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

Chris’s comments from the Beyond Reality group.

I'll have to agree with you, Shel, it was greatly entertaining. It took a bit for me to warm up to the story. Starting with a family fight over the father's body was somewhat horrifying, although perfectly at home in a book titled "tooth and claw". The way that dragons and Victorian society fit together was creative and somehow natural. Although the fascination with hats is beyond me; I still can't picture it. A fun read!

Final polls are up, and will be open through Sunday March 31. We have some wonderful choices. Let's vote!

Science Fiction: Final SF Poll

Fantasy: Final Fantasy Poll

Chris, Moderator
Beyond Reality

While I certainly liked Sorcerer, Bill, don't feel you have to stick with it if it's not for you. Ranganathan, a famous librarian once said "Every person his or her book" and "Every book its reader". If Sorcerer isn't a match for you, look elsewhere!

Just finished The True Queen, the sequel to Sorcerer to the Crown. Enjoyed this just as much as the first!

Preliminary (first round) polls are up, and will be open through Monday March 25. We have some wonderful choices. Let's vote!

Science Fiction: Preliminary SF Poll

Fantasy: Preliminary Fantasy Poll

Chris, Moderator
Beyond Reality

I flew through this book. The last book was so sad and dreary, it was hard to keep going. Here we see life continuing on; Fitz can acknowledge his grief, but he has too many responsibilities to indulge in a lengthy mourning.

Everyone grows up. The Narcheska finds her spunk (but I really have to wonder what's going on between her father and uncle). Dutiful owns up to his responsibilities as Sacrifice-in-waiting. Hap finally starts getting his act together as an apprentice. Fitz grows up, too (although I feel that happens for every book, but here he finds his voice more as an individual).

I once heard Robin Hobb talking about creating magical systems. The author must decide not only how the system operates and how it is limited, but what it costs the practitioner and how the magic is perceived by society. The first trilogy showed the contrast between the Wit and the Skill in a personal way, within Fitz. This trilogy is showing us the societal implications of being born with the Wit, where even Fitz's closest friends Jenna and Starling are uncomfortable with his talent. The Skill, on the other hand, is so highly prized that Chade will risk anything to acquire it.

Can't wait for the next book … sounds like we're going in search of another dragon!

Joelle, you are always welcome to renominate, no problem!

Hi everyone,
Guess what? It's time to open nominations for our June 2019 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 Monday March 18.
• The first (preliminary) round of polls will open Tuesday March 19 and will run through Monday March 25.
• The final run-off polls go up Tuesday March 26 and will be open through Sunday March 31.

Thanks!
Chris, Moderator

NOMINATIONS SO FAR:
SCIENCE FICTION:
Blackfish City
Starship Grifters
Ascension
Places in the Darkness
Antarctica
The City and the Stars

FANTASY:
Witchmark
Circe
Winter Rose
Redwood and Wildfire
The Sudden Appearance of Hope

This is a big book with big ideas. One of the first things that hits you is the portrayal of (relatively) contemporary Chinese culture. I visited China about ten years ago as part of a cultural exchange. Our community band toured Beijing and Xian and gave several performances, including joint concerts with the Chinese Army Band (playing Western instruments) and a middle school band (playing traditional instruments). Fifty years earlier, as part of the Cultural Revolution, Western instruments were forbidden and even having one could get you sent to a labor camp. Those ideas are part of China's past, but it is a fairly recent past, still very much front of mind for today's citizens.

I appreciated this book because it does bring us science from a non-Western point of view. I thought the VR worlds were amazing in the creation of human-powered computers, and in the explanation of the three-body problem itself. Yes, I agree Kathi, these sections could get a somewhat draggy!

I think the most interesting parts of the book were the varied reactions of humanity to the Trisolarans. This isn't a Star Trek situation, where first contact is grounds for unboundless hope and cooperation.

This is a complex world, with a complex history and complex and fallible characters. The country of Tigana has been so completely erased from memory that most people cannot even hear the word. I wish I could say that this is a completely new idea but, unfortunately, there are too many examples in our real world of cultures that have been erased by their conquerors in the name of religion or simply to promote assimilation.

While a standalone novel, I enjoyed the passing references to Fionavar.

The female characters are particularly strong. Dianora and Catriona both dedicate their entire lives to revenge, although in the end Dianora's love chooses Brandin over that revenge. Catriona's sacrifice is key to Tigana's eventual restoration.

In the end, the only way to restore Tigana is to simultaneously destroy both Alberico and Brandin by having them wage war against each other. In this morally ambiguous solution, victory is not assured and many people die. Is the victory truly worth the cost?

Sad, sad, sad. This is a re-read for me, I know what's coming, and yet so many sunderings. It seems that everyone is alone, no one is happy, everyone is driven by duty. Kettrickan is the perfect servant ruler, yet totally alone. Fitz has lost his wolf, his boy, and his minstrel. Dutiful has lost his sweet mistcat. The kingdom is full of hysteria regarding those with the Wit, or even suspected of having the Wit.

But there are some glimmers of hope. Fitz and Chade are no longer master/apprentice, and their new relationship may be interesting. The Fool is playing a new and interesting role at court. Hap may finally find his chance to either blossom or to fall flat on his face. What role will the Narcheska play in our cast of characters? And what about those feathers …… ?

This is not my favorite book of the series. There are few heroics and little wit, just a lot of slogging through muddy forests in search of a boy who was betrayed into thinking he finally had found a real friend. But there are absolutely beautiful moments, and even beauty in inevitable sadness when we lose those close to us. The animals are all wonderfully written. The cats speak like the cats I know. Myblack isn't immediately won over by Fitz, but comes to terms with him while retaining a measure of her own independence. I can't wait to see where we go next.

Final polls are up, and will be open through Thursday February 28. We have some wonderful choices. Let's vote!

Science Fiction: Final SF Poll

Fantasy: Final Fantasy Poll

Chris, Moderator
Beyond Reality

Preliminary (first round) polls are up, and will be open through Saturday February 23. We have some wonderful choices. Let's vote!

Science Fiction: Preliminary SF Poll

Fantasy: Preliminary Fantasy Poll

Chris, Moderator
Beyond Reality

We could use one or two more nominations in each category. I nominate The Raven Tower for fantasy; an award winning author begins a new series.

Hi everyone,
Guess what? It's time to open nominations for our May 2019 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 February 17.
• The first (preliminary) round of polls will open Monday February 18 and will run through Saturday February 23.
• The final run-off polls go up Sunday February 24 and will be open through Thursday February 28.

Thanks!
Chris, Moderator

NOMINATIONS SO FAR:
SCIENCE FICTION:
Six Wakes
Places in the Darkness
Excession
Treason
The City in the Middle of the Night
The Myriad

FANTASY:
Circe
Greenmantle
Thorn
The Raven Tower
Redwood and Wildfire
Draigon Weather

There is a lot to like about this book. I thought that the world building was a spot-on combination of English society and magic, similar to the world of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Zacharias and Prunella were sympathetic and engaging characters, each in their own way defying the expectations of that society. Even the incidental characters, such as Rollo and Georgiana Without Ruth, stick with you. The sequel comes out in March, and I can't wait!

What a great topic! I always have an audio book for the car, an ebook for reading in bed, plus usually a hard copy book for afternoon reading pleasure. Then I keep a magazine or short story collection available, just in case I need a short break.

The epistolary style of this YA novel kept me engaged. Memos, texts, transcribed interviews, and then diagrams and artwork. What an imaginative way to tell the story. I appreciated, too, that the story didn't fall into the "evil AI" trap. In fact, the morally ambiguous AI was the most surprising part of the story. Couldn't put this down!

Kari wrote: "Jess wrote: "I've kicked off my year with two fantasy books.

Circe was a beautifully written retelling of various tales from greek mythology. It has received a lot of hype which i..."

Would the group like it? Maybe you should nominate it next month!

Final polls are open to choose our Books of the Month for April 2019. Polls will be open through Thursday January 31. Please vote!

Science Fiction: Science Fiction Final Poll

Fantasy: Fantasy Final Poll

Thanks!
Chris, Moderator
Beyond Reality