Shannon's comments (member since Dec 07, 2007)

Shannon's comments from the SciFi and Fantasy Book Club group.

A Shadow on the Glass by Ian Irvine (The View From the Mirror book 1).

They have to make constructs to channel their magic - not sure if that's a good way of describing it because it's been a few years, but they can't just cast spells or wave a wand, they have to build something first, a small something that, from my memory, seemed quite random.

I second The Amulet of Samarkand, The Name of the Wind and Daughter of the Blood

Just to keep things on track: we have already done Stardust as a Fantasy read, and Eragon is also a Fantasy book.

Don't forget that this is for Science Fiction - I know the lines can be blurred but there are plenty of sci-fi books/movies that are clearly Science Fiction.

If you'd like this theme for Fantasy, add it to the list for Brooke to include in a future poll.

Jeffrey wrote: "I think cover art is a big seller in fantasy. Stick a dragon on a book or nowadays a vampire and its half way out the door even if the dragon is peripheral to the plot or not even involved in the s..."


Big time. I'm shallow like that ;)
I especially loathe the tacky "traditional" fantasy covers a la Tor - though they're not the only offenders they're the worst and most consistent.

It's not about whether is has a dragon or a vampire on it. Some fantasy gets lovely covers, really unique and fascinating. It's the clunky Wheel of Time-esque covers that make me cringe.

Many of you wrote that the cover art influenced you or just plain got you to pick up the book. I would suggest that getting someone to pick up a book is half the battle of a bookseller.

Which is why I'm constantly surprised that they persist with tacky covers. Amazon can tell you that a cover image will sell a book (over one that doesn't have a cover image); the same can be true of ugly covers vs. non-ugly ones. (yes I know "ugly" is subjective but seriously, ugh:

My to-read pile is over 500 now too Tayla - and growing. I buy faster than I read but I don't regret it. Books are much cheaper here than back home in Australia! There even mass market paperbacks are around $25 - so how can I say no to a $10 one?!

I also never throw out a book, not even if I hated it. I used to give away books I didn't want, when I was a teenager, but over the last decade I've become almost obsessive. I won't even lend books out anymore, because I've lost some that way.

I think part of it is because when I was growing up we couldn't afford books and I didn't have many, so borrowed them from the library. But I wanted them, oh how I wanted them!

I'm like Ichaerus in my buying habits - but I'm quite glad my to-read pile is so small compared to his!! Gives me some perspective!

Strange, I didn't see a delete link at all, truly. But I thought I had done it in the past too... *shrug*

Jon wrote: "@Brooke: You need to edit the poll. There is a "small" delete link at the bottom of the page (if I remember correctly). Or, if I've got that completely wrong, just do a Find on the page for the ..."

Not there Jon. Must have changed? How did we delete old polls last time?? (or do they just expire gracefully based on their end dates?)

If I haven't become completely muddled Susanna, I believe October's Fantasy book is a theme-based one, which means Brooke will be putting together a poll so we can vote on a theme, and then we can nominate books. So you're right, we haven't voted yet!

(Wow, October's next month! It still feels like June to me)

I think it was Julia, who wrote the nomination just above your name Carolyn! A trick of the eye ;)

There are plenty of books, regular fiction books, that feature time travel - that doesn't make them science fiction. The time travel isn't a science but more a mystical, fantastical thing - like in Outlander. The Time Traveler's Wife isn't about time travel but about their relationship, and is more Drama than anything else. Honestly, it's not science fiction. The time travel isn't "incidental" but it's not a science either.

There's nothing science fiction about the book, and the genre doesn't have a monopoly on time travel - not when it just "happens". There are fantasy novels that feature time travel as well, but I disagree with Brooke that it's "sci-fi for people who say they don't like sci-fi." It's a love story.

I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall. If you read it, it'd be pretty obvious to you too I'm sure. Including this is as silly as including Outlander would be. Sorry. I'm in a bad mood. Nothing related.

The Time Traveler's Wife isn't really sci-fi, I would argue. No more so than say The House on the Strand.

I don't know either sorry, but you could try the GR group What Was the Name of That Book?, or if you're on LiveJournal there's a fantastic group called http://community.livejournal.com/whatwas... that have always found the answer for me.

Can a 1926 Bentley go 110 miles per hour? (p26)


I'm not far along at all, sad to say. I should love Pratchett and Gaiman, since they have the kind of British humour I grew up on, but it just reads like they're trying too hard. Trying too hard to be Douglas Adams, mostly.

I second Karavans by Jennifer Roberson.

I nominate Maledicte by Lane Robins.

(K-tice, we did A Game of Thrones earlier, and also it was published in the 90s)

It was very interesting to read your thoughts Kernos, and I agree with much of what you said.

Though "We are told that the Gethens have never warred, and many have postulated this was due to the lack of gender, but this I think wishful thinking on the part of radical feminists." - it did actually say in the book that this was what Genly thought, or I should say, he was telling us this, but Le Guin certainly avoided making any strong stand on this or any other points of the novel.

As to the book itself, I agree with Thomas (if I understood him correctly) - it's not an inspirational story.

In fact, when you do start looking closely at it - as you've done - there's very little in it. It's lack of a clear point bothers me and I didn't see it as a strength. It just didn't make me "think", because it wasn't, for me, terribly thought-provoking in any new way.

We'll help you out Thomas - anyone who's read it and wants to start a thread can, which should help :)

Okay so I only read Michael's original post here so forgive me if I'm repeating anything.

Some of the Chapters-Indigo stores separate Fantasy and Science Fiction and it drives me insane. Mostly because they often have books in the wrong section and you can't find them. A lot of fantasy can also be science fiction and vice versa, so they're really not easy to separate.

Not to mention, we all disagree on particular books and what genre and sub-genre they fit into, so keeping them together eliminates that arguments.

While I'm browsing fantasy (my favourite), it's nice if sci-fi is mixed in with them also because a sci-fi book can catch my eye and I would never have noticed it otherwise.

Then there's the problem with horror - a lot of it I would call urban fantasy, like Kelley Armstrong, but the fantasy section as Chapters just keeps on shrinking (while the romance gets bigger and bigger).

Sorry, I thought it said voting finished today - jumping the gun! I like getting a chance to vote again :)

We need a discussion leader for The Left Hand of Darkness - volunteers please?

Thanks Robin!