Some of my favorite authors, their books and why I like them. I read for pleasure. See some miscellaneous Other Books.
Brandon Sanderson
Tags: System Discovery, High Competence
I think my favorite author. I like all of his books. They tend toward fantasy and have intricate world building and magic systems. His characters are amazing and some of the scenes in the book read like the opening of Star Wars – mind blowing.
He has some YA books as well and these were ok, but I wasn’t really the target audience.
Kaladin, from the Stormlight Archive, might be my favorite character in any book. Although I can’t identify with his emotional struggles, he is written in a way where I get it. He has specific triggers for his depression and low self esteem – I can see the mechanics. Combine these flaws with an awe inspiring arc of achievement, it is very emotional just thinking of it. He operates outside the system and beings of great power find out what he is made of and respect him. He is responsible for a good number of those mind blowing scenes I mentioned. On top of all of this I think he and I process our thoughts and actions in much the same way: Axiomatic Deontology.
- these and Mistborn are probably the other ones tied for favorite
- the characters are complex and deeply flawed
- despite being extremely competent (or growing into that) they struggle against even larger forces
- I especially enjoy the reveal of competence (it happens over and over)
- the lead character is an angsty teen girl – sounds bad, but watching Vin grow into the hero is an incredible ride
- the surrounding cast are some of the most memorable characters in any series ever
- this is Era 1 (incredible) and Era 2 (only very very good)
Tress of the Emerald Sea and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
- some really unique standalone novels
There are more and they are very good.
Orson Scott Card
Tags: High Competence, System Discovery
Ender’s Game and its series
- is this book my favorite of all time? tied at least
Ender’s Shadow and its series
- Ender’s Game from the point of view of one of his compatriots
- Ender seems to be supremely competent but Bean (unknown to Ender) is an order of magnitude more
Formic Wars series and Second Series.
- more exploration in competence and system discovery
- these books form the background for the Ender books
Allan Cole and Chris Bunch
Tags: High Competence, System Discovery
The Sten series
- I started with the second book (The Wolf Worlds) and I was hooked in the first few pages. A friend picked it up and also got hooked in a few pages.
- Sci-fi with military/spy action. A very satisfying and complete arc over the series.
The Far Kingdoms, The Last Legion, Seer King, and Star Risk, LTD.
- By both or one of the authors.
- These are mostly just fun reads.
James S. A. Corey
Tags: System Discovery. Deduction and No Decorum (Amos) to a lesser extent.
The Expanse series
Amos Burton is a very interesting character to me. At first I didn’t like him – like me he doesn’t experience social signals, but unlike me he has no ethics (more or less). He really grew on me though.
Bobbie Draper is a soldier from Mars that I also connect with. At first she is sort of “the bad guy” but over time you realize she is blind to authority (like me) and operates on explicit rules. She is extremely competent, which I also like.
Finally Camina Drummer (more from the show than the book, though both are good) – she ignores social rules and gets stuff done (and pisses people off at the same time). She also has flat affect. Truth and utility are her primary values.
Andy Weir
Tags: System Discovery, High Competence, No Decorum
The Martian - wise cracking astronaut Mark Watney has to deal with some trouble
Project Hail Mary - not as much wise cracking, but very competent Ryland Grace solves hard problems
Artemis - a mystery set on the moon!
Walter Jon Williams
Tags: System Discovery, High Competence
Hardwired - the first cyberpunk book I read and still my favorite.
Praxis series - sci-fi fleet nerd series.
Larry Niven
Tags: System Discovery
Fantastic sci-fi world builder.
Footfall - with Jerry Pournelle, an alien invasion novel.
Ringworld - an inspiring setting. These are not all of the same quality, but I would say the first two are incredible. Most the the Known Space books are really good.
Arthur C. Clarke
Tags: System Discovery
Sort of sci-fi royalty. I don’t like all of his books – some, especially those that he wrote with other authors, read like B-movie scripts.
Rama series - after the first these are with Gentry Lee, but I still cherish them. Sci-fi adventure set in the near future.
Elizabeth George
Tags: High Competence, Deduction, No Decorum
Inspector Lynley series
- the plots and characters are intricate and well developed over the many books.
- the characters have deep flaws and seem quite real
- police procedurals
I think I like the interplay between Lynley and Havers. At first they can’t stand each other but eventually they uncover each other’s strengths. I identify more with Havers – I am not exactly a slob, but have no concern for decorum. I like the way Lynley’s position means he can’t be pushed around. On top of it he is a very good detective. I probably miss a lot of the social and class issues, but I like the fact that the characters struggle and have real problems in their lives.
The mysteries are usually good enough to keep me guessing until the end.
John Sandford
Tags: High Competence, Deduction, No Decorum
He might be my second favorite author.
Prey series (Lucas Davenport) - very gritty murder mysteries. Lucas is not a nice guy (nor does he pretend to be). He gets results.
Virgil Flowers series - also murder mysteries, he sometimes works with Lucas. Very different character. These tend to be pretty intricate mysteries that will keep you guessing until the end.
Letty Davenport series - adopted daughter of Lucas (the book where they meet is one I have read many times). OK, normally I don’t want young blood showing up like this (no Scrappy Doo!) but Letty is the real thing.
Saturn Run- a science fiction novel??? It is really good! The plot and characters are solid John Sandford.
Dick Francis
Tags: High Competence, Deduction
A huge pile of very entertaining mystery books. They all involve horses and jockeys. I don’t care about horses or jockeys but these books are great.
Raymond Chandler
Tags: Deduction, No Decorum
Dashiell Hammett may have invented the hard boiled detective and the style of movies known as film noir, but I Raymond Chandler better.
Philip Marlowe series - a wise cracking hard boiled detective in Los Angeles.
Nelson DeMille
Tags: Deduction, High Competence, No Decorum
I think I like all of his books. Mysteries and thrillers mostly.
John Corey series - wise cracking detective John Corey vs a variety of high stakes criminals. Plum Island (the first in the series) is a true gem.
Stephen King
Tags: System Discovery, Deduction
What a prolific author, mostly in horror or many touching on fantasy, but a bit of sci-fi and mystery too. A few of his books I find tedious but most of them are real page turners.
Stephen King operates on pure instinct and vibes when writing – how do I connect? The supernatural elements aren’t as much emotional horror as systems to discover – rules to map.
The Stand aligns with my Axiomatic Deontology with a literal war between Good and Evil. There is no moral ambiguity.
I value his tight prose but cant handle his more psychological books like Rose Madder. I find those tedious.
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Tags: Deduction
Pendergast series - an FBI agent who plays by the rules – his rules. Many of these have a sort of X-Files supernatural vibe to them, though I wouldn’t classify them that way. You need to read to understand. Sometimes a bit cheesy I think, but very entertaining.
They have a variety of other series both together and apart. I enjoy all of them.
Lee Child
Tags: High Competence, Deduction, No Decorum
Jack Reacher series - these are sort of military/mystery books. Jack Reacher is an ex-MP who travels the country like a one-man A-Team. Not high literature but very fun reads.
Reacher isn’t officially ND, but he seems to fit the bill:
- literal communication, very blunt, no small talk, a lot of silence
- internal clock, high speed mental math – hyper-focus or “savant” characteristics
- Axiomatic Deontology – operates on rigid internal rules and logic. cares about facts, not vibes
- systemizing mind – data and patterns
John Grisham
Tags: Deduction
Known for his legal thrillers, I guess most would be classified as procedurals.
Tom Clancy
Tags: High Competence, Deduction
His older books are detailed military-science and espionage novels. They seem very realistic, high stakes and have intricate plots.
Jack Ryan series - follows Jack Ryan, a history teacher, CIA analyst and more through the cold war and beyond.
John Clark series - related to Jack Ryan series, a special ops series. He plays parts in many other books as well.
Stieg Larsson
Tags: Deduction, High Competence, No Decorum
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series - I have only read the first three that are by Stieg Larsson. Excellent mystery books, very intricate.
I think Lisbeth Salander might have no social salience, just like me.
Julian May
Tags: System Discovery, High Competence
Fantasy? Sci-fi? A bit of both? These books are about people with psychic powers – the entire series are built around the mechanics of it. I have reread them a couple times they are so good.
Pliocene Exile series - set six million years in the past but tied to the next set.
Galactic Milieu series - set in the nearish future – humans try to fit in with other spacefaring races.
Douglas Adams
Tags: Social Absurdity, System Discovery
I am usually not into silly books, but Douglas Adams turns it into an art form. He makes fun of social norms and “normal” behavior. His books have a plot but they are also a series of vignettes that are clever and absurd at the same time.
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series - sci-fi absurdity. Human Arthur Dent is thrust into the larger universe and has to deal with … events.
Dirk Gently series - detective novels of all things. Don’t worry, they are well into the absurd.
ONE
Tags: Social Absurdity, High Competence
A little different than the rest: this is manga, webcomic and anime.
One Punch Man series - the premise is absurd: a superhero who is so powerful that he defeats every enemy in one punch. He makes Superman look like he is made of tissue. How could this possibly be good? It doesn’t make sense, but it is very good. Saitama lives outside the rules societal structure. Most of the plot is the other characters in the Hero Association and their often not-very-heroic deeds. The reveals of Saitama’s power are delicious.