What are you reading?

Peregrinator · **Posted:** Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:24 pm

Doom wrote:

OC Catholicism is the religion of the Bene Gesserits, it is not 'Catholicism' by any means.....and it is not clear in the Dune series whether actual Catholicism as it exists today still exists within the Dune universe, but I'm guessing no based on the whole syncretism thing.

No, it is far more cynical than that. The BG's use religion as a tool.

Doom · **Posted:** Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:34 pm

Bagheera wrote:

Doom wrote:

OC Catholicism is the religion of the Bene Gesserits, it is not 'Catholicism' by any means.....and it is not clear in the Dune series whether actual Catholicism as it exists today still exists within the Dune universe, but I'm guessing no based on the whole syncretism thing.

No, it is far more cynical than that. The BG's use religion as a tool.

I gave up on the series about halfway through 'Children of Dune', it just got too stupid.....but even though I will probably never finish it, I have to admit that I am curious.....IS 'the preacher' Paul?

Peregrinator · **Posted:** Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:22 pm

Doom wrote:

I gave up on the series about halfway through 'Children of Dune', it just got too stupid.....but even though I will probably never finish it, I have to admit that I am curious.....IS 'the preacher' Paul?

I can't recall if it was ever revealed but I think the general consensus is that he is.

The book ends with Leto embracing "the Golden Path."

Doom · **Posted:** Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:30 pm

Bagheera wrote:

Doom wrote:

I gave up on the series about halfway through 'Children of Dune', it just got too stupid.....but even though I will probably never finish it, I have to admit that I am curious.....IS 'the preacher' Paul?

I can't recall if it was ever revealed but I think the general consensus is that he is.

The book ends with Leto embracing "the Golden Path."

It's an odd series, it's the only time I've ever encountered something that I thought was both too cynical and too optimistic......

Peregrinator · **Posted:** Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:19 pm

Doom wrote:

It's an odd series, it's the only time I've ever encountered something that I thought was both too cynical and too optimistic......

I tried to read The God Emperor of Dune but I could not get through it. I didn't really even try with the last two books of the series. I only got a couple of pages into Chapterhouse: Dune as too much stuff had happened before it to figure out what was going on -- it wasn't a standalone novel in any meaningful sense of the term.

Did you mention being a Heinlein fan at some point? or am I thinking of someone else?

Doom · **Posted:** Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:27 pm

Bagheera wrote:

Doom wrote:

It's an odd series, it's the only time I've ever encountered something that I thought was both too cynical and too optimistic......

I tried to read The God Emperor of Dune but I could not get through it. I didn't really even try with the last two books of the series. I only got a couple of pages into Chapterhouse: Dune as too much stuff had happened before it to figure out what was going on -- it wasn't a standalone novel in any meaningful sense of the term.

Did you mention being a Heinlein fan at some point? or am I thinking of someone else?

I've read Heinlein but I wouldn't call myself a 'fan'.

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:22 pm **Posts:** 18704

Doom wrote:

Bagheera wrote:

Doom wrote:

It's an odd series, it's the only time I've ever encountered something that I thought was both too cynical and too optimistic......

I tried to read The God Emperor of Dune but I could not get through it. I didn't really even try with the last two books of the series. I only got a couple of pages into Chapterhouse: Dune as too much stuff had happened before it to figure out what was going on -- it wasn't a standalone novel in any meaningful sense of the term.

Did you mention being a Heinlein fan at some point? or am I thinking of someone else?

I've read Heinlein but I wouldn't call myself a 'fan'.

I'm a Heinlein fan. To a point.

GKC

Peregrinator · **Posted:** Sun Jan 08, 2012 5:48 pm

Doom wrote:

I've read Heinlein but I wouldn't call myself a 'fan'.

If you want a science-fiction book with 'depth' you might like The Mote in God's Eye by Niven & Pournelle (I've recommended it many times before so ignore me if I'm boring you).

Peregrinator · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:13 am

Or if you liked Starship Troopers you might give the Falkenberg's Legion series by Jerry Pournelle a try. You can get the first book in that series, West of Honor, for free (I know you have an e-reader):

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-577-west-of-honor.aspx

If you like it, get The Prince by Pournelle & Stirling as well (omnibus edition of all the Falkenberg's Legion stories ... same price as a single book).

Doom · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:31 am

Bagheera wrote:

Or if you liked Starship Troopers you might give the Falkenberg's Legion series by Jerry Pournelle a try. You can get the first book in that series, West of Honor, for free (I know you have an e-reader):

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-577-west-of-honor.aspx

If you like it, get The Prince by Pournelle & Stirling as well (omnibus edition of all the Falkenberg's Legion stories ... same price as a single book).

A Mote in God's Eye and A Canticle for Leibowicz I see mentioned on here a lot.....I don't want to sound snooty but I don't read a lot of fiction these days (my last work of fiction was 'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman) but I'll probably get around to downloading those books eventually....assuming they are available as e-books.

Walking Wounded · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:49 am

Anybody here ever read Bridge of Birds, by Barry Hughart, or its sequels?

Hilarious stuff!

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:22 pm **Posts:** 18704

Doom wrote:

Bagheera wrote:

Or if you liked Starship Troopers you might give the Falkenberg's Legion series by Jerry Pournelle a try. You can get the first book in that series, West of Honor, for free (I know you have an e-reader):

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-577-west-of-honor.aspx

If you like it, get The Prince by Pournelle & Stirling as well (omnibus edition of all the Falkenberg's Legion stories ... same price as a single book).

A Mote in God's Eye and A Canticle for Leibowicz I see mentioned on here a lot.....I don't want to sound snooty but I don't read a lot of fiction these days (my last work of fiction was 'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman) but I'll probably get around to downloading those books eventually....assuming they are available as e-books.

Snooty is not what you sound like, in this.

Get CANTICLE, first.

GKC

Peregrinator · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:38 pm

Canticle is not available as an e-book.

Mote is, you can get it on Amazon, BN, or baenebooks.com (non-DRM version, also slightly cheaper). The version on Baen also has a couple of things that the other e-books do not:

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-581-the-mot ... s-eye.aspx

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:22 pm **Posts:** 18704

Bagheera wrote:

Canticle is not available as an e-book.

Mote is, you can get it on Amazon, BN, or baenebooks.com (non-DRM version, also slightly cheaper). The version on Baen also has a couple of things that the other e-books do not:

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-581-the-mot ... s-eye.aspx

Paper. Doom should consider paper. It is a little known, but proven medium, for delivering this sort of thing, in the absence of alternatives.

GKC

faithfulservant · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:55 pm

i remember reading (and loving) Mote when i read it when it came out almost 40 years ago...couldn't tell you what it was about now if i tried... :oops:

but then i read a ton of books that summer as i was working on an offshore seismic survey crew and there wasn't a lot to do when we weren't working

Peregrinator · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:33 pm

faithfulservant wrote:

i remember reading (and loving) Mote when i read it when it came out almost 40 years ago...couldn't tell you what it was about now if i tried... :oops:

It's held up amazingly well.

Doom · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:58 pm

GKC wrote:

Doom wrote:

Bagheera wrote:

Or if you liked Starship Troopers you might give the Falkenberg's Legion series by Jerry Pournelle a try. You can get the first book in that series, West of Honor, for free (I know you have an e-reader):

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-577-west-of-honor.aspx

If you like it, get The Prince by Pournelle & Stirling as well (omnibus edition of all the Falkenberg's Legion stories ... same price as a single book).

A Mote in God's Eye and A Canticle for Leibowicz I see mentioned on here a lot.....I don't want to sound snooty but I don't read a lot of fiction these days (my last work of fiction was 'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman) but I'll probably get around to downloading those books eventually....assuming they are available as e-books.

Snooty is not what you sound like, in this.

Get CANTICLE, first.

GKC

Some people would accuse me of being snooty when I say things like 'I don't read much fiction these days'....

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:22 pm **Posts:** 18704

Doom wrote:

GKC wrote:

Doom wrote:

Bagheera wrote:

Or if you liked Starship Troopers you might give the Falkenberg's Legion series by Jerry Pournelle a try. You can get the first book in that series, West of Honor, for free (I know you have an e-reader):

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-577-west-of-honor.aspx

If you like it, get The Prince by Pournelle & Stirling as well (omnibus edition of all the Falkenberg's Legion stories ... same price as a single book).

A Mote in God's Eye and A Canticle for Leibowicz I see mentioned on here a lot.....I don't want to sound snooty but I don't read a lot of fiction these days (my last work of fiction was 'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman) but I'll probably get around to downloading those books eventually....assuming they are available as e-books.

Snooty is not what you sound like, in this.

Get CANTICLE, first.

GKC

Some people would accuse me of being snooty when I say things like 'I don't read much fiction these days'....

I wouldn't. I'd say you were in need of sound guidance.

Get CANTICLE, first.

GKC

Peregrinator · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:27 pm

GKC wrote:

Paper. Doom should consider paper. It is a little known, but proven medium, for delivering this sort of thing, in the absence of alternatives.

I seem to recall Honor Harrington and crew using electronic book readers, with paper being the medium of choice for a few well-loved classics. Of course the book readers of 3900 A.D. are likely to be much much better than current technology; I suspect there would be little reason for using paper at all.

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:22 pm **Posts:** 18704

Bagheera wrote:

GKC wrote:

Paper. Doom should consider paper. It is a little known, but proven medium, for delivering this sort of thing, in the absence of alternatives.

I seem to recall Honor Harrington and crew using electronic book readers, with paper being the medium of choice for a few well-loved classics. Of course the book readers of 3900 A.D. are likely to be much much better than current technology; I suspect there would be little reason for using paper at all.

I seem to recall Honor occasionally using a Colt 1911.

But certainly, on any Royal Manticoran Navy vessel I might find myself to be, at any time, in addition to wearing my my Royal Manticoran Navy shirt (official) I'll use an electronic reader. But I'll snark, behind everyone's backs.

GKC

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