June 16, 2006 at 8:57 am
It would have to be John Brunner's "The Shockwave Rider" for me. Written in the early 70s, Brunner describes a networked world where the hero uses worms to accomplish things. Pretty cool since quite a few of the things he wrote about in that book as fiction are taken for granted now!
June 16, 2006 at 8:57 am
I enjoyed Crichton's Timeline - but after a few holidays I could relate to the area where it's set.
My real favourite though is Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. The Clacks are his high tech communications and I love his parallels and take offs of the world.
June 16, 2006 at 9:05 am
Another vote here for Cryptonomicon, but Digital Fortress? I'm sorry - that one left much to be desired in the plausibility department... as for Crichton, I found State of Fear much too preachy - Prey was okay, but I think Andromeda Strain is still one of his best, as far as "technical" fiction is concerned. Gibson's Pattern Recognition was pretty good as well. Used to read a lot of Clancy, but I think he's jumped the shark lately (too many lower-quality spin-offs with his name on it - Power Plays, Net Force, etc.)
I've actually been reading some old John Brunner books - Stand on Zanzibar and The Sheep Look Up are both fascinating views on what today could be like, as seen from the late 60's and early 70's... many things wrong, but many other things eerily close to reality...
June 16, 2006 at 9:16 am
...and another one for Cryptonomicon.
June 16, 2006 at 9:46 am
I am going for Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140232923/203-4330774-9983950
because it had a lot of techie type stuff going on in there with the virtual reality stuff and the dead cool motorbike, as well as looks at possible society structures in a depraved new world. Plus the hero carries a big sword and the villain carries an atomic bomb (seriously!) and the action is at a furious pace.
June 16, 2006 at 10:19 am
Some good suggestions and thanks for the responses. I'm surprised no Heinlein is in there. I re-read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I read everything from him when I was 12-14.
Jules Verne is good. I read 20,000 Leagues long ago and enjoyed it. Asimov as well.
Lately I've been a mystery/cop guy, reading the Michael Connelly and Ridley Pearson stuff. If you are looking for more modern stuff, try Piniero(?), guy worked for AMD for a few years while writing his novels.
June 16, 2006 at 10:22 am
Stanislaw Lem "Summae Technologia", "Cyberiada", "Ion Tichi"
Ph.K. Dick - maybe everything
June 16, 2006 at 10:24 am
I like almost anything by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Their books tend toward the mystery/horror side, but I think they do a great job of incorporating technical details, and of trying to make the science sound plausible. Cabinet of Curiosities was a particularly good one. Relic was pretty good, too.
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A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. He walks up to them and asks, "Can I join you?"
Ref.: http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2009/02/sql-joke.html
June 16, 2006 at 10:31 am
Most "tech" fiction just ain't -- throwing some techie-sounding jargon around with a lot of flashy action-movie type toys just doesn't do it for me. Clancy and Crichton are overrated and overhyped. So is Dan Brown.
Books that deal with issues surrounding and the consequences of technology -- good or bad -- is more my bag.
Greg Bear's stuff is good, so is some William Gibson, most Stanislaw Lem, most Philip K Dick, Adam Roberts' stuff is very good. HG Wells (surprisingly) still holds up today.
Vik
June 16, 2006 at 10:55 am
I really liked Encounter with Tiber by Buzz Aldrin and John Barnes
The story isn't exactly the most original, but it was really well written and interesting.
June 16, 2006 at 11:09 am
I would have to say that my favorite tech sci fi book is:
The Illuminati by Larry Burkett
June 16, 2006 at 11:15 am
The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage
such a great book
June 16, 2006 at 11:20 am
I also vote for "Snow Crash" Neal Stephenson as well as Neal Stephenson's "Diamond Age". My favorite non-fiction techie book is "Soul of a New Machine" by Tracy Kidder because I've "been there, done that".
June 16, 2006 at 12:12 pm
OSAAK ASIMOV's.
Foundation Series.
From the best science fiction writer ever.
June 16, 2006 at 2:14 pm
I agree with all your choices. I liked Cryptonomicon (as well as the Baroque Trilogy - about the invention of the calulus) as well as the Creighton books mentioned. You can't beat Aldous Huxley (wow man, the Doors of Perception) and Brave New World.
How about Jeffery Deaver's Blue Nowhere? Scarry, but pretty high tech.
Charlie
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