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Sci-Fi books & movie recommendations.


M.

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Just thought I'd start a thread for forum members to share, discuss and recommend Sci-Fi books and movies.

I'm a big fan of 70s and 80s movies in general, one of my favourite films from the 70s would be invasion of the body snatchers starring Donald Sutherland and of course the movie Alien.

I've yet to watch or read The Andromeda Strain, so I'm ordering a copy now.

I read a lot of non fiction but looking to give fiction a try, so let me know of any good reads.

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Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to sit and watch John Carter of Mars sci fi film on mainstream tv. The film was only a couple of years old but it was a good rendition of the true sci fi novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

The memorable sci fi films from my early years were Our Island Earth, When worlds collide, Fantastic Planet. All groundbreaking films in their days and just the thing for my fascination in sci fi at that age.

Books - James Herbert Dune trilogy, superb. Forget the stuff written by his son after JHs death, these I read and found tedious

Tv - despite Sheldon Coopers opinion about it being not true sci fi, Babylon 5 that was a superb series

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Where to start on this subject...


 


Favourite SF films, in no particular order. Blade Runner, 2001 (and 2010), Alien, Silent Running, Forbidden Planet, Day the Earth Stood Still (the original), Soylent Green, Starman, Metropolis, Dark Star, Twelve Monkeys, Brazil, Solaris (both versions), Donnie Darko, Truman Show, Gattaca, Galaxy Quest, The Abyss, Gravity, Oblivion, Moon, Source Code, Sunshine, Interstellar, to name but a few.


 


Favourite books. Anything by Arthur C Clarke, Larry Niven, Robert Heinlein, Alan Dean Foster, Greg Bear and Douglas Adams. Other books to single out - The Sparrow (Mary Doria Russell), Dragons Egg (Robert L Forward), Cloud Atlas (David Mitchell). I think I'm up to about 320 books on my SF shelf at home, collected over the last 40 years.


 


Alan


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Donnie Darko, I thought was an awesome film.


 


Gravity, looks good, but was an epic fail in physics all-round haha


 


I haven't seen Interstellar, but everyone tells me the ending is so silly.


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I thought Interstellar was very good, a modern take on 2001.


 


I read a book a few years ago called "The Black Cloud", bought it from a charity shop for £1. Very entertaining, about an intelligent black cloud from another universe that envelopes the sun and blocks out the light on Earth.


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I just can't seem to absorb fiction books, I'm easily distracted.


Edited by M__
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I've had my suspension of disbelief suspended much more entertainingly (and cheaply) than Interstellar. It was just boring pretty much all the way through and the ending for me was a ridiculous and total anti climax. I mean - I ask you - a wormhole or black hole or whatever, that ends in a bookshelf???


 


Anyway - Blade Runner, Alien, Twelve Monkeys, Truman Show, Gattaca, Galaxy Quest, Gravity, Source Code, Terminator 2, etc... now we're talking lol. :)


 


As for books - can't read non fiction for some reason - I only ever read true stories and factual stuff nowadays. But it's all just my humble opinion - if you enjoy it do it I say. :)


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I thought Interstellar was very good, a modern take on 2001.

 

I read a book a few years ago called "The Black Cloud", bought it from a charity shop for £1. Very entertaining, about an intelligent black cloud from another universe that envelopes the sun and blocks out the light on Earth.

I think that was a Fred Hoyle book

 

 

if you want a laugh try the Stainless Steel Rat books

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if you want a laugh try the Stainless Steel Rat books

Damn, I forgot about Harry Harrison!

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Look out in November for the Martain, the book started out as an author self publish via ereader etc I tend to do Audable books and on average do a book a week this way this is how I came across the book

It has now gone interstellar if you excuse the pun rushed out in novel form and is due as a cinema realise in November directed by Ridley Scott and staring Mat Damon (sorry said Dillon whoops)  as Mark Watney I won't say too much but it's like McGiver meets Apollo 13 a lone astronaught is left behind on Mars after the rest of the crew do an emergency escape when Mark Watney appears to have been killed in the sandstorm

Left behind no means of communication it's one mans pigheadedness to survive. It has drama humour and of course sadness but any film that has the line " in your face Neil Armstrong" and a love of duck tape can't be bad at all

Edited by Allan the Plumber
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Yep, that's on my watch (and to read) list as well,

Alan

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The Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy is a must read, all 6 parts of the trilogy. listen to the radio show, its all on youtube. The tv show was quite good, maybe pass on the film!

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Link to the up coming film I was talking about  "The Martian "


 


>https://youtu.be/lQqhfq87FgY


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It's certainly worth the watch, although that trailer gives away a LOT of the films storyline.

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Books..... EE Doc Smith's Skylark series.

Films..... 2001, 2010, Blade Runner, Dark Star, Moon, Gravity.

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Interestingly the martian is a 2011 book too, might be worth a read....

It is if the film is half as good as the book result

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Guest Alienfox

Because of my job I have to watch a lot of films, old and new, and one of my favourite genres is Sci-Fi, and all the films recommended so far are all worth a watch, but my favourite film of all time has to be 'The Man from Earth'.  No real movie-stars to speak of, just good acting and a great story line, worth a watch.

Edited by Alienfox
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I will take a look at that film, don't think I've seen it....

I'm intrigued to know what your job is now;)

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  • 3 months later...

Ok, so I'm guessing some of you have seen 'the martian' ? I'm waiting for the DVD release, it seems to have gained a rather good reception.

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We saw it last week, I was impressed. Theres quite a bit of humour in there and some sound science, pushing it at the end with the rescue but you have to let hollywood have their way

Edited by philjay
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I'm waiting for The Martian to come out on 3D bluray in Dolby Atmos. Now that'll be worth watching I hope. :)


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I read The Martian before seeing the film. The book reads like a screenplay rather than a novel, IMO, but is an entertaining and fairly quick read with some genuinely funny parts. It's no ACC or Asimov, though. The film is very good (not Interstellar good), captures a lot of the books humour well and has a solid story, engaging characters and good CG, but does miss out a couple of parts from the book, so they may be a director's cut to appear later). It's a bit like Apollo 13 in a way - it keeps your interest going even though you (probably) already know how it ends.


 


Alan


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  • 2 months later...

Finally watched the Martian.

 

I thought it was a good film 8.5/10, its an interesting 2hr+ movie but I thought the ending went too far, only missing guns haha

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I'm a fan of Neal Asher.... love the Polity novels. Also liked Rama books. Hoping that the rumors are correct and the film is being made.

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