Enjoying older stories

[Jhaelen]

What are the evergreens on your bookshelf?

Almost none. I generally feel there are simply too many good books to waste time rereading any.

Here's a complete list of my exceptions:
1) "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" by Philip K. Dick - This is the only novel I've read more often than twice. Basically, I reread it every couple of years, particularly after having watched Bladerunner again.

2) The "Watchmen" comic series by Alan Moore - the only comic I've thoroughly enjoyed reading since I left school.

3) "Lord of the Rings": After reading it in German, I decided to reread it in English - and I liked it much better!

4) "Ilium" by Dan Simmons: After reading it in English, I reread it in German since I'd received the sequel in German several years later.

5) "Count Zero" by Wiliam Gibson - the second part of the Neuromancer trilogy: I had originally read the trilogy in German and since they changed the novel's title I initially didn't recognize it for what it was!

 

[Scott DeWar]

-Stephen Brust: the early Jhereg books (before they got "deep")

-Frank Herbert: Dune

if in had time to read, it would include those two above and the following:

Douglas Adams (as mentioned a couple of times)
Dresdin files (Although I still have not read ghost stories)
stainless steel rat series
Phules Company series
the Deed of Paksenarian

That all I can think of right now.

 

[jonesy]

So, have you picked up some older stories from your libraries, and found them at least as enjoyable now as the first time you read them?

Logogryph: A Bibliography Of Imaginary Books by Thomas Wharton
It is mindblowingly amazing. I can't really even describe what it's about. There's a war in the sidelines of books. There's the fall of Atlantis, and the library of Alexandria. There's a man in Mexico trying to unravel a mystery. There's a game collectively created by its players going around the world. And the book is an island, and a patchwork, and it may not exist anymore, and it is a riddle, and the key, and from it a man falls out into the real world.

You start reading it confused about what it is, and then it jumps out and hits you on the head and shouts: "Now? Do you see now? Look! This is what I am!".

What are the evergreens on your bookshelf?

- Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov.
- Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov.
- Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks.
- The Female Man by Joanna Russ.
- Trouble and Her Friends by Melissa Scott.
- The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by H.P. Lovecraft.
- The Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft.
- The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester.
- The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.
- True Names by Vernor Vinge.

And others already mentioned.

 

[jmucchiello]

I reread Katherine Kurtz' Deryni series at this point each time she releases a new book in the series (not that frequently).

I've reread Modesitt's Recluse and Corean series several times but I'm not sure if I will do so again. But I'd never say never.

I occasionally reread Pratchett discworld novels one at a time.

I will probably reread a Song of Fire and Ice from start to book 4 for my second time around the time book 5 becomes available in mass paperback. (I'm a relatively late comer to the series.)

I have read my meager collection of Borrough's novels (Mars, Pelucidar, Tarzan) more than once and still have not expanded it beyond the rare few I have. (Few = around 12-15 thin books bought for a quarter each from some library sale.)

 

[Ed_Laprade]

Most of E. E. 'Doc' Smith's stuff. (If you're going to read space opera, go to the source!)

A bunch of Weber's stuff, even though I nitpick them to pieces!

Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion trilogy (the best D&D books out there, IMO), and some of her space books.

Anne McCaffrey's earlier stuff.

Pretty much anything by H. Beam Piper and James H. Schmitz.

And occasionally some other stuff here and there.

 

[rkwoodard]

only a few

I use to be an avid re-reader. Now I can only think of 3 evergreens

1) Cold Cash War by Rober Asprin

2) Chronicle's of Amber by Zelazny

3) Black Company by Glenn Cook

 

[Thunderfoot]

The first "Shannara" Trilogy by Terry Brooks
The "Harper Hall" (my wife had a cat named Menolly) and the first "Dragonriders" series by Anne McCaffery
The "M.Y.T.H." and "Phule's Company" series by Robert Lynn Asprin
The "Star Wars 'Thrawn'" series by Timothy Zahn (Sri Croesus )

 

[Scott DeWar]

The first "Shannara" Trilogy by Terry Brooks
The "Harper Hall" (my wife had a cat named Menolly) and the first "Dragonriders" series by Anne McCaffery
The "M.Y.T.H." and "Phule's Company" series by Robert Lynn Asprin
The "Star Wars 'Thrawn'" series by Timothy Zahn (Sri Croesus )

Oops, I forgot the M.Y.T.H. series!

 

[Relique du Madde]

Sadly I only have mass market trade paperbacks of my books. If only I had some rare editions...

Some of my favs that I constantly read are:
Don Quiote by Cervantes
The history of Rasellas, Prince of Abissenia by Samuel Johnson
The Curse of San Juan Capistrano (The Mark of Zorro) by Johnston McCulley
Brave New World by Huxley
1984 by Orwell
John Carter of Mars by Edger Rice Burroughs

I should note, that if you include Comic books in the evergreen catagory then every comic book I have in a trade edition qualify (I only buy trades for the issues I reread). HOWEVER, the most prominent are the Sandman Comics since I have them in trade edition and in a ultimate collector edition (those books are nice).

 

[GreyLord]

I don't really like the new stuff, but there is a ton of old stuff I read over and over and over...

Thomas Covenant
Shannara
Gonji (great series most haven't heard of)
Dragonlance
books by Moorcock
Dune series
Conan (mostly the RH stories)
Prydain Chronicles
Narnia Chronicles
Bounty Series (by Dietz)
Heinlein
Gordon Dickenson
Asimov