Chris’s Comments (group member since Feb 25, 2011)

Chris’s comments from the Beyond Reality group.

I'm a fan of Emily St. John Mandel, and a fan of time travel stories, so this one was right in my wheelhouse. It felt odd to start a science fiction story more than 100 years in the past, but we clearly got to see time advancing to the present day and onward to moon colonies and beyond. It's nice to see than even in another couple of hundred years, people are still basically people, with family concerns and human decency still intact.

Several people have mentioned the pandemic angle, and can certainly understand that this might be triggering for some. From my point of view, however, it was only one of many plot elements. It certainly didn't create the same urgency and anxiety as another of her books, Station Eleven, for example.

Final polls are now open! Please vote for what you'd like to read in December.

Final Fantasy Poll

Final SF Poll

My sincere apologies! Sea of Tranquility has already been selected as our BOTM for October. If you voted for that book in the current prelimary poll, please change your vote!

I also liked this book better than the first. There is still an awful lot of fighting, for me. But the politics of the conflict are interesting, and raise important questions. How far will you compromise your principles in order to win? If your only goal is revenge, what would the future be like if you achieve it, and how would that be an improvement?

The friendship between Rin and Kitay feels real to me. And I want to learn much more about the Ketreyids.

Preliminary polls are now open! Please vote for what you'd like to read in December.

Preliminary Fantasy Poll: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Preliminary SF Poll: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

I'm going to throw in Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. It was the Goodreads SF winner for 2022, and it's still on my TBR shelf ....

Hi everyone,
Oh my goodness, is it that time again? It's time to open nominations for our December 2023 Books of the Month.

Each group member may make 1 science fiction and/or 1 fantasy nomination in this thread. If you would like to make a nomination, please reply to this post with the title and author of the book(s) you would like to put forward for the group’s consideration. A couple of suggestions to keep in mind:

1. Telling us a little about the book and why you think it would be a good group read can help get other members interested in reading (and voting for) your nomination. If possible, please use a link to the book and author in your nomination post. Click on “add book/author" for an easy way to do that.

2. To see if your nomination has already been read by the group, you can check:

a. the group's bookshelf for Previous Books of the Month

and/or

b. these threads:
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2018 - Present
Master list of Previous Books of the Month (Apr-Dec 2017)
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2012 - 2017
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2006 - 2011

Books the group has read in the past 2 years are not eligible for current consideration. Being chosen as a past BotM prior to that time is not an automatic disqualification, but be aware that it may hinder your nomination’s chances at the polls.

General guidelines:
• Feel free to re-nominate a book that didn’t win in the polls in previous months!
• For questions regarding specifics such as book formats, books in series, self-nomination and various rules for nominations, please see the group FAQ.
• Seconding isn't necessary in this group.
• Friendly discussion & debate is strongly encouraged, but let's please keep things civil.

Poll schedule:
• Nominations will remain open through Sunday September 17.
• The first (preliminary) round of polls will open Monday September 18 and will run through Sunday September 24.
• The final run-off polls go up Monday September 25 and will be open through Saturday September 30.

Thanks!
Chris, Moderator

NOMINATIONS SO FAR:
SCIENCE FICTION:
Stars Uncharted
Emphyrio
The Terraformers
Girlfriend on Mars
Time Travelers Never Die
Sea of Tranquility

FANTASY:
Titus Groan
Orconomics
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
Memory and Dream

I really enjoyed this. A very tightly written story that succinctly places us in its world (a future version of our world) that still manages to work in big ideas in its few short pages. Can we support ethically ambiguous actions (or downright unethical actions) in service of what we perceive as the greater good? With all the stories in the news just now about the future of artificial intelligence, this story also seems right on point.

I agree with so much of your review, Nachiket. This book hooked me. I like books about books and libraries as a general rule. The cyclical nature of the storytelling gradually revealed itself, and started connecting loose ends. I was totally struck when we discovered the meaning of the word "sabbers". I'm ready to march on with the next book, whenever it comes out.

I also agree that it could have been a bit tighter in the telling. But a very enjoyable read!

Final polls are open, including a three-way tie for our SF selection. Please take a moment and vote for your choice for November books of the month.

Final Fantasy poll: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Final SciFi poll: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Welcome, Banshee! We're just starting the Poppy War series, so that might be a good series to start. But all previous discussions, including our previous series reads, are archived in the Discussion area. Feel free to jump in anywhere.

I read this when it came out, but I never continued the trilogy. I've re-read for this discussion, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the trilogy continues.

I appreciate:
* a fantasy world based on China history and Chinese culture, described by someone clearly conversant with these topics
* Rin's hard work to be selected for the Academy, and later to learn fighting techniques; she knows that she is at a disadvantage, but it doesn't stop her from doggedly pursuing her learning
* Rin has shamanic powers, but they come at a cost -- and she's not sure if the power is worth the cost

I'm not as thrilled with:
* so, so much fighting and gore. So many people are killed that I'm surprised that there's any population left.

I'm interested to see where Rin goes next.

Preliminary polls are open! Please take a moment and vote for what you'd like to read in November.

Preliminary Fantasy poll: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Preliminary SciFi poll: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

We could use a few more nominations for our November books of the month. What would you like to read and discuss in November? Nominations are open through Thursday August 17.

Post here to discuss The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, book 1 of the Poppy War trilogy.

Spoilers ok in this thread.

Please check in here if you are reading or planning to read The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, book 1 of the Poppy War trilogy.

No spoilers here, please!

Hi everyone,
Oh my goodness, is it that time again? It's time to open nominations for our November 2023 Books of the Month.

Each group member may make 1 science fiction and/or 1 fantasy nomination in this thread. If you would like to make a nomination, please reply to this post with the title and author of the book(s) you would like to put forward for the group’s consideration. A couple of suggestions to keep in mind:

1. Telling us a little about the book and why you think it would be a good group read can help get other members interested in reading (and voting for) your nomination. If possible, please use a link to the book and author in your nomination post. Click on “add book/author" for an easy way to do that.

2. To see if your nomination has already been read by the group, you can check:

a. the group's bookshelf for Previous Books of the Month

and/or

b. these threads:
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2018 - Present
Master list of Previous Books of the Month (Apr-Dec 2017)
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2012 - 2017
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2006 - 2011

Books the group has read in the past 2 years are not eligible for current consideration. Being chosen as a past BotM prior to that time is not an automatic disqualification, but be aware that it may hinder your nomination’s chances at the polls.

General guidelines:
• Feel free to re-nominate a book that didn’t win in the polls in previous months!
• For questions regarding specifics such as book formats, books in series, self-nomination and various rules for nominations, please see the group FAQ.
• Seconding isn't necessary in this group.
• Friendly discussion & debate is strongly encouraged, but let's please keep things civil.

Poll schedule:
• Nominations will remain open through Thursday August 17.
• The first (preliminary) round of polls will open Friday August 18 and will run through Thursday August 24.
• The final run-off polls go up Friday August 25 and will be open through Thursday August 31.

Thanks!
Chris, Moderator

NOMINATIONS SO FAR:
SCIENCE FICTION:
The Terraformers
The Passengers
Stars Uncharted
Sarah Canary
Carnival
House of Suns
A Just Determination

FANTASY:
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
I Am Not a Serial Killer
The Bees
At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities
All the Seas of the World
Kamikaze

I started reading the Honor Harrington series, started with On Basilisk Station. I'm not a huge fan of military scifi, but I know that these books have a devoted following and wanted to give them a try. On the whole, I find that I'm really enjoying them!

Oh, so very much fun! Amina is a formerly successful but now reluctant pirate, pulling her crew back together to rescue an educated but somewhat naive damsel and save the world. What's not to like?!

I think this may be the best thing I've read so far this year. If you've read the other Imperial Radch books (Ancillary Justice, etc.) you'll recognize a few touches (the importance of gloves and tea, for example), but it's not at all necessary to enjoy this story. I admit that there are some uncomfortably cannabalistic moments, particularly at first, but they are indeed necessary to the plot. Very interesting and unusual characters, including a truly "alien" society. This is a book about individual choice and finding a place to belong, in conflict with actual biologic determinism. Really enjoyed this one!