Comments on: Five Wonderful Books About A Horrible Future http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/3883/five-wonderful-books-about-a-horrible-future/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=five-wonderful-books-about-a-horrible-future Get Stronger, Get Smarter, Live Better... Every day. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:50:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: 31 Things Worth Being Afraid Of | World's Strongest Librarian http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/3883/five-wonderful-books-about-a-horrible-future/comment-page-1/#comment-4359 31 Things Worth Being Afraid Of | World's Strongest Librarian Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:02:34 +0000 http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/?p=3883#comment-4359 [...] Certain versions of the future [...] [...] Certain versions of the future [...]

]]> By: Josh Hanagarne http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/3883/five-wonderful-books-about-a-horrible-future/comment-page-1/#comment-3517 Josh Hanagarne Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:59:03 +0000 http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/?p=3883#comment-3517 @Johan: I am now begging for mercy and will try Dune again. You had me at "eat this, Yoda." @Johan: I am now begging for mercy and will try Dune again. You had me at “eat this, Yoda.”

]]> By: Johan Mares http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/3883/five-wonderful-books-about-a-horrible-future/comment-page-1/#comment-3511 Johan Mares Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:55:23 +0000 http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/?p=3883#comment-3511 @Laurie Despite being a huge fantasy fan I don't like Harry Potter. I made the effort to try to read the first 3 books, but then I gave up, which is unusual because I am able to read and even enjoy (as something to pass time) Clive Cussler and Preston & Child. I tried to discuss this with Harry Potter fans, but it turned out that Harry Potter was the only fantasy they knew, which makes it difficult to have a meaningful discussion. They had never heard of the likes of Ursula LeGuin, Terry Pratchett, Raymond Feist, Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, ... This inspired me to some witty remarks that they are fantasy illiterate but at family reunions I find myself outnumbered 6 to 1 on the subject of Harry Potter. The rest of the family stays on neutral grounds. PS: If you like Harry Potter that is fine, but when someone starts saying that Harry Potter is the best fantasy ever and it turns out they have never heard of the other authors I've mentioned ... I just can't help myself. ;) @Laurie
Despite being a huge fantasy fan I don’t like Harry Potter. I made the effort to try to read the first 3 books, but then I gave up, which is unusual because I am able to read and even enjoy (as something to pass time) Clive Cussler and Preston & Child. I tried to discuss this with Harry Potter fans, but it turned out that Harry Potter was the only fantasy they knew, which makes it difficult to have a meaningful discussion. They had never heard of the likes of Ursula LeGuin, Terry Pratchett, Raymond Feist, Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, … This inspired me to some witty remarks that they are fantasy illiterate but at family reunions I find myself outnumbered 6 to 1 on the subject of Harry Potter. The rest of the family stays on neutral grounds.
PS: If you like Harry Potter that is fine, but when someone starts saying that Harry Potter is the best fantasy ever and it turns out they have never heard of the other authors I’ve mentioned … I just can’t help myself. ;)

]]> By: Laurie http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/3883/five-wonderful-books-about-a-horrible-future/comment-page-1/#comment-3509 Laurie Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:32:37 +0000 http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/?p=3883#comment-3509 Josh and Johan: My guess is that Dune, like any other story, either gets you or it doesn't. Josh, if you like sci fi, I think it's worth a shot. I really enjoyed the Harry Potter books, but, despite the general popularity (which initially put me off of them), I've still found some holdouts: people who have tried to read them and just can't do it. There's no shame in that. Thanks for the fun thread. Josh and Johan: My guess is that Dune, like any other story, either gets you or it doesn’t. Josh, if you like sci fi, I think it’s worth a shot. I really enjoyed the Harry Potter books, but, despite the general popularity (which initially put me off of them), I’ve still found some holdouts: people who have tried to read them and just can’t do it. There’s no shame in that. Thanks for the fun thread.

]]> By: Johan Mares http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/3883/five-wonderful-books-about-a-horrible-future/comment-page-1/#comment-3505 Johan Mares Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:01:51 +0000 http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/?p=3883#comment-3505 Appreciation class, never heard this expression before, but I will give it a try. Why should you read Dune? - SF classic - Is considered one of the greatest SF novels of all time - Space opera - the SF is just a setting, it's about politics, intrigue, power games (maybe I should give Machiavelli a try), deceit, lies, destiny, ... - and coming of age. The main character is trained to become a leader and warrior, but his upbringing is sheltered - political assassinations are not uncommon. His sheltered existence is about to end soon. No more training games ... duels become fights to the death. - It is our future, but a lot has happened between the present and the events in Dune. You only get hints. So it is not fastfood like Star Wars, you have to take your time to appreciate and understand it. The difference between a Star Wars movie and Dune novel is like the difference between a James Bond movie and a Jack Ryan novel (by Tom Clancy). Sort of. - Messiah, a very popular theme ... Dune, Star Wars, Matrix and the Bible. - Contains lots of good quotes, not only throughout the book, but every chapter starts with one. They are quotes from the Dune universe: Some quotes: - There is no escape--we pay for the violence of our ancestors. (maybe politicians should keep this in mind for the next Middle-East peace conference) - What do you Despise? By this are you truly known. - Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic. - If wishes were fishes, we'd all cast nets. - 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. - They tried and died. (eat this, Yoda) His son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson have written 2 trilogies that predate the Dune-series and several books that continue the Dune-sage - Chapterhouse Dune has an open ending, but unfortunately Frank Herbert died shortly after publication. Brian and Kevin can't get enough of it, they keep on producing Dune-books, but none of them is a match for Dune. The prequels have some merit, but after that I stopped reading their work. How's that as an appreciation lecture? Appreciation class, never heard this expression before, but I will give it a try.
Why should you read Dune?
- SF classic
- Is considered one of the greatest SF novels of all time
- Space opera
- the SF is just a setting, it’s about politics, intrigue, power games (maybe I should give Machiavelli a try), deceit, lies, destiny, …
- and coming of age. The main character is trained to become a leader and warrior, but his upbringing is sheltered – political assassinations are not uncommon. His sheltered existence is about to end soon. No more training games … duels become fights to the death.
- It is our future, but a lot has happened between the present and the events in Dune. You only get hints. So it is not fastfood like Star Wars, you have to take your time to appreciate and understand it. The difference between a Star Wars movie and Dune novel is like the difference between a James Bond movie and a Jack Ryan novel (by Tom Clancy). Sort of.
- Messiah, a very popular theme … Dune, Star Wars, Matrix and the Bible.
- Contains lots of good quotes, not only throughout the book, but every chapter starts with one. They are quotes from the Dune universe:
Some quotes:
- There is no escape–we pay for the violence of our ancestors. (maybe politicians should keep this in mind for the next Middle-East peace conference)
- What do you Despise? By this are you truly known.
- Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic.
- If wishes were fishes, we’d all cast nets.
- 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.
- They tried and died. (eat this, Yoda)

His son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson have written 2 trilogies that predate the Dune-series and several books that continue the Dune-sage – Chapterhouse Dune has an open ending, but unfortunately Frank Herbert died shortly after publication. Brian and Kevin can’t get enough of it, they keep on producing Dune-books, but none of them is a match for Dune. The prequels have some merit, but after that I stopped reading their work.

How’s that as an appreciation lecture?

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