Lori's comments

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

Note: Lori is no longer a member of this group.

Yeah, I can see how that one starts off difficult - it's hard to get a handle on the characters and what is going on. But it picks up and becomes a much easier read. Tim Powers is among my very favorites.

Haha like War and Peace where there's not only a cast of a thousand, but they all have multiple names!

Ha, I own that book! I've been wanting to read her for a very long time - I also own Here Be Dragons which I finally started a month ago. I couldn't get into it - more of wrong timing than bad book, and also afterward a friend told me that it is a slow beginning.

Silly me, I thought When Christ... had to do more with Christ, I am a very silly girl! I still fully intend to return to Here Be Dragons, but now plan on taking When Christ... with me on my vacation in mid-August. I'd prefer to read about the time period/history of Eleanor than Welsh right now, it intrigues me more.

Thanks Bun!

Speaking of Eleanor of Aquitane, one of my very favorite historical figures, do either of you have a recommendation for a historical novel featuring her?

MB you are reading Dunnett!!!! Just keep pressing on, GOK is her first book and is confusing at first. It all starts to come together and her writing gets tighter as the book goes along.

I know that's not the book you are referring to. But had to express my love of Dunnett.

So who cares? She couldn't handle the flak? Was she dragged out the door to work? We are talking about the freedom to do as we please, without being forced into any role we don't desire. Everyone is going to get flak about personal choices, it's not limited to gender - that's just life.

I also don't see it as damned if you do or don't, most people including men who would prefer to stay home with their kids need to work because of economics. I know if they had freedom they'd prefer to stay home with the kids and do work they chose. Many women who work are jealous of the women who can stay home because they have enough money to do so. And then many women who work do so because that's what they want. Women who stay home would love to have adult conversation, but because daycare is just as much as what they would earn, why bother?

Family members will always find something to criticize. That's not limited to gender. Your cousin needs to grow a backbone. And relish that she gets to do exactly as she pleases too! That freedom comes out of the feminist movement.

Dear kindly Sergeant Krupke,
You gotta understand,
It's just our bringin' up-ke
That gets us out of hand.
Our mothers all are junkies,
Our fathers all are drunks.
Golly Moses, natcherly we're punksnuts!

Also Connie Willis' To Say Nothing Of The Dog. Very funny.

Book of the New Sun = Genius! 5 stars all the way from me, and I'm not an easy rater. There are images that have stuck in my brain since I read it 20 years ago. It kind of lost me in the last book, but I think that was also me, I should have taken a break perhaps. Or else I was expecting an easy resolution. Easy? Ha! Extremely dense books. But oh can the guy write.

I'm STILL reading the Malazan series, up to bk 8. I've taken some breaks here and there, but not many considering how long and complex and dense these books are. A tome! But I can't get enough of it. And I'm getting anxious that now I'll have to wait for bks 9 and 10.

I have no problem with scifi and fantasy being grouped together, since so many do cross the line. As several of the above posts state they are all speculative fiction, the big What if.

Hi Michelle!

A great place to start with Cherryh is her Chanur series, as someone already said. It does have some space battles, but doesn't linger on them. It's so much more than that, with fantastic characters, a deeper meaning, yet very easy, light read too. Perfect for this kind of weather!

Hyperion is very intense, and will require much more concentration than Chanur, but it is a great read.

I also love Vernor Vinge's A Deepness in the Sky, and A Fire Upon the Deep.

And then there's Bujold's Miles series. Wonderful stuff. Also fast read. Quite addictive!

I also love Banks' Culture novels. They are a bit meatier.

When I say easy or meatier read, I don't mean one is better than the other, sometimes I am in the mood for something that doesn't require my utmost concentration to get it.

THose are the space operas that come to mind.

Sheesh, I've really got to get to Elizabeth Moon! The only one I've read is Speed of Dark.

There really isn't a sequel to it, altho The Baroque Cycle does have Laurence Waterhouse's ancestor several centuries earlier.

Marmite author, I love that! It won't be the first British term I toss around, I have also stolen "gobsmacked" which captures the essence so perfectly.

What a great suggestion, one that doesn't automatically come to mind when thinking about the typical dystopian novel. I read that this past summer, and it got a 5 from me, so I second Becky's suggeston.

Interesting, I too have tried Hamilton and have never been able to get past more than a few chapters.

Yep, Kathy, I was just coming here to post about how DECENT Brandon is as a person.

So, they are going to be a cash cow and split it into at least 2 books, probably 3. Feh. After all this time I'll just wait til they are all released and get them from the library.

A pox on publishing houses!

Besides, BSG has always been about religion. So why the surprise?

Chani, I like what you say in your last paragraph.

Bow down, bow down to the Czar.

:P

Cordelia's Honor and Barryar are the places to start, Kevin. They are about Miles' parents, and so include some history that really help. Besides, they are great books! Ethan of of Athos and Falling Free don't really include Miles. I jumped straight from the first 2 mentioned to Warrior's Apprentice.

I know you'll have so much fun with these, and I'm jealous of anyone's first read!