Re: [9fans] Very Off-Topic: Anybody here reads Sci-Fi? :)

["Joel C. Salomon" <joelcsalomon@gmail.com>]

On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 5:32 AM, Eris Discordia <eris.discordia@gmail.com> wrote:
> There are the Great Three, of course. Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and
> Robert A. Heinlein. Anything they wrote is worth a read. Sometimes a number
> of reads. Clarke particularly interests me. Try the short story The Nine
> Billion Names of God. The series of Odyssey novels are very readable--2001
> is a magnum opus of Clarke, and of science fiction.

Clarke's short stories are great, as are many of his novels. Quick
tip, though: DON'T read any sequels. 2001 is great, 2010 so-so, 2100
blah, and 3001 well-nigh unreadable. Same with the Rama books: read
the first, ignore the rest. Also, if there's a short story, and then
an expanded novel, stick with the short story. Especially Guardian
Angel/Childhood's End.

If you want short stories, look for the "Best of …" set by del Rey
books. Great introduction to many authors, especially Golden Age ones.

—Joel