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Impossible to pick just one. I'll give a few that haven't appeared yet: Fiction: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (Eliezer Yudkowsky) Non-fiction: R

by edanm 2y ago

Impossible to pick just one. I'll give a few that haven't appeared yet: Fiction: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (Eliezer Yudkowsky) Non-fiction: Rationality - from AI to Zombies (Eliezer Yudkowsky) Probably no books have impacted me quite as much as these two, barring early-childhood books that have impacted me from a young age. Fiction: Worm (by Parahumans) Best "superhero" fiction ever created. Just one of my favorite books in general. Fiction: The Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson. Best fantasy books ever, IMO. I can go on for a long time, but I felt like these haven't been mentioned and absolutely deserve a place on this thread.

Dove 2y ago
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality is splendid. Some of the most vigorous writing I've ever encountered. I agree, it is highly recommended.
- killthebuddha 2y ago
  BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD Edit: On a more serious note, this book actually changed the way I think in a very concrete (and positive) way. The book spurred me to start consciously reflecting on "what about X, specifically, is surprising" and/or "what about X, specifically, is confusing". It's impossible to quantify, but the habit has definitely, definitely, boosted my ability to disentangle complex situations and make better decisions.
  - araes 2y ago
    Skulls for the Throne of Skulls! We march upon the Abyss! Seriously though. "Codex Chaos" is pretty super sweet, if sweet is skyscraper size demons of the darkness of mankind. Excellent light reading.
Jcowell 2y ago
+1 on Worm. I’ve read it twice and was captivated both times
opesorry 2y ago
Worm is outstanding. It's responsible for getting me into reading which has shaped my life since
NateEag 2y ago
For those of us who really hated HPMOR and didn't finish it, this review explains the issues in it better than I can: https://danluu.com/su3su2u1/hpmor/ https://danluu.com/su3su2u1/hpmor/
- empiricus 2y ago
  Well, lets just say this guy does not understand what is happening in the book. "When Hermione DIES Hariezer does nothing, and a few weeks later Voldemort brings her back." - in the book Harry steals Hermione's body from under the nose of all wizards, and keeps it hidden and frozen for a future revival, etc. Also many of the things that "do not make sense" are actually from the canon, and EY is making fun of their absurdity.
  - NateEag 2y ago
    > Well, lets just say this guy does not understand what is happening in the book. "When Hermione DIES Hariezer does nothing, and a few weeks later Voldemort brings her back." - in the book Harry steals Hermione's body from under the nose of all wizards, and keeps it hidden and frozen for a future revival, etc. The reviewer predicted that this is exactly what Harry did when he got to Hermione's body disappearing. I think you've cherry-picked a misleading quote - the reviewer at that point is pointing out that Harry is not changing his primary focus to actually be solving death, just ranting about how terrible it is. If Harry were being rational and focusing on the problem, as the reviewer points out, he might conceivably investigate the relevant prior art and research from the wizarding community, like Death's Door and the Philosopher's Stone. Yes, he steals a body to preserve against the day someone does beat death, but he doesn't actually reorient to trying to fix it himself, is the reviewer's claim. That fits with my vague recollections of slogging through a big chunk of it, but it was probably seven years ago, so I could be way off. > Also many of the things that "do not make sense" are actually from the canon, and EY is making fun of their absurdity. As one who read the original series multiple times, I'm pretty confident none of the things that reviewer calls out as nonsensical are from the original series.
    - 2y ago
kemko 2y ago
HPMoR and Worm? Try Mother of Learning.
- edanm 2y ago
  I've heard of it many times but never gotten around to reading it. Apparently an audiobook version exists, so I'll bump it up my list and read it soon. Thanks!
eatrocs 2y ago
crap what was that website that had such crazy ramblings - 2600 like technobabble spy hacker games... it wasn't what Shin Megami Tensei was based on... oh well, failed memory shapes reality
_gabe_ 2y ago
I’m reading the mistborn books right now. I was up until 2 in the morning finishing the first book in the trilogy the other night. These books are fantastic!
- edanm 2y ago
  I'm pretty much required by law to tell you that his other books are also fantastic, and that if you like Mistborn, you should (after completing the trilogy) try The Stormlight Archive. Kidding aside, Sanderson is by far my favorite author, and his fantasy books are honestly some of the greatest books I've ever read. And I read a lot. I highly recommend finishing the Mistborn trilogy, and then reading some more :)
  - feoren 2y ago
    I loved Mistborn, and I heard great things about The Stormlight Archives, but to be honest, I found that they have very different pacing. My biggest gripe with most fantasy books is that you can suddenly realize that you've been reading for 100 pages, and nothing has happened. The Stormlight Archives has that problem in spades. I got about 1/4 into the 2nd book before I suddenly realized absolutely nothing at all had happened since about halfway through the 1st book. It just dragged on way too much for me. Mistborn 1 didn't drag at all; 2 and 3 did a bit but not egregiously. I've made the argument before that A Song of Ice and Fire doesn't have a particularly high rate of character death. It's just that things actually happen in those books. I think that's why they're so loved: not because they're the best writing, or the best world, or the best characters, but because things happen, every single chapter. Character deaths are high per page, but not high per actual story event that happens. In the Stormlight Archives, it felt like after 1.25 books, each major character had had about 2 major plot events. Way too slow pacing for my taste.
    - edanm 2y ago
      I can totally get that. I didn't think it was too slow, but Stormlight is definitely slower paced than Mistborn. That's why most people (including the author) recommend Mistborn over The Stormlight Archive as a first read.
dartharva 2y ago
> Fiction: The Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson. Best fantasy books ever, IMO. I highly recommend listening to the GraphicAudio adaptation of this series. It's what got me into audiobooks.
- edanm 2y ago
  Honestly, I've really disliked these kind of full cast recordings every time I've tried them. No idea why. I'm a fairly voracious audiobook consumer, though.
  - dartharva 2y ago
    Probably because it's a jarring deviance from the traditional audiobook experience if you're used to it. For someone like me who hadn't listened to many audiobooks before trying GraphicAudio, it was a very good experience.

by edanm 2y ago

Dove 2y ago

Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality is splendid. Some of the most vigorous writing I've ever encountered. I agree, it is highly recommended.

killthebuddha 2y ago
BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD Edit: On a more serious note, this book actually changed the way I think in a very concrete (and positive) way. The book spurred me to start consciously reflecting on "what about X, specifically, is surprising" and/or "what about X, specifically, is confusing". It's impossible to quantify, but the habit has definitely, definitely, boosted my ability to disentangle complex situations and make better decisions.
- araes 2y ago
  Skulls for the Throne of Skulls! We march upon the Abyss! Seriously though. "Codex Chaos" is pretty super sweet, if sweet is skyscraper size demons of the darkness of mankind. Excellent light reading.

Jcowell 2y ago

+1 on Worm. I’ve read it twice and was captivated both times

opesorry 2y ago

Worm is outstanding. It's responsible for getting me into reading which has shaped my life since

NateEag 2y ago

For those of us who really hated HPMOR and didn't finish it, this review explains the issues in it better than I can: https://danluu.com/su3su2u1/hpmor/ https://danluu.com/su3su2u1/hpmor/

empiricus 2y ago
Well, lets just say this guy does not understand what is happening in the book. "When Hermione DIES Hariezer does nothing, and a few weeks later Voldemort brings her back." - in the book Harry steals Hermione's body from under the nose of all wizards, and keeps it hidden and frozen for a future revival, etc. Also many of the things that "do not make sense" are actually from the canon, and EY is making fun of their absurdity.
- NateEag 2y ago
  > Well, lets just say this guy does not understand what is happening in the book. "When Hermione DIES Hariezer does nothing, and a few weeks later Voldemort brings her back." - in the book Harry steals Hermione's body from under the nose of all wizards, and keeps it hidden and frozen for a future revival, etc. The reviewer predicted that this is exactly what Harry did when he got to Hermione's body disappearing. I think you've cherry-picked a misleading quote - the reviewer at that point is pointing out that Harry is not changing his primary focus to actually be solving death, just ranting about how terrible it is. If Harry were being rational and focusing on the problem, as the reviewer points out, he might conceivably investigate the relevant prior art and research from the wizarding community, like Death's Door and the Philosopher's Stone. Yes, he steals a body to preserve against the day someone does beat death, but he doesn't actually reorient to trying to fix it himself, is the reviewer's claim. That fits with my vague recollections of slogging through a big chunk of it, but it was probably seven years ago, so I could be way off. > Also many of the things that "do not make sense" are actually from the canon, and EY is making fun of their absurdity. As one who read the original series multiple times, I'm pretty confident none of the things that reviewer calls out as nonsensical are from the original series.
  - 2y ago

kemko 2y ago

HPMoR and Worm? Try Mother of Learning.

edanm 2y ago
I've heard of it many times but never gotten around to reading it. Apparently an audiobook version exists, so I'll bump it up my list and read it soon. Thanks!

eatrocs 2y ago

crap what was that website that had such crazy ramblings - 2600 like technobabble spy hacker games... it wasn't what Shin Megami Tensei was based on... oh well, failed memory shapes reality

_gabe_ 2y ago

I’m reading the mistborn books right now. I was up until 2 in the morning finishing the first book in the trilogy the other night. These books are fantastic!

edanm 2y ago
I'm pretty much required by law to tell you that his other books are also fantastic, and that if you like Mistborn, you should (after completing the trilogy) try The Stormlight Archive. Kidding aside, Sanderson is by far my favorite author, and his fantasy books are honestly some of the greatest books I've ever read. And I read a lot. I highly recommend finishing the Mistborn trilogy, and then reading some more :)
- feoren 2y ago
  I loved Mistborn, and I heard great things about The Stormlight Archives, but to be honest, I found that they have very different pacing. My biggest gripe with most fantasy books is that you can suddenly realize that you've been reading for 100 pages, and nothing has happened. The Stormlight Archives has that problem in spades. I got about 1/4 into the 2nd book before I suddenly realized absolutely nothing at all had happened since about halfway through the 1st book. It just dragged on way too much for me. Mistborn 1 didn't drag at all; 2 and 3 did a bit but not egregiously. I've made the argument before that A Song of Ice and Fire doesn't have a particularly high rate of character death. It's just that things actually happen in those books. I think that's why they're so loved: not because they're the best writing, or the best world, or the best characters, but because things happen, every single chapter. Character deaths are high per page, but not high per actual story event that happens. In the Stormlight Archives, it felt like after 1.25 books, each major character had had about 2 major plot events. Way too slow pacing for my taste.
  - edanm 2y ago
    I can totally get that. I didn't think it was too slow, but Stormlight is definitely slower paced than Mistborn. That's why most people (including the author) recommend Mistborn over The Stormlight Archive as a first read.

dartharva 2y ago

> Fiction: The Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson. Best fantasy books ever, IMO. I highly recommend listening to the GraphicAudio adaptation of this series. It's what got me into audiobooks.

edanm 2y ago
Honestly, I've really disliked these kind of full cast recordings every time I've tried them. No idea why. I'm a fairly voracious audiobook consumer, though.
- dartharva 2y ago
  Probably because it's a jarring deviance from the traditional audiobook experience if you're used to it. For someone like me who hadn't listened to many audiobooks before trying GraphicAudio, it was a very good experience.