GREATEST SCIENCE FICTION STORIES OF ALL TIME

The golden age of SF was in the fifties and sixties however, there are also some real gems both before and after this period also.
I would recommend looking up the Hugo and Nebula Award Winning Novels and nominations for an absolute wealth of wonders. Also, Gollancz have published a series called 'Science Fiction Masterworks' and this is another goldmine.
My favourite books of all time are in that list - 'The Star's My Destination' and ‘The Demolished Man’ by The Grandfather - Mr Alfred Bester (I am not worthy) - widely regarded as the greatest SF books of all time by other SF authors. See where William Gibson (read Neuromancer) got the cyberpunk bug from.
Read everything by him above and also J.G. Ballard - author of 'Crash' for dystopian visions.
'Last and First Men' and 'Starmaker' by Olaf Stapledon. You read this and you'll see where Clarke, Asimov, Baxter, hell everybody got their inspiration for the big stuff.
Try '2001, 2010, 2061 and 3001' By Arthur C Clarke and 'The Foundation Trilogy' By Isaac Asimov and 'Dune Series' By Frank Herbert for more epic scale.
Try 'Rites Of Passage' by Alexei Panshin which is divinely written. What a rip-roaring ride of masterful narrative and nailbiting tension. It also raises some fascinating ideas about overpopulation and future societies.
Try 'Earth Abides' By George R Stewart - read it now, or suffer mediocrity for the rest of your life. Other fantastic pre and post holocaust novels are 'Lucifer's Hammer' and 'Footfall' By Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle and 'Earth' By David Brin.
Try 'Canticle For Liebowitz' by Walter M Miller for a spiritual epic running through millennia.
Try 'Bug Jack Barron', 'Little Heroes' and 'The Iron Dream' by Norman Spinrad for a drug hazed headf*-k.
Try 'The Deep Range' by Arthur C. Clarke for a high pressure ocean eco-adventure.
Try 'The Forever War' and follow ups by Joe Haldeman for scale and virtuosity.
Try 'Dark Universe' By Daniel Galouye for strange delights and gradual awakenings of understanding. Lightbulbs will ping on in your brain over and over again.
Try 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' By Philip K Dick and then run out and buy Bladerunner by Ridley Scott (Ultimate Cut) immediately because it's the best SF movie ever made. Actually - read anything by this guy.
Try 'Non Stop' By Brian Aldiss - magnificent pace and adventure. What a master.
Try 'Flowers For Algernon' by Daniel Keyes for a beautiful story about a man with learning difficulties - get your hankies out though.
Try 'Red Mars', 'Green Mars' and 'Blue Mars' By Kim Stanley Robinson for an epic and technical marvel of future colonisation - NASA asks him for advice on the strength of these books.
Try 'Blood Music' By Greg Bear for a biohorror - and talking of that, 'I Am Legend' by
Richard Matheson is the best SF-horror crossover ever - beats the hell out of the pathetic recent attempt at the movie. I read on the grapevine that there was a time when Ridley Scott was going to make it during his golden SF era and sadly, I shall be haunted by the ghosts of great SF films unmade.
Try 'The Space Merchants' By Frederick Pohl and CM Kornbluth for a funny as fu*! story of future identity theft and fraud.
Try the 'Ender's Saga' starting with 'Ender's Game' and don't miss 'Speaker For The Dead' by Orson Scott Card for an examination of war ethics and recovery and healing afterward.
Try 'Startide Rising' By David Brin for a great yarn about the uplift of dolphins and great apes in to sentient beings.
Try 'No Enemy But Time' By Michael Bishop for the ultimate in time travelling yarns.
Try 'The Iron Dream' By Norman Spinrad and 'The Man In The High Castle' By Philip K Dick for an exploration of what if the Nazi's were around now.
Actually, just read the whole of the Gollancz SF Masterworks series - oh thankyou, thank you, thankyou whoever put this series together!
For Kids a fantastic intro to scifi at around 10 - 12 are 'The Children of Morrow' By H.M. Hoover and 'Dolphin Island' By Arthur C. Clarke.
Enjoy as I did and feed your brain!
Oh Bugger, I forgot Stranger In a Strange Land, Damnation Alley, Brave New World, 1984, Little Heroes, Gateway, Tau Zero, The City and The Stars, Childhood’s End and Fahrenheit 451!

I’m sure I’ll think of more as soon as I post this. Dammit Janet!

MY TOP 5 RESONATOR GUITARS TO DIE FOR

Who has not heard the sound of those resonant, ringing, sliding, warbling bell-like beauties and not been struck by their sonic splendour? If they don't hit you somewhere deep inside then to be quite frank, you must be dead. My little Ozark does the job and gives a nice sound when played laptop style using a nut to raise the action and a Lap Dawg contemporary tonebar. If you want a beautiful example of playing, listen to 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door' at the following link and pretty much anything by Jerry Douglas, Sonny Landreth, Arlen Roth etc.
Here are some nice links with sound examples of these quirky instruments:

http://www.terraplaneguitars.com/

So I thought that after all my squawking about my hatred of lists that I would make a list of my own.

My top five resonators and Oh My God, do I wish I had the dough for any of these!

5. The Jerry Douglas Signature Dobro
Body Mahogany
Resonator Spider
Cover Plate Fan
Binding Neck and Body
Hardware Nickel Plate
Finish Natural MahoganyComes with Deluxe Hard-shell CasePrice $2409

Jerry Douglas' fluid, seemingly effortless playing has earned him the nickname "flux." He's worked with an amazing array of stars from all genres of music - from James Taylor and Paul Simon to Alison Krauss and Lyle Lovett. He has won Grammy Awards as a producer for the Nashville Bluegrass Band and Allison Krauss as well.The Great Dobro Sessions yielded Jerry Grammy Awards as both producer and performer. He has also been awarded fifteen trophies by the International Bluegrass Music Association; seven Academy of Country Music Awards for best instrumentalist; and several Indie Awards. Despite his relative young age, Jerry Douglas is a renowned modern Dobro master.

4. National Polychrome Tricone Acoustic Resonator Guitar

Model - Polychrome Tricone
Weight - 8lbs 14oz

Serial - 15263Year - 08-2009
Case - OMHC

Tuners: National BrandNutMaterial: Bone
Fretboard: MahoganyFretboard Binding: Ivoroid
Fretboard Markers: Mother of Pearl
Fretwire: W.106 H.039
Resonator: Three 6 inch ConesBridge
Type: T BridgeNeck
Material: MapleTopMaterial: SteelSideMaterial: SteelBackMaterial: SteelUpperBout Width:10.25 Inch
Lower Bout Width:14.25 InchOverall Length: 39 Inch
Depth Of Body: 3.125 InchWidth at Nut: 1.825 Inch
Width at 12th: 2.3 Inch
Scale Length: 25-21/32

Price: $2,000 +/-

The Polychrome Tricone is a steel body version of the classic Style 1. The body is finished in durable powdercoat, it has a maple neck, rosewood fretboard and 1930s style headstock overlay.

3. National M1 Tricone Acoustic Resonator Guitar

Headstock Style: Slotted

Tuners: National Brand

Nut Material: Bone

Fretboard: Ebony

Fretboard Binding: Ivoroid

Fretboard Markers: Mother of Pearl

Fretwire: W-.106 H.039

Resonator: Three 6" Cones

Bridge Type: T Bridge

Neck Material: Honduras Mahogany

Top Material: Mahogany

Side Material: Mahogany

Back Material: Mahogany

Upper Bout Width: 10.25"

Lower Bout Width: 14.25"

Overal Length: 39"

Depth Of Body: 3.125"

Width at Nut: 1.825"

Width at 12^th: 2.3"

Scale Length: 25-21/32"

Weight: 6 lbs 5 oz

Hardshell Case: Included

Price: 6 String $2900; 12 String $3200; Left Handed $2900; Square Neck $2900; Baritone $3200

National’s Mahogany bodied M1 Tricone has a tone unlike anything else the company has ever offered. The volume and dynamic range of this guitar will surprise you at first strum; it’s much more airy and open than a brass or steel tricone – and has much less focus in the mids than the metal bodies. Instead, the sound is warm, wide and breathy, and controlled.

Fingerstyle guitarists (who don’t play slide) will find inspiration in this instrument, as will anybody who’s always wanted a resonator but hasn’t found one that’s just right. A truly remarkable creation, and more than 3 pounds lighter than a metal bodied equivalent. Mahogany ply body with wooden soundwell, mahogany neck, ivoroid-bound ebony fingerboard, slotted headstock. Round neck carve, 25.65” scale, 1-13/16” nut.

2. Terraplane - Zydeco

Terraplane Zydeco - modelled by Sonny Landreth

• Nickel Silver Polished Thinline Cutaway Body
• Cutaway Body Available In:
• Polished Brass -which will naturally age
• Polished Brass -with a urethane clear coat
• Custom Hot-Rod Candy Finishes
• Nickel Plated
• Snakedance Finish Optional
• Two Custom Jason Lollar Pickups
• Rotary Volume Control & Mini 3-Way Pickup Selector
• 1-7/8" Body Thickness
• 12" Body Width
• Single Resonator Cone Design
• Tunematic Bridge
• ZYDECO™ Tuned Ported Body
• Ebonized 1-Piece Maple Neck
• Two Carbon Graphite Neck/Peghead Reinforcement Bars
• 1-11/16" Nut Width
• 25.5" Scale Length
• Bound 19 Fret Quartersawn Wenge Fingerboard
• Atomic Wenge Fingerboard Additional
• Kluson 3 x 3 Tuning Machines
• Pearloid Hand Engraved Headstock Overlay
• 39" Overall Length
• Total Weight: 8 lbs.
• Hardshell Case Included
• Price: $10000 base model - enhancements cost extra!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnofC7KsX2o

1. Terraplane - .44 Special

Modelled by Mark Simon (Luthier) and Cindy Cashdollar

• Body Available In:
• Polished Brass -which will naturally age
• Polished Brass -with a urethane clear coat
• Custom Hot-Rod Candy Finishes
• Nickel Plated
• Snakedance Finish Optional
• Round or Square Neck
• Acoustic or Acoustic/Electric with one or two custom Jason Lollar pickups
• Rotary Volume Control & Minature 3-way Pickup Selector
• Body Depth 3-3/8"
• Body Width 14-3/4"
• Single Resonator Cone Design
• Carbon Fiber Spider & Saddles
• Two .44 Revolver Cylinder Adjustable Tone Ports (pat pending)
• One Piece Spanish Cedar Neck
• Two Carbon Fiber Neck Reinforcement Bars
• 1-7/8" Nut Width (squareneck) / 1-11/16" Nut Width (roundneck)
• Bound 19 Fret Quartersawn Wenge Fingerboard Standard
• Atomic Wenge Fingerboard Optional
• Kluson 3 x 3 Tuning Machines
• Pearloid Headstock Overlay with .44 Special Logo
• 39-1/8" Overall Length
• Total Weight: 8.5 lbs
• Hardshell Case Included
• Price: $7000 base model - enhancements cost extra!