# Where should I begin with Vernor Vinge? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-should-i-begin-with-vernor-vinge/610886 "2012-01-27T18:02:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-should-i-begin-with-vernor-vinge/610886/1 "2012-01-27T18:02:45Z")
I’ve read Gibson and Stephenson but never got around to reading any Vinge. Rather than attempting a rather daunting chronological reading, can anyone direct me towards his best stuff? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernor\_Vinge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernor_Vinge) ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-should-i-begin-with-vernor-vinge/610886/2 "2012-01-27T18:12:59Z")
Start with **A Fire Upon The Deep** , then read **A Deepness In The Sky** , then stop until he releases the sequel he should have written instead of **Children of the Sky**. **Rainbow’s End** was OK, but I was hoping for more. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-should-i-begin-with-vernor-vinge/610886/3 "2012-01-27T18:56:04Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Start with **A Fire Upon The Deep** , then read **A Deepness In The Sky** , then stop until he releases the sequel he should have written instead of **Children of the Sky**. > > **Rainbow’s End** was OK, but I was hoping for more. Thanks. Off to Amazon I go. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-should-i-begin-with-vernor-vinge/610886/4 "2012-01-27T19:19:14Z")
I totally loved _The Peace War_ and _Marooned in Realtime_. ---
**Author:** ![beowulf573](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@beowulf573](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulf573)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-should-i-begin-with-vernor-vinge/610886/5 "2012-01-27T19:20:19Z")
The Peace War/Maroon in Realtime are great books, also there’s a collection of his short stories that is worth reading. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-should-i-begin-with-vernor-vinge/610886/6 "2012-01-27T20:46:06Z")
Anyone read “True Names” lately? Does it hold up at all? ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-should-i-begin-with-vernor-vinge/610886/7 "2012-01-27T21:11:47Z")
> [@beowulf573](#): > > The Peace War/Maroon in Realtime are great books, also there’s a collection of his short stories that is worth reading. Do you have the name of that collection or would you [recognize it by name?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernor_Vinge#Collections) I’m a fan of SF shorts. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-should-i-begin-with-vernor-vinge/610886/8 "2012-01-27T21:19:00Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Do you have the name of that collection or would you [recognize it by name?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernor_Vinge#Collections) I’m a fan of SF shorts. [True Names and Other Dangers](http://www.amazon.com/Names-Other-Dangers-Vernor-Vinge/dp/0671653636/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327699114&sr=8-2) I also like Peace War and Marooned in Real Time. Fire upon the Deep was awesome (save for a far-too-long middle section), as was Deepness in the Sky. Rainbow’s End and Children of the Sky were both awful. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-should-i-begin-with-vernor-vinge/610886/9 "2012-01-27T21:24:02Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > [True Names and Other Dangers](http://www.amazon.com/Names-Other-Dangers-Vernor-Vinge/dp/0671653636/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327699114&sr=8-2) > > I also like Peace War and Marooned in Real Time. Fire upon the Deep was awesome (save for a far-too-long middle section), as was Deepness in the Sky. Rainbow’s End and Children of the Sky were both awful. Thanks!