I read this when it first came out and really liked it. I think it was very well-written, if completely unreal. No college students I've ever met are that erudite and mature. But still, great story.

It's been at least 15 years since I've read either one of them, so I'm in no position to say more about either of them than that The Stranger never quite grabbed me and I took to the The Fall easily and liked it quite a bit. Toward the end, mulling it over helped consolidate an idea or two for me.

I went and looked this up after the small discussion here. It looks really interesting and I can't wait to read it. Unfortunately, it will be over a month before that time comes, I'm sure.

I'm kind of confused by this. Many characters seem awfully realistic to me and remind me of somebody I know. Am I misinterpreting what you mean, or do you not have the same thing happen to you as I do?

Just from reading the blurb thing, I don't know anyone who is constantly quoting Greek to each other. Of course, I go to ISU, not somewhere fancy.

I'm really torn on that question. I took about half the novel to get into either of them. The Stranger had some really interesting scenes and stories (I still love that story about the man who gets murdered by his mother when he's trying to act all sneaky and rich and stuff. So good). However, Stranger lacked a truly compelling storyline, too.

Of course, The Fall is its own beast. I've seriously never read anything remotely like it, and by the end, the impact was pretty heavy.

I would have to honestly reread both to make a good decision. However, if I had to try and choose now, I'd probably say The Fall is better. I guarantee at like 80% of that statement is because I read it last week instead of earlier in the year.

I recently..ahem...acquired a collection of the "Top 100 Sci-Fi Novels of All-time" which is how its labeled, and I'm not going to reproduce the entire list, but for those of you who know more about classic or canonical sci-fi than me (which should be almost everyone) can you suggest some books that you think are likely to be on that list that I should read? I certainly dont have time to read all 100 and I'd rather not just pick randomly if I can get some good suggestions. I dont think there is anything on there that is more recent than say 2002 or so?

I think anything by Ray Bradbury like Fahrenheit 451 is considered a classic. I need to read that one btw. Wiki says this about it: The novel presents a future American society in which the masses are hedonistic, and critical thought through reading is outlawed.

Frank Herbert's Dune is a good series.

Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land I'd say is pretty much de rigeur if you want to claim sci-fi buff status. Its also pretty amusing in how it parallels the free love ideas of the 60's Hippy generation. (If you haven't read this one I put it on the top of the list. Highly entertaining.)

I'm not a sci-fi buff but I think these are definitely classics in the genre.

you can't go wrong with Bradbury, Asimov, Clarke, Niven, Gibson....many others. Science Fiction has always had the most interesting writers and stories, imo.

I've read Fahrenheit 451 as well as the first three or four Dune books, although they are probably in that 100 somewhere. I'll put a star by Heinlein.

Oh also just finished reading Essential Anesthesia. Pretty excellent textbook, not being sarcastic, if I was going to recommend a single medical textbook for someone interested in learning a little about everything, it would be this one. Good diagrams and tables, written in sort of an informal conversational style, appropriate depth, pretty broad subject matter. Its ostensibly about anesthesia but really covers just about everything to some degree.

Apologies for lack of clarity. What I meant is that the characters in The Secret History appear almost to be pastiches - I can see what she's trying to do, to elevate the 5 greek students above the 'ordinary' characters, to emphasise their level of superiority because that plays a pretty major role in what they do, but I think she somehow misses the mark and moves them too far over into the realm of parody.

I finished it this morning. I agree that it's a great story - I think that's the major strength of the novel. Towards the end the pace is fast and well-maintained (as it is earlier in the novel surrounding the key event) but I think that overall it's a little bloated. I mean, on reflection I really liked it, there are just a few elements which bother me. I wish the main character didn't spend so much time alone in his room thinking about stuff.

Yeah, I would definitely recommend it. It has a number of excellent qualities, there's just something about it that stops me from loving it.

I always wondered what happened to Donna Tart....when her debut novel came out she was a cause celeb, and then I never heard from her again.

how??????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????

btw is the list similar to this one http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersy...oks_rank1.html ?

if it's similar then you can't really go wrong with any of them.

hitchhiker's guide is the funniest by far imo, but to get the most out of it and its satire you should probably read the Foundation series by Asimov first (and imo read prelude and forward before foundation, even tho they were published after).

I just finished Voltaire's Candide. Pretty entertaining. Conceptually I loved it (I'm a cynic as it would seem Voltaire was), in execution I merely liked it...I can evaluate it more positively looking back on it than I could've from page to page, it did get dry at times. Still, it was a fairly quick read, and one I'm glad I put the effort into.

This has been on my list for a long time and I've never gotten around to it. Perhaps I'll try over Christmas break.

Thanks. I've read everything by Douglas Adams (I think) and I've read the first two or three in the Foundation series, the first one was really good but it sort of faded for me after that. Didnt read the prequels though they are in my collection.

As for how...well I dont think we are supposed to talk about that but if you dont mind the eye-strain its a great way to get free books.

And yes the list is very similar to that one, at least through the first 35 books or so, Crichton and L'engele arent on there for example, although I've read both of those.

I have a hard time reading books on the computer. I guess you can transfer them to a Kindle or one of those readers.

Me too. If nothing else, I like to change posture more than reading at a computer allows unless I am going to let myself get into weird unhealthy slouches.

Yeah I agree its way suboptimal but its 100 books for free so I mean...

I've read a bunch of user reviews of the Kindle, and it sounds like there are some legit complaints that would bug me. But if the thing would stop selling so well, maybe a version 2.0 could come out that could actually pull me in.

i am finishing up monster, the story of an LA gang member. someone recommended it somewhere (either here or in EDF).

it's really interesting. it's incredible how brutal things were back then, and i can't even imagine how it is now. (this account is in the 1980s as a crip member). upon the sight of a rival gang member, the author would run up and try to kill him (them) by whatever means possible. really a cool book that is a quick read.

i read the time machine, it was good. i havent started the invisible man yet. i'll probably wait on that one.

i'm pretty backed up on my reading list. i think next i'll read 'how to be idle', the title speaks for itself.

Can I remind all that discussion of methods of pirating, making use of pirated material etc is explicitly forbidden. Don't talk about it.

I thought I was being subtle.

who said I was talking about you?

What do you mean, "You people"?

I am currently reading Anathem by Neil Stephenson and liking it. But as a Scifi junky I recommend Snow Crash and Diamond Age by Stephenson as top 20 books. Not sure if they are on your list.

With Anathem I am only on page 488 so not yet halfway. My arm is getting sore.

His books are often are hard to get into...and then suck you under.

Other recomendations... Larry Niven. - Mote in Gods Eye, Inferno, Ringworld, Protector.
Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land is not one of my favorites but still OK, i prefer Door into summer, Time Enough for love or Number of the Beast. Different tastes.

A few of my favs
Gateway by Pohl is great. Brin's Startide Rising, Connie Willis "Doomsday Book", almost anything by Joe Halderman, Enders Game series(a bit of a teenage focus but so are some of Haldermans and Heinlein's).... I am over 40 so .....whatever. It doesn't hurt the books. Altered Carbon...can't remember the author. Dying Inside by Silverberg..telepath is slowly losing the ability. Old short book but good.

Or for a little strange try Dhalgren by Samuel R Delany.....truely strange. Read it on a bus and anyone who has ever read it wants to talk about...Hated it...loved it....but wtf was it about???? Tough book to read in 20 minute chunks commuting. End up rereading a lot.

i'm currently reading like 4 books

freakonomics
the 48 laws of power
a heartfelt work of staggering genius

and of course the mystery method