Ken MacLeod

[Connavar]

Which of his books or series do you think would be a good place to start to read him?



The Star Fraction and Learning The World sounds interesting, if you have read them what you think of these two books?

 

[iansales]

The Star Fraction is the start of a loose series, while Learning the World is a standalone. However, The Star Fraction is very much a more political sf novel. And very much left wing.

 

[Connavar]

I know The Star Fiction is a series and Learning the World is stand alone, i checked them out in fantasticfiction.


Which would you say is a better story overall? That i ask to anyone who have read them.

Sure i like to read political SF no matter which wing it is but i prefer if my first book of him to the better of those two.

 

[iansales]

Personally, I liked The Star Fraction more. But Learning the World is a more... traditional sf tale about first contact with an alien race.

 

[Connavar]

Ah good to know.

I have read alot traditional sf tale about first contact with an alien race that i wanted to read The Star Fraction alot more when i read the synopsis of Learning the World.

The Star Fraction for some reason reminded me of Richard Morgan's Kovacs series. I hope its that good and i will like it like i do RM and TK.


P.S No need to tell me how unsimiler it is RM and TK, i dont like to know too much about a book im about to read.

 

[Aliénor]

i prefer the star fraction, personally

I also think it's the best place to start, imaho

 

[Connavar]

Thanks for your input Aliènor.


Its on my list for my next book hauls.

I cant find any of his books in the library, so im gonna take a chance on The Star Fraction.

 

[Ian Whates]

It's worth mentioning that The Star Fraction was Ken's first novel, where as Learning the World is a lot more recent, with a far smoother narrative flow, whilst Star Fraction is much edgier and angrier.

Just as an aside, Ken might never have got around to committing The Star Fraction or anything else to paper, if one of his closest friend's hadn't grown so tired of him talking about his ideas that he almost bullied him into writing them down.

The friend's name? Iain M. Banks.

Fortunately, we've got them both as GofH's at a little convention I'm helping to organise next year, which should be a lot of fun!

 

[Gav]

Ken and Iain are two authors I was a little star struck by. I know - what a ridiculous admission. I saw them talk at the Edinburgh book festival a couple of years back and went up to ask them a couple of questions at the end. I bottled and got my books signed instead.

I felt foolish afterwards.

Anyway. Start with the Star Fraction. It's excellent and you might learn some decent lefty ideas. The other books are great as well - of which I enjoyed The Cassini Division best.

Learning the World was another excellent read - however I think you should probably start with the Star Fraction and move on from there.

I was a little dissatisfied with the Engines of Light books but that's a minor quibble.