Books - Chasm City

Just a quick question really. I'm into science fiction, (better than the real world, usually), and I spoke to someone on here about Chasm City and the guy who wrote it, Reynolds. Who was it recommended it ?

Just thought I would say that I finished the story, (along with the previous one), and it was indeed an excellent read. Any other recommendations would be interesting.

Thanks,

Try fifty shades of grey, that will get you spaced out.

Was going to, but decided I didn't have the stamina, (or opportunity)

The only true sci-fi novel i've ever read is Neuromancer by William Gibson and i found it fairly hard to follow to be honest.

One of my favourite ever novellas is "The invention of Morel" by Adolfo Bioy Casares, sci-fi undertones.

The best book of all time for me though is The House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Again Sci-Fi undertones but an incredible read.

gloswhite wrote:Just a quick question really. I'm into science fiction, (better than the real world, usually), and I spoke to someone on here about Chasm City and the guy who wrote it, Reynolds. Who was it recommended it ?

Just thought I would say that I finished the story, (along with the previous one), and it was indeed an excellent read. Any other recommendations would be interesting.

Thanks,

It was probably me as I like some good quality science fiction.

If you like Reynolds all his books are pretty good although some are better than others. My personal favourite author is Iain M Banks. There is a box set of his Culture novels for £11.99 on Amazon. Peter Hamilton is good as are most of the books by Neal Asher but avoid his last two, The Departure and Zero Point.

Hope this helps.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:The only true sci-fi novel i've ever read is Neuromancer by William Gibson and i found it fairly hard to follow to be honest.

One of my favourite ever novellas is "The invention of Morel" by Adolfo Bioy Casares, sci-fi undertones.

The best book of all time for me though is The House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Again Sci-Fi undertones but an incredible read.

I'll try to find these two.

Neuromancer is good but it's hard to recommend decent science fiction without knowing more about what kind of fiction you like. Most science fiction is crap unfortunately.

Cheers Xmiles. I do believe it was you that told me. The other authors you mention I have also read. Neal Asher is something different when it comes to his blood and gore from aliens, but really good. read Departure, and as you say, not as good as the others. Will have a ganders at the two HN mentioned thoug, might be something in it.

Thanks guys

I'll keep an eye out for the recommendations.
Sci-fi interests me although I don't read it much these days. Most of all I like a good story, preferably unpredictable, and the book that got me into grown up sci-fi was the Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury. Sure it's a paperback and old school and it's moralistic, but it's a great intro to sci-fi. Within the context of an over-arching plot, there are 18 short stories (chapters), so it comes in bite size pieces for a start. Some of the stories are Ok but a few are crackers. When they filmed the book, they only covered 3 of the stories - not the ones I'd have chosen - so if you've not read it don't shortcut to the film which presumably will be online somewhere.
Can't remember the chapter titles but my favourites were the one about the guy who had an android of himself built to live his life for him whilst he pissed off and started a new one because he couldn't stand his nagging wife and the one about the abandoned city. Great story writing and a sci-fi milestone in it's day (1953 - obviously I read it well after it's first publication!)

For me the older writers had something special, City by Clifford Simak is a good starter, Moondust, but if you were to try the Robot stories by Isaac Asimov, you would be drawn into the genre quite easily. (His 3 laws of robotics have actually been used as a basis for current and future robotics). I like the space operas, such as the Lensman series by EE Doc Smith, and I have to say that the newer writers are starting to get back to how storytelling was, but with new, unused, themes. In between many tried different ways of writing, with very strange storylines, (for me), and it was a few years before I took it up again.

Talking of older writers it was Asimov's Foundation trilogy that got me hooked on science fiction, then some of Clarke's stuff and then Philip K Dick. Several of Dick's short stories have been made into films (most famously Blade runner, Total Recall and Minority Report). He also wrote a classic alternative universe book called The Man In The High Castle where the Nazis won WWII.

Have to say, it was the Foundation trilogy that started me off too. Girls name was Arcadia if I remeber rightly., The Mule, and all that. Asimov, an absolutely brilliant writer.