They don't like that! I like the "expressways" leading to spacetown.

Gully Foyle is my name
Terra is my nation
Deep Space is my dwelling place
The stars my destination

What do you suppose happened when he awoke? I wonder why so many Classic SF novels end ambiguously?

Robo,
Try DEUS X by Norman Spinrad. Dude gets stoned with a Cardinal at the Vatican. Richard Morgan's ALTERED CARBON, and it's spinoffs, has really gained quite a following and (like NEUROMANCER) created a whole new sub-genre. I guess it's called "Noir-Punk". Like an SF Mickey Spillane/Raymand Chandler deal. Good stuff. "Cool" is definately the word for it.

Oh, and if you still have your copy of NEUROMANCER (I don't) could you lay down that opening line for us? Next to SOMETHING WICKED's "The seller of lightning rods arrived before the storm.", I think it may be the best opening line in the history of SF. Something about the sky resembling the sick blue light of the TV screen. It's beautiful, concise, and absolutely effective in establishing the mood and atmosphere for the novel. I loved it. I read it, had to pause... reflect... read it again, soak it in... and repeat. What better effect could an author, or reader, ever want from an opening line, or a hair conditioner?

[This message has been edited by grasstains (edited 07-08-2006).]

"The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."

Not liking Dylan can be unlearnt, grasstains! I'm not a particular fan, but his genius is undeniable. Same with Elvis Costello. I've always thought his voice takes a lot of getting used to, but for those who make the effort, there are riches aplenty.

I did the same thing when I read that, grass. I had to re-read it and soak it in. I really loved this book. I'm trying to find all his others at my book store now. You should check out his website too, its pretty amazing. They have a discussion board just like the new Bradbury boards. Gibson himself has a blog section where he responds to some of the stuff from the boards. Its fascinating, check it out. Just google William Gibson and go to the official one.

"I am gross and perverted, I'm obsessed and deranged,
I have existed for years, but very little has changed.
I'm the tool of the government and industry too,
For I am destined to rule and regulate you.
I may be vile and pernicious, but you can't look away,
I make you think I'm delicious with the stuff that I say.
I'm the best you can get.
Have you guessed me yet?
I'm the slime oozing out from your TV set..."

-Frank Zappa, another sometimes-profound poet

douglasSP,

Thanks for digging that up. Even better than I'd forgotten it being.

I love Costello's early stuff. I remember seeing that first album of his when it came out and thinking, "What a nerdy looking dude", but word of mouth and curiousity won out and I bought the silly thing. WOW!!! What a surprise to my ears when I got home and first heard "Mystery Dance" and "Watching The Detectives". I never forget that. You know I go for your British bands. I heard The Who is releasing a new studio album. Have you heard a sample yet?

Finished Caves of Steel, liked it more than I Robot and I did like that too. I started The Demolished Man, next up is A Canticle for Leibowitz.

You are on a very entertaining road, man.

Thanks for the initial suggustions. What are you reading?

I'm reading something called the TAROT trilogy by Piers Anthony. I've always considered the man a hack, but this particular effort seems really well thought out and researched. There is quite a bit of "CANTICLE" and James Blish's A CASE OF CONSCIENCE in this book. The story is about a monk from "The Church Of Eternal Enlightenment" or "The Brotherhood Of Enlightenment" or something like that (I'm drunk, trying to kill backpain) and he's on a mission to this strange planet colonized by several different religious sects (including "The First Communist Church") where one's beliefs can be animated when storms pass. His mission is to ascertain which is the one true god of the planet, so this god can be animated, which none of the sects has attempted to conjure out of respect for the others. Pretty heady stuff for a "hack". The Tarot deck is big part of the story, where each faith accepts and utilizes the cards on a daily basis. Tarot animations abound.

Oh, and I just finished a collection by Theodore Sturgeon called BEYOND and a collection by A.E. Van Vogt called DESTINATION: UNIVERSE.

I'm also currently piddling through a book called MAN'S ETERNAL QUEST by Parahansa Yogananda, some Hindu yogi dude.

[This message has been edited by grasstains (edited 07-10-2006).]

grasstains: Back pain is terrible. I did something 15 plus yrs ago and it took only until last 3 or 4 years for it to not be so touchy. Heard it tweak one day while lifting. Youch!!

You may wonder, what are you doing up at 3 AM? Well, in a nutshell...had tickets for the TV show 'Price is Right', but my wife has to work tomorrow. (today, at this hour!) Yes, I am still wonderiung if I should go. Probably not. If I do, I'd have to leave in an hour. You have too get there super early. People sleep on the sidewalks. Lines of people in blankets. It's strange. It's first come, even with tickets. All the tickets do is allow you to wait in line. Afterwards, you are interviewed, and contestants are picked BEFORE the show begins, It's just you don't know if you've been
picked.

Better judgment says...I'm hitting the sack in a few minutes...


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[This message has been edited by Nard Kordell (edited 07-11-2006).]

Grassy,
May I suggest you see an Osteopath, not a chiropractor. This advice is from personal experience.
Also, I believe Yogananda's had his day. He was quite popular in the 60's along with many other Indians who came here to enlighten us Americans, and to earn a nice living. I read all their stuff.
I suggest "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis, or "The Screwtape Letters". There is a wonderful "book on tape" of the latter which is read by John Cleese of "Monty Python" fame.

I can't afford to seek help right now because I lost my insurance. I do agree about chiropracters. I've only been once and limped out of there worse than I limped in. He really hurt me. This problem I have is the sciatic (sp?) nerve which runs down the back of the leg from hip to ankle. It's a real killer when it tightens up. I have to do stretching exercises daily, and despise every second of it. Motrin and Tylenol have a minimal effect on the pain, so a few times a year I resort to a little drink, or several little drinks. It works. I woke up today feeling better than yesterday.

Cool info on THE PRICE IS RIGHT, Nard. I had no idea it was run like that. Good luck.

Pick door #3.
Woops, I think that"s LET'S MAKE A DEAL.

hope your back is better grass. i finished the demolished man, dug it especially how he wrote the peepers conversations like a crossword puzzle. loved the surprise ending as well. i started a canticle for leibowitz this morning. i immediately had to look up some words which is a good sign for challenging me. i'm well into it, i loved his dedication at the very beginning. next i will read long after midnight by bradbury, which i've owned since 1985 but have never read.