I'm not geek-worthy enough, I've read all the Stephenson books, Gibson, Orwell and Dick, that's about it. Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman are comic book artists/writers to me, I haven't read any book stuff they've done.

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by geek do they meaan sci-fi/dystopian?
hmm.
i have read all the same ones highlighted, excepting that i waded through the cryptonomicon.
i guess i have never really been a sci-fi nerd, but this is no secret.

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I have no idea what they meant by "geek novel". I can think of all kinds of geeky novels that don't match the books on that list. I suspect they meant "sci-fi/dystopian". My favorite sci-fi book is Gulliver's Travels.

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which numbers do you have a problem with?

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It's not so much what's on the list as what's missing. The books are a snapshot of mid to late 20th century sci-fi, as if the readers were ignorant of anything that predated the Great War. Where are the books that started the genre, like The Time Machine, Gulliver's Travels, and Frankenstein?

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Of that list I've read 1, 4, 5, 6, 9 & 12. I've also read 2 and 3 but don't really think I should include those as I read them for some class in high school, not for entertainment.

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It would be stretching the definition of "speculative fiction" too far to include Patrick O'Brian & CS Forester's nautical series, but I do find it interesting how much Star Trek borrowed from the naval genre. Along those lines, have you read Anthony Forrest's John Justice series? They're a nautical spy vs. spy yarn taking place during the Napoleonic Wars. I think you might like them. (but this is based on a reading when I was twelve - mileage may vary)

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I've read and owned every single item on the list except Microserfs.

My girlfriend has just started on Neal Stephenson, and insisted on starting with the Big U. and going in order. She's up to diamond age. I kinda liked the quicksilver/confusion/system of the world series but there are many better things to read pound for pound.

Illuminatus: I prefer the shrodingers cat trilogy. And it's geekier.

Watchmen: It *is* a comic. A very well written one which is often credited with changing/expanding the genre.

It is only a vote of 132 people...

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"Watchmen: It *is* a comic. A very well written one which is often credited with changing/expanding the genre."

Well, back when I was a still playing D&D in college geek (which is pretty bad, I know), I pretty much only read comics and fanzines, drank Beer beer, listened to punk rock and ate pizza. Somehow I usually had a girlfriend and lots of friends too, which is amazing. I went to the comic book and record store every single day. I think I did read Snow Crash and Neuromancer then... oh here's geek for you, my copy of Snow Crash came free with software, some computer game for my Tandy 486.

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Statistically insignificant, but interesting nonetheless. I would have voted for more genre defining books, like Gulliver's Travels (the Ur sci-fi book - what do they teach in school these days?), Frankenstein, and 20,000 Leagues under the Sea.

I like your comment about the weight of Stephenson's Quicksilver books. I enjoy a thick read (Bros. Karamazov, etc.) but it has to be worth the time.

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Wow, that is just sad...I agree with three on there but, frankly, I think the who is some geek who still lives with his mom and has all the technical readouts for the Enterprise.

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I had the technical readout for the Starship Enterprise when I was a kid... and I lived with my mom. But then I was ten years old.

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hmm i have read a few of these
and what ? no schrodinger's cat?

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Agreed.

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I heartily recommend reading Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. Geeky yes, but also very funny. Have you ready 'Good Omens' by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman?

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None of the above. I'm fired.

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I've read just over 1/2... mainly in HS. I think the selections seems about right if you take the words popular poll and 'written in English since 1932'. Definately a few classics missing, but most people don't go much beyond the glossy display in a bookstore. They can't all be elitist book snobs like some people ;).

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Somehow I'm not surprised that there's only two of those I haven't read.

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What?? There are two books you haven't read?

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