See, I had a lot of trouble getting THROUGH Freedom and Necessity...it seemed like it ought to be interesting, but it just wasn't working for me.

I think I didn't get Freedom & Necessity. The Hegelian Dialectic (and its relevance) still escapes me. I don't remember The Gypsy, but Agyar was good, I recall that.

I love The Sun The Moon & The Stars -- it's sort of Microserfs for artsies.

I am swooning. Two of my favorite books, by authors (Brust & Douglas Coupland) I never hear mentioned at the same time.

Back to Brust - I'd suggest anyone start with the Vlad books, in publication order. I actually like the Paarfi novels better, but I think the Vlad stories are excellent (excellent=fun+smart in my book) and a better intro to that universe. I'm not a big Feng fan, but now I'm going to reread it because it's been ages (well before watching Firefly) since I read it.

Thanks for all the Tanith Lee suggestions. My library list is getting to be a mile long...

I'm not much of a Brust fan, but I remember liking Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille. It was so long ago that I can't remember any details, I'll have to go look it up again.

it's sort of Microserfs for artsies.

Ooh, I love Microserfs. And Generation X. I'll have to keep my eye out for this Brust book.

Which? People keep telling me to read Tanith Lee but I don't know where to start.

Placing my vote for The Birthgrave and my alltime favourite of hers, Kill the Dead. There's something so charming about irony when it's genuinely loving.

a couple of books by Tanith Lee
I remember reading some of her books when I was younger, they were kind of shorter sf-ey kind of books, but really well written... everything I've seen of hers in a while isn't what I remember... does anyone else remember this, or am I losing it?
Also, I am *finally* finished my last semester so am looking for some non-school type reading. I would love some sort of fantasy-type books, along the lines of Mary Stewart's Merlin/Arthur books, maybe similar subject matter (no Guinevere, though, thanks)- although I know there are few out there to parallel Stewart's fabulousness in the genre.

I have Quicksilver and The Confusion sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read.

Very annoying, this time lack thing.

Considering I'm the only person I know who's read Cryptonomicon three times, I clearly NEED to read them.

I've read Cryptonomicon at least three times, and it is still ROFL funny.

Quicksilver I am still kinda "meh" about, I'll re-read in a couple of months and see if I like it any better. Mostly it made me want to go read Gleick's biography of Isaac Newton, and look for a bio of Hooke, just to see how much liberty Stephenson took with his portrayal of them.

My Tanith Lee starter kit would begin with "Night's Master" and continue through the Flat Earth series, with maybe a brief stop in her "The Wars of Vis" trilogy (Storm Lord, Anackire and The White Serpent). Just beautiful stuff.

Y'know what I miss? That whole late 70's/early 80's New Wave fantasy stuff. Tanith Lee, Jo Clayton, Eric Lustbader (before he started sucking), all that stuff that seemed to get sparked by Mike Moorcock's Elric books. I really liked those lush fantastic worlds they showed me. That's really what kept me going when I ran out of RE Howard books to read.

Also with the mad Brust fannage. Agyar was of the yum. Also, you Cowboy Feng haters are clearly mad. (Unfortunately, Comrade Brust must be included in this sweeping polemic.)

As for neat Arthurian stuff, if you can find it, grab Dave Drake's "The Dragon Lord". Before he sank into the Mil/SF churning machine, the dude wrote some interesting stuff. I thought it had an intriguing take on the story.

Hey, wasn't Chris Pike the guy who wrote those Tripod novels a ways back? YA SF, post alien invasion, kinda War of the Worlds-ish? They were good.

edited for title screwup