As described here, I’m hoping and planning to make a personal copy of diverting science fiction novels in very dense format.
Long story short: I’m making a light-as-possible-weight copy of a bunch of stuff to read, enough to get me through three weeks; including, potentially, long stretches of time when I have nothing else to do, especially including long international flights. I am preparing a 7-point, skinny-margin, printed-on-lightweight-paper tome full of reading goodness.
I love good science fiction. I especially love good recent/new science fiction. I especially especially love good new science fiction that takes for granted that men and women are generally equal in capability, has dynamic characters, and has a fully realized world, sans much preaching. I like top-notch fantasy, too. I especially love a well-sustained story that lasts for thousands of pages.
My favorite authors include but are not limited to:[ul][li]Connie Francis[/li][li]Octavia Butler (RIP)[/li][li]Kage Baker[/li][li]Nalo Hopkinson[/li][li]Robin Hobb[/li][li]Ursula LeGuin[/li][li]Peter Hamilton[/li][li]Neal Stephenson[/li][li]Neil Gaiman[/li][li]Kim Stanley Robinson[/li][li]Greg Bear[/li][li]Greg Keyes[/li][li]Guy Gavriel Kay[/li][li]Robin McKinley[/li][li]Dianna Wynne Jones[/li][li]Joe Haldeman[/li][li]Stanislaw Lem[/li][li]Patrick Rothfuss[/ul][/li]With some reservations:[ul][li]Orson Scott Card (too bad about the recent homophobia)[/li][li]Sheri S. Tepper (too bad about the occasional stridency)[/li][li]Patricia McKillip (sometimes too precious)[/li][li]Gene Wolfe (sometimes I just don’t get it)[/li][li]Vonda McIntyre (sometimes it just doesn’t gel)[/li][li]James Alan Gardner (sometimes it’s formulaic)[/li][li]Sharon Shin (sometimes it’s Harlequin)[/li][li]Ken MacLeod (sometimes it’s economics class)[/li][li]Kay Kenyon (I’ve only read one of hers so far)[/li][li]Isaac Asimov (some’s genius, some’s filler)[/ul][/li]Others non-genre:[ul][li]Steve Martin[/li][li]Stephen Fry[/li][li]Carl Hiaasen[/li][li]Walter Mosley[/li][li]Dan Savage[/li][li]Richard Feynman[/li][li]Michael Crichton (even though he’s a tool; he can write if he wants to)[/ul][/li]So. What can you point me to? I am depending on the collective genius of The Dope to keep me from losing my mind on this trip!