I'm reading Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear and I can't put it down. I just looked it up on Amazon and found out that there's a sequel.

Human reproduction, genetics, politics, and violence. A great story.

I've read Darwin's Radio and the second novel... the second kinda' bogged down for me.

Do yourself a favor and stop after the first one. They just get worse. I call them Boddice-ripper of the Cavebear.

LOL!!!! Funny!

I completely agree that #2 and #3 are worse, but if I remember correctly they do have more sex scenes. (Of course these days we have the internet... we don't have to plow through rotten novels for that.)

Beest likes Iain M Banks and Iain Banks (same author, one name for fantasy novels, the other more sci-fi, never remember which is which). I quite like them too, actually. Even though neither are "my genre".

I'm glad someone else said it.

Be warned that Hamilton's Pandora's Star does not set a cracking pace. I have yet to see if Judas Unchained runs any quicker. Hamilton seems to write these five-hundred-page multideckers that move like Swedish cinema.

If it is a solid story with fleshed-out characters I'm ok with that.
Moby Dick has been read once every two years for most of my life.

Been promising myself I should give Moby Dick a proper run through ever since Jeff Smith so convincingly raved about it in Bone. (Series of graphic novels. Deeper and more complex than most, and a big hit.)

I recommend about any Zelazny, though I'd give the nod to his earlier Amber novels over his later. Perhaps it was that I was younger? His language has the sensibility of a poet's. For a Zelazny intro, hmm: try The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth. Collection of short stories that should tell you if you want more of the late Mr. Z.

Oh: John Myers Myers' Silverlock. Older than it looks. Ya gotta like a story that starts with two men, shipwrecked, clinging to a floating yard, falling into conversation -- and each shortly concluding the other is a world-class bullshitter.

Thanks man! I will put them on the list.

Iain M Banks is his sci-fi name, Iain Banks is for the straight (though even these usually have a degree of magical realism) novels.

Yeah, you're right "fantasy" is not the right description (haven't read on in a while) Thanks.

OK, dammit. Thread resurrection. Because I can.

Science fiction novels (2 or 3 books?). The protagonist is a woman from a rich family who, as a teenager sees a meteorite crash and gets scared about a "deep impact" type of even. As an adult she devotes her life--and family fortune--to preparing to meet this threat when it appears.

I can't remember the title or author. Well?? Bueller?

It sounds familiar but...