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Book worms please!!-Arthur C Clarke, Salman Rushdie

SardonicNihilist

SardonicNihilist

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I have been spending a lot of time reading recently, and to my proud satisfaction managed to read Arthur C Clarke`s 3001 Final Odyssey AND Songs of Distant Earth in a mere 8 days! That is seriously a record for me as usually it takes me many months to read a book of 300+ pages. Hopefully those of you reading this are familiar with his work and are aware he has a `style-less style` to quote some other internet critic, ie. very simple language and straight-to-the-point plot lines. I found his works extremely thought provoking but obviously far from poetic or `clever` in one sense of the word. His scientific genius is unquestionable. This style was very user friendly for me, if not a little too simplistic, and I was beginning to think my skills as a reader were vastly improving. Over the years I would find it difficult to become engrossed in any work of fiction and would lose interest after reading 5 or 6 pages, but after my recent feat I felt empowered and ready tackle a far more challenging piece...

The Moor`s Last Sigh, by Salman Rushdie and am finding I must re-read each paragraph at elast twice and make little notes on the family tree provided on the first page- just to keep my head on what each character is about. I am hoping to ask anyone who has read this book to give me some advice on whether I should persevere through the fascinatingly tangled writing style and intricate cross-generational plots, or maybe attempt to read something by the same author which may be a little more simple.... for my evidently simple mind. I have attempted to read it once before and got about 3 quarters of the way through before giving up as I had totally forgot what the hell was going on!! And basically if anyone can recommend other works by either of these two authors which they enjoyed I would be most appreciative.
 
For Arthur C. Clarke, I recommend reading his collections of short works titled "The Sentinel" (from the story of the same name that "2001: A Space Odyssey" was loosely based on), and "The Wind from the Sun". Having read "2001", "2010", and "2061" (which all precede "3001"), "2010: Odyssey Two" is by far my favorite.

For the record, my (current) favorite short stories by Clarke are "The Wind from the Sun", and his Hugo-winning "A Meeting with Medusa."

A lot of Clarke fans swear by "Rendezvous with Rama", the first book in the Rama series, but I haven't read it yet.
 
Yeah, read Rendezvous with Rama, which was very much his style, and very enjoyable. Also read Cradle, and a few shorts from Tale of Ten Cities or something along those lines.. basically a short story compilation.

Will take up Odyssey 2, as I foolishly purchased 3001 assuming it was the one and only sequel, but later found out of the many others in between. No matter, it seems they are all able to be read indiviually as many details change due to latest scientific research, such as the changing of the destination planet amon other things. That`s one thing about Clarke that draws me to his work- all works based on genuine facts, as he spent some time diving in the Great Barrier reef and also consulting with NASA-type scientists- Gentry Lee being one (as far as I know)
 
I forgot to mention "Childhood's End", which is probably one of Clarke's most famous books; it comes highly recommended, but I haven't read it either.
 
I loved The Moor's Last Sigh. It isn't easy reading, but it's actually probably one of Rushdie's easier books - certainly easier than the Satanic Verses. Persevere, it's worth it. And it does settle down after a little while when the narrator stops talking about his ancestors, and gets up to his own life. What makes it difficult is Rushdie loves puns and allusions, there are some very clever ones in there that I caught, and probably dozens more that I missed. Worth reading, but it doesn't make things easy for you.
 
The Moor's Last Sigh is kinda dense but lots and lots of fun. For something a little more easy-going to start you off on Rushdie, try "The Ground Beneath Her Feet".
 
A.C.C.'s short stories are def worth checking out as well as his novels. Some of his novels suffer when the ideas aren't as vivid, but when he sparks the prose style is totally forgotten.

  • Childhoods End
    2001 (...2010 wasn't bad either)
    Rendezvous with Rama
    City and the Stars (the description of life in the city is fascinating.. his first novel)

    short stories
    Tales from the White Hart (a collection of tall-tales, sf style)
    Nine Billion Names of God
    The Sentinel (ideas from this lifted for parts of 2001)
actually, there's too many of his short stories to recommend only a few... every collection of 'em has at least a half-dozen jewels in it.. other writers like Isaac Asimov might appeal 2 u as well if u like A.C.C's style.

personally, my last fave style of sci-fi was the early '80s cyberpunk movement (film noir meets post-modern dystopia)
 
Thanks y`all, just finished The Moor`s Last Sigh, and it was well worth the effort. Everything ties together quite well, and I understand why he spent so much time desrcibing his family history, all seems oddly relevant in the end.

On to Charles Dicken`s `A Tale of Two Cities`s` now- very antiquated language, found myself using my most-invaluable dictionary at least once every page, but he does paint a very vivid and definitively old-school English picture. Up to about page 50 so far.

Any one read this?? (can`t be fucked starting new thread)
 
I read that in school many years ago and kind of forget a lot about it. I'd like to recommend my favorite Dickens though, which is The Mystery Of Edwin Drood. Although it is only a half book, as Dickens died while writing it.. thus creating the best mystery novel of all time... its a good read and starts off in opium den.
 
Rama I is good but the sequels suck.

Childhoods End is strange and confusing.

Asimov is easier to read, but the parts that he writes for women are appallingly misoginistic (sp??).

Kim Stanley Robinson is okay, bit dry and meandering, but most of his books are worth it, especially the Mars trilogy.

Philip K Dick...hmmm, he did write most of his stories during 2-3 week methamphetamine binges.

Only read one Heinlein book...STARSHIP TROOPERS. Brilliant. Much better than the movie. Tried reader Stranger in a Strange Land but I tuned out when the martian became a circus performer. Thats just trashy.
 
Belisarius said:
A lot of Clarke fans swear by "Rendezvous with Rama", the first book in the Rama series, but I haven't read it yet.
Click to expand...

I was gonna say if you like Clarke check out the Rama series.. awesome stuff :D The sequels are cowritten so their not as good as the original but I enjoyed them all

for Asimov i recommend the Foundation series, esp the original trilogy :)
 
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