june gloom on 3/5/2009 at 20:04
Quote Posted by Volitions Advocate
The Rise and Fall of the Third ReichI would also recommend Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke's
The Occult Roots of Nazism- it's a seminal work on Nazi occultism (duh) and Ariosophy, makes for interesting reading if you want to see the pseudo-religious aspects behind Nazism, especially Himmler's SS.
As to Snow Crash, I'm sorry but while I don't mind the whole mind/body/etc. thing in cyberpunk as that's an integral part of it (re: Deus Ex) Snow Crash's silly bullshit about Sumeria and glossolalia and "neurolinguistic hacking" just put me to fucking sleep. The book is trite, boring and in 500 pages there's only a single good idea. One good idea does not justify 500 pages of a big bag of boring suck.
And yes, "it's a parody" doesn't work because it stops being funny about 20 paes in.
dreamcatcher on 3/5/2009 at 20:27
Quote Posted by dethtoll
I may be the only person on the planet who thinks Stephenson is a fucking hack.
You know, i tried starting Anathem three times and still can't get into it. Also, it felt like Diamond Age just aspired to be William Gibson's Neromancer, and fell short of its goal.
Quote Posted by ercles
American Gods by Neil Gaiman....
Agree 100%.
snauty on 4/5/2009 at 09:45
Quote Posted by dethtoll
I would also recommend Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke's
The Occult Roots of Nazism- it's a seminal work on Nazi occultism (duh) and Ariosophy, makes for interesting reading if you want to see the pseudo-religious aspects behind Nazism, especially Himmler's SS.
(
http://www.weltbild.ch/3/14639209-1/buch/hitlers-politische-soldaten-die-waffen-ss-1933-1945.html)
Haven't read it though, but I have just seen an hour long interview with him. He's considered as
the authority in all things SS and has just released this book. Maybe there's a translation already.
catbarf on 4/5/2009 at 10:40
Neuromancer- William Gibson
The book is just crammed with detail, from the always-twilight slums of Chiba City to a space station owned by the Rastafarian Navy. All the hallmarks of cyberpunk are here.
Also, I recommend Doyle. The Sherlock Holmes novels are very much worth your time.
suliman on 4/5/2009 at 13:06
Well, I'm sort of a science fiction faggot, so I'll go with Childhood's end and The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke, The End of Eternity and The Caves of Steel by Asimov, Simak's City, Bester's The Stars My Destination and Lem's Return from the Stars and Solaris.
I should probably start reading some other genres:)
Ulukai on 4/5/2009 at 14:36
Quote Posted by Shortbread Man
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Actually, yes.
june gloom on 4/5/2009 at 18:06
Quote Posted by catbarf
Neuromancer- William Gibson
The book is just
crammed with detail, from the always-twilight slums of Chiba City to a space station owned by the Rastafarian Navy. All the hallmarks of cyberpunk are here.
That's 'cuz it basically invented it. ;)
Great book, though the sequels-
Count Zero and
Mona Lisa Overdrive- are even better, the former being the best.
Stitch on 4/5/2009 at 18:18
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
What are you making of
The Road then? I personally thought it was depressingly bleak drudgery with an unsatisfying ending but with moments of excellence.
Loved it.
