SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
SciFi and Fantasy Book Challenge
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SciFi and Fantasy Challenge 2014
Hi,I just finished Slaughterhouse-Five, which was on my main GR to-read list, but not on my science fiction and fantasy list for this challenge. I'd never read anything by Kurt Vonnegut and didn't know what genre this book was in. Silly me. Great anti-war novel by someone who I think is a little warped.
Jim wrote: "Hi,I just finished Slaughterhouse-Five, which was on my main GR to-read list, but not on my science fiction and fantasy list for this challenge. I'd never read anything by Kurt Vonne..."
What a great book! :) I read it during my undergraduate years at Wits and I was so absorbed in it that I used to sneak off to read it during lunch rather than meeting my friends in our usual spot. I can remember an otherwise obscure part of campus with starling clarity because of this novel.
I've read two books towards my challenge now, namely The Ocean at the End of the Lane and Fuzzy Nation. Since they're our January monthly group reads I thought I'd discuss them in the book club folders rather than here.
I'm currently reading The Anubis Gates which I'm enjoying so far. It's an interesting mix of worlds and people and I'm sure I have lots to figure out still.
Penny wrote: "I'm very excited about this challenge! I'm busy reading The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress which will see me end the year having read 43 books on our bookshelf. I want to try to reach 100 ..."
Penny, I noticed you have The Forever War smooshed up against Perdido Street Station in your list. It looks like you meant to have it on a separate line?
Updated to reflect current status at 75% (end of September)Let me know if anyone is interested in reading with me! (See below)
I set 12 as my goal, but have already exceeded it. Everything now is just gravy. Delicious, delicious gravy.
These are on my definite list:
The Snow Queen - Done
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Done
Wool Omnibus - Done
Oryx and Crake - Done
The Left Hand of Darkness - Done
Mistborn: The Final Empire - Done
Doomsday Book
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
These are possibilities:
Childhood's End
The Color of Magic
The Martian Chronicles
Perdido Street Station
Ready Player One
White Cat
I see the lists for Penny, Valerie, Bill, Carilu, Richard, and Jim, and it looks like there are a lot of these with at least 3 of us reading. I'd love to read these as part of discussions, don't know if we would post here or in the old threads or what.
1/15/2014, 1/20/2014 - edited my list to include more books being read by others
Unplanned books I ended up reading (monthly club and otherwise):
Pump Six and Other Stories - Done
Ancillary Justice - Done
The Island of Dr. Moreau - Done
I, Robot - Done
The Lathe of Heaven - Done
The Martian - Done
Dragonflight - Done
Frankenstein
Alif the Unseen
You can post here (spoiler free only) and/or you can post in the old discussion threads.
Thanks, Kim! If people are interested, it seems to make the most sense to make announcements here and then post on the old threads in case some of the people who posted on the original thread want to add more comments.I'm already halfway through The Snow Queen now, and am planning Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and the Wool Omnibus in the next few weeks. The rest of my schedule for the year is open to suggestion...
Hi, Michael. If you can stand a slow reader, I would be happy to discuss with you on the books we share in common. Several of your "Maybe" list are on mine, and two on your definite list are also on mine. I am willing to read in any order, as I am retired, and open to cooperate how ever I can.
Hey, Richard! Thanks for responding. I'm not a fast reader myself, although I guess that is all relative. Based on my schedule (two kids) it takes me between 1 and 2 weeks for each book, depending on the length.I see Wool Omnibus on your list, and it has been calling to me ever since I received it in the mail last week. So that might be a good one to try out with you (and anyone else interested).
I'm also waiting to see if any of the folks who have Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency on their list (I see at least 3 people) are interested, since this will be a reread for me (after 25 years) and should be a lot of fun if memory serves. If there is interest, I am hoping the planets align and I can figure out a schedule for both discussions where I am not reading them simultaneously!
hey Michael, Gently's Detective Agency is definitely on my (as yet untyped up :-p) list. I bought it on a kindle daily deal not too long ago :-).I'm not in a rush, any Time this year works for me. Wool is incredible! I predict you'll be searching for Shift and Dust shortly after you finish :-)).
Michael, either Wool or Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency will work for me. Let me know when you want to start on which one. I have never read either one.
Thanks Michael! I've deleted the extra book title which shouldn't have been there. I'm also up for reading Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency with a group of people. I'm fairly keen to read that one soon. I've started a new thread to coordinate reading books together.
Thanks for the replies, MK, Richard. And thanks for setting up the new thread for these "side reads", Penny!It looks like we have a lot of interest in Dirk Gently, so anyone who wants to participate, please head over to the new thread Penny set up and we can coordinate that one first...
I signed on for the Dirk Gently group read. I am also up for Wool Omnibus if/when a group read starts for that one.
I'm committing to the minimum 12, but I may up my goal if I find myself getting there quicker than anticipated. I tend to just grab from my shelves on the library based on my mood & trying to keep some variety in my reading list but some of the group books I might get to this year are: Embassytown (been wanting to read this one for a while), Altered Carbon,A Scanner Darkly, Boneshaker, & Mistborn: The Final Empire. Cold Magic & Under Heaven have been on my to-read recently; The Snow Queen & Dune have been there longer. The Sword-Edged Blonde, Midnight Riot & The Crown Conspiracy seem like fun ...
I plan to read at least 12 in fantasy and SF. I read on average three novels a week, fantasy romance being my favorite, though I also enjoy urban and paranormal types. Alternating genres with SF helps to keep things exciting. A few I would like to read this year.1. I am Legend by Richard Matheson
2. The Terror by Dan Simmons
3. Leviathan Wakes by James Corey
4. White Cat by Holly Black
5. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaimon
6. The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman
Have made a little dent in the group's challenge. Chose to read 25 and have read 4 so far. The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie I liked this, but didn't really love it. I think my beef is similar to a lot of people's. It very much felt like the whole book was setting up the next two. I'm sure I'll make it back to this trilogy at some point, but it's very strange for me not to follow right into the next book of the trilogy and that says something, to me, about the enjoyment I got out of it.
Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman very much enjoyed this one. Felt like it was similar to American Gods (captain obvious) but I connected with the main character much more than I did in that novel so I think this had a lot to do with my enjoyment. A very fun, well told story.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman loved it
The Color of Magic - Terry Pratchett this is another one that I enjoyed but didn't really love. I have a feeling the more I read of this author the more I will enjoy his work. This first one, though, didn't really grab me.
Darwin wrote: "Have made a little dent in the group's challenge. Chose to read 25 and have read 4 so far. The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie I liked this, but didn't really love it..."
4 already! I'm impressed. You mentioned Douglas Adams earlier - feel free to join our Jan 27 Dirk Gently discussion if you haven't read that one...
I've said 12. It may well be more. Oddly I think I forgot to add some to the appropriate shelf, I had issues when I was setting it up.:(]
Hillary wrote: "I'm committing to the minimum 12, but I may up my goal if I find myself getting there quicker than anticipated. I tend to just grab from my shelves on the library based on my mood & trying to keep ..."I'm reading The Snow Queen now and it's fantastic - over 500 pages, though!
And Richard and I both have Mistborn on our lists so that is also a possible discussion for later in the year if you have any interest in discussing as you read.
I'm about to start The Reader of Acheron, which is a new release and I have a couple more Janet Morris ones to read so that will keep me out of mischief. I have The Martian Chronicles for a course later in the year, if I decide to do that one. I'll read the book either way.Well I seem to have about 3 shelves for this now.
Anyway here are mine so far:
The Witch Sea
Beyond the Veil
Beyond Wizardwall
The Reader of Acheron
Red Gone Bad
Mia Darien's Sub Rosa
Michael wrote: "Oops I see you did already!"I am there with bells on!
Mistborn has been on my list for a long time. I just need to see if the library has it. I am trying hard not to buy (many) new books until I've read most of what I have already purchased.
OK, I'm in for 24.1-2 per month from the monthly choices:
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15
16 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
=15
And at least 6-12 more, several of which were already on my to read shelf and several of which are "Group Reads":
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=11
The real challenge is going to be keeping up with my other goal to read 1 per month from the 1001 books before you die group AND having enough time to read the rest of the stuff I want to read. Too many books, not enough time.
We'll see how far I get with these 21 SF/Fantasy books. I accept them as my challenge. Isaac Azimov-Robot Dreams
John Brunner--Stand on Zanibar
Lauren Beukes--Zoo City
Octavia Butler--Kindred
Greg Bear--Darwin's Radio
Arthur C Clark--Rendezvous with Rama
Jacqueline Carey--Kushiel's Dart
Samuel R Delany--Dhalgren
Charles de Lint--The Little Country
Philip Jose Farmer--To Your Scattered Bodies Go
Robert Heinlein--The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Ursula K LeGuin--The Left Hand of Darkness
Sergei Lukyanenko--Nightwatch
China Mieville--Embassytown and The Perdido Street Station
Elizabeth Moon--The Speed of Dark
Alexei Panshin--Rite of Passage
Robert Silverberg--Downward to the Earth
Vernor Vinge--A Fire upon the Deep
Joan Vinge--The Summer Queen
Connie Willis--Doomsday Book
Valerie wrote: "Mistborn has been on my list for a long time. I just need to see if the library has it. I am trying hard not to buy (many) new books until I've read most of what I have already purchased."I'm glad you mentioned that; you prompted me to confirm that my library has it in print and audio formats, although I was surprised to see a small waitlist for the print.
Edwin wrote: "The real challenge is going to be keeping up with my other goal to read 1 per month from the 1001 books before you die group AND having enough time to read the rest of the stuff I want to read. Too many books, not enough time. "You got that right, sometimes I wish I only liked reading one genre instead of 17...
Kgwhitehurst wrote: "We'll see how far I get with these 21 SF/Fantasy books. I accept them as my challenge. Isaac Azimov-Robot Dreams
John Brunner--Stand on Zanibar
Lauren Beukes--Zoo City
Octavia Butler--Kindred
Gre..."
I recognize a lot of those, some are even on my list, but there are quite a few that are not on the group's Bookshelf. Since the challenge is reading from the bookshelf, you may want to update your list...
Michael wrote: "You got that right, sometimes I wish I only liked reading one genre instead of 17... "LOL...yes, that sums it up nicely.
I'm quite 'undereducated' :-). Still haven't read Foundation, Cat's Cradle or the Night Watch. I'm in with 12.
Michael, I'd def. be interested in a Mistborn discussion later in the year. I got the trilogy in paperback for Christmas & I'm looking forward to it but probably won't get there for at least a month or so. (It looks like I'll need to carve out a few weeks just for Sanderson at some point.)Kgwhitehurst, I noticed you & several other have Ursula LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness on your lists. I'm almost jealous of those encountering this class for the first time -- it's one of my absolute favorites.
Hillary wrote: "Michael, I'd def. be interested in a Mistborn discussion later in the year. I got the trilogy in paperback for Christmas & I'm looking forward to it but probably won't get there for at least a mont..."Sounds great, Hillary! Keep an eye on the 2014 Challenge Discussion Schedule thread (or whatever we're calling it) and we can plan it there...
Ok, so here's a question. I read A Game of Thrones years ago before really getting into fantasy and didn't really enjoy the experience. Now, having found a lot of fantasy that I've enjoyed, I'm going to make another attempt at the read with a different perspective and outlook. Since it's on the group's bookshelf, would a reread of this book count toward the challenge or is the challenge only to include books that are new to us?
Good question! I'm curious about that, too.
All, Penny and I wrote between ourselves about this issue earlier as the challenge started. Rules for the challenge are: (Penny, correct me if I am wrong here)1. Books to count must be:
a. On the group's bookshelf maintained for us by the
group's leadership.
b. The book must be finished in 2014, but it could have
started earlier.
c. Previously read books on the books shelves
completed before 1-1-14 do not count.
Penny's and my notes back and forth did not address the subject of re-reads that started on or after 1-1-14. Penny, if you read this note, and if I have misstated anything, please weigh in here and correct me.
I'm determined to read at least these:Spin
The Yiddish Policemen's Union
Weaveworld
The Windup Girl
Storm Front
If it's on our bookshelf and you read it during the course of 2014, then you can count it towards your challenge goal.I think that if you plan to re-read a book from the group bookshelf, then that book can count towards your challenge target if you'd like it to. I know there are a few people who are joining in the "group" read of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency who have read it before, most many many years ago. I think that they can count this towards their challenge if they want to.
Sweet. Thanks for the feedback!And, update, I'm finding much more enjoyment in the book than I did the first time around. Yay me!
Darwin wrote: "Sweet. Thanks for the feedback!And, update, I'm finding much more enjoyment in the book than I did the first time around. Yay me!"
Which seems to prove the value of allowing those old books to be part of the challenge: increasing member enjoyment of the group's bookshelf! :) Good call, Penny!
Here are my updated choices to conform properly to the challenge--Lauren Beukes--Zoo City
Arthur C Clark--Rendezvous with Rama
Jacqueline Carey--Kushiel's Dart
Dick, Philip K, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
Gibson, William, Neuromancer
Robert Heinlein--The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Kay, Guy Gavriel, Under Heaven
Ursula K LeGuin--The Left Hand of Darkness
Sergei Lukyanenko--Nightwatch
China Mieville--Embassytown and The Perdido Street Station
Elizabeth Moon--The Speed of Dark
Pratchett, Terry & Neil Gaiman, Good Omens
Vernor Vinge--A Fire upon the Deep
Vonnegut, Kurt, Slaughterhouse Five
Connie Willis--Doomsday Book
Zelazny, Roger, The Nine Princes of Amber
I am still going to read the others on my original list because they are classic pieces of SF/Fantasy. I'm curious--how did/does the bookshelf develop?
Kgwhitehurst wrote: "I'm curious--how did/does the bookshelf develop? "Those are all the group reads the group has ever done. You can sort by "date started" to see what month each book was read in. I've only been here a little over a year so I don't know the whole history, but I assume they were all voted on by members.
Incidentally, the bookshelf is amazingly well maintained - kudos, moderators! It allows me to quickly calculate things like this:
2 book reads per month from 1/1/2008 to 2/1/2014 = 2 x (6 years x 12 months + 2 months) = 148 books
Except, there was only 1 book for Jan/Feb/Mar/May/June/July of 2008, so subtract 6.
Plus, there were 3 group reads in 7/2011 and each month from 10/2011 to 9/2012, so add 13.
148 - 6 + 13 = 155 total in the bookshelf!
Anyone know what was up with the 3 group reads for that year? That was right before I joined.
For a while we had a third book which was members choice. Each month a member was chosen to pick a book for the group to read. Whilst it was an interesting idea 3 books a month was just too much so we dropped it back to 2.
OK - Another Book Challenge. Since I have 35 books listed overall, I will say that at least 20 are books from this list (of the ones I haven't read yet). The remaining books are books I am reading with my sons, as well as the minimum 5 non-fiction books I try to get in each year.Here are the books I have finished prior to 2014 (disappointed that it is only 21% of the current list - I will have to improve on that this year)
Warbreaker
Rendezvous with Rama
Brave New World
The Caves of Steel
The Princess Bride
The Yiddish Policemen's Union
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
Furies of Calderon
American Gods
Nine Princes in Amber (This one I am planning on rereading in 2014)
Dragonflight
Childhood's End
I, Robot
The Player of Games
Red Mars (I plan on rereading this again, but I don't know if it will be 2014 or not)
Foundation
Consider Phlebas
Mistborn: The Final Empire
Wizard's First Rule
The Fellowship of the Ring
Neuromancer
Storm Front
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Color of Magic (Thinking I may get reread again, maybe 2014, maybe not)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Dune (Need to reread but probably next year for the series)
A Game of Thrones
Ender's Game
Neverwhere
Slaughterhouse-Five (At some point I am going to do a Vonnegut marathon, maybe in 2014)
A Wizard of Earthsea
Here are the likely books on the list that I will get to this year (some may fall off or be added depending on the selections made this year):
Old Man's War completed 2/4
The Long Earth
Embassytown
Infernal Devices
The Lies of Locke Lamora
Pandora's Star
Prince of Thorns
The Anubis Gates (I ordered a beautiful special edition from Subterranean Press)
Watership Down (I can't believe I haven't read this one yet)
The Forever War
Ready Player One
The City and the City
Oryx and Crake
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
The Windup Girl
Michael wrote: "Kgwhitehurst wrote: "I'm curious--how did/does the bookshelf develop? "Those are all the group reads the group has ever done. You can sort by "date started" to see what month each book was read ..."
I've been here less than a year, so I had no idea. Thanks for telling me.
I think I'll set a bare minimum of one per month, since I skip all over (magpie mind), 12 for 2014 (minimum).Art
When reading a book for the challenge, you might want to discuss your thoughts. If so, you can look up the old group discussions in the following way. First, check the bookshelf to see what year the group read the book. You can search for the book using the search function on the left, then view the book when it comes up. This will tell you when the book was read by the group.Since the group is only allowed 100 folders when we create new folders for each new monthly group read we have to delete older folders. Since we don't want to delete the discussion threads, we move them into big folders for each year. So if you look at the Discussions link (top right) you'll see lots of older folders as you scroll down and at the bottom you'll see that we have Group Reads Discussions 2008, Group Reads Discussions 2009, Group Reads Discussions 2010, Group Reads Discussions 2011. These 4 folders will include the discussion threads for books read during these years. It can take some looking to find the thread you're after, but they're all there and they're all well labelled to the best of my knowledge.
Only official group reads can be added to the shelf.
Ah, fair enough. Thanks for letting me know.
I've been compiling everyone's lists in a spreadsheet in order to help coordinate group reads, and so far I have a list of 11 books that 4 or more people plan to read in 2014. These are from the lists posted, so there could be more people intending to read each book:(7) Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
(6) Embassytown
(5) The Color of Magic
(5) The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
(5) Perdido Street Station
(4) Doomsday Book
(4) The Left Hand of Darkness
(4) Mistborn: The Final Empire
(4) Wool Omnibus (Silo, #1)
(4) Foundation
(4) Leviathan Wakes
We've already planned Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency for next Monday, January 27. I'd like to petition anyone who is reading any of the other books this year to wander over to the 2014 planning thread and see if we can plan when to read them this year. Thanks!
SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Oryx and Crake (other topics)Ubik (other topics)
Dawn (other topics)
The Ocean at the End of the Lane (other topics)
Assassin's Apprentice (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
J.R.R. Tolkien (other topics)Andreas Eschbach (other topics)
Jim Butcher (other topics)
N.K. Jemisin (other topics)
Guy Gavriel Kay (other topics)
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