curiosity is bugging me on those series since I read those 3 and love them.
First you might want to read another stand-alone novel called Ventus that I didn’t mention. I talked to some people who have stopped reading it because it seemed too much like fantasy, but that isn’t true, it is part of the story. If you keep reading you’ll see what I mean, it is definitely worth it.
Other stand alone novels that are must-reads are Accelerando by Charles Stross, Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds and Diaspora by Greg Egan.
Regarding series I recommend you to start with Alastair Reynolds and the Revelation Space series. Here the same applies, it will become clear once you have read a few books that the story is much deeper than one would initially guess. The second book, Chasm City (one of my favorite books) is not directly connected to the series but is taking place in the same universe.
The next series of novels is definitely the Culture universe by Iain M. Banks. I would love to live in it!
And here comes a more subjective recommendation as many people won’t like it. I recommend the Takeshi Kovacs novels by Richard Morgan. It is hard, dirty and the hero is not one of the good guys. The novels feature explicit and brutal torture scenarios that are only possible given advanced technology. One of the very benign scenarios is to leave someone in an unchanging and simple simulation without the need to eat and the ability to die and then hide the substrate somewhere where nobody will find it for a very long time. So you are warned.
There is much more but that should be enough for some time ;-)
The novels feature explicit and brutal torture scenarios that are only possible given advanced technology.
This is curious. I was attracted by this line. I bet some other people also were. Are there reasons we (Less Wrong/SF fandom folks) are interested in torture beyond S/M and sexual gratification? And beyond the reasons horror movies are popular in general, too, etc. That is, are there some explicitly geek reasons for being interested in torture?
[Also: Why on earth would anyone downvote this, unless they’re karmassassinating me for recent below-average comments? Not angry or annoyed, just surprised.]
Are there reasons we (Less Wrong/SF fandom folks) are interested in torture beyond S/M and sexual gratification? Oh, and the reasons for watching horror movies, too, etc. That is, are there some explicitly geek reasons for being interested in torture?
I don’t like horror or reading about torture. I don’t have any explanation for why geeks may like it.
I would tend to self-identify as a geek, and I love science fiction, but while I like actual horror (suspense) movies, I hate “horror” movies (i.e. the slasher films that have mostly supplanted actual horror films in the desire to take the lowest common denominator’s money).
To put it more concretely, an actual horror movie would be something like (the original version of) The Thing, for example.
A “horror” movie would be crap like the Friday the 13th and Saw franchises.
Uh-huh. What constitutes “authenticity” in horror movies is kind of blurry for me though; say, I’m one of the very few people who like the critically panned 2002 film Ghost Ship a lot. It’s one of the few genuine hellfire-and-brimstone Puritan-flavoured stories you’re likely to see in modern days. (There’s also Drag Me To Hell)
Love it. And occasionally my love of protagonists being ruthless badasses overcomes my aversion to torture—for example I liked seeing Liam Neeson torturing the kidnapper then killing him. And Jack Bauer torturing people just seems so natural that I couldn’t possibly object.
Are there reasons we (Less Wrong/SF fandom folks) are interested in torture beyond S/M and sexual gratification?
I guess that we are just more comfortable to admit it and probably also a bit naive about the social perception of doing so.
There is a very broad spectrum of what humans like. I am pretty sure that some people would be shocked if the different tastes and attitudes would be revealed, let alone extrapolated.
Anonymity provides some examples of how quite a few people tick.
well sure, everyone would love to live in the culture. thanks for the extended reply. Ventus wasn’t on my radar, and the others will get bumped up nearer the top of the pile.
curiosity is bugging me on those series since I read those 3 and love them.
First you might want to read another stand-alone novel called Ventus that I didn’t mention. I talked to some people who have stopped reading it because it seemed too much like fantasy, but that isn’t true, it is part of the story. If you keep reading you’ll see what I mean, it is definitely worth it.
Other stand alone novels that are must-reads are Accelerando by Charles Stross, Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds and Diaspora by Greg Egan.
Regarding series I recommend you to start with Alastair Reynolds and the Revelation Space series. Here the same applies, it will become clear once you have read a few books that the story is much deeper than one would initially guess. The second book, Chasm City (one of my favorite books) is not directly connected to the series but is taking place in the same universe.
The next series of novels is definitely the Culture universe by Iain M. Banks. I would love to live in it!
And here comes a more subjective recommendation as many people won’t like it. I recommend the Takeshi Kovacs novels by Richard Morgan. It is hard, dirty and the hero is not one of the good guys. The novels feature explicit and brutal torture scenarios that are only possible given advanced technology. One of the very benign scenarios is to leave someone in an unchanging and simple simulation without the need to eat and the ability to die and then hide the substrate somewhere where nobody will find it for a very long time. So you are warned.
There is much more but that should be enough for some time ;-)
This is curious. I was attracted by this line. I bet some other people also were. Are there reasons we (Less Wrong/SF fandom folks) are interested in torture beyond S/M and sexual gratification? And beyond the reasons horror movies are popular in general, too, etc. That is, are there some explicitly geek reasons for being interested in torture?
[Also: Why on earth would anyone downvote this, unless they’re karmassassinating me for recent below-average comments? Not angry or annoyed, just surprised.]
I don’t like horror or reading about torture. I don’t have any explanation for why geeks may like it.
I would tend to self-identify as a geek, and I love science fiction, but while I like actual horror (suspense) movies, I hate “horror” movies (i.e. the slasher films that have mostly supplanted actual horror films in the desire to take the lowest common denominator’s money).
To put it more concretely, an actual horror movie would be something like (the original version of) The Thing, for example.
A “horror” movie would be crap like the Friday the 13th and Saw franchises.
Uh-huh. What constitutes “authenticity” in horror movies is kind of blurry for me though; say, I’m one of the very few people who like the critically panned 2002 film Ghost Ship a lot. It’s one of the few genuine hellfire-and-brimstone Puritan-flavoured stories you’re likely to see in modern days. (There’s also Drag Me To Hell)
What about violence? It seems that humans demand violence: Total Recall—All The Deaths
Love it. And occasionally my love of protagonists being ruthless badasses overcomes my aversion to torture—for example I liked seeing Liam Neeson torturing the kidnapper then killing him. And Jack Bauer torturing people just seems so natural that I couldn’t possibly object.
(slightly edited my comment, I’m curious about torture alone here, as there are in fact lots of explanations for horror’s popularity)
I guess that we are just more comfortable to admit it and probably also a bit naive about the social perception of doing so.
There is a very broad spectrum of what humans like. I am pretty sure that some people would be shocked if the different tastes and attitudes would be revealed, let alone extrapolated.
Anonymity provides some examples of how quite a few people tick.
Reddit is not anonymous. Unless you mean the upvotes.
well sure, everyone would love to live in the culture. thanks for the extended reply. Ventus wasn’t on my radar, and the others will get bumped up nearer the top of the pile.