Recommend a Book: Entertaining + Thought Provoking

[brushman]

I want something entertaining and thought provoking. Here's the books I have already (something off this list is ideal):
-I, Robot
-War of the Worlds
-Have Space Suit -- Will Travel
-Ender's Game
-Prey
-Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
-Starship Troopers
-20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
-The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
-Stranger in a Strange Land
-Dune
-Eaters of the Dead
-State of Fear

 

[zomgwtf]

Oryx and Crake -- read it.

the curious case of the dog in the night time -- another great book

 

[Evo]

I haven't read it, but I've heard great things about Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

I'd highly recommend Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson.

 

[Dembadon]

I am a huge Michael Crichton fan, so:

Sphere
The Andromeda Strain
Eaters of the Dead
Lost World

Those are my favorites. In my opinion, you can't really go wrong with anything from either Crichton or Asimov.

I've heard good things about Flatland, by Edwin Abbott.

 

[MotoH]

Malazan Book of the Fallen - Steven Erikson

 

[Gannet]

I enjoyed Jules Verne's Master of the World. It has a vehicle called the Terror which is a boat, submarine, car and airplane.

 

[Leptos]

I recommend The Culture series by Ian M. Banks and Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Culture

 

[KrisOhn]

I am a huge Michael Crichton fan, so:

Sphere
The Andromeda Strain
Eaters of the Dead
Lost World

Those are my favorites. In my opinion, you can't really go wrong with anything from either Crichton or Asimov.

I've heard good things about Flatland, by Edwin Abbott.

Also a huge Crichton fan; you can't forget Timeline from that list

 

[theneedtoknow]

Weaveworld by Clive Barker or Altered Carbon by Richard k Morgan

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I've liked Crichton's books but I thought State of Fear was just bad. He was trying too hard to make his statement.


The Schrödinger's Cat Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson is where my SN comes from. Its more entertaining than anything but Wilson prided himself on his "guerrilla ontology" so if you are looking for something that may challenge the way you perceive the world this could work.

 

[Simone Ce-Ce]

Wow! Nice reading!

How about Sherlock Holmes? You could start with The Hound Of The Baskervilles...

 

[waht]

Time's Eye Trilogy - Arthur C Clarke/Baxter

 

[joelupchurch]

If you like "Have Space Suit -- Will Travel", then you should get a copy of "Citizen of the Galaxy", which is, IMO, the best of Heinleins juveniles.

You might also want to look at "Three Men in a Boat" since it is referenced in "Have Space Suit -- Will Travel". It is in the public domain and can de downloaded from here:

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/308"

Or you can view the 1889 version here: http://books.google.com/books?id=bf...CS4G-E5eUyASI-6nKDw&cd=3#v=twopage&q&f=false"

While the discussion on how to open a can without a can opener has it's points, my favorite is the discussion in Chapter IV - ADVANTAGES OF CHEESE AS A TRAVELLING COMPANION.

 

[Insanity]

The Gods Themselves - Isaac Asimov
The Mote in God's Eye - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
Footfall - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
The Wee Free Men - Terry Pratchett
The Genesis Quest - Donald Moffit
The Jupiter Theft - Donald Moffit

 

[fasterthanjoao]

The Dice Man - Luke Rhinehart.

 

[edpell]

The whole Dune series by Frank Herbert starting with "Dune".

 

[KrisOhn]

The whole Dune series by Frank Herbert starting with "Dune".

Yes, but only the ones by Frank. The ones by his son, Brian Herbert, and Kevin Anderson aren't worth anything.

 

[AFG34]

thought provoking..hmm, check out The Kit Runner

 

[edpell]

Yes, but only the ones by Frank. The ones by his son, Brian Herbert, and Kevin Anderson aren't worth anything.

I have only read the ones by Frank. I will take your word for the poor quality of the non-Frank version.

Warning book two by Frank is lame but it gets much better after that.

 

[Thetom]

Based on the great books you listed...

The Sprawl Trilogy by William Gibson
Includes:
Neuromancer
Count Zero
Mona Lisa Overdrive

The Integral Trees and The Smoke Ring by Larry Niven

Only Forward or anything else by Michael Marshall Smith

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

I highly recommend Only Forward or perhaps Spares by Michael Marshall Smith.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Recommend me a book

Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style".

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I really enjoyed the apocalyptic "Swan Song" by Robert McCammon.

 

[turbo]

I haven't read it, but I've heard great things about Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

The basis of Blade Runner.

 

[tribdog]

The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson is probably the best book on the list of past Hugo (or Nebula I don't remember which) winners. Unless you want to read the Harry Potter books, I'm partial to them. Someone mentioned a Terry Pratchett book if you are going to read his books, which I recommend, Night Watch is his best discworld book and Good Omens is pretty good. I also have to agree with Ivan, everyone should be forced to read Strunk and White.

 

[Evo]

The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson is probably the best book on the list of past Hugo (or Nebula I don't remember which) winners. Unless you want to read the Harry Potter books, I'm partial to them. Someone mentioned a Terry Pratchett book if you are going to read his books, which I recommend, Night Watch is his best discworld book and Good Omens is pretty good. I also have to agree with Ivan, everyone should be forced to read Strunk and White.

OMG, you're alive and not incarcerated. We assumed the worst, naturally. Welcome back!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Wow, tribdog, we haven't seen you in a long time.

Someone was looking for you.
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=393279

 

[MotoH]

Oh look, pallidin disappears, and Tribdog shows up. I knew it!

 

[magpies]

Elfenheim was an ok book I read a bit ago.

 

[tribdog]

I'm just testing out my new blackberry. I seem to be in the habit of getting kicked out of here and don't want to press my luck. I just like to pop in once in a while and remind everyone what true genius looks like (usually by pointing at Ivan and saying "yep that's a genius)

 

[tribdog]

Not to be confused with when I point at zooby and say "yep that's a new genus."

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

The basis of Blade Runner.

The book is very good. Much of what was in the book was left out of the movie. Anyone picking it up should not expect it to be very similar.




And good to see you Trib. Hope you come around more often.