Varley is very underrated. Marian, I love all the Hyperion books but some folks don't care as much for sequels Endymion and The Rise of Endymion.
I like Asimov's ideas but his writing never grabbed me. Is it the scope, characters or something else? As far a scale and scope Stephen Baxter's Xeelee Sequence might be a good fit. It's filled huge ideas, a story that starts at the beginning and closes at the end of this universe, inscrutable alien races, a war that is universal in scope, etc. The story collection Vacuum Diagrams is a good place to start for an overview of the series. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeelee_Sequence --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Augustus Augustus <jazzynupe_...@...> wrote: > > Marian, > > the wife had me 2 read this series by a guy named John Varley, the Gaea > Trilogy. the books were very interesting. fantasy and scifi. a really good > read. > book 1 - Titan (1979) > book 2 - Wizard (1980) > book 3 - Demon (1984) > > --- On Thu, 7/30/09, Martin Baxter <truthseeker...@...> wrote: > > From: Martin Baxter <truthseeker...@...> > Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Foundation-like > To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > Date: Thursday, July 30, 2009, 6:50 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > Need to think carefully over this one before I reply, > Marian. It's been a long day on my end, and my stomach is growling. Early on > the morrow, my word 'pon 't. > > > > > > ---------[ Received Mail Content ]---------- > > Subject : Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Foundation-like > > Date : Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:32:03 -0000 > > From : "marian_changling" <md_moor...@yahoo. com> > > To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com > > > > I am going to guess that she is in her thirties. > > > > I groaned when I heard that she was reading the book. Mainly because SF of > that era was strong on ideas and less so with characterization. I remember > loving the book but I don't know if I could read it now. Now I might sit > back and gripe that there were no real female characters. > > > > I'm concerned that she might think that is what SF is like. > > > > > > > > --- In scifino...@yahoogro ups.com, "Martin Baxter" wrote: > > > > > > Marian, the "Hyperion" series is about the closest I can think of in > > comparison, in terms of scope and depth of event and characterization. > > Having read both, I wouldn't dis-recommend "Hyperion". I would, however, > > suggest "Foundation" first. Can I be rude and inquire as to your friend's > > age? A few SF book recommends I've made recently have faltered because I've > > advised books written during my generation to people of a later one, and > > many of the cultural constructs are incomprehensible to them. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ---------[ Received Mail Content ]---------- > > > > > Subject : [scifinoir2] Foundation-like > > > > > Date : Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:27:06 -0000 > > > > > From : "marian_changling" > > > > > To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com > > > > > > > > I have a friend who started Asimov's "Foundation" series because of the > theme. Now she is faltering. I wouldn't be surprised if it is because of > 1940's style of writing. > > > > > > Anyone know a modern book with a similar theme? Has no one taken up the > > mantle of psychohistory from Asimov? Wikipedia mentions a number of graphic > > novels and "Hyperion". I never read that one; anyone know anything about > > it? Anyone have another suggestion? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds >
