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Old-school scifan looking for new authors.

John Scalzi has just released a re-imagined Fuzzies as Fuzzy Nation - review

I'm a little apprehensive as it's another old favorite. I'll probably get it on Audible at some point.
 
Zax63 said:
John Scalzi has just released a re-imagined Fuzzies as Fuzzy Nation - review

I'm a little apprehensive as it's another old favorite. I'll probably get it on Audible at some point.
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I've seen that's coming out. I'm apprehensive as well, I think Piper got it right the first time. Retellings are rarely as good, and almost never better than the original.

I'll probably get it though, I have the other derivatives; "Golden Dream", "Fuzzybones" and even the children's' edition of "Little Fuzzy". I'm a collector.

Robert
 
Gawdzilla said:
I have no problem with books on screen, check my sig. I just don't see the point in 1/3 of a computer.
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Month long battery charge, can read in bright light, cheap, no data contract required, optimized for reading (scalable fonts, line length, line spacing, word spacing, button placement, etc).

You may or may not value those, but those are the points.
 
roger said:
Month long battery charge, can read in bright light, cheap, no data contract required, optimized for reading (scalable fonts, line length, line spacing, word spacing, button placement, etc).

You may or may not value those, but those are the points.
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Does it connect to the Internet? Or play movies? Or do wordprocessing? Those are things I can do with one machine as well as read books. Anybody likes them, fine, I don't see the point in them when a laptop does just as well and does more things to boot.
 
Gawdzilla said:
Really? I guess I'll chuck this one out, then.
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Was your laptop less than $200? Can you read it in direct bright light? Does the battery last a month on a single charge? Does it weight less than a pound?

There are reasons for multiuse devices, like a laptop. And there are uses for dedicate use devices, like the Kindle. The kindle *does* connect to the internet. (Browsing can be a pain) with the wi-fi version, and with the 3G version, you have internet. All the time. Without charges.

I love my kindle. Holds all my books, I can take it anywhere, is compact, and I can hold it in one hand. It isn't ' 1/3 of a computer. It is an electronic book display device. You can even have it read most books to you, will store and play MP3's, as well as audio books.

I love my laptop, but I wouldn't think of using it to read a book on a beach, or during a long flight, or in bed before I sleep. The kindle? (And other e-readers) Are very well suited for that role.
 
Gawdzilla said:
Really? I guess I'll chuck this one out, then.
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Your laptop cost under $150, can go months on one charge, the screen is viewable from all angles in bright sunlight, it's smaller enough to put in your pocket and light enough to hold comfortably while lying bed or sitting on the loo? :jaw-dropp

Care to share the make and model? :cool:
 
icerat said:
Your laptop cost under $150, can go months on one charge, the screen is viewable from all angles in bright sunlight, it's smaller enough to put in your pocket and light enough to hold comfortably while lying bed or sitting on the loo? :jaw-dropp

Care to share the make and model? :cool:
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No, it didn't cost under $150, and it doesn't do 1/3 the things a laptop can do. That's the point, guys, I am not buying a crippled computer just to read books.
 
Gawdzilla said:
No, it didn't cost under $150, and it doesn't do 1/3 the things a laptop can do. That's the point, guys, I am not buying a crippled computer just to read books.
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That makes as much sense as saying you wouldn't buy a crippled computer just to make telephone calls.

Who would?

A kindle is not a laptop and prior until today I've never heard anyone think it is. I'm wondering if your wife has a Nook colour? It is essentially a tablet, not an ebook, it doesn't use e-ink. Big difference.

ETA: great thread though btw, I had much the same question ... especially now that (after buying a kindle) I can get almost any new english book in under a minute, rather than having to weeks for shipping from Amazon to Sweden. :)
 
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Gawdzilla said:
A Kindle is not a laptop, and never will be.
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True: just like a paper book is not a laptop, and never will be :).


It just has one feature of a laptop.
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Sure, in the same way that a paper book has one feature of a laptop, i.e, it displays text.

I bought a Kobo a few months back. For me, the biggest advantage over a computer screen is the e-ink: no glare or eyestrain. I simply can't enjoy reading lengthy texts on a backlit screen (pixel rate prob. has something to do with that too, I don't know).

But to return to the OP: I'm kinda in the same boat as you. Most of my sci-fi library has been built up from the cheap shelves at second-hand bookstores, so there's not much that there that is post 1980. As for older stuff: you've probably already read them, but how about Jame's White's "Sector General" series? I only mention them 'cause I picked up a bundle section-hand this morning. I have memories of reading individual stories in the past, and they were pretty good.
 
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Refus de Sejour said:
But to return to the OP: I'm kinda in the same boat as you. Most of my sci-fi library has been built up from the cheap shelves at second-hand bookstores, so there's not much that there that is post 1980. As for older stuff: you've probably already read them, but how about Jame's White's "Sector General" series? I only mention them 'cause I picked up a bundle section-hand this morning. I have memories of reading individual stories in the past, and they were pretty good.
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I'll repeat what a cousin said, "How come the Oldies stations never play anything new?" ;) I've read 2-3 compilations of the Sector General stories, and quite liked them. But I'm not getting anything new of Heinlein, et al., so it's times to find out who else is out there. Marvelous responses so far. I need to do that name list here soon to keep track. I'll use the individual posts as "votes" for an author.
 
I'd like to throw Cory Doctorow's name into the discussion. I've enjoyed most of his works, especially Little Brother, and the best part is that he releases them all for free, as well as for purchase.
 
Can I just repeat, Jack McDevitt.

I'm a huge fan of Niven, Heinlein, Pournelle & others, and McDevitt, in my opinion, is cut from the same cloth.
 
I read a couple of McDevitt's books (Talent for War was one) and I think he needs to work on his endings. Otherwise very good reads just the endings were a little hmmmm underplayed?

Richard Morgan Altered Carbon. Then his other Takeshi Kovacs novels.
David Feintuch Midshipman's Hope etc - Hornblower in space, what's not to like?
 
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