Books to Buy

Sapphy said:
I'd love some more recommendations for good SF! I'm a big fan of cyborgs (eg: Spare Parts by Sally Rogers-Davidson) and female space marines (i LOVED the Paradox series by Rachel Bach and am midway through the Valor series by Tanya Huff) as well as space opera and the like.

My last two reads were Katya's World and Katya's War by Jonathon L. Howard... I'm currently reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlen as I decided I should try and read some classic/older SF to broaden my tastes. I'm midway through The Expanse series by James S. A Corey (who is actually two authors collaborating!) and on my To Read list is Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie.
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Read Oryx and Crake (as above) by Margaret Atwood. It's a trilogy, I've only read the first 2 but both brilliant...[DOUBLEPOST=1417088888][/DOUBLEPOST]And if you had the patience to read my long list above, she was on it!
 
Sci-fi. I've recently read two very different novels.

The Martian by Andy Weir was very light, funny, and damn! if I didn't learn sciencey stuff! Highly recommended for a Sunday when you're recovering from a slightly over indulgent Saturday night.

Shovel Ready by Adam Sternbergh was just a thrill! So different and a new way of writing. Loved it! Leave your expectations at the door.
 
I am a fan of detective fiction. I have just discovered the wonderful Adrian McKinty. He is an Irish writer who now lives in Melbourne. Bonus!

I have started reading his Sean Duffy series, which is set in Belfast during 'the troubles' in the early '80's. Brilliant. Just brilliant.
 
I have just finished reading "The Death Artist" - Jonathan Santlofer.

It's a book, if life was different, I would not have put down. It's witty, savage...bordering on psychotic satire. Just a great book.
 
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Megan said:
Hey Guys

I just received a $100 Dymocks voucher for the course I did last year. Just after some recommendations for books to purchase and stuff.

I think I might get an Atlas, I used to love looking at my mum's. Anything else? Any recommendations?
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I received a book voucher years ago as a prize and I bought an Oxford Concise dictionary. I know that a lot of things are on google but sometimes having a 'classic' like an atlas or dictionary is a must have. For fiction I head into the crime section. Child, Connelly, Coben and the like are my favourites.
 
Jam said:
What genre, @Kismet?
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I forgot to add this morning, it's a slow start read. For me personally, the characters felt a little wooden in the first 40 or so pages and then, I GOT where the author was going with it and it was riveting there on in.

I have just purchased "Anatomy of Fear" - another Santlofers' offering to read within the next few weeks.

I however wanted a little "light" reading in the meantime and as such, have just started reading "One Fifth Avenue" - Candance Bushnell. don't judge me..lol

 
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I can recommend Being Jade, by Kate Belle - it is a contemporary Australian book. It is not a light read, in that it can make you feel uncomfortable at time, but powerful.
 
The Martian - Andy Wier

Really good sci-fi novel about an astronaut trying to survive on Mars after accidentally being abandoned there when his fellow astronauts were evacuating during a massive dust storm. It's also meant to be scientifically accurate, which makes it fascinating. It's set in the near future, so it's all practical and realistic. He is left there only with the equipment designed for half a dozen astronauts for 30 days on the surface. This is realistic sci-fi and so there aint no star ship enterprise that can come and rescue him. Earth is a long way a way. The rest of his crew can't turn around and save him.

So it's really interesting. I don't want to spoil anything but, just the situations, the problems to solve, the mistakes and accidents. It really was thoroughly enjoyable. It also really clearly states the science and sets up the technology. I first heard of it on a podcast from Adam Savage(Mythbusters) talking about geeking out over the book with Chris Hatfield who is this guy


Ridley Scott is making a film version starring Matt Damon, so you may want to be able to say, 'I read the book' before that comes out in a years time. I'm it'll be pimped as, 'Cast Away, meets Apollo 13, meets Gravity.'
 
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up_all_night said:
The Martian - Andy Wier

Really good sci-fi novel about an astronaut trying to survive on Mars after accidentally being abandoned there when his fellow astronauts were evacuating during a massive dust storm. It's also meant to be scientifically accurate, which makes it fascinating. It's set in the near future, so it's all practical and realistic. He is left there only with the equipment designed for half a dozen astronauts for 30 days on the surface. This is realistic sci-fi and so there aint no star ship enterprise that can come and rescue him. Earth is a long way a way. The rest of his crew can't turn around and save him.

So it's really interesting. I don't want to spoil anything but, just the situations, the problems to solve, the mistakes and accidents. It really was thoroughly enjoyable. It also really clearly states the science and sets up the technology. I first heard of it on a podcast from Adam Savage(Mythbusters) talking about geeking out over the book with Chris Hatfield who is this guy


Ridley Scott is making a film version starring Matt Damon, so you may want to be able to say, 'I read the book' before that comes out in a years time. I'm it'll be pimped as, 'Cast Away, meets Apollo 13, meets Gravity.'
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I loved it! And it's funny at times, too. Fear his botany powers!
 
up_all_night said:
The Martian - Andy Wier

Really good sci-fi novel about an astronaut trying to survive on Mars after accidentally being abandoned there when his fellow astronauts were evacuating during a massive dust storm. It's also meant to be scientifically accurate, which makes it fascinating. It's set in the near future, so it's all practical and realistic. He is left there only with the equipment designed for half a dozen astronauts for 30 days on the surface. This is realistic sci-fi and so there aint no star ship enterprise that can come and rescue him. Earth is a long way a way. The rest of his crew can't turn around and save him.

So it's really interesting. I don't want to spoil anything but, just the situations, the problems to solve, the mistakes and accidents. It really was thoroughly enjoyable. It also really clearly states the science and sets up the technology. I first heard of it on a podcast from Adam Savage(Mythbusters) talking about geeking out over the book with Chris Hatfield who is this guy


Ridley Scott is making a film version starring Matt Damon, so you may want to be able to say, 'I read the book' before that comes out in a years time. I'm it'll be pimped as, 'Cast Away, meets Apollo 13, meets Gravity.'
Click to expand...
Is that the one that is winner of best sci Fi on Goodreads?
 
I have recently finished Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I give it 4/5 stars. The ending was somewhat anticlimactic for me.

I finished Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks yesterday and I loved it! It was a really different read for me, but much like Gone Girl, I found the ending disappointing. But that said I still give it 4/5.

My next reading challenge is The Woman Who Stole My Life by my favourite author Marian Keyes. The only problem, I actually fancy a thriller.
 
Noir goodness is right on our doorstep. I have become kind of obsessed with the novels of Adrian McKinty. He is a writer who was born in Belfast in 1968 and now lives just down the road from me in St Kilda. His Sean Duffy (an Irish cop) series is brilliant, but only if you don't mind wit, great plotting, interesting characters and violence. These novels are set in the early '80's in Belfast during The Troubles, so the background history is quite fascinating, too. Do yourselves a favour, etc....

Book 1: In the cold, cold ground
Book 2: I hear the sirens in the street
Book 3: In the morning I'll be gone
Book 4: Gun street girl

I have read them back to back. Brilliant!

I have also tried his Micheal Forsythe (an Irish criminal) series. I enjoyed the first in this series, and will read them all, but only after I've devoured the more recent Sean Duffy series. The Michael Forsythe novels are much more violent and more amoral, so be warned.
 
Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz

Totally Amazing! He puts a great perspective on the London underworld...

10/10
 
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