SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
SciFi and Fantasy Book Challenge
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Coordinating reading books in groups
Yep, I believe it's finally over and decided. :)
Sarah wrote: "Steve wrote: "I loved Footfall too. I haven't read Lucifer's Hammer yet...'add it to the list.'"Those TBR's can kill you."
Lol. That is so true. I have dedicated shelves in bookcases for TBR books and then there are the ones on my kindle. I'm afraid I'll be dead before I finish my TBR lists and I keep adding to them. If there is a heaven I hope they have a library.
Yes- that is the final order--I am posting it here just so its at the top of this page--(reader count), title, (page count), reading start date:
(9) The Handmaid's Tale - (311pp) - January 15
(11) Fuzzy Nation - (303pp) - February 15
(6) Red Mars - (572pp) - February 15
(10) Ready Player One - (374pp) - March 15
(5) The Martian Chronicles - (182pp) - March 15
(8) Neuromancer - (271pp) - April 15
(4) Zodiac- (308pp)- April 15
(5) Fahrenheit 451 - (227pp) - April 15
(6) The Dispossessed - (387pp) - May 15
(4) The Long Earth - (336pp) - May 15
(6) The City & the City - (312pp) - June 15
(5) Tigana - (676pp) - June 15
(7) Altered Carbon - (526pp) - July 15
(5) Promise of Blood - (545pp) - July 15
(7) American Gods - (656pp) - August 15
(7) 1Q84 - (925pp) - September 15
(4) Dawn - (248pp) - September 15
(6) Old Man's War - (314pp) - October 15
(6) The Word for World is Forest - (189pp) - October 15
(4) World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War - (342pp) - November 15
(4) Warbreaker - (688pp) - November 15
(6) Foundation - (256pp) - December 15
(5) The Snow Queen - (448pp) - December 15
Thanks Maggie! I need to get started on Red Mars since I have that one on audio. Those take me awhile.
Sweet! Thanks for grabbing a post at the top, Maggie!You're welcome, Hank! And I'm impressed with your efforts not to offend anyone. We need more of that on this Interweb thingy!
Richard, I'm thinking about posting reminders near the start of each month about the books we will be reading. Will that be helpful?
It would for me. Count me in from Fuzzy Nation. Thanks
It would for me. Count me in from Fuzzy Nation. Thanks
Ruth wrote: "I have dedicated shelves in bookcases for TBR books and then there are the ones on my kindle. I'm afraid I'll be dead before I finish my TBR lists and I keep adding to them. If there is a heaven I hope they have a library."Hilarious. I especially like that you said "shelves", plural. I started with one shelf for my "immediate" TBR's but it is no longer enough!
Read Fuzzy this month. A very fun book. Can't wait to discuss it. Restarted Hyperion today and I remember now why I love Dan Simmons so much. He has such great flow. Nibbling at The Sheep Look Up and The Martian Chronicles (which I am finding very weird).
I had trouble with The Martian Chronicles.A library and eternity. What more could we ask for? I love it Ruth.
It's an addiction Michael. Do they have 12 step recovery programs for that? Maybe I should start one.Library & eternity equals my idea of heaven Sarah.
Read Illium by Dan Simmons which I enjoyed. Never quite went back though. Is Hyperion worthy of a punt?
Read Illium by Dan Simmons which I enjoyed. Never quite went back though. Is Hyperion worthy of a punt?
Must stop posting everything twice. Middle aged man and phone, bad combo.
It's a Goodreads quirk too. It happens sometimes.
Hmm... I think I have that one. I'll have to check.
Worthy of trying folks. I have a PG household even when driving.
Thank you Michael I will put it on the list.
Michael, all reminders on what we are doing are helpful for just to stay on track. I am going to formally add the list to my main post in the 2015 challenge as well as adding the number of books I will be reading that I have not already completed. I will also post here my formal list of my reads and reviews for the group's information as well. Hope that helps.
Thanks it's one of those books people rave about but I never get around to
Richard wrote: "Michael, all reminders on what we are doing are helpful for just to stay on track. I am going to formally add the list to my main post in the 2015 challenge as well as adding the number of books I ..."Sounds good, Richard, thanks.
From the 2015 Challenge thread, re: Zodiac:Sarah wrote: "Absolutely Steve! That would be fantastic. I love discussing things with a small group of people. You both will be welcome :)"
Sarah, any reason I (um, I mean Maggie) shouldn't just add it onto the April schedule at the top so anyone can join?
Michael wrote: "From the 2015 Challenge thread, re: Zodiac:Sarah wrote: "Absolutely Steve! That would be fantastic. I love discussing things with a small group of people. You both will be welcome :)"
Sarah, ..."
lol-I did it
Sarah wrote: "I often wonder about people who only write with other, more famous authors. If you want to be a writer, is that enough?"Several start that way, or in fan fic that is included in an anthology of the author's work. Marion Zimmer Bradley spawned many of the current fantasy writers of the unicorn type of fantasy It's also a way for the famous author to get someone to do all the grunt work on the book. Look at James Patterson lately.
It does seem like it would work both ways - let the less famous author get their foot in the door, while the more famous one rests on their laurels a bit, and maybe "gives back" to the writing community as a "sponsor". I've read some of McCaffrey's Brainship series and noticed all of the authors that collaborated with her on that, even striking out on their own for later books in the same series.And because Steven Barnes was one of the few African American sci-fi writers starting out at that time, I can't help but think being associated with Larry Niven would help remove some of the obstacles he undoubtedly faced entering the field. I think the hard part about starting out that way would be to feel confident on your own. Looking over his bibliography, his collaborations don't seem to have kept him from racking up a collection of novels and series on his own. In fact, most of his collaborations are for books in a series - i.e., the first book was so successful the authors kept getting together to extend the series.
So there is also the possibility that some people work really well in a collaborative environment. It does sound more fun if you could find the right partner, though you'd have to give up a lot of control over the "vision"...
[P.S. This is the "let's talk about authors" thread, right? Oh. Oops.]
Michael wrote: "And because Steven Barnes was one of the few African American sci-fi writers starting out at that time, I can't help but think being associated with Larry Niven would help remove some of the obstacles he undoubtedly faced entering the field..."That's a really good point.
Michael wrote: "[P.S. This is the "let's talk about authors" thread, right? Oh. Oops.]"
It's just so hard to stay on track with the subject of the thread only! Distractions everywhere...
We readers have agile minds. It's someimes hard to corral them!
Exactly! Lol. Besides, I've now ordered a completely awesome looking Steven Barnes book.
Sarah wrote: "Exactly! Lol. Besides, I've now ordered a completely awesome looking Steven Barnes book."Looks like my library carries some of his books - yay! - so I've added him to my 2016 reading list. And I remembered besides The Legacy of Heorot I really enjoyed his short story "The Woman in the Wall" in the collection Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora.
Welcome to February everyone! This month our little Challenge 2015 Informal Side-Reads group has two books on the roster:(11) Fuzzy Nation - (303pp) - February 15
(6) Red Mars - (572pp) - February 15
February 15 is our "start reading" date, which allows people to read this month's club selections for the first two weeks if they want. Red Mars is a long one, though, so you might want to get started early if you are joining that discussion.
The discussions will use the old threads:
Fuzzy Nation
"Fuzzy Nation" First Impressions *No Spoilers*
"Fuzzy Nation" Final Thoughts *Spoilers*
Red Mars
- The Discussion Folder looks kind of crazy, with a thread for each chapter. It might be best if you focus on these three threads instead:
Gut Reaction *no spoilers*
The Big Thread *only hidden spoilers*
All Finished *spoil away*
(Let me know if anyone wants me to add other threads to this list!)
January's discussion threads for The Handmaid's Tale were very active. I am just finishing that one up and will be posting to the spoiler thread soon. Feel free to contribute to those discussions even if you are coming into it late - the more the merrier!
Having trouble with the middle slog of Red Mars. Put it down for the Long Earth for a few days.
Thanks Michael! I'm planning to start both next week... but then I saw Steve's comment. Maybe I should get a move on.
Reading Fuzzy was smooth sailing. Finally went back To Red Mars with a head of steam.
I remember now why I struggled with Red Mars earlier in life. The middle is a super 1000 pound slog for me. I posted on the gut reaction thread.I will post under Fuzzy once we all get started.
RM has lots of worthy ideas I am looking forward to discussing. Enjoy!
Steve wrote: "I remember now why I struggled with Red Mars earlier in life. The middle is a super 1000 pound slog for me. I posted on the gut reaction thread...."
Yeah, I didn't want to influence anyone's opinion, but I was just not able to get through that one. I'm glad it has some good ideas to discuss, though.
I'll make sure I read it in bursts with something else in between.
Red Mars was not originally on my list, but the digital library has it, so I've got it on hold. I'll give it a shot.
Just a reminder that February 15 was the day to start reading and discussing Red Mars and Fuzzy Nation. Feel free to join either or both discussions, at these links (from msg 538):Fuzzy Nation
"Fuzzy Nation" First Impressions *No Spoilers*
"Fuzzy Nation" Final Thoughts *Spoilers*
Red Mars
- The Discussion Folder looks kind of crazy, with a thread for each chapter. It might be best if you focus on these three threads instead:
Gut Reaction *no spoilers*
The Big Thread *only hidden spoilers*
All Finished *spoil away*
Richard, haven't heard from you recently - are you reading Red Mars?
Hi,Michael and all,Red Mars, currently just about 20% complete, with Chapter 5 read, and moving on to Ch. 6.
Great, Richard, thanks for the reply!
Fuzzy, baby, Fuzzy!And I am geared up for Ready Player One for next month. I may be a little over committed, so The Martian Chronicles is a definite maybe.
I loved fuzzy and survived RM. See you all there!
SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Ready Player One (other topics)Red Mars (other topics)
Ready Player One (other topics)
The Martian Chronicles (other topics)
Red Mars (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Wil Wheaton (other topics)Larry Niven (other topics)
Steven Barnes (other topics)
Larry Niven (other topics)
Steven Barnes (other topics)
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Is the post 451 the "final" list of what and when we are group reading for 2015? Just curious so I get my ducks into their proper places, books set up bought, etc.