Most of my SF book collection doesn't get a second round, with the exception of Banks (and a small number of others). Like others I'd say start with 'Player of Games', 'Consider Phlebas', 'Excession', or for something a little darker 'Use of Weapons'. I find the first read through is rushed just to finish the fast-paced parts, and a 2nd or 3rd read to savour some of the imagery and situational positions that Banks as assembled. The humour is distinctly British as well! "Matter" hasn't quite got the snorts of humour that some of the other books had, but the imagery and plotlines are right up there.
Nowdays, we're more civilised. When previously he might get his ass kicked on the street it would have been because he was proclaiming his disputed rights on the street, on a soapbox. Now that he's on the 'net isn't it more likey that his website gets it's ass kicked/defaced, or at least the server hosed?
Personal favourite bits: seeing the original Marvin in the queue on Vogsphere, as well as the cameo played by Simon Jones (the original Arthur). And the gun, don't forget the gun.
Nice to see that some of the best kept secrets of storytelling and entertainment - SF novels - are finally getting to a wider audience, even if they've been bastardised to hell. Now can someone please point the Sci-Fi Channel powers-that-be to The Moat in God's Eye, Niven's Known Space series, or Iain M. Banks Culture series. With current CGI, these are do-able!
Nope - on that logic you've just trashed the laser! So say goodbye to your CD, DVD, high-speed communications systems, guidance systems, engineering/plotting systems, etc etc etc. It was in the same category when was first developed: technology looking for an application.
Writing a new codec - if it's good enough - could lead to many many new things.
Slashdot Mirror
Most of my SF book collection doesn't get a second round, with the exception of Banks (and a small number of others). Like others I'd say start with 'Player of Games', 'Consider Phlebas', 'Excession', or for something a little darker 'Use of Weapons'. I find the first read through is rushed just to finish the fast-paced parts, and a 2nd or 3rd read to savour some of the imagery and situational positions that Banks as assembled. The humour is distinctly British as well! "Matter" hasn't quite got the snorts of humour that some of the other books had, but the imagery and plotlines are right up there.
Powerful Processors Push Performance of Pixel Pushing Pin-dicks
[Wheeze]Your lack of faith is disturbing[Wheeze]
Nowdays, we're more civilised. When previously he might get his ass kicked on the street it would have been because he was proclaiming his disputed rights on the street, on a soapbox. Now that he's on the 'net isn't it more likey that his website gets it's ass kicked/defaced, or at least the server hosed?
Personal favourite bits: seeing the original Marvin in the queue on Vogsphere, as well as the cameo played by Simon Jones (the original Arthur). And the gun, don't forget the gun.
The dinosaurs still died from smoking...and baking, and roasting, and broiling!
but this one is real!
http://www.aardvark.co.nz/pjet/cruise.shtml
You don't have any friends! Nooobody likes you!
"and more closely simulate and resemble the real world". Hey, I know! How about a COmmon Business-Oriented Language? We could call it COBOL perhaps.
and Treble are belong to us
And yet, we've never seen the Silver Surfer use a windsail on his surfboard. Go figure.
OK, so I've got my plasma force field on, now how do I set my laser printer to stun?
Now that's got potential - who wants to vote Obi Wan off the set in the first week?
So in the longterm battle between the GNU and the penguin, he's saying conditions will favour the penguin? I bet the BSD Imp will be pissed as well!
Ok, so you've got the rush hour beat, now how to stop the snowboard hotdoggers who keep running the lights?!
Hook up the B&W A.I. to Weta's Massive engine for an ORChestrated fight
Nice to see that some of the best kept secrets of storytelling and entertainment - SF novels - are finally getting to a wider audience, even if they've been bastardised to hell.
Now can someone please point the Sci-Fi Channel powers-that-be to The Moat in God's Eye, Niven's Known Space series, or Iain M. Banks Culture series. With current CGI, these are do-able!
Nope - on that logic you've just trashed the laser! So say goodbye to your CD, DVD, high-speed communications systems, guidance systems, engineering/plotting systems, etc etc etc. It was in the same category when was first developed: technology looking for an application.
Writing a new codec - if it's good enough - could lead to many many new things.