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John Varley

    August 9, 1947

    John Varley is an acclaimed author celebrated for his innovative and thought-provoking works. His writing often delves into profound explorations of human nature, the future of technology, and the complexities of relationships. Varley's distinctive style and masterful storytelling immerse readers in worlds rich with imagination and intellectual inquiry. His ability to blend compelling narratives with philosophical reflection cements his status as a significant voice in contemporary literature.

    John Varley
    The Ophiuchi Hotline
    Wizard
    The Year's Best Science Fiction
    Picnic on Nearside
    The Golden Globe
    Punk Revolution!
    • Punk Revolution!

      • 384 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      This is the most wide-ranging and provocative look at punk rock as a social change movement over the past forty-five years, told through first-hand accounts of roughly 250 musicians and activists. John Malkin brings together punk's most famous figures as well as underground voices, creating a new and insightful history of punk throughout the ages.

      Punk Revolution!2023
      4.3
    • The Cold War meets Mad Men in form of Karel Koechner, the most successful double agent who lived a life of shifting morals and blow-out hedonism from New York to Moscow. In the mid-1970s, the CIA and KGB both suspected Karel Koecher was working for the enemy. They were both right. With his wife Hana, Koecher arrived in the US as a KGB agent, posing as an anti-communist defector, and he soon learned that performing well in academia was the fastest path to the CIA. After graduating from Columbia he swiftly entered the ranks of the CIA, becoming a double agent during the height of the cold war. The Koechers eventually embraced the 1970s Manhattan high life -- cocaine, swinging, parties. Hana made money as a diamond dealer, occasionally relaying messages to Karel's handlers. The Koechers' lifestyle reflected both the times and their risk-taking. It was the apex of Karel's career, spy by day, swinger by night. The Koechers made it and even the once shy Hana got carried away with the euphoria. Life is good, and the Koechers felt unstoppable. But it was too good to last. Using newly declassified documents, interrogation tapes and extraordinary first-hand accounts from the Koechers themselves, Cunningham reconstructs their double lives and the fading Cold War, where a strange moral fog made it hard to know what truth was being fought for, and to what end.

      The Liar: How a Double Agent in the CIA Became the Cold War's Last Honest Man2022
      3.4
    • Bureaucratic Fanatics

      Modern Literature and the Passions of Rationalization

      • 284 pages
      • 10 hours of reading

      Bureaucracy, once considered moderate and mild, drives people wild. It provokes both a rational fanaticism for more bureaucracy and a fanaticism that would, if only it could, do away with it once and for all. This confusion of rationalization and ex

      Bureaucratic Fanatics2020
    • The Kilometre Millionaire

      • 304 pages
      • 11 hours of reading

      In this book, leading member of the Railway Performance Society Alan Varley discusses and analyzes a lifetime of railway travel across the French Railways (SNCF) network - over a million kilometers worth! The performance of different types of train is assessed on the wide variety of routes on which they operated, giving the opportunity to see the impact of modernization, first from steam to diesel, and latterly to the dedicated high speed lines of the Trains a Grande Vitesse (TGV).

      The Kilometre Millionaire2020
    • Despite wars with Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as 9/11, the United States’ dependence on foreign oil has kept the nation tied to the Middle East. A scientist has developed a cure for America’s addiction—a slow-acting virus that feeds on petroleum, turning it solid. But he didn’t consider that his contagion of an Iraqi oil field would spread to infect the fuel supply of the entire world…   In Los Angeles, screenwriter Dave Marshall heard this scenario from a retired U.S. Marine and government insider who acted as a consultant on Dave’s last film. It sounded as implausible as many of his scripts, but the reality is much more frightening than anything he can envision.   An ordinary guy armed with extraordinary information, Dave hopes his survivor’s instinct will kick in so he can protect his wife and daughter from the coming apocalypse that will alter the future of Earth—and humanity…  

      Slow Apocalypse2013
      3.7
    • Der Wettlauf zum Mars beginnt, als China ein Raumschiff startet. Die USA reagieren mit einem eigenen Raketenstart. Doch ein drittes, ungewöhnliches Team – ein Ex-Astronaut, ein Genie und vier Teenager – bereitet sich im Verborgenen auf den Wettlauf vor. Ein spannendes Rennen im Weltall entfaltet sich.

      Roter Donner. Roman2009
      3.8
    • Red Lightning

      • 372 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      The son of one of the first explorers of Mars, Ray Garcia-Strickland is tired of the overdevelopment and tourists there, and when Earth is struck by a mysterious object, he is forced to return to his home plant and help solve the mystery. Reprint.

      Red Lightning2007
      3.8
    • Mammoth

      • 364 pages
      • 13 hours of reading

      Stumbling upon a perfectly frozen woolly mammoth in the northern wilds of Canada, a mammoth hunter is stunned when he also finds the mummified body of a Stone Age man, dating from around 12,000 years ago, wearing a modern-day wristwatch

      Mammoth2005
      3.6
    • The Golden Globe

      • 528 pages
      • 19 hours of reading

      Renowned for its captivating narrative, this novel showcases the exceptional storytelling skills of its author, making it a standout in its genre. The plot intricately weaves together themes that resonate deeply with readers, offering a rich and immersive experience.

      The Golden Globe1999
      4.1
    • Steel Beach

      • 620 pages
      • 22 hours of reading

      The moon colony, Luna, is a virtual paradise where every need is provided for: food, prolonged lifespans, digital memories, and instant sex-changes. But the pointlessness of this easy life is making the inhabitants suicidal--including the central computer that monitors their existence. As humanity teeters on the edge of self-destruction, newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson sets out to find a new frontier.

      Steel Beach1993
    • Sbírka pěti žánrově různých povídek od detektivního příběhu přes kyberpunk až k romantické povídce nové vlny.

      Press enter1992
      3.7
    • The Year's Best Science Fiction

      Seventh Annual Collection

      • 598 pages
      • 21 hours of reading

      This collection features a diverse array of speculative fiction from 1989, showcasing both established and emerging voices in the genre. The contents include a mix of novellas, novelettes, and short stories, each offering unique narratives and imaginative worlds. Notable contributions include Judith Moffett's "Tiny Tango," a thought-provoking novella, and Mike Resnick's "For I Have Touched the Sky," which continues the Kirinyaga series. Gregory Benford's "Alphas" and Connie Willis's "At the Rialto" present engaging explorations of human experience and societal themes. The anthology also includes works by Kathe Koja, Steven Popkes, and Robert Silverberg, each adding depth and variety to the collection. From William King's "Visiting the Dead" to Bruce Sterling's "Dori Bangs," the stories reflect a range of styles and subjects. Lucius Shepard's "The Ends of the Earth" and Nancy Kress's "The Price of Oranges" further exemplify the creativity of the time. Additional highlights include S. P. Somtow's "Lottery Night," Alexander Jablokov's "A Deeper Sea," and Megan Lindholm's "Silver Lady and the Fortyish Man." The collection concludes with Gardner Dozois's insightful essay summarizing the year's contributions to the genre, alongside honorable mentions that acknowledge other noteworthy works. This anthology serves as a testament to the richness and diversity of speculative fiction during this period.

      The Year's Best Science Fiction1990
      4.0
    • De aarde voorbij

      Duizelingwekkend ruimteavontuur 3 virtuoze actieromans

      • 711 pages
      • 25 hours of reading

      Bevat:Andrew Stephenson - NachtwachtJohn Varley – Rode lijn met OphiuchiTerry Pratchett - Delven

      De aarde voorbij1988
      3.2
    • In the skies over Oakland, California, a DC-10 and a 747 are about to collide. And in the far distant future, a time-travel team is preparing to snatch the passengers, leaving prefabricated smoking bodies behind for the rescue teams to find. And an air disaster investigator gets a phone call that changes his life … and the world as we know it.

      Millennium1985
      3.6
    • Picnic on Nearside

      • 260 pages
      • 10 hours of reading

      A collection of short stories from the Hugo and Nebula award-winning author who "has the imagination of six ordinary science fiction writers" (George R.R. Martin)—John Varley. Picnic on Nearside includes nine astonishing stories from an author whose imagination has changed the genre and the way that people envision the future.

      Picnic on Nearside1984
      4.0
    • Vaarwel, Robinson

      • 132 pages
      • 5 hours of reading

      De prijzenwinnende jonge komeet aan het SF-firmament, John Varley, vermaard om Titaan, Rode Lijn met Ophiuchi en zijn nieuwste, verfilmde roman: Millennium, leeft zich verkwikkend uit in zijn verhalen. Uit dit degelijke en tegelijk lichtvoetige materiaal is Vaarwel, Robinson samengesteld. Bevat de verhalen: - Vaarwel, Robinson Crusoë - De barbie-moorden - Het Beatnikmoeras

      Vaarwel, Robinson1983
      3.0
    • Wizard

      • 372 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      Gea è un mondo vasto e sconosciuto che si è avvicinato al Sistema Solare. Una squadra di ricognizione umana deve esplorarlo da vicino. Cirocco Jones, responsabile della missione, è una donna con le idee chiare e un preciso disegno nella mente: scoprire il segreto di Gea e dei suoi artefici, anche se questo richiede la revisione di tutti i parametri conosciuti in fatto di ingegneria, chimica e biologia. Come è stato scritto all'epoca in cui il romanzo uscì per la prima volta: "Un capolavoro di invenzione e di suspense scritto da un autore che Isaac Asimov ha definito senz'altro un nuovo Heinlein". Copertina di Franco Brambilla

      Wizard1981
      3.8
    • Noch mehr Voraussichten

      • 157 pages
      • 6 hours of reading

      Im Audienzsaal der Marskönige (In the Hall of the Martian Kings) Nachbar Mars bürgt für Überraschungen. Rückläufiger Sommer (Retrograde Summer) Haben Sie schon einmal in Quecksilber gebadet? Das Phantom von Kansas (The Phantom of Kansas) Ein Künstler komponiert Gewitterstürme.

      Noch mehr Voraussichten1981
      3.7
    • Voraussichten

      • 127 pages
      • 5 hours of reading

      Liebesfahrt zum Schwarzen Loch (The Black Hole Passes) Ein Schwarzes Loch bedroht Leben und Liebe zweier Techniker fernab unserer Sonne. Luftpiraten (Air Raid) Bitte anschnallen, Sie verlassen in wenigen Minuten die Erde! Die Trägheit des Auges (The Persistence of Vision) Wie sehen und hören blinde und taube Kinder? 1980 mit dem Hugo- und dem Nebula-Preis ausgezeichnet.

      Voraussichten1981
      3.7
    • Ein Löwe in der Speicherbank (Overdrawn at the Memory Bank) Alles, was er wollte, war ein geruhsames Wochenende als Löwe... In der Schüssel (In the Bowl) Kaufen Sie nie gebrauchte Organe! Triade (Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance) Eine türkisblaue Viertelnote, einen Kilometer breit.

      Mehr Voraussichten1981
      3.4
    • Twenty years ago, the Gaean Trilogy dazzled critics and readers. Now a new generation will discover that brilliant world--beginning with Titan.

      Titan1980
      3.5
    • Schijn van leven

      • 226 pages
      • 8 hours of reading

      Brian W. Aldiss - Schijn van leven (Appearance of Life) John Varley - Rood staan bij de geheugenbank (Overdrawn at the Memory Bank) Michael G. Coney - Die goeie ouwe tijd van de vloeibare brandstof (Those Good Old Days of Liquid Fuel) Richard Cowper - Het Hertford-manuscript (The Hertford Manuscript) Lester del Rey - Natuurlijk voordeel (Natural Advantage) Isaac Asimov - Twee honderd jaar mens (The Bicentennial Man, 1976) Joanna Russ - Mijn boot (My Boat) James Jr. Tiptree - Housten, Housten, ontvangt u mij? (Houston, Houston, Do You Read?)

      Schijn van leven1978
      3.0
    • Retrograde Zomer

      • 317 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      A science fiction novelette nominated for the 1976 Nebula Award.

      Retrograde Zomer1978
      4.3
    • The Ophiuchi Hotline

      • 247 pages
      • 9 hours of reading

      YA. Science fiction. Experiments with human DNA. Investigation of the source of data called the Ophuichi Hotline. It is largely from this mysterious information source that mankind has made so much technological progress.

      The Ophiuchi Hotline1977
      3.9