Comments on: 5 Best Sci-Fi Books of 2008

By: arbitrary aardvark

arbitrary aardvark — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 23:46:57 +0000

“stephenson takes his time/space/chapter developing the background in the beginning of a novel , and then overwhelms you with action that requires the knowledge provided in those slow, early pages”
Then you’re going to really really like Anathem. I did.
Nothing happens for the first 600 pages, but by the end it’s fast-paced as hiro protagonist delivering pizza.

By: Zak

Zak — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:49:05 +0000

You probably didn't read Publicani. WOuld you like me to send it to you?

By: Cobb

Cobb — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:31:38 +0000

The Algebraist is a novel out of the Culture series, which makes it completely different than those in it. I would suggest ‘Consider Phlebas’ if you dig action and ‘Excession’ if you’d like to get inside the head of a supercomputer. ‘Matter’ is a culture clash and a great revenge story. ‘Player of Games’ is very interesting in its own way, the most straightforward of Banks’ stories, easily made into a movie. ‘The Use of Weapons’ is complicated storytelling and the first book I think I’ve read that goes alternately backwards in time (in the odd numbered chapters) and forwards in time (in the even numbered chapters). It’s the most heartbreaking and romantic of Banks’ works.

By: Todd

Todd — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:54:19 +0000

“Buckell doesn’t need a huge page count for his books, but he definitely uses the pages that he has for maximum impact.”

I couldn’t agree more, in that I wish there WAS more page count to breathe in.

By: truthiness

truthiness — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 03:50:44 +0000

good list

should also check out “Tears of Epimetheus” by JD Adler a great parable about lack of forethought being the source of humanities problems told through the lense of humanity rebuilding 4 centuries after an ecological apocalypse. entertaining drives the message through story without preaching.

By: Rob Preston

Rob Preston — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:36:53 +0000

Haven’t read Matter yet, but love IMB and look forward to that one! I’d personally highly reccomend Banks to anyone who likes SF – well worth taking a look at.
Taking seriously the prod in the direction of the Fast Forward anthologies – I realy enjoy the fast pace of collections, and the different styles and ideas therein.
On the subject of new SF, I’ve just had my first book published (how cool?)! It’s called The Siege, and it’s available online from http://www.eloquentbooks.com/TheSiege.html
I’d love to get some feedback from anyone who’s had a chance to read it…
Keep up the good work on this site, everyone!

By: RP

RP — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:58:46 +0000

The Culture books are different, and MATTER in particular is fun (and at times breezy and funny) without sacrificing emotional weight.

By: Todd

Todd — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:41:38 +0000

re: Matter. I came into Banks via The Algebraist and was not a fan at all. Are these Culture books similar? I’d heard good things about Use of Weapons, but am still hesitant…

By: Rod

Rod — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:47:29 +0000

More year-end coverage and lists to come as the week continues!

By: Paladin08

Paladin08 — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:06:35 +0000

Yippee! Some new reads to track down and fill my time with here in Q1 of 2009. Thanks for the list!

By: Sara Cooper

Sara Cooper — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:51:20 +0000

I read other Stephenson offerings in an Introduction to Science Fiction sophomore English class intended to help develop a literary canon for SF. I found that Stephenson takes his time/space/chapter developing the background in the beginning of a novel , and then overwhelms you with action that requires the knowledge provided in those slow, early pages. I'll look forward to reading Anathema.

By: gary dobbs

gary dobbs — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:32:16 +0000

Joker was superb