I just looked Goodkind up and he was a Ayn Rand fan, and put Objectivist stuff in the books, so I think that might have been what it was.
The Science Fiction & Fantasy Books Thread
- Thread starter JD
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I read Wizard's First Rule awhile back. I bought the Kindle version of the next book but never got around to it. I don't recall anything preachy about Objectivism in it, but I wasn't looking for it either.
The Wikipedia article says that he didn't start putting that stuff in there until later in the series.
There is a Russian novel called the The Last Ringbearer set in Middle Earth.The author writes the story from the perspective of Sauron.
I'd be happy if somebody could advise me some feel-good sci-books. Something optimistic. Preferably modern, but anything will do. I've had a long list of tbr books, but at the moment everything seems too dark, I can't take anything about war, blood and dystopia at the moment.
They're old books by now, but Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series gets positively utopian by the end. Though really any of his books (even his later series) go in this direction, if you can handle his writing style (flowery prose, kind of meandering plot).
Oh, in that case I'll give it one more try, thank you!
Finally got around to Susanna Clarke's Piranesi. I'll preface to say Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel is my favorite fantasy novel of all time, period. Since seeing something written by Clarke is like waiting on some astronominal event you can't help but compare the two.
Piranesi is something special. In some ways, and she is pretty open about the inspiration, it is a love note to Lewis's best (IMO) novel, The Magician's Nephew, it's a fascinating novel in modern times where writing can have world-building that is incredibly bloated (in fairness JS&MN, whose main character is arguably the copious footnotes themselves, might be accused of that, but since Clarke did it perfectly, it escapes conviction on technicalities), Piranesi is minimalist. The bulk of the book involves no more than two characters, and the world, while magnificent is left for the reader's eyes to draw. There is very little action, meaning every little clue within the book is pounced upon by the reader.
It's also a very small book , or I would say, about as long as it needed to be. Despite that, it's amazing all the Narnia Easter Eggs she placed into it. You may even find a Doctor Who reference. Worth a read.
Piranesi is something special. In some ways, and she is pretty open about the inspiration, it is a love note to Lewis's best (IMO) novel, The Magician's Nephew, it's a fascinating novel in modern times where writing can have world-building that is incredibly bloated (in fairness JS&MN, whose main character is arguably the copious footnotes themselves, might be accused of that, but since Clarke did it perfectly, it escapes conviction on technicalities), Piranesi is minimalist. The bulk of the book involves no more than two characters, and the world, while magnificent is left for the reader's eyes to draw. There is very little action, meaning every little clue within the book is pounced upon by the reader.
It's also a very small book , or I would say, about as long as it needed to be. Despite that, it's amazing all the Narnia Easter Eggs she placed into it. You may even find a Doctor Who reference. Worth a read.
Thanks! Both are on my TBR bookshelf.
Have finished reading "The long way to a small, angry planet" by Becky Chambers. A wormhole-making ship with an interspecies crew on board flies to a distant planet to create a wormhole from there to "our space", because one clan of a belligerent race decided to establish relationships with GC (an analog of the United Federation of Planets). I guess this pretty much sums it up, there isn't much action apart from the problems that the crew faces on its way. What makes it interesting (in my opinion) is how the author describes the species, their appearance, their culture in great detail. A pleasant read.
Finished Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir recently and it was really good! This is some of the best sci-fi I've read in years. It's fun and thoughtful.I mean, it's not everyday you get to go on a roadtrip with an alien from outerspace! 
Also recently read The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield, and that one also comes highly recommended. An alternate historical take on what an Apollo 18 mission could have been.
Also recently read The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield, and that one also comes highly recommended. An alternate historical take on what an Apollo 18 mission could have been.
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Ohhh I've only read The Astronaut's guide to life by Hadfield, didn't know he wrote fiction! I'm gonna check that out, thanks!Finished Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir recently and it was really good! This is some of the best sci-fi I've read in years. It's fun and thoughtful.I mean, it's not everyday you get to go on a roadtrip with an alien from outerspace!
Also recently read The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield, and that one also comes highly recommended. An alternate historical take on what an Apollo 18 mission could have been.
It's his first try at fiction, and it's really good. It did well enough, in fact, that he's got a sequel coming out soon called The Defector. Same main character as in The Apollo Murders, but this time, it's focused on Hadfield's experience as a test pilot. Seems to be going for a mix of Top Gun & The Hunt for Red October.
I've loved this series of books by Mary Robinette Kowal too. I'm looking forward to it continuing.
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