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Novels you have re-read several times
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 1:52 pm
by BenTC
I am an avid reader of novels. I've found a good measure of quality are those that I've read several times. While we're all waiting for Design and Theory to ramp back up, I'd be interested in what novels you've read several times, what you liked, and what(if anything) it brings into your life.
Here is passage that I am quite taken by, which has found practical use from time to time. Anyone recognise it?
Litany Against Fear
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
(no early peeking/googling)
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 2:14 pm
by MSimon
The litany of the Bene Gesserit.
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 2:17 pm
by MSimon
Gully Foyle is my name.
Terra is my nation.
Deep space my dwelling place.
The Stars my Destination.
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 2:18 pm
by pfrit
MSimon wrote:Gully Foyle is my name.
Terra is my nation.
Deep space my dwelling place.
The Stars my Destination.
well, Death is still my destination...
The Count of Montecristo?
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 2:33 pm
by MSimon
pfrit wrote:MSimon wrote:Gully Foyle is my name.
Terra is my nation.
Deep space my dwelling place.
The Stars my Destination.
well, Death is still my destination...
The Count of Montecristo? :)
Science Fiction.
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 4:15 pm
by blaisepascal
MSimon wrote:pfrit wrote:MSimon wrote:
well, Death is still my destination...
The Count of Montecristo?
Science Fiction.
Unlike the Litany against Fear from Dune, this one actually includes the name of the novel, although if I recall correctly, the author wanted to call it "Tyger Tyger Burning Bright".
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 6:30 pm
by Tom Ligon
Emergence, by David R. Palmer. It was just one heckuva entertaining read. The sequel "Seeking" was great, too, and I look forward to re-reading it when the book comes out (it was an Analog serial).
I've read it about three times. I've seen rave reviews by other readers who have read it dozens of times.
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:10 pm
by rashudo
I've read Frank Herbert's Dune books (all of them) about 4 or 5 times and the first one more than 10 times..
But now i've stopped re-reading them, 10 times is too much!
Anything by Jack Vance is worth a re-read, especially the Demon Princes, Tschai (Planet of Adventure), Tales of the Dying Earth (cugel) and Lyonesse.
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:24 pm
by MSimon
I'm a fan of Zelazny. Lord of Light and Creatures of Light and Darkness esp.
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:36 pm
by MirariNefas
Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy. Had a few issues, but stands out in my mind anyway.
Can't say that I liked the Dunes, probably because it lasted too long. Loved the first one, but nagging things came up and kept bothering me across multiple books. And just so we're all on the same page, I avoid the works of Frank's son like the plague.
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:56 pm
by tombo
Tolkein - more times than I want to think about due to kid's requests for read aloud.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - to corrupt my kids
Cryptonomicon - not exactly for kids - nicely complex story
The Survival of Freedom - Jerry Pournelle - more libertarian thoughts
Carmen Miranda's Ghost is Haunting Space Station Three - short stories inspired by a filk song.
Contact - Sagan
Kim - Kipling
What Do You Care What Other People Think - Richard Feynman
Almost anything by Terry Pratchett - hilarious
Monkey - Wu Cheng En - the Arthur Waley translation - classic Chinese adventure/fairy tale (AKA Journey to the West. Some translations are dry.)
As I look around I see a lot that I want to read again.
So many books so little time.
Your quote: got it in one. nice one
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:16 pm
by pfrit
MSimon wrote:pfrit wrote:MSimon wrote:
well, Death is still my destination...
The Count of Montecristo?
Science Fiction.
For those who haven't read it, the quote above is a rephrasing from the end of the book of the peom at the begining of the book where the last line is "and deaths my destination". It is a scifi retelling of The Count of Montecristo. Stands up surprisingly well after all this time. His other scifi story from that period is The Demolished Man which is loosely based on Crime and Punishment.
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:35 pm
by Tom Ligon
Tombo, that Einstein quote was posted on one of the doors to the EMC2 San Diego lab. The other was Fermi:
"No experiment is worth doing unless it has at least a fifty percent chance of failure."
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:37 pm
by Aero
The Paratime series written by H. Beam Piper.
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 10:35 pm
by CaptainBeowulf
Stephen King - Dark Tower/Gunslinger series
Larry Niven - Ringworld series
Orson Scott Card - Ender's Game
Asimov - Foundation Trilogy
Heinlein - Starship Troopers
Walter Miller - Canticle for Liebowitz
And, when I'm in the right mood, I like to reread bits and pieces of John Ringo's Posleen war series... in a pulp sci-fi way, they have good commentary on the various theoretical fads (maneuver warfare, RMA, Transformation) that the military gets into, as well as some MSimonesque critique of the political left.