Awesome Flowchart Helps You Pick Your Next Sci-Fi or Fantasy Read

by Eric Limer | 11:39 am, September 30th, 2011

So as you may be aware, NPR crowd-sourced a list of the 100 greatest sci-fi and fantasy novels. As you might also be aware, 100 novels is a lot of novels. Chances are you’ve read or at least heard of some of them before, but let’s say you want to pick a new one, something you aren’t familiar with, something that will be an exciting surprise, but more importantly, something you’ll actually enjoy.

Well you don’t have to choose arbitrarily based on title or cover art any more; SF Signal has created an exhaustive, infinitely useful flowchart that’ll help you find the pick that’s right for you. Also, it’s funny, which is always a plus. Whether you’re interested in diving into the annals of post-apocalyptic Catholicism thousands of years in the future or an epic fantasy series with at least ten books under its belt, this flowchart is sure to lead you to the right choice.

Click the image to embiggen.

(via io9)

http://www.facebook.com/angelalynnfortin Angela Fortin

Very nice. I kept ending up on books I already own, though. I suppose that’s actually a point in this chart’s favor.
Anonymous

Not Dragon’s Egg! No “hard-science fiction”.
Manuel Gagneux

you’re new to the genre and all you’ve read is the lord of the rings? Here’s the Silmarillion, it reads like a breeze…
http://twitter.com/CarynSWE Caryn Wesner-Early

I’d love to explore this chart, but I can’t get it to a size I can see. When I magnify it, it pixellates. Is there a higher-resolution version anywhere?
http://Geekosystem.com Eric Limer

The magnification is readable for me, but you can check out the via link; they have a version that’s even bigger. The shape of this image makes it a serious pain to host fullsize.

The Unintentional Hilarity of Twitter Spam Bots

Back Alley Internet is a recurring column in which we explore some of the weirder corners of the Internet and see what we can drudge up for your amusement and education. This week: We study the legions of Twitter bots that trawl the trending topics and spit out some unintentionally hilarious tweets.

Tweetosystem

Eric Limer You have to tew two tutus?! I have to tew two tutus too!
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Max The Pizza and Pasta Foundation supports the federal SAUCE act. Ask your congressman to put some SAUCE on it!
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Eric Limer I like how if you make a mistake typing a popular URL, invariably the site you find is all "YOU'RE WINNER!" It's uplifting for a second.
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Max Spam for work involves a false teeth supplier and someone looking to buy magnetic plates.
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Eric Limer So that improv show was definitely a good idea. Ben Schwartz, Zach Woods, Justin Long, AND Adam Scott. #EverythingWentBetterThanExpected
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Max Got a lot crossed off my to-do list tonight, and I'm starting to feel significantly less freaked about about, well, life.
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Eric Limer I need trephination like I need a hole in the head.
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Max AIM CHAT: I like you, too. *belushis*
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Eric Limer Listening to Call Me Maybe and cropping screengrabs of Twitter bots. It's times like this that I really love my job.
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James Plafke Popular rapper Ladies Love Removed Eyes.
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Eric Limer I am genuinely enjoying using So.cl to make weird picture mash-ups. I just made a collage of becks. http://t.co/ulGbDbwn
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Eric Limer This Facebook IPO coverage needs to stop cuz I'm seriously sick of seeing Zuckerberg staring creepily at me from the top of every story.
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Max Put on your poodle skirts and choose your favorite syrup because we're gonna have a sock-hop at the iHop.
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James Plafke I just threatened my mom to email me something by telling her I'd discuss with her all the lady celebrities I'd have sex with.
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Max New Hallmark Card: "I held an extended conversation with you without being able to remember your name" Inside: "I'm sorry."
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Eric Limer To any of you bros who might like to ice me, I encourage you to act on that urge, bro.
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Eric Limer If anyone is looking for some totally garbled, nigh-incomprehensible ad copy, I'm your man.
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Eric Limer What? None of my Facebook friends are on So.cl? How can this be?!
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Eric Limer "Does this mustache look creepy? Experts are blind; can't tell."
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Rollin Bishop Lin Beifong is suddenly one of the best things about Legend of Korra.
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