKD but admittedly he’s so unique unto himself it’s hard to know how to recommend him. A Scanner Darkly is among his more accessible books, but then so is High Castle, so if that didn’t do it for you then 🤷🏻♂️. His short fiction could help get the water warm.
Bless you for not just saying what you think your audience wants to hear. Or, if you instead think some of us want to know a smartly voiced opinion no matter if it's not positive, thank you for being true to your self. So I guess that's a double thank you.
Loved the video! Really can’t wait to get to Ubik. ❤ Have you ever thought of doing longer videos for content like this? Maybe a vlog where you give us your opinions along the way? It would be really cool to have more content, love your channel but I am getting through all of your videos too fast ahah 😂
I hate Dune and Hyperion with a passion, but love Gibson, and PHK is one of my absolut favourite authors ever. I read Neuromancer shortly after it came out and it was so futuristic (maybe end of the 80s/ beginning of the 90s?). I find that our world today looks a lot like what he foresaw. If you read it for the first time today only, it probably makes a lesser impact. Great video!
Wow - this was a heartfelt rant of a video, if there was ever one! 😀 I should try to compile _my_ list of authors everybody but myself rave about - Herbert and Wolfe come to mind {ducks and runs} 😝
It was a long time ago but I enjoyed the short story Sales Pitch. PKD often inserts himself into his writing, he had a bit of a messed up drug fueled life. His sister died when he was younger and his parents put his name on the tombstone at the same time!
Gibson is not for everyone. He has a very unique style that can be difficult to get into. I loved The Peripheral though. I'm with you, though, on Neil Gaiman. I just cannot get into his stuff. I loved Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, so I immediately picked up Sirens of Titan and found it a real slog to get through. Haven't read anything by him since. Love PKD though. I've read 6 of his books so far (enjoyed them all). Ubik is next on my list. It's already sitting on my bedside table just waiting for me to finish Delany's Babel-17.
I really wish all of these authors changed my mind…. It wasnt to be :( i do wish i could put finger on WHY gibson bothers me so. I would consider reading cat’s cradle tho…. And will b picking up more pkd but will b picky
This is a great video and yes, please do this again. It's useful to see what authors and books reviewers dislike because my TBR is too long. Also rant videos can be very entertaining. I hated Neuromancer by William Gibson too. I didn't finish it the first time I tried it. Years later I forced myself to finish it and still disliked it. It soured me on cyberpunk because many people said it was the best book in the genre. I agree with you that American Gods is overrated and I gave up on the tv show. I didn't hate Slaughterhouse Five but it's definitely not my favorite. After reading it, I haven't wanted to read any more Vonnegut. I read a book of Philip K. Dick short stories and loved the ideas. I then read five full length PKD novels and Ubik is my favorite. I liked Flow My Tears the Policeman Said and A Scanner Darkly. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep was OK, but Man in the High Castle had a frustratingly weak ending that left me wanting more. It's weird that the two PKD books that are most famous are my least favorite. I want to read more of his books. I was very annoyed by the way Ann Leckie uses pronouns in Ancillary Justice, so I gave up on it very early in the book. It seemed pretentious. Maybe I was just having a bad day because I gave it another chance and liked it better. I even read the two sequels, but they are not as good. I hated the idea of a teenage boy as a messiah in Dune. I tried that book again and managed to finish it, but I haven't changed my mind about the religious stuff. I don't think Dune is a bad book and I read the next three books in the series, but I don't consider it one of my favorite science fiction books. I read Samuel Delaney's Babel-17 and didn't find the premise believable. I then tried Nova by Delaney, and though I liked it better than Babel-17, I do not plan to read any more Delaney.
Wow we have sooo much in common!! I gave ann leckie a chance and while i finished justice, i cant with the sequels. I would love to have a long convo with u about dune. I didnt love it the way everyone else does, but i did like it. I find the idea of religion creating its own messiah and that messiah arriving too early and not complying the way they wanted, very intriguing…..
Really good. I'm completely with you on Gibson, haven't read Paolini at all (one to try), and understand why you feel that way about Gaiman (even though I also like some of his stuff). As for PKD - I like his ideas but struggle a little with his writing style. But the best thing about this video was your honesty and passion - nice to see.
I didn't see it as negative - just honest. SF, or indeed any genre, is always a matter of personal choice and I think it's OK to say 'sorry, I don't like this story/author'. And when people respect your opinion that's a powerful thing to say. @@secretsauceofstorycraft
I am a classic reader, and I can't say I ever thought of Vonnegut's writing style as being extremely traditional, at least in comparison to what I'm used to. however, after havint read I think four of his books, I will say that I really like the style; I like the digressions, actually, but they're almost all i remember. I couldn't really tell you what Breakfast of Champions or Slaugherhouse 5 is getting at, and I mostly remember certain digressions from them, or his verbal quirks, which I think are fun. Cat's Cradle was probably the best out of those that I read but even that one is a bit of a squishy blur of stuff to me. I think he might just be one of those writers who gets away with a friendly and amusing style but whose content is maybe a bit overvalued. As for American Gods -- I think I enjoyed it more than you did, but I still thought it was in many ways a cop-out.
Hmm 🧐 I appreciate your thoughtful take. Its always interesting to hear what works for some and not for others. Havent decided if i want to try cat’s cradle or not- but i dont plan to keep my copy of sirens of titan
Could not have said it better myself about man in the high castle. And i to just had a go at do androids dream...i had an audio book copy and i loved it. Think im just a sucker for adroids though. Guess ill have to get a copy of ubik now.
Found your channel recently and love it. Appreciate your perspective on SF; it’s a refreshing one. You’re now inspiring me to retry an author that I can’t connect with - Neal Stephenson. I DNFd Snow Crash. I think I’ll give Seven Eves a try.
Can’t recommend Seven Eves. ‘Perils of Pauline’ in space with one issue after another and no regard for the actual resources a space station would have on hand. The second part of the book is actually very interesting but getting there…
Good video. You have an amazing skill at picking an authors worst books. William Gibson, - try Virtual Light, or Pattern Recognition, or his short stories in Burning Chrome. Neil Gaiman, - try Ocean at the End of the Lane. Philip K Dick - try A Scanner Darkly, also the collected short stories (5 volumes) are all worth a look.. Kurt Vonnegut - agree with you - just don't get the hype. That said the movie Slaughter House Five is a hidden gem.
Vonnegut's writing style is actually quite untraditional and Sirens of Titan has a handful of main characters which are introduced very thoroughly for good reason. Really the first half of the book is about setting up an (intricately fantastical) setting and introducing characters in a way that allows the nuances of their situations, personalities, perspectives and motivations that govern their interactions to have emotionally complexity and weight in the second half of the novel, which is a profound and beautiful exploration of existence, meaning and purpose through the lens of the humanist philosophy he has become known for since. I'm pretty sure you didn't get to the second half of the book from your critiques but i suggest you do.
You must be a die-hard fan! I appreciate your perspective. i finished sirens but I have to be honest, i was skipping whole pages by that point. So it is a VERY FAIR critique to say I didnt get the last half of the book. I might consider rereading it again, but I have to be more picky about my mindset and whats happening in my life so I can devote the attention this books needs
Your experience with PKD went EXACTLY like mine, down to the book. MitHC was so damned disappointing and Electric Sheep was... a book. But Ubik... I read it years after those others and also loved it. So strange and unnerving and just awesome. Your opinion on Gaiman also matches mine. I wouldn't say I hate him, but he just feels so bland. I really don't get the hype. As for Gibson, I've tried 3 times to get through Neuromancer and I'm somehow still convinced that one day I'll be able to read that book. I actually really did like the Peripheral though.
“The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel” - Neuromacer’s first line is the best first line I’ve read, yet I’ve never finished the book: it feels too comic booky chliched with Molly and her deadly fingernails. My copy of Neverwhere has a picture of the protagonist in the back, the pic says that guy is Neil Gaiman yet he looks exactly to the protagonist described inside. It also feels repetitive- most of his stuff is Sandman reloaded and never feels as fresh. Give a try to his first two graphic novels, Signal to Noise and Violent Cases. Too bad you didn’t enjoy Man in the High Castle, I can’t really explain why but I really like that book. Ubik is the sh1t!
Ubik was sooooo good. But i can’t give him any credit for man in high castle. Sounds like u have some complaints too- but i will say I am glad I gave each of these guys a second chance to decide for myself
I tried TWICE to read Neuromancer and failed. I happened to have Idoru on my shelf as a gift for years and I finally decided to give it a shot earlier this year and thought it was pretty good. I haven’t tried Neuromancer again but jumping ahead with Gibson to a later novel did seem to do the trick for me and I don’t dislike him as much as I did for years lol.
I don't think it is millennial tastes because I'm an old fart from before the 50's last century and I agree with all you have said about the traditional authors here. You definitely have gone against the grain and I respect that. Keep it up.
I DNFed Man in the High Castle (but I will revisit I think)...but loved Ubik and DADOES. PKD is definitely one of those "your mileage may vary" authors...
Damn. "Neuromancer" is in my top 5 of all time and "Slaughter-house Five" was awesome. And PKD's work is also some of my favorite. It's always interesting to hear what people like and why - and then what people don't like and why.
The great thing about science fiction, it is a very rich field and varied field. There can be whole groups of authors and styles that dont appeal, but still leave a reader with virtual library's full of engaging works to enjoy.
Agreed!! I love how many options there are and how everyone can find something they like- but it also means they dont like others. Timing matters too- when u find a work you have to b ready for it!
@@secretsauceofstorycraft Agree. I have been devouring science fiction for over 50 years. And there are books I read in my teens, that I revisit today and wonder what I ever saw in them lol
The thing I love about Slaughterhouse 5 is that it makes the reader feel like they have PTSD. It shows the reader a glimpse of what they go through. Also, people steered you wrong with never where. Its okay if you like Gaiman already, but I think it's too whimsical and verges on pointless at times. I would suggest the novella An Ocean at The End of the Lane. It has more horror/philosophy/fever dream. I think it lends itself to sci-fi readers more than his other works.
@secretsauceofstorycraft every other Gaiman I've read is whimsical. The ocean at the end of the lane has some horror and fever dream tossed in. If you were going to like any of his books, it's that one. I'm also fairly new to your channel so I don't know a ton about your reading taste.
I've tried Neil Gaiman a few times because I love some of his TV writing and also adaptations of his works (Stardust is one of my favourite films). Most of the books I've tried I've either disliked or been broadly apathetic to. My one and only success to date is Good Omens, which I absolutely adore - and which he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett, another author I don't seem to like at all individually. I can't explain it.
I'm surprised to agree with You with most of the picks. Would add many "classics" myself. I loved Neuromancer though (especially the style and language), but I can understand why some ppl hate it. I was beginning to read it three times until it clicked for me, so if You force yourself through it while not being particularly in the mood, then it can leave a scar. :D Try short stories by Dick, much stronger stuff than his novels imo.
I gave Vernor Vinge and Ann Leckie a second chance, and I was greatly impressed by their works in a way that I wasn't the first time (I tried it with Isaac Asimov's Foundation series as well, with mixed results).
Great video. I certainly would have cautioned you against giving William Gibson a second look. I liked Neuromancer, but if you didn't, no book of his will redeem him. Oh well....too late!🙂
Whitney ....you're breaking my heart! Neil Gaiman: I loved American Gods and I'm always immersed/absorbed in to the worlds he writes about. The Neil Gaiman Reader is a great book of his short stories. Vonnegut: Slaughterhouse Five was such a great read. High Castle: I agree with you. Between the "Japanese Diplomat" and the cocktail party in the house at the top of the hill.......pass. Electric Sheep: Police precinct scene was great. The rest of the story (the ending) wasn't very good. Loved Ubik. John Varley and Samuel R. Delany...never again. I'm not even going for a "round 2". I love your channel
Awww. Well im glad someone could enjoy vonnegut and gaiman! Not for me. I have heard gaiman is a better childrens writer and i will read graveyard book. We will see about more… And im sad about varley… i really liked steel beach. And am planning to try titan.
You are a more forgiving reader than I am. I rarely give an author a second chance. Although...i DNFed Elizabeth Moon's Trading In Danger then years later tried it again and liked it do much i binge read the whole series. You might give the Slaughterhouse 5 movie a try, I haven't seen it in ages but remember liking it.
This is why I think it's good to give a certain book or a certain authors a second or third try. You just never know. At the same time, if you have read 2 or 3 by that author and you gave it an honest effort to understand it / enjoy it and it's still not working for you, that's okay, too.
This happened to me with Dune. I tried some years ago and I swear, I could not understand anything that was going on. I remember something about worms. And sand. So. Much. Sand. I tried it again this past year (?) and I loved it! I loved it so much that I got to the end, wanted to read a bit of the first chapter now that I understood the bigger picture and... ended up reading it a second time. I'm a huge re-reader but never right after I finish a book! Don't talk to me about the second one, Dune Messiah. Just don't. Now, if I can only have that same experience with Moby Dick. That book has defeated me over and over. Sigh. I must conquer it before I die! I could just kick myself because once, I got about 1/3 or 1/4 into it. I should have just gritted my teeth and finished the darned thing. Now I will have to start over. That cursed whale! * shakes fist *
I actually really enjoyed American Gods and would go as far to say it's probably my favourite fantasy novel. I loved the concepts, the characters, the world building, the mystery. I appreciate it's not to everyone's taste - yes, it's slow, and the protagonist is a quite a passive character, but this is just part of the charm for me. Among his other works, I expect you'd probably get on best with his Sandman graphic novels. I agree with you on Neuromancer. I really struggled through that book. However, I do want to give the Sprawl trilogy another chance sometime. I read the first chapter of the second book, Count Zero, as it featured as a preview at the end of my edition of Neuromancer. By this point I had got over the frustrating confusion of the first book, and I actually quite enjoyed what I read of book 2. I've also heard from other sources that while Count Zero didn't have the same cultural impact as Neuromancer, it's a much better novel.
I totally understand what you said about Gibson… I’m not giving him a second chance. And with Paolini, I didn’t like his Eragon books, but I did enjoyed his sci-fi. I’m excited for his series! Neil Gaiman… well, it’s not for me. I’m glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t like his books. Kurt Vonnegut. I’ve only read Breakfast of champions, and I didn’t like it at all. I’ll probably try another one of his books. PK Dick, I love his books! Great list btw!
I do enjoy these ranty videos. Always interesting when you hate books everyone else loves. I think Iain M Banks is the one that surprised me most. Enjoyed Player of Games, but none of the rest come close. Also wasn't too keen on House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds (thankfully Words in Time didn't kick me off his discord). Oh and I found Solaris to be beyond dull :(
It took me five attempts to read Neuromancer and I didn't enjoy it even when I finished it. Also bought the Peripheral to give him a second chance, but not got round to reading it yet. I really wanted to like Neuromancer, but...
I previously read "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and I was like meh. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. And I totally love the old Blade Runner movie. I was like okay, another chance and I picked "Ubik". It started really well. I loved the first 30% of the book (until the moment when the group gets separated from Runciter). But then PKD started with his surreal writing style and I just couldn't stand it. I hated the rest of the book. I don't think I will pick PKD again, but who knows.
I pretty much agree with your list. I am definitely not a PKD fan, and lord knows I tired lol. But to be fair one of his books I found outstand was Martian Time Slip told from the POV of an autistic boy. William Gibson...same. Though with Neuromancer I will say it has the best opening line of any science fiction book I have ever read.
Tried Gibson 2 1/3 times. So awkward. But the Peripheral was actually a group show on cable. American Gods was one of the few shows better than the book (probably due to paring down the jumbled action). And yes, I also hated Neverwhere. I LOVE PK Dick and "Man in the High Castle" Try Valis
Eek! Thanks for the warning. I can put up with a lot of things. But don't make me invest my time for days or weeks, get me all mentally and emotionally involved, and then give me a crappy ending!
Dick is the most influential sci-fi writer ever. I don't recommend reading Dick. Too disjointed. Hollywood has mined his books for story ideas and told them better (Total Recall for example).
My similar experience with an author was Greg Bear. I belonged to the scifi book club way back and was forced to pay for "Dinosaur Summer". A boy gets seperated from his father and has to find his way back with dinosaurs everywhere. Didn't like it. When I was looking at a list of HUGO winners and nominees I saw "Blood Music". I read that in like 4 days. Suspensful and horrific. Give it a shot if you haven't read it.
Yes! Much agreement from over here. I didn’t like Neuromancer, thought Eragon was derivative and bleh (didn’t realise the backstory though, so thanks for that), and American Gods was a total misfire for me. Yawn. I’ll give Ubik a go sometime. Authors I’ve tried again after disliking the first book of theirs I read include Becky Chambers (still a big no) and Iain M Banks (again a big no). I’m not very forgiving though and often don’t give authors a second chance. I think your approach is more productive so I’ll try to be a better human in the future. Good idea to do another of these videos next year.
I do agree that Gaiman is overrated, but I did like Good Omens. That one had a satisfactory conclusion to the story. If you’re gun shy about reading another potential disappointment then I’d definitely give the Amazon adaptation of Good Omens a try (David Tennant and Michael Sheen); this was a fun ride.
Totally agreed with almost everything you said. I've found Neil Gaiman and PKD both to be what I call 'aggressively boring'. Haven't tried Ubik yet tho. Could never get into William Gibson either. But a little piece of my soul died when you said didn't like Slaughterhouse 5. 😥
@@secretsauceofstorycraftI did listen to it on Audible and found the narration top notch. I do wonder if I would have enjoyed it as much reading the physical book.
I haven´t read those books, except Do androids... and Ubik. However I just fell asleep with the man in the high castle, lol, the tv show is too damn different and the good and cool things (few but there are some in there) in the book are not there, LOL. I don´t recommend start PKD with the man in the high castle, unless you think it´s like the tv show, HO.
Yeah, Ubik blew me away as well - it's probably his best book - PKD was at his best when he devoted equal time to being entertaining to go along with the serious stuff.. Although didn't mind Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, The Man in a High Castle, being better written than most of PKD's books, was also one of the most boring IMO. I remember seeing Kurt Vonnegut in an interview saying how he only writes what needs to be written.....his fiction reads like that as well - his books have their moments, but as far as being consistently entertaining as stories......that said, I actually found his Slaughterhouse 5, Cat's Cradle, & Player Piano, reasonably good. No such issues with your video however. Good opinionated fun as always. Thanks.
Really? Its ok not everyone likes the same stuff but I am surprised that you didn't vibe with Sirens of Titan. I do think the book was very good and had an interesting plot. This and Cat's Craddle was very good to me. Slaughterhouse Five i feel is a bit of a fever dream cuz of how out of order it is, i think the main message and themes is what you get out of that one.
I've heard that "City" by Clifford D. Simak is good. I wish I could recommend a book, but I just started reading sci-fi after a 20-year hiatus, and most of what I've read has been disappointing, or written in a style you might not like. You should avoid "Star Maker" by Olaf Stapledon and "Tau-Zero" by Poul Anderson. Tau-Zero is cool, but the character dialogue, especially the male and female interactions, seems to have been written by teenager who was homeschooled by raccoons in a cave. I short sci-fi adjacent book I can actually recommend is Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (Signet Classics edition. The book is short, funny, fun, a bit politically incorrect, and well paced.
Not read any Gibson yet. I read Eragon etc to my kids and enjoyed it more than they did, also enjoyed his recent SF Vonnegut sucks arse, hard agree. Read SoT recently, it's awful, dunno what the fuss is about. Dick. I've read two, didn't like em much. Funnily enough the two you featured in this are the two I am/was hoping would put him back on my good side. Maybe not! Feels good to shoot some sacred cows doesn't it!?
Awesome - not everyone will agree, but you owned your opinions and I loved every minute!
I appreciate that! I’m slowly working on being a more well rounded, or hopefully less biased (not sure on the descriptor) reader
1. Gibson: Neuromancer is the classic but probably not the can’t-miss on-ramp to cyberpunk it once was. (And it’s not even his best book in the Sprawl future.) Try Idoru.
2. Paolini. Can’t help you.
3. Gaiman. American Gods was another ambitious debut that I don’t think comes near to most anything he did later. Stardust might be more palatable.
4. If you couldn’t connect to Slaughterhouse-Five then you probably just shouldn’t bother with Vonnegut.
5. I love a lot of PKD but admittedly he’s so unique unto himself it’s hard to know how to recommend him. A Scanner Darkly is among his more accessible books, but then so is High Castle, so if that didn’t do it for you then 🤷🏻♂️. His short fiction could help get the water warm.
You loved Ubik and I love this video. Spectacular. The rants are great.
Bless you for not just saying what you think your audience wants to hear. Or, if you instead think some of us want to know a smartly voiced opinion no matter if it's not positive, thank you for being true to your self. So I guess that's a double thank you.
Awe 👍🏻 thanks
Loved the video! Really can’t wait to get to Ubik. ❤ Have you ever thought of doing longer videos for content like this? Maybe a vlog where you give us your opinions along the way? It would be really cool to have more content, love your channel but I am getting through all of your videos too fast ahah 😂
More to come! I’m not a fast editor sadly- but im trying!!!
I hate Dune and Hyperion with a passion, but love Gibson, and PHK is one of my absolut favourite authors ever. I read Neuromancer shortly after it came out and it was so futuristic (maybe end of the 80s/ beginning of the 90s?). I find that our world today looks a lot like what he foresaw. If you read it for the first time today only, it probably makes a lesser impact. Great video!
Nice to know I'm not the only one out there that hates Hyperion. I cannot understand why it's rated so highly.
Thanks.👍🏻
Wow - this was a heartfelt rant of a video, if there was ever one! 😀
I should try to compile _my_ list of authors everybody but myself rave about - Herbert and Wolfe come to mind {ducks and runs} 😝
U should do it!! It would b fun to explore authors to see how u feel about them!
You should give "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" by Philip K. Dick a try. Fantastic book. :)
Convinced. Will do
It was a long time ago but I enjoyed the short story Sales Pitch. PKD often inserts himself into his writing, he had a bit of a messed up drug fueled life. His sister died when he was younger and his parents put his name on the tombstone at the same time!
Great now I have to read Ubik
You should!!!!
Jonathan from Words In Time also says it's great. He would never lie to us! LOL. @@secretsauceofstorycraft
I really liked Ubik
Great video. Your passion shows!
I appreciate that!
Excellent video! You might also want to try The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by PKD.
I'll check it out! Im hesitantly opptimistic
Gibson is not for everyone. He has a very unique style that can be difficult to get into. I loved The Peripheral though. I'm with you, though, on Neil Gaiman. I just cannot get into his stuff. I loved Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, so I immediately picked up Sirens of Titan and found it a real slog to get through. Haven't read anything by him since. Love PKD though. I've read 6 of his books so far (enjoyed them all). Ubik is next on my list. It's already sitting on my bedside table just waiting for me to finish Delany's Babel-17.
I really wish all of these authors changed my mind…. It wasnt to be :( i do wish i could put finger on WHY gibson bothers me so. I would consider reading cat’s cradle tho…. And will b picking up more pkd but will b picky
Love your channel so much always great videos and views.
Thanks so much!!!
This is a great video and yes, please do this again. It's useful to see what authors and books reviewers dislike because my TBR is too long. Also rant videos can be very entertaining.
I hated Neuromancer by William Gibson too. I didn't finish it the first time I tried it. Years later I forced myself to finish it and still disliked it. It soured me on cyberpunk because many people said it was the best book in the genre. I agree with you that American Gods is overrated and I gave up on the tv show. I didn't hate Slaughterhouse Five but it's definitely not my favorite. After reading it, I haven't wanted to read any more Vonnegut. I read a book of Philip K. Dick short stories and loved the ideas. I then read five full length PKD novels and Ubik is my favorite. I liked Flow My Tears the Policeman Said and A Scanner Darkly. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep was OK, but Man in the High Castle had a frustratingly weak ending that left me wanting more. It's weird that the two PKD books that are most famous are my least favorite. I want to read more of his books.
I was very annoyed by the way Ann Leckie uses pronouns in Ancillary Justice, so I gave up on it very early in the book. It seemed pretentious. Maybe I was just having a bad day because I gave it another chance and liked it better. I even read the two sequels, but they are not as good. I hated the idea of a teenage boy as a messiah in Dune. I tried that book again and managed to finish it, but I haven't changed my mind about the religious stuff. I don't think Dune is a bad book and I read the next three books in the series, but I don't consider it one of my favorite science fiction books. I read Samuel Delaney's Babel-17 and didn't find the premise believable. I then tried Nova by Delaney, and though I liked it better than Babel-17, I do not plan to read any more Delaney.
Wow we have sooo much in common!! I gave ann leckie a chance and while i finished justice, i cant with the sequels.
I would love to have a long convo with u about dune. I didnt love it the way everyone else does, but i did like it. I find the idea of religion creating its own messiah and that messiah arriving too early and not complying the way they wanted, very intriguing…..
Really good. I'm completely with you on Gibson, haven't read Paolini at all (one to try), and understand why you feel that way about Gaiman (even though I also like some of his stuff). As for PKD - I like his ideas but struggle a little with his writing style. But the best thing about this video was your honesty and passion - nice to see.
So kind! Thanks for appreciating-- this is a hard video to put out because its negative but … also done to improve as a reader 😅
I didn't see it as negative - just honest. SF, or indeed any genre, is always a matter of personal choice and I think it's OK to say 'sorry, I don't like this story/author'. And when people respect your opinion that's a powerful thing to say.
@@secretsauceofstorycraft
"...like , really, man, really !..." ....golden :)
Haha 😆
Another very entertaining video by my (now) favorite book tuber. Thanks!
Wow…. Big flattery 😝
I am a classic reader, and I can't say I ever thought of Vonnegut's writing style as being extremely traditional, at least in comparison to what I'm used to. however, after havint read I think four of his books, I will say that I really like the style; I like the digressions, actually, but they're almost all i remember. I couldn't really tell you what Breakfast of Champions or Slaugherhouse 5 is getting at, and I mostly remember certain digressions from them, or his verbal quirks, which I think are fun. Cat's Cradle was probably the best out of those that I read but even that one is a bit of a squishy blur of stuff to me. I think he might just be one of those writers who gets away with a friendly and amusing style but whose content is maybe a bit overvalued.
As for American Gods -- I think I enjoyed it more than you did, but I still thought it was in many ways a cop-out.
Hmm 🧐 I appreciate your thoughtful take. Its always interesting to hear what works for some and not for others. Havent decided if i want to try cat’s cradle or not- but i dont plan to keep my copy of sirens of titan
Could not have said it better myself about man in the high castle. And i to just had a go at do androids dream...i had an audio book copy and i loved it. Think im just a sucker for adroids though. Guess ill have to get a copy of ubik now.
Found your channel recently and love it. Appreciate your perspective on SF; it’s a refreshing one. You’re now inspiring me to retry an author that I can’t connect with - Neal Stephenson. I DNFd Snow Crash. I think I’ll give Seven Eves a try.
Can’t recommend Seven Eves. ‘Perils of Pauline’ in space with one issue after another and no regard for the actual resources a space station would have on hand. The second part of the book is actually very interesting but getting there…
Awesome! Hope u like it…. Im not sure its the best rep of his work- but i dont really know what is
Good video. You have an amazing skill at picking an authors worst books. William Gibson, - try Virtual Light, or Pattern Recognition, or his short stories in Burning Chrome. Neil Gaiman, - try Ocean at the End of the Lane. Philip K Dick - try A Scanner Darkly, also the collected short stories (5 volumes) are all worth a look.. Kurt Vonnegut - agree with you - just don't get the hype. That said the movie Slaughter House Five is a hidden gem.
I do have terrible luck with book picks… haha
Vonnegut's writing style is actually quite untraditional and Sirens of Titan has a handful of main characters which are introduced very thoroughly for good reason. Really the first half of the book is about setting up an (intricately fantastical) setting and introducing characters in a way that allows the nuances of their situations, personalities, perspectives and motivations that govern their interactions to have emotionally complexity and weight in the second half of the novel, which is a profound and beautiful exploration of existence, meaning and purpose through the lens of the humanist philosophy he has become known for since. I'm pretty sure you didn't get to the second half of the book from your critiques but i suggest you do.
You must be a die-hard fan! I appreciate your perspective. i finished sirens but I have to be honest, i was skipping whole pages by that point. So it is a VERY FAIR critique to say I didnt get the last half of the book. I might consider rereading it again, but I have to be more picky about my mindset and whats happening in my life so I can devote the attention this books needs
Your experience with PKD went EXACTLY like mine, down to the book. MitHC was so damned disappointing and Electric Sheep was... a book.
But Ubik... I read it years after those others and also loved it. So strange and unnerving and just awesome.
Your opinion on Gaiman also matches mine. I wouldn't say I hate him, but he just feels so bland. I really don't get the hype.
As for Gibson, I've tried 3 times to get through Neuromancer and I'm somehow still convinced that one day I'll be able to read that book. I actually really did like the Peripheral though.
Haha i’ll have to pay attention to your good reads then since we have such similar tastes!
This is a really good video idea. I try to never give up on an author over 1 book. Do you have a book limit or is it case by case basis?
Case by case, depends on how hard it was for me to get thru it. I would recommend doing a video like this- it was difficult but worthwhile….
“The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel” - Neuromacer’s first line is the best first line I’ve read, yet I’ve never finished the book: it feels too comic booky chliched with Molly and her deadly fingernails.
My copy of Neverwhere has a picture of the protagonist in the back, the pic says that guy is Neil Gaiman yet he looks exactly to the protagonist described inside. It also feels repetitive- most of his stuff is Sandman reloaded and never feels as fresh. Give a try to his first two graphic novels, Signal to Noise and Violent Cases.
Too bad you didn’t enjoy Man in the High Castle, I can’t really explain why but I really like that book. Ubik is the sh1t!
Ubik was sooooo good. But i can’t give him any credit for man in high castle.
Sounds like u have some complaints too- but i will say I am glad I gave each of these guys a second chance to decide for myself
I tried TWICE to read Neuromancer and failed. I happened to have Idoru on my shelf as a gift for years and I finally decided to give it a shot earlier this year and thought it was pretty good. I haven’t tried Neuromancer again but jumping ahead with Gibson to a later novel did seem to do the trick for me and I don’t dislike him as much as I did for years lol.
This is good idea!! Thanks
I don't think it is millennial tastes because I'm an old fart from before the 50's last century and I agree with all you have said about the traditional authors here. You definitely have gone against the grain and I respect that. Keep it up.
🔥 👍🏻
I DNFed Man in the High Castle (but I will revisit I think)...but loved Ubik and DADOES. PKD is definitely one of those "your mileage may vary" authors...
Fair enough!
Damn.
"Neuromancer" is in my top 5 of all time and "Slaughter-house Five" was awesome. And PKD's work is also some of my favorite.
It's always interesting to hear what people like and why - and then what people don't like and why.
The great thing about science fiction, it is a very rich field and varied field. There can be whole groups of authors and styles that dont appeal, but still leave a reader with virtual library's full of engaging works to enjoy.
Agreed!! I love how many options there are and how everyone can find something they like- but it also means they dont like others. Timing matters too- when u find a work you have to b ready for it!
@@secretsauceofstorycraft Agree. I have been devouring science fiction for over 50 years. And there are books I read in my teens, that I revisit today and wonder what I ever saw in them lol
I’m about to dip into Heinlein for the fourth (fifth?) time to try and enjoy one of his books for once.
Hope u do! Double star might b one u might like
@@secretsauceofstorycraft Heh, that’s the one. It’s in a collection of “classics” I’m starting in a few days.
@@chrisw6164 if u dont like double star…. There is no hope for heinlein 🤓
The thing I love about Slaughterhouse 5 is that it makes the reader feel like they have PTSD. It shows the reader a glimpse of what they go through.
Also, people steered you wrong with never where. Its okay if you like Gaiman already, but I think it's too whimsical and verges on pointless at times. I would suggest the novella An Ocean at The End of the Lane. It has more horror/philosophy/fever dream. I think it lends itself to sci-fi readers more than his other works.
This is good to know… no promises tho
@secretsauceofstorycraft every other Gaiman I've read is whimsical. The ocean at the end of the lane has some horror and fever dream tossed in. If you were going to like any of his books, it's that one. I'm also fairly new to your channel so I don't know a ton about your reading taste.
I've tried Neil Gaiman a few times because I love some of his TV writing and also adaptations of his works (Stardust is one of my favourite films). Most of the books I've tried I've either disliked or been broadly apathetic to. My one and only success to date is Good Omens, which I absolutely adore - and which he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett, another author I don't seem to like at all individually. I can't explain it.
At least u tried!!
Great vid fantastic idea never judge a book by popularity or review I will remember that
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I'm surprised to agree with You with most of the picks. Would add many "classics" myself.
I loved Neuromancer though (especially the style and language), but I can understand why some ppl hate it. I was beginning to read it three times until it clicked for me, so if You force yourself through it while not being particularly in the mood, then it can leave a scar. :D
Try short stories by Dick, much stronger stuff than his novels imo.
Will check out pkd’s short stories- ive heard that before and do have some hope :) 👍🏻
I gave Vernor Vinge and Ann Leckie a second chance, and I was greatly impressed by their works in a way that I wasn't the first time (I tried it with Isaac Asimov's Foundation series as well, with mixed results).
Its worth it to give second chances for that reason, every now and then someone changes your mind…..
Great video. I certainly would have cautioned you against giving William Gibson a second look. I liked Neuromancer, but if you didn't, no book of his will redeem him. Oh well....too late!🙂
Fair enough…..But I had to try!!
Whitney ....you're breaking my heart!
Neil Gaiman: I loved American Gods and I'm always immersed/absorbed in to the worlds he writes about. The Neil Gaiman Reader is a great book of his short stories.
Vonnegut: Slaughterhouse Five was such a great read.
High Castle: I agree with you. Between the "Japanese Diplomat" and the cocktail party in the house at the top of the hill.......pass.
Electric Sheep: Police precinct scene was great. The rest of the story (the ending) wasn't very good.
Loved Ubik.
John Varley and Samuel R. Delany...never again. I'm not even going for a "round 2".
I love your channel
Awww. Well im glad someone could enjoy vonnegut and gaiman! Not for me. I have heard gaiman is a better childrens writer and i will read graveyard book. We will see about more…
And im sad about varley… i really liked steel beach. And am planning to try titan.
You are a more forgiving reader than I am. I rarely give an author a second chance. Although...i DNFed Elizabeth Moon's Trading In Danger then years later tried it again and liked it do much i binge read the whole series.
You might give the Slaughterhouse 5 movie a try, I haven't seen it in ages but remember liking it.
Hmm i will have to check out trading in danger… i didnt know they made a movie of slaughterhouse 5
This is why I think it's good to give a certain book or a certain authors a second or third try. You just never know. At the same time, if you have read 2 or 3 by that author and you gave it an honest effort to understand it / enjoy it and it's still not working for you, that's okay, too.
This happened to me with Dune. I tried some years ago and I swear, I could not understand anything that was going on. I remember something about worms. And sand. So. Much. Sand. I tried it again this past year (?) and I loved it! I loved it so much that I got to the end, wanted to read a bit of the first chapter now that I understood the bigger picture and... ended up reading it a second time. I'm a huge re-reader but never right after I finish a book! Don't talk to me about the second one, Dune Messiah. Just don't.
Now, if I can only have that same experience with Moby Dick. That book has defeated me over and over. Sigh. I must conquer it before I die! I could just kick myself because once, I got about 1/3 or 1/4 into it. I should have just gritted my teeth and finished the darned thing. Now I will have to start over. That cursed whale!
* shakes fist *
Second chances are important but- i do think its a balance and its hard to know when to give up…. Gotta say I gave up on moby dick ages ago
I actually really enjoyed American Gods and would go as far to say it's probably my favourite fantasy novel. I loved the concepts, the characters, the world building, the mystery. I appreciate it's not to everyone's taste - yes, it's slow, and the protagonist is a quite a passive character, but this is just part of the charm for me. Among his other works, I expect you'd probably get on best with his Sandman graphic novels.
I agree with you on Neuromancer. I really struggled through that book. However, I do want to give the Sprawl trilogy another chance sometime. I read the first chapter of the second book, Count Zero, as it featured as a preview at the end of my edition of Neuromancer. By this point I had got over the frustrating confusion of the first book, and I actually quite enjoyed what I read of book 2. I've also heard from other sources that while Count Zero didn't have the same cultural impact as Neuromancer, it's a much better novel.
Well im glad to hear about book 2 of sprawl. Although not sure i can suffer thru another of his books anytime soon.
Thanks for watchinf
I totally understand what you said about Gibson… I’m not giving him a second chance. And with Paolini, I didn’t like his Eragon books, but I did enjoyed his sci-fi. I’m excited for his series!
Neil Gaiman… well, it’s not for me. I’m glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t like his books.
Kurt Vonnegut. I’ve only read Breakfast of champions, and I didn’t like it at all. I’ll probably try another one of his books.
PK Dick, I love his books!
Great list btw!
Thanks sounds like we have similar taste!!
I do enjoy these ranty videos. Always interesting when you hate books everyone else loves. I think Iain M Banks is the one that surprised me most. Enjoyed Player of Games, but none of the rest come close. Also wasn't too keen on House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds (thankfully Words in Time didn't kick me off his discord). Oh and I found Solaris to be beyond dull :(
I also dislike solaris! U arent only one
It took me five attempts to read Neuromancer and I didn't enjoy it even when I finished it. Also bought the Peripheral to give him a second chance, but not got round to reading it yet. I really wanted to like Neuromancer, but...
I felt the same for sure…. 🤷🏼♀️
I previously read "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and I was like meh. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. And I totally love the old Blade Runner movie. I was like okay, another chance and I picked "Ubik". It started really well. I loved the first 30% of the book (until the moment when the group gets separated from Runciter). But then PKD started with his surreal writing style and I just couldn't stand it. I hated the rest of the book. I don't think I will pick PKD again, but who knows.
He isnt for everyone, no pressure from me
I need all of the tomatoes!! 🍅😫
But you can’t…. They keep disappearing🫥 haha
Neuromancer for me was confusing, nothing was explained and I kept saying to myself what the hell is going on.
U werent the only one
I pretty much agree with your list. I am definitely not a PKD fan, and lord knows I tired lol. But to be fair one of his books I found outstand was Martian Time Slip told from the POV of an autistic boy. William Gibson...same. Though with Neuromancer I will say it has the best opening line of any science fiction book I have ever read.
Will checkout martian time slip…
Tried Gibson 2 1/3 times. So awkward. But the Peripheral was actually a group show on cable. American Gods was one of the few shows better than the book (probably due to paring down the jumbled action). And yes, I also hated Neverwhere. I LOVE PK Dick and "Man in the High Castle" Try Valis
Sounds like u’ve given him more chances than me….
If you have issues with good storytelling but bad endings, don't pick up Tad Williams as he takes 3000 pages to get to a bad ending.
Eek! Thanks for the warning. I can put up with a lot of things. But don't make me invest my time for days or weeks, get me all mentally and emotionally involved, and then give me a crappy ending!
@@Yesica1993 I am in the minority of that opinion. But I literally threw Green Angel Tower across the room. Otherlands ending was just silly.
Good to know….. ive only read the first otherland book and decided to take a break for awhile. Maybe a long while.
I SO wanted to do that with Dune Messiah. But it was a library copy so I restrained myself.@@EricMcLuen
Dick is the most influential sci-fi writer ever. I don't recommend reading Dick. Too disjointed. Hollywood has mined his books for story ideas and told them better (Total Recall for example).
🤯 u might b right
My similar experience with an author was Greg Bear. I belonged to the scifi book club way back and was forced to pay for "Dinosaur Summer". A boy gets seperated from his father and has to find his way back with dinosaurs everywhere. Didn't like it. When I was looking at a list of HUGO winners and nominees I saw "Blood Music". I read that in like 4 days. Suspensful and horrific. Give it a shot if you haven't read it.
Wonderful taste! Blood music is fantastic! Its strange how some authors just have an odd duck or two
Yes! Much agreement from over here. I didn’t like Neuromancer, thought Eragon was derivative and bleh (didn’t realise the backstory though, so thanks for that), and American Gods was a total misfire for me. Yawn. I’ll give Ubik a go sometime. Authors I’ve tried again after disliking the first book of theirs I read include Becky Chambers (still a big no) and Iain M Banks (again a big no). I’m not very forgiving though and often don’t give authors a second chance. I think your approach is more productive so I’ll try to be a better human in the future. Good idea to do another of these videos next year.
Aw 👍🏻 glad it could help inspire others!
I do agree that Gaiman is overrated, but I did like Good Omens. That one had a satisfactory conclusion to the story. If you’re gun shy about reading another potential disappointment then I’d definitely give the Amazon adaptation of Good Omens a try (David Tennant and Michael Sheen); this was a fun ride.
True - but i give terry prachett all the credit for good omens. :)
@@secretsauceofstorycraft Ouch very good point. Sorry Neil, no hope for you!
I'm so nervous about American Gods. I worry I'll feel the same
Wont know til u try…. But i did warn u
It’s an amazing book ;) So good I bought the Folio!
Totally agreed with almost everything you said. I've found Neil Gaiman and PKD both to be what I call 'aggressively boring'. Haven't tried Ubik yet tho. Could never get into William Gibson either. But a little piece of my soul died when you said didn't like Slaughterhouse 5. 😥
I knew it wasnt gunna be popular opinion but, i just couldnt with slaughterhouse 5. I wish I had liked it…
@@secretsauceofstorycraftI did listen to it on Audible and found the narration top notch. I do wonder if I would have enjoyed it as much reading the physical book.
I haven´t read those books, except Do androids... and Ubik.
However I just fell asleep with the man in the high castle, lol, the tv show is too damn different and the good and cool things (few but there are some in there) in the book are not there, LOL. I don´t recommend start PKD with the man in the high castle, unless you think it´s like the tv show, HO.
👍🏻 yeah that might have been my problem
I felt the same ab Neoromancer, it was a horrible experience, his writing there is abysmal and I will never read anything of his again.
👍🏻 good news is I read him again and now you dont have to!
Yeah, Ubik blew me away as well - it's probably his best book - PKD was at his best when he devoted equal time to being entertaining to go along with the serious stuff..
Although didn't mind Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, The Man in a High Castle, being better written than most of PKD's books, was also one of the most boring IMO.
I remember seeing Kurt Vonnegut in an interview saying how he only writes what needs to be written.....his fiction reads like that as well - his books have their moments, but as far as being consistently entertaining as stories......that said, I actually found his Slaughterhouse 5, Cat's Cradle, & Player Piano, reasonably good.
No such issues with your video however. Good opinionated fun as always. Thanks.
Hey love hearing different perspectives! But i wish I had liked vonnegut’s stuff more…..
Really? Its ok not everyone likes the same stuff but I am surprised that you didn't vibe with Sirens of Titan. I do think the book was very good and had an interesting plot. This and Cat's Craddle was very good to me. Slaughterhouse Five i feel is a bit of a fever dream cuz of how out of order it is, i think the main message and themes is what you get out of that one.
Yeah i was surprised too…
I loved American Gods. It was very nice. The series sucked, though. Apparently I loved Neverwhere, too, but I don't remember a thing :D
😆
The Peripheral: I also quite like the show but found the book meh.
🔥
I've heard that "City" by Clifford D. Simak is good. I wish I could recommend a book, but I just started reading sci-fi after a 20-year hiatus, and most of what I've read has been disappointing, or written in a style you might not like. You should avoid "Star Maker" by Olaf Stapledon and "Tau-Zero" by Poul Anderson. Tau-Zero is cool, but the character dialogue, especially the male and female interactions, seems to have been written by teenager who was homeschooled by raccoons in a cave. I short sci-fi adjacent book I can actually recommend is Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (Signet Classics edition. The book is short, funny, fun, a bit politically incorrect, and well paced.
🤣 “homeschooled by raccoons in a cave”!!! You know everyone’s gotta read it now right?
You didn't like American Gods? :O Shocking behaviour ;) One of my favourite novels of all time.
😂
Not read any Gibson yet.
I read Eragon etc to my kids and enjoyed it more than they did, also enjoyed his recent SF
Vonnegut sucks arse, hard agree. Read SoT recently, it's awful, dunno what the fuss is about.
Dick. I've read two, didn't like em much. Funnily enough the two you featured in this are the two I am/was hoping would put him back on my good side. Maybe not! Feels good to shoot some sacred cows doesn't it!?
Haha yes!!!
I don't get Neil gaiman boring not original tropes.
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