Top 20 geek novels

Colin Dunstan · 11-17-2005, 04:54 AM

Readers of Guardian's Technology Blog have voted for the Top 20 geek novels. The list is led by:

The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Douglas Adams 85% (102)
Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell 79% (92)
Brave New World -- Aldous Huxley 69% (77)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -- Philip Dick 64% (67)
Neuromancer -- William Gibson 59% (66)

Of all the books listed, I've read eight. Do I now qualify as a geek?

Jaapjan · 11-17-2005, 05:40 AM

Heh. I only read 3. Go me.

dwig · 11-17-2005, 10:00 AM

My "score" is 9 read, if you count Azimov's "Foundation" as one book instead counting the "trillogy" as 4 books.

cbarnett · 11-17-2005, 10:37 PM

Let's see....

On the list, I've read 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (watching Blade Runner doesn't count for number 4, I guess

)

That's 8, and all in the top ten... that's pretty sad.

dwig · 11-18-2005, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbarnett

...watching Blade Runner doesn't count for number 4, I guess

"Blade Runner", the movie version of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", follows only one component of the original story, and that is covered only partially. There is much more to the book.

StuBear · 11-19-2005, 11:32 PM

1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,13,14,15,17,18,19 - boy I must be a geek

I may have also read 16, but can't rember that particular title from the Dick stories I read. Have to go out and read the others now.

Stu

Bob Russell · 11-20-2005, 12:28 AM

I guess I'm less of a geek... 1,2,6,7,8,15. But that's enough to make me stranger than the average bear (as Yogi Bear might say!)

Alexander Turcic · 11-20-2005, 07:26 AM

2, 3, 11, 17

Stu, shame on you! Where the geek ends, the nerd begins, right?

mores · 04-22-2008, 05:34 PM

1. The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Great! Read them all. Actually, this was what got me started on ebooks. I wanted to know what people were talking about (there was a time when a lot of quotes, names and anectodes my friends made were being told from this book). And since I wanted it in the original language (english), I did some googling and found my first pirated copy of a book real quick.
That was so impressive that I have not purchased another pBook for myself ever since.

Another "topX" list ... I like 'em

Elsi · 04-22-2008, 06:42 PM

Hmmm... this geekette has read #1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 15. I *think* I read #20, but can't remember now. I own a copy of #14, but never got around to reading it.

I find myself agreeing whole-heartedly with a number of the comments. My first reaction is "what happened to Ender's Game, Left Hand of Darkness, Hal Clement and Octavia Butler?"

moz · 04-23-2008, 12:53 AM

I'm not sure... I generally don't remember title so much as covers and contents. This is annoying when people repackage books... but I'm guessing I have not read "Watchmen" (#12) and Illuminatus (#19). The rest I'm petty sure I've read. Some, admittedly, pretty much at gunpoint, in the sense of "it's that or watch TV".

WDecraene · 04-23-2008, 05:26 AM

I read 15 so I must be a geek. But ... I don't like Buffy ... so I can't be a geek !! I'm confused now.

Lemurion · 04-23-2008, 05:45 AM

I know I've read at least 12 on the list; possibly a couple more. I love Watchmen and just got the very expensive Absolute Edition hardcover (now I can retire my first edition trade paperback I've had for a couple of decades).

tompe · 04-23-2008, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WDecraene

I read 15 so I must be a geek. But ... I don't like Buffy ... so I can't be a geek !! I'm confused now.

I had also read 15 of them but I think Buffy is the best TV series ever made...

Hadrien · 04-23-2008, 06:02 AM

I've read 14 of them. Guess I'm a geek too !

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11-17-2005, 04:54 AM	#1
Colin Dunstan Is papyrophobic! Posts: 1,926 Karma: 1009999 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Device: Dell Axim	Top 20 geek novels Readers of Guardian's Technology Blog have voted for the Top 20 geek novels. The list is led by: The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Douglas Adams 85% (102) Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell 79% (92) Brave New World -- Aldous Huxley 69% (77) Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -- Philip Dick 64% (67) Neuromancer -- William Gibson 59% (66) Of all the books listed, I've read eight. Do I now qualify as a geek?

11-17-2005, 05:40 AM	#2
Jaapjan Avid reader Posts: 262 Karma: 132 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The Netherlands Device: HTC Touch Diamond, iLiad Book Edition	Heh. I only read 3. Go me.

11-17-2005, 10:00 AM	#3
dwig Wizard Posts: 1,613 Karma: 6718541 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Paradise (Key West, FL) Device: Current:Surface Go & Kindle 3 - Retired: DellV8p, Clie UX50, ...	My "score" is 9 read, if you count Azimov's "Foundation" as one book instead counting the "trillogy" as 4 books.

11-17-2005, 10:37 PM	#4
cbarnett MR prodigal son Posts: 1,085 Karma: 1083739 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura H2O	Let's see.... On the list, I've read 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (watching Blade Runner doesn't count for number 4, I guess ) That's 8, and all in the top ten... that's pretty sad.

11-19-2005, 11:32 PM	#6
StuBear Member Posts: 23 Karma: 25 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Osaka, JAPAN Device: Zaurus SL-C1000	1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,13,14,15,17,18,19 - boy I must be a geek I may have also read 16, but can't rember that particular title from the Dick stories I read. Have to go out and read the others now. Stu

11-20-2005, 12:28 AM	#7
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	I guess I'm less of a geek... 1,2,6,7,8,15. But that's enough to make me stranger than the average bear (as Yogi Bear might say!)

11-20-2005, 07:26 AM	#8
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,171 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	2, 3, 11, 17 Stu, shame on you! Where the geek ends, the nerd begins, right?

04-22-2008, 05:34 PM	#9
mores Guru Posts: 834 Karma: 102419 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Vienna, Austria Device: iPhone	1. The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy Great! Read them all. Actually, this was what got me started on ebooks. I wanted to know what people were talking about (there was a time when a lot of quotes, names and anectodes my friends made were being told from this book). And since I wanted it in the original language (english), I did some googling and found my first pirated copy of a book real quick. That was so impressive that I have not purchased another pBook for myself ever since. Another "topX" list ... I like 'em

04-22-2008, 06:42 PM	#10
Elsi Wizard Posts: 2,366 Karma: 12000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas, USA Device: Kindle; Sony PRS 505; Blackberry 8700C	Hmmm... this geekette has read #1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 15. I think I read #20, but can't remember now. I own a copy of #14, but never got around to reading it. I find myself agreeing whole-heartedly with a number of the comments. My first reaction is "what happened to *Ender's Game, Left Hand of Darkness*, Hal Clement and Octavia Butler?"

04-23-2008, 12:53 AM	#11
moz Addict Posts: 370 Karma: 1553 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Melbun Device: Kobo H2O	I'm not sure... I generally don't remember title so much as covers and contents. This is annoying when people repackage books... but I'm guessing I have not read "Watchmen" (#12) and Illuminatus (#19). The rest I'm petty sure I've read. Some, admittedly, pretty much at gunpoint, in the sense of "it's that or watch TV".

04-23-2008, 05:26 AM	#12
WDecraene Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 597 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Belgistan Device: A FREE (!!!) replacement cybook gen 3	I read 15 so I must be a geek. But ... I don't like Buffy ... so I can't be a geek !! I'm confused now.

04-23-2008, 05:45 AM	#13
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	I know I've read at least 12 on the list; possibly a couple more. I love Watchmen and just got the very expensive Absolute Edition hardcover (now I can retire my first edition trade paperback I've had for a couple of decades).

04-23-2008, 06:02 AM	#15
Hadrien Feedbooks.com Co-Founder Posts: 2,263 Karma: 145123 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Paris, France Device: Sony PRS-t-1/350/300/500/505/600/700, Nexus S, iPad	I've read 14 of them. Guess I'm a geek too !