UPDATED 12/7/98

DISCLAIMER (It is Important that you read this!)


Ok, I'll be brief here. My main motivation for the creation of this page is to tell other people what I think. Being that I believe that that my views are those that the entire world should base their lives upon (Just kidding). In fact, you may not agree with half the things I say.. 'sok that's America. At least I don't have the Thought Police (<-- hehe Buzzword) busting down my door for stating my opinions. In any case, don't be afraid, I'm not going to be explicit or anything. so HERE goes with the Opinion:



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I WILL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES READ THE BACK COVER or FLYPAGE OF ANY BOOK THAT I READ EVER AGAIN.
I would furthermore like to recommend this method of reading to anyone and everyone. Why? Well, this was an experiment I tried some years ago, I went and bought a book that a friend Highly recommended and jumped right in. Well, let me say that it was the most suprising and thrilling book that I'd ever read! I then read the back (after completing the novel) and was quite dissapointed to learn that most of the coolest things that supprised me in the book were listed there. BOY was I steamed! If I'd read the back before I'd started the book, it wouldn't have been HALF as cool, and I would've never known the difference. Here's the drawback, using this method is dangerous if you just try to pick a book at random. I've read my share of crappy books this way. However, the percentage of GOOD books that I've come across drastically outweighs the doozers. Just try it on one of these books listed below and see if you do or do not agree.



BIG_OPINION_FLAG = 0; // BTW, don't harass me for using all caps for a variable :)



Scope:
For the record, favorite reading category is Science Fiction. I love all genre's of this category, from classical to Comedy, but my greatest love is Cyberpunk. below, you'll find the Books I've loved thoughout the years as well as a short description (NOT A PLOT SUMMARY.. SEE ABOVE!) of the type of book, and the impression that I was left with: I will also add other books that I thought were noteworthy, or just plain BLEW so bad I have to warn you. They are *sort* of in order of Coolness, but Your Milage may Vary.. as does mine every other week.



DABOOKS

Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind (Orson Scott Card): Book one in the Ender Saga (of 4), this book holds my number one position now, and most likely forever. I would recommend this book to the MOST AVID Sci-Fi Hater out there, and DARE him to say it wasn't cool.Don't miss the rest of the series either.. These provoke many hours of contemplation on ethical perils. Class: Classic Sci-Fi
SnowCrash (Neal Stephenson): A wild ride in the future of the net. This is some of the first cyberpunk I was exposed to. An interesting story about how I came upon this book. It was an extra included in a game I bought (SpecterVR). The game was so crappy, that I neglected reading the book for many months because I thought it would be somehow connected to the game.... BOY WAS I WRONG. This is a great book. From the foundations of great Cyberpunk and a glorious technofuture. Class: Cyberpunk
Diamond Age : or A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (Neal Stephenson): This book was also EXCELLENT, I love his insight and extremely differnet view on the future. A must read, this is actually tied with number two. On even weeks this is ranked above Snow Crash and odd weeks it is here in position 3. Class: Avant Guarde
NeuroMancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive (William Gibson): This was the very first Cyberpunk book I ever read (Neuromancer)... there's just something about the way Gibson writes that makes me treat each book like it's the last book left on the planet. A while back Gibson came out with a collector's item book that seemed to reflect this idea. It came in a old beat up aluminum box with blinking LED's on the front.. Inside, there was an old leather bound book with burnt edged pages yellowed with age. Inside the book there was a section cut out and a silver plastic encased computer disk. Upon opening this plastic wrapper, a material instantly begain smoking with reaction to the oxygen in the air. The disk, when inserted into the computer then allowed one to read the story ONCE, then it destroyed itself, never to be read again. Cool Huh? (actually I just heard about it, I didn't own one since it cost like $75.00, but I did get to read a bootleg copy of the text.. not bad it was called Agrippa and can be found with an informed internet search :) Class: Cyberpuink
Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command: (Timothy Zahn): actually a trilogy, the first set of StarWars books to come out during the current wave of Star Wars Novels. Zahn has perfected the ability to make you love the Antagonists as well as the Protagonists. CLASS: StarWarsINTERRUPTION FOR WARNING NOW: do NOT, for the love of StarWars, Purchase or read the TRUTH AT BAKURA (Kathy Tyers): This book was the most pathetic twisting of my beloved characters ever. This woman made luke a weekling, Han a polite kinda guy, and 3po a revered and often listened to source of information! Plus the plot was a cheap knok off of StarTrek's Borg plotlines. I've read better fiction in Department of Energy Implementation Specifications.
Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength (C.S. Lewis): Another Trilogy, that knocked me off my feet, The first book was a little hard to read the first time, because I was a little kid, but I recommend these to anyone. Again, whether you like SciFi or not, READ THESE BOOKS. Class: Classic Sci-Fi
_do Android's Dream Electric Sheep?_ (Phillip K. Dick): He's Da MAN! This is Blade Runner! but ohhhh, is it different from the MOVIE!. Class: Decadent Future Vision Sci-Fi
This Present Darkness (Frank Peretti): One of the few books I've read three times! Still, it never gets boring! Class: Non-Sci-Fi-Fiction
All 24 Robotech Novels (Jack Mckinney): Not a task to be taken lightly, these books are a wonderful and coheren't chronicle of live that spans Three Generations of Heros. I first got into these books in 9th Grade, because I remember wathching the Anime Cartoon that came on when I was two or three years younger. Incidentally, there has been a rather obvious union of Anime and Cyberpunk, Comic books are only now catching up. Class Anime Science Fiction (to the extent that you can simulate Anime in Print :)
Little Fuzzy (H. Beam Piper): You'll be lucky to locate this one, the author is now dead, and most of the books are out of print.. I do, however, believe that this book was instrumental in making me the reader I am today. This was the very first novel that I ever read (without assistance), and truth be known, it probably didn't belong on our grade school bookshelf (Swearing et all), it was donated I think. Still a good book today. ask my old roommate Chris BivensClass: Classic Sci-Fi
(3/5/98) White Light (Rudy Rucker / 1980 ): I just found a new Author whose writing style is very fast paced and invigorating.. White Light although he's a little off on his theology, Rucker presents a very good story. This book was written in 1984, but showed a very marked tendency to the Cyberpunk Stytle. Class: Pre-Cyberpunk /Avant Guard (for it's time)
(3/5/98)The Hacker and the Ants (Rudy Rucker): This book was also written by Rudy Rucker, and It had some of the same elements that made me enjoy Snowcrash so much.... I mean talk about deep doo-doo hehe. I read the final 25% of the book in one sitting... ignoring my sleep deprived body :) Class: Cyberpunk... with a vengence
(3/5/98) HeadCrash (Bruce Bethke): This book is another one from the category of "Authors that have been out there forever, that I just discovered." He only has two or three titles under the pen-name of Bethke, but they are all worthy of reading. I look forward to his upcoming novel... RestartClass: Cyberpunk
(3/26/98) The Shockwave Rider (John Brunner/ 1975): This book is probably the Best book I've read in a year.. It started out a little slow, and I wondered if I was going to be able to get into it or not.. MAN AM I GLAD I KEPT READING! This Book actually Belongs up at the Top of this list around Ender's Game.. but I'm just too lazy to put it there :) I'm gonna have to read all his stuff now. Class: Classic Sci-Fi (More Future Fiction than Sci-Fi Though)
(7/19/98) Stand on Zanzibar (John Brunner/ 1969): A long book, but nonetheless very entertaining. It handles a lot of issues including Racism, Overpopulation, and General Human Aggression. I'd definately recommend this one. Class: Classic Sci-Fi
(7/19/98) The Metamorphosis, In the Penal Colony, and Other Stories (Franz Kafka [1883-1924]): This book is a collection of short stories by the European version of Edgar Allen Poe! The Metamorphosis (By far my favorite) was pretty disturbing despite there being nothing at all that one would consider as "Horror". Class: Classic Fiction
NEW (12/7/98) A Stranger in a Strange Land (Robert Heinlein): This book is greatly celebrated as one of the Great Works of Science fiction... All that Aside, it didn't really do anything for me It was just basically the Author Spouting off his views and philosophising against the backdrop of a "Earth Man Raised on Mars" Scenario.. Over all, I wouldn't rule out reading other works from this author, but I couldn't reccommend this book for THIS list. Class: Classic SciFi
NEW (12/7/98) Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold (C.S. Lewis): Lewis never ceases to amaze me, the book started out kind of slow like lot do, but once he got all the characters established Lewis spent the rest of the book weaving a Wonderous tale (Of a story most of us know already) About Psyche and Cupid and the rest. Lewis did take some Writers liberties here and there, but it only Intensified the story and made a very deep thinking book! I highly recommend this one. Class: Classic Fiction (Fantasy/Mythology)
NEW (7/19/98) The Game Players of Titan (Philip K. Dick): This could be classified more as a Novella being that it is not all that long. However, don't discount it for that! Dick delivers a thrilling and truly Alien story from a future that hasn't been painted yet... I have to give him credit for originality of concept on this one. Class: Classic SciFi
NEW (12/7/98) The Hero and the Crown, Blue Sword (Robin McKinley): I read these books back when I was in Grade School, and had totally forgotten about them until I was going through my old boxes. Robin McKinley does a wonderful job setting up the characters which you grow love throughout the series.. It's not really a social commentary (Which is the vein of the usual books I read) but it did have an interesting story which kept my attention (Even as a fledgling reader). I'm considering re-reading these when I get a chance. Class: Fantasy
NEW (12/7/98) VURT (Jeff Noon): Noon is a newcomer to the Cyberpunk scene, and to tell you the truth, I just bought the book because the cover looked cool. It was quite an interesting story -a little raw in places- but overall it was strange enough to keep me interested. I will probably read his new book which is coming out in a little bit. Class: CyberPunk
Pastwatch (Orson Scott Card ): He handles the paradoxes Well... no one could do it better than the Creator of ENDER! Class: Sci-Fi/Paradoxology
Branch Point (Mona Clee): Just because I can't remeber her name is no reason to blow off reading this book.. In many respects it is like Pastwatch.. So if you liked it, you'll like this. Class: Sci-Fi/Paradoxology
The Fortunate Fall (Raphael Carter): A Very interesting Approach to Cyberpunk.. not bad.. I'll keep my eyes open for more books from him. Class: Cyberpunk / Avant Guard)
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams): I don't agree with his defeatist view on religeon and life, but the book is one of the funniest I've ever read, and it's become somewhat of a cult classic as well. Class: Humor Sci-Fi
F.R.E.E. Lancers, F.R.E.E. Fall (Mel Odom):An Invigorating change from my normal Reading.. Kind of like a very good Comic book, but in Print. I'll wait for the next one from him as well. Class Mutant Universe Sci-Fi
The Other Fuzzy Books ( Fuzzies and Other People, Fuzzy Sapiens) (H. Beam Piper): Class: Classical Sci-Fi
Blade Runner2 : The Edge of Human (K. W. Jeter) Not a bad followup to the original but the story lines get mingled ( A little from the old book and a little from the movie..) so make sure you've watched the movie and read the book before reading this one. Class: Classical Sci-Fi
Zodiac, Interface (Bury), The Cobweb (Bury) (Neal Stephenson/ Stephen Bury) These are all good.. Stephen Bury is actually a Pen name for Neal and his Father Co-Authoring...
Count Zero, MonaLisa Overdrive, Idoru, Virtual Light, Burning Chrome (William Gibson) : Here's the Rest of William Gibson's Novels Its all good
(3/5/98) Heavy Weather and The Artifical Kid (Bruce Sterling) : If you must make a choice... Read Both :)
The Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis) : These aren't just for Kids.. I would consider them a staple for ANY serious Reader, and I re-read them from time to time.
Peircing the Darkness, The Oath (Frank Peretti): Gripping from the first page.. I've also read these more than once.. (And listened to the tape version too)
The Conquerors Trilogy (Timothy Zahn): I'm not gonna accept any argument about it... This guy can write (Reference: See the Heir to the Empire Trilogy Above)
A Wrinkle in Time Trilogy (Wrinkle in Time, Swiftly Tilting Planet, A Wind in the Door (Madeline L'Engle (I probably spelled that wrong)): Books I read at an early juncture that shaped my reading habits from that point on.
The Foundation Series (Isaac Asimov): These are a staple of any Sci-Fi Reader... Though the series kind of looses steam toward the end.. Class: Classical Sci-Fi


Well, That concludes the top ten+ list, below are some other books that I'd recommend if You believe that I'm a valuable resource :)