Novels you have re-read several times

chrismb · Post by **chrismb** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:16 pm

I've always felt that reading fiction was a waste of time when there was so much to learn about the world from factual books with real information in.

I am still undecided whether I have lost out from that, though I tend to think this is a typical *extreme engineer's* trait as it is common with some other types like me that I know.

I have studied Julius Caesar and The Hobbit at school. I really liked the Shakespear stuff actually, there is a certain 'designed connectivity' within the character structures of these plays that I think has an appeal to system engineers. Hobbit - blah blah nonsense....

The only other book I have read cover to cover was Frøken Smillas fornemmelse for sne [resorting to an english translation - I'm not very accomplished with languages]. (Well, if one has an ex Nordic sailing champion as a girlfriend and she says "read this, I think it's great" then, in the bigger scheme of things, it's not really an option not to, is it!?)

EricF · Post by **EricF** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:19 pm

At one point I had the entire Dragonlance series (120+ novels) and had read each novel several times, and aprox 80% of the Forgotton Realms series. I gave them all away about 3 years ago to a co-worker.

Skipjack · Post by **Skipjack** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:23 pm

Some books in the Perry Rhodan novel series. One of the authors was a physicist and the first books were- for the early sixties- quite solid science fiction. E.g. Perry Rhodan's (an american and the first human to land on the moon) moon rocket had a NERVA style engine. They actually envisioned every modern plane of the early seventies (when Rhodan lands on the moon in their vision of the future) to be powered by nuclear engines.
Of course there are also all sorts of aliens and hyper space jumps and all that not so down to earth stuff. They were the first (that I know of) to have star trek like transporters (called transmitters) and impulse engines described technically in a sci fi story too.
Anyway, I liked it for their descriptions of the world reaching for the stars (the first space port and so on).

chrismb · Post by **chrismb** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 12:01 am

Oh, yeah, that reminded me. I did read one of George Gamow's "Mr Tompkins" books. Not sure if that is fiction, or quantum-physics-educational!!

taniwha · Post by **taniwha** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 12:07 am

Anne McCafferey's Pern books (as well as most of her SF, especially Restoree).
Various Heinlein (particularly Number of the Beast and Time Enough for Love (I especially like Lazarus' notes: they've probably been my biggest influence)).
Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover and Survivor series.
Doom (yes, the game became a series of four books: surprisingly good).
Several of HM Hoover's books (particularly "This time of Darkness").
John Brunner's "Crucible of Time" is excellent. Makes AGW look like a storm in a teacup

.
Poul Anderson's "Starfarers".
Robert F Young's "Eridahn" (probably a favorite, but I've only just found it again)

I've read many others (Herbert, Tolkien, Hubbard (

), some Shakespeare), to the point I can't remember them all.

Adding to that, I've also read (as in finished) and enjoyed 精霊の守人 and フルメタルパニック (first book). Reading Japanese is still a bit of a chore, though.

choff · Post by **choff** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:48 am

Franz Kafka (The Trial, The Castle, I'm trying to find a copy of Amerika), Herman Hesse (Steppenwolf), Walter Tevis (The Man Who Fell to Earth), Everything by Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, Arthor C. Clarke (Glidepath), Ray Bradbury (Farhenheit 451), Auldous Huxley (Brave New World). Movies- THX1138, Rollerball(original), A Clockwork Orange, Deathrace 2000(Original), TV- The Prisoner Series(original). Comix-Heavy Metal.

passenger66 · Post by **passenger66** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 5:39 am

No peeking, which novel is it?

"Blue sky!" shouts Chris.

pfrit · Post by **pfrit** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 6:07 am

passenger66 wrote:No peeking, which novel is it?

"Blue sky!" shouts Chris.

without looking, Heinlein? The one with nazis on the moon? Have spacesuit will travel? Or was that clear skies? and the reply was... cool jets? clear flying? IDK

pfrit · Post by **pfrit** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 6:10 am

pfrit wrote:
passenger66 wrote:No peeking, which novel is it?

"Blue sky!" shouts Chris.
without looking, Heinlein? The one with nazis on the moon? Have spacesuit will travel? Or was that clear skies? and the reply was... cool jets? clear flying? IDK

OK, I looked. Man, I was way off...

passenger66 · Post by **passenger66** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 6:12 am

The author says:

"Although much has been changed for rhetorical purposes, it must be regarded in its essence as fact."

In the text he uses the description for his text: "Chautauqua".

Perhaps I was being misleading to call it a novel.

pfrit · Post by **pfrit** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 6:17 am

passenger66 wrote:The author says:

"Although much has been changed for rhetorical purposes, it must be regarded in its essence as fact."

In the text he uses the description for his text: "Chautauqua".

Perhaps I was being misleading to call it a novel.

I owned it as a teenager. I won't say the name of the book because I did look.

passenger66 · Post by **passenger66** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 6:23 am

And I must admit now I'm wondering if I've spoiled the game for others by providing too many clues.

Heath_h49008 · Post by **Heath_h49008** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 6:49 am

"Blue sky!" "Hot Jets!"

I think...

The Green Hills of Earth?

It's been a while, but I believe that's what you're after.

Josh Cryer · Post by **Josh Cryer** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:57 am

I have never once read a novel twice to my recollection.

I've read all of Iain Banks' novels, and also Richard Morgan who I would say has written some fantastic stuff. I could list 'em all but I'm too tired.

Skipjack · Post by **Skipjack** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 10:53 am

Everything by Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft

I read a couple of poes stories twice.
Oh, I forgot to mention Arthur Conan Doyles stories (Sherlock Holmes and more). I read those a couple of times too. I have always had a weak spot for the victorian age.