A few books read in the past 6-8 weeks

[Bick]

Wasn't sure where to put this post of brief reviews, but they are largely classic SF, so here will do.

Robert A. Heinlein - Job: A Comedy of Justice
I enjoyed this one. There's been much written on the later longer Heinlein, and how its not as good as his earlier stuff, but this is a merry jaunt, and doesn't lag.

Philip K. Dick - Martian Time Slip
This is one mind-bending novel. After Dick goes a bit mad with a book like this you need a rest with something more mainstream. Its good though. You get a genuine sense of what madness may be like.

Greg Bear - Eon
I thought it was a nice idea, and well enough constructed. Very 'hard' and not especially engaging though.

Kim Stanley Robinson - Green Mars
Wow, I'm slowly working my way through this mars trilogy, and its a blinder of modern science-fiction. Absolutely top-notch, with a majestic sweep and incredible detail (in plot, setting and character).

Robert Silverberg - The Silent Invaders
Pulp, in the best sense. Its trashy, but I loved it. Very short.

Brian Aldiss - Greybeard
Excellent book. Aldiss writes so well, and his books have a literary depth to them. Highly recommended.

Larry Niven - A Gift from Earth
Not his best Known Space novel, but like all his books its well written and flows along effortlessly.

Poul Anderson - A Circus of Hells
I like Anderson a lot. I thought his Boat of a Million Years was one of the best science fiction books I've read recently. This is Dominic Fandry. It seems to be two novellas stuck together and so seems rather disjointed - you can see the join! But enjoyable if you like Anderson, nonetheless.

Joe Haldeman - The Forever War
Decent book, but I was less thoroughly impressed than I am told I ought to be, given the scads of positive reviews and awards. I did like it, but it wouldn't get in my top 20.

Larry Niven - Ringworld
Nicely written, as always with Niven. Super ideas, generally speaking. Let down I felt by the whole (spoiler in white text)breeding for luck plot with Teela Brown, which seems a bit silly(/spoiler). I read this 30 years ago, and couldn't remember anything about it (except the nanowire). Still, I'm a sucker for Known Space, so it still gets my vote. Must read Engineers now.

Robert Silverberg - The Masks of Time
The best book of the lot, with the possible exception of Green Mars. This is Silverberg in his pomp - about 1970-ish. Its absolutely excellent. If you haven't read much 1970-ish Silverberg, give any of these a try, they are among the most memorable and moving books I've read, sci-fi or otherwise: The Masks of Time, The World Inside, Dying Inside, Downward to the Earth

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Good reviews.

Robinson's Mars trilogy is outstanding, to be sure. I've never been disappointed by his work.

I love 70's Silverberg, so I'll have to look for The Masks of Time. My favorite from the era may be The Book of Skulls.

I seemed to have liked The Forever War more than you did. I didn't care very much for the sequel Forever Free (not to be confused with the similarly titled but non-sequel Forever Peace.) I very much liked his non-SF novel 1968, which gives some insight into his Vietnam experiences, which certainly has a strong influence on The Forever War.

 

[AE35Unit]

Some good choices there.
Heinlein's Job and The Cat who walks through walls were very enjoyable.

Aldiss's Greybeard was brilliant- now try his Hothouse!

I thought Haldeman's Forever War was excellent. Better than I expected.

Ringworld, and its first sequel, superb. The third sequel is utterly dire tho!

Masks of Time I didnt get on with at all! Seemed too sex-obsessed.

 

[Southern Geologist]

I'm glad to hear the thoughts on the Mars trilogy. I've seen mixed reviews on it, but something tells me that I'll enjoy it more than the Amazon reviewers.

 

[Bick]

Aldiss's Greybeard was brilliant- now try his Hothouse!

Thanks for your comments. I read Hothouse a year or so ago, as it happens. Wonderful. A truly memorable far-future earth, where humans have devolved and there's no cheery ending for anyone. Sounds grim, but its not, funnily enough.

I actually forgot two books on the list that I read last month:

Poul Anderson - People of the Wind
Quite a good book, but its rather a B+ kind of book rather than a straight A. If you like Anderson, you'll enjoy it though. Quite nicely handled aliens, with more than average depth to them, and their culture/planet.

Charles Stross - Singularity Sky
This doesn't belong here, because of all my recent reads, its not old enough to be 'classic' SF. It is very good though. Kind of Niven meets Ian Banks. I like the universe Stross has set up with this book very much, so will probably s eek out the sequel.

 

[Bick]

I love 70's Silverberg, so I'll have to look for The Masks of Time. My favorite from the era may be The Book of Skulls.

Thanks for the comments Victoria. Glad to meet another Silverberg fan. I must admit to not having actually read Book of Skulls. Given its prominent place in his canon of work from the 70's, as well as your recommendation, I must seek that out. Someone of Ebay will be selling it for about $3, I expect