Is there any original Materials Left

Or am I just too old?

from JoeUser Forums

I am an avid reader.  As a child, I read many books, and almost all the classic Science Fiction that I could get my hands on.  These years, I still read a lot, but most of it is Technical manuals.  I read for enjoyment about 2-3 books a year, usually on the long flights to California I take a couple of times a year.

My Latest endeavor is to read Brian Herbert, Frank's son.  For the uninitiated, Frank Herbert wrote the masterful Dune Series.  One of my all time favorite (my all time favorite is the foundation series by Isaac Asimov).

Well, I decided to give Brian a try.  Usually I retire a series upon the death of the original author as I know that any subsequent material cannot live up to the original.  But hey, everyone deserves a chance.

The book is not bad, but maybe it is just me, or maybe he is not that good of an author, but I have found myself guessing ahead of time the plot line.  I call it telegraphing.  It is kind of disappointing that before you read a chapter, you already know the ending.

I heard once that there are only 7 different plots in fiction, and that every book is just a variation on one of them.  I dont know if this is true, but I have found that most of the books I read now, I know the plot before the author unfolds it.

Does anyone else have this problem?  It really kind of makes the book suck.  I will finish this book, but I may have difficulty reading another by this author.  ANd he is not the only one.

Am I too old to enjoy good literature?  Or has all the good SciFi literature already been written?

misc
18,790 views 39 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
gee I knida liked all 5 new dune books brian wrote.. not as good as his father, but then I had no expectations they would be.

do you read fantasy? sword and sorcery genre
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top

do you read fantasy? sword and sorcery genre

No.  I usually read Tom Clancy these days, but he just does not publish enough.

I did not say I did not like him, just that he telegraphs too much.  Or maybe I just know too much.  The last movie/book that I found New and refreshing was the Grudge.  All the others seem to be cookie cutters of previous ones.  I will Finish this one and may read House harkonnen.  Thanks to your testamint!

Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
have ya tried john sanford,johnathan kellerman, richard north patterson,john patterson, clive cussler and for real covert stuff richard marcinko.. one of the founders of the seals covert teams.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top

have ya tried john sanford,johnathan kellerman, richard north patterson,john patterson, clive cussler and for real covert stuff richard marcinko.. one of the founders of the seals covert teams.

Just Clive.  He was ok, but did not have the story telling of Clancy.  If I decide to drop Brian, I will look at some of those others for my next vein of books.

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
Sometimes, I will go to the library and force myself to take a book from a genre I normally wouldn't read. I have yet to be disappointed. I normally read law and medical thrillers with a dash of sci-fi, but recently I read a couple of historical fictions and some light fluffy drama stuff. It's refreshing to read something different. Keeps me guessing.

Good Luck!
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

Sometimes, I will go to the library and force myself to take a book from a genre I normally wouldn't read. I have yet to be disappointed. I normally read law and medical thrillers with a dash of sci-fi, but recently I read a couple of historical fictions and some light fluffy drama stuff. It's refreshing to read something different. Keeps me guessing.

I love John Jakes and James Mitchner as well!  Unfortunately, I have read their stuff and if they are still alive, do not seem to be writing any more.  I have read some medical thrillers, and while it just may be me (they were good books), I foudn the authors telegraphed too much.

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
I like Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, but that is fantasy.

I haven't really read much sci-fi since Asimov in my teenage youth.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
I wonder if anyone as the description of the 7 main variations? That would be interesting to see. As to the topic itself, my father who died a few years ago at 76 said that there was nothing new under the sun. It was referring mostly to books, TV and movies but he meant that the same plot devices were being used over and over with variations on location, time and people.

Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top

I wonder if anyone as the description of the 7 main variations?

I would like to see a list of them as well.  I just heard the cliche, but I dont think they ever listed the 7 plots.

Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
1. good vrs evil

2. boy meets girl

3. some trying to change their life somehow

4. aliens from outer space.

5. conquering fear.

6.fantasy

7.life happens
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
"Are there". Not "Is there". You seem to otherwise be quite intelligent. If you're really a doctor, you must be quite well educated. And it seems that English is your first language.
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
My husband and I are both currently reading a series by Laurell K. Hamilton. It's the Anita Blake series. It's a cross of horror/sci fi/romance genres. If you are looking for a good series try this one. My husband hates to read but he got hooked after reading the first couple chapters of the first book in this series, Guilty Pleasures. There are currently 12 books out in the series with the 13th coming in 2006. here is her homepage: Link
And this link is too excerpts from all of her books: Link

The main character is a vampire hunter and necromancer. They are great books full of humor, magic and some blood. Check it out. I hope you like them. Plus, there are so many twists and turns in these books that once you get into it you can't tell where you are going.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top

"Are there". Not "Is there". You seem to otherwise be quite intelligent. If you're really a doctor, you must be quite well educated. And it seems that English is your first language.

English is my first language (barely), and I dont do well in it!  Now, give me a computer and a grammar checker............

Hey!  I got 780 on my math SATs!  I wont tell you what I got on my English SAT!

Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top

Reply By: Moderateman                                   Posted: Friday, March 04, 2005

Is that for real?  Or just a damn good guess?

Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top

The main character is a vampire hunter and necromancer. They are great books full of humor, magic and some blood. Check it out. I hope you like them. Plus, there are so many twists and turns in these books that once you get into it you can't tell where you are going.

Thanks for the recommendation.  I might try them.  I am about 2/3 the way through House Atreides, so will at least finish it out.  If it does not get any worse (I pretty much think I have it figure out, but I hope I am wrong), I will try it. Sounds very interesting.

Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
Dr. Guy, please allow me to recommend "The Zenith Angle" by Bruce Sterling.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345460618/qid=1109976632/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/102-8402695-0316115?v=glance&s=books

Original and though-provoking.
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top

Dr. Guy, please allow me to recommend "The Zenith Angle" by Bruce Sterling.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345460618/qid=1109976632/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/102-8402695-0316115?v=glance&s=books

Original and though-provoking.

Well, I really was just asking a question, but with all these recommendations, I dont guess I will want for literature in the near term!  Thanks Larry, and to all.  I hate buying an author cold, but with these recommendations, I think I have a nice source of reading for the next couple of years at least!

Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
It's not a question of what the story is.

There really aren't that many, and all of them are about the human experience.

It's a question of how well that story is told. For me, Frank Herbert does an excellent job of telling the story. It's the same old story of power and responsibility, certainty and doubt, confidence and fear, enlightenment and ignorance, that we all live out every day in our own lives. But he makes it fresh and new for me, and gives me incredible new insights into myself and my fellow humans, our history, and our hopes for the future. Good storytellers tell the same stories as bad storytellers, only so much better.

His son? Not such a good storyteller. You'd learn more from the story of Brian Herbert's life than you would from the stories Brian Herbert writes.

Stories are kind of like jokes: The joke remains the same; the laughter is in the telling.
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top
Is that for real? Or just a damn good guess?


what I heard while chatting with TOM, ARNIE, THAT JACKSON MAN, a couple others.
Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
The Seven Basic Plots to a Story:

1. Overcoming the Monster

2. Rags to Riches

3. The Quest

4. Voyage and Return

5. Comedy

6. Tragedy

7. Rebirth

I like what stutefish said, "Stories are like jokes; the jokes remain the same, the laughter is in the telling." Every book is similar to another in its story, the only difference is in the competence of the writer to keep us going. My favorite writer for this is Stephen King. If you're not a King fan, I'm sorry. If you prefer the more fantasy type stories or the Middle Earth stuff, try Tad Williams. The man is a great storyteller.
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top
Let me know if you like the series. I wouldnt mind hearing someone elses opinion. My husband and my mother are both reading them too but i would welcome someone elses insight also.
Reply #22 from JoeUser Forums Top
Reply By: NebraskawomanPosted: Friday, March 04, 2005My husband and I are both currently reading a series by Laurell K. Hamilton. It's the Anita Blake series. It's a cross of horror/sci fi/romance genres. If you are looking for a good series try this one. My husband hates to read but he got hooked after reading the first couple chapters of the first book in this series, Guilty Pleasures. There are currently 12 books out in the series with the 13th coming in 2006. here is her homepage: Link And this link is too excerpts from all of her books: LinkThe main character is a vampire hunter and necromancer. They are great books full of humor, magic and some blood. Check it out. I hope you like them. Plus, there are so many twists and turns in these books that once you get into it you can't tell where you are going.


i am starved for something new to read thank you , nebreska.
Reply #23 from JoeUser Forums Top
Or has all the good SciFi literature already been written? That's like asking if we should have stopped reading beyond Arthur Clarke.
Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top
What fascinates me isn't how many (or how few) plots there may be, but how many places the imagination and imagery of us mere mortals are able to go with those 7.

Of course, some writers fail in miserably in the imagination and imagery department, but look how many succeed beyond even their wildest dreams.

Kind of freaks you out, don't it!! ;~D
Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top
For an avid reader you should take another look at that headline homey.

-suspeckted