Question John Varley (suggested readings?)

[n_tel_ekt]

I recently picked up a collection of short stories by Varley called "The persistance of Vision" to get a taste of his work before committing to any of his novels. Ive only read one short so far ("Retrograde Summer", which was strange) and switched to "Rendezvous with Rama" by Clarke...

Anyway, can anyone give me their opinion on some of his stuff???

THX

 

[chrispenycate]

I can't speak for anyone's tastes but my own but I've loved practically everything of his I've read both the universe you've just visited (which has a whole series of stories written in it, and yes, they're strange, almost in surrealism, all the lines slightly over focussed) the "titan" trilogy, a couple of off series books.

But, whatever you do, read the title story to the book you've bought. I don't promise you'll like it, but I do promise it's worth reading, even if you don't.

I'm an "ideas" person rather than a "character" lover, and he has some superb ideas, which might not please everybody. Still, the writing is generally good, too, and it's only to be expected that some of his characters seem a bit strange, to us; they are not expecting to die. Ever. Imagine the psycology that generates.

 

[n_tel_ekt]

I can't speak for anyone's tastes but my own but I've loved practically everything of his I've read both the universe you've just visited (which has a whole series of stories written in it, and yes, they're strange, almost in surrealism, all the lines slightly over focussed) the "titan" trilogy, a couple of off series books.

But, whatever you do, read the title story to the book you've bought. I don't promise you'll like it, but I do promise it's worth reading, even if you don't.

I'm an "ideas" person rather than a "character" lover, and he has some superb ideas, which might not please everybody. Still, the writing is generally good, too, and it's only to be expected that some of his characters seem a bit strange, to us; they are not expecting to die. Ever. Imagine the psycology that generates.

Thanks a million, and yes, I do plan on reading the title story (That title is what caught my eye)...

Im an "Ideas" guy myself (which is why Philip K. Dick is my fav. SF writer).
Im about to finish Rendezvous with Rama tonight (30 pages left!) so I think I'll return to "The Persistance of Vision" before starting on "Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said".

Thanks again.

 

[Bikewer]

Varley is a gem, though I must say I was not impressed by Blue Thunder. Seemed to me he was writing a screenplay for a movie...

But most of his stuff is great. The "Titan" novels are superb.

 

[ScottSF]

This is the book that got me into reading, period.

I'll never forget reading persistence of vision on a bus and feeling my life change when I fully realized the power of books. Also it would be a fun story to read now because it takes place in the late 90s but was written a decade or more before so it was fun to see his ideas of what life might be like in the year 2000.

 

[Carolyn Hill]

I love Varley's short stories and novels. His Steel Beach is one of my favorite novels, and "Press Enter" (in his collection titled Blue Champagne) is one of my favorite short stories.

 

[Anthony G Williams]

The "Titan" novels are superb.

I absolutely agree - three of my favourite SF novels. They are actually known as the Gaean Trilogy, and the individual titles (in order) are Titan, Wizard and Demon.