SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
SciFi and Fantasy Book Challenge
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Coordinating reading books in groups
Hillary wrote: "I've ordered Handmaid's Tale, but it looks like it is taking a little longer to mail than expected; hopefully, it'll be here soon!"Great. I am moving slowly, to give me time to savor and ponder, and very much look forward to the discussion of this. It looks like the discussion threads that we normally reuse for this are way back in November 2009. I will probably start posting pretty soon to the first impressions thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Hillary wrote: "I'll second (third?) the suggestion of adding Neuromancer to this year's reading. Another one of those classics that I've just never gotten around to."
Maybe we can add it on for April if ok with our scout-master Michael ;)
Teresia wrote: "This book got me hooked on Margaret Atwood. Her books are all a little dark but great. Next try Oryx and Crake"We read Oryx and Crake last year for one of our previous group discussion. Great book, overflowing with thought provoking ideas and social commentary.
Manju wrote: "I would like to join the discussions for the The Handmaid's Tale."Woo hoo! My friend Ami is joining too, so we should have quite a few people.
Sarah wrote: "Manju wrote: "I would like to join the discussions for the The Handmaid's Tale."Woo hoo! My friend Ami is joining too, so we should have quite a few people."
one question: are they going to discuss it here on this thread or there is another thread for this book?
We use the prior threads. Usually Michael is kind enough to post the links on here so we can easily find them. Speaking of which, I was looking yesterday and I didn't find a thread that was along the lines of "Final Thoughts". I found First Impression and then several spoiler threads about specific elements of the book, like male vs female and characters.
@Sarah: Okay, I found the book in group's bookshelf but there is no related thread.
It's never properly linked where it says view activity. If you go to the main page then below the threads there's a link that says "more discussions". Click on that and then in the top right hand corner there's a link that says "unread". Click that. Once you're in there there's a place to search. I typed in Handmaid's Tale and clicked on a choice, I think it said "topic". Then hit search and they'll pop up. There may be a more efficient way to do this. This is just the way I know.
Sarah wrote: "It's never properly linked where it says view activity. If you go to the main page then below the threads there's a link that says "more discussions". Click on that and then in the top right hand c..."Thanks Sarah. I found them.
Okay, it seems like the new year has been underway long enough to start tallying votes for book reads for the rest of the year. My insanely long spreadsheet list is below. I have only included your vote if you have posted your books and have expressed interest in joining the group reads. I have the following names:Update - added Manju, Ruth, Sandi, and Alex. 2015/01/14
Update - added Deedee, Monica, Zachary. 2015/01/16
Update - added Barbara, Louise. 2015/01/17
Alex = A
Barbara = B
Chris = C
Deedee = P
Edwin = E
Flash Beagle = F
Hillary = H
Louise = L
Maggie = M
Manju = J
Michael (me) = X
Monica = O
Richard = R
Ruth = U
Sandi = D
Sarah = S
Valerie = V
Zachary = Z
I did not include votes for people who have said they will just read what the group reads as the mood strikes them (Galaxy Press, Kiwi, Barbara, Steve, and possibly everyone else watching this thread).
If I am missing your vote for any of the books below, let me know and I will correct it! That includes if you are not on this list and want to be, in which case make sure to post a list of books you are interested in reading!
I listed them alphabetically for convenience in finding your books, and will show the top picks later as people confirm their votes...
I hope this is legible!
Update - added votes for Manju, Ruth, Sandi, and Alex. Corrected Maggie. 2015/01/14
Update - added votes for Deedee, Monica, Zachary. More for Flash Beagle, Chris. 2015/01/16
Update - added votes for Louise, Ruth, Barbara. 2015/01/17
Update - reduced votes for Michael so only 9 books in top 22. 2015/01/18
(7) 1Q84 1Q84 1Q84 1Q84 1Q84 S X R B M L P
(1) Accidental Time Machine, X
(1) Across the Nightingale F P
(1) Algebraist, The Algebrai M
(2) Alif the Unseen Alif the V D
(7) Altered Carbon Altered C S X R B V D H
(7) American Gods American G S R B V L U A
(1) Anansi Boys Anansi Boys O
(2) Ancillary Justice Ancill S O
(2) Anubis Gates, The Anubis M P
(1) Assassin's Apprentice As P
(1) Black Company, The Black R
(1) Blackout Blackout Blacko M
(2) Blade Itself, The Blade X V
(2) Boneshaker Boneshaker Bo S X
(2) Brave New World Brave Ne S D
(3) Canticle for Leibowitz, X R F
(3) Cat's Cradle Cat's Cradl X R D
(1) Caves of Steel, The Cave R
(3) Childhood's End Childhoo X D F
(6) City & The City, The Cit S X R B M L
(3) Color of Magic, The Colo X R D
(1) Complete Grimm's Fairy T R
(2) Consider Phlebas Conside X P
(4) Dawn Dawn Dawn Dawn Dawn S V D O
(1) Day of the Triffids, The M
(2) Deathless Deathless Deat X M
(2) Diamond Age Diamond Age S X
(1) Dirk Gently's Holistic D M
(6) Dispossessed, The Dispos S X R B M O
(2) Doomsday Book Doomsday B R P
(2) Dragon's Path, The Drago V E
(3) Dune Dune Dune Dune Dune S V D
(3) Embassytown Embassytown S X R
(1) Eon: Dragoneye Reborn Eo X
(5) Fahrenheit 451 Fahrenhei S D M U F
(1) Final Empire, The Final R
(1) Fire Upon the Deep, A Fi F
(2) Forever War, The Forever R F
(6) Foundation Foundation Fo S R B V C F
(1) Frankenstein Frankenstei R
(11) Fuzzy Nation Fuzzy Natio S X V L U E C J O P Z
(1) Game of Thrones, A Game R
(1) Gunslinger, The Gunsling R
(9) Handmaid's Tale, The Han S X R B U E H J P
(3) His Majesty's Dragon His S X V
(1) Hitchiker's Guide to the F
(2) Hounded Hounded Hounded X R
(2) Hyperion Hyperion Hyperi F P
(2) I Am Legend I Am Legend V E
(1) I, Robot I, Robot I, Rob F
(1) Island in the Sea of Tim M
(1) Island of Dr. Moreau, Th S
(1) Killing Moon, The Killin R
(2) Last Unicorn, The Last U X D
(1) Last Wish, The Last Wish P
(2) Lathe of heaven, The Lat M O
(2) Left Hand of Darkness, T S R
(2) Leviathan Wakes Leviatha R O
(3) Lies of Locke Lamora, Th X R D
(2) Little, Big Little, Big X R
(4) Long Earth, The Long Ear S V D L
(1) Magician Magician Magici R
(1) Man in the High Castle, F
(5) Martian Chronicles, The R B V E C
(1) Martian, The Martian, Th V
(3) Moon is a Harsh Mistress R M O
(1) Mote in God's Eye, The M S
(3) Name of the Wind, The Na R D J
(2) Native Star, The Native S X
(8) Neuromancer Neuromancer S X R B D E H Z
(2) Neverwhere Neverwhere Ne R O
(1) Night in the Lonesome Oc M
(2) Night Watch Night Watch S D
(2) Nine Princes in Amber Ni X D
(1) Ocean At the End of the X
(6) Old Man's War Old Man's S V U C F Z
(2) Oryx & Crake Oryx & Crak S R
(2) Pandora's Star Pandora's X D
(3) Perdido Street Station P S X R
(1) Prince of Thorns Prince V
(1) Princess Bride, The Prin V
(5) Promise of Blood, The Pr R V E C J
(2) Pump Six and Other Stori S O
(1) Railsea Railsea Railsea S
(10) Ready Player One Ready P S X R B M L U E J O
(6) Red Mars Red Mars Red Ma S R B D M U
(1) Regarding Ducks Regardin X
(2) Rendezvous with Rama Ren V D
(1) Road, The Road, The Road M
(1) Rook, The Rook, The Rook S
(1) Sandman Vol. 1, The Sand V
(1) Scanner Darkly, A Scanne M
(1) Ship of Magic Ship of Ma X
(2) Slaughterhouse-Five Slau X D
(2) Snow Crash Snow Crash Sn S X
(5) Snow Queen, The Snow Que S B D M P
(2) Sparrow, The Sparrow, Th S M
(2) Speed of Dark, The Speed S X
(3) Spin Spin Spin Spin Spin R D P
(1) Strange Affair of Spring M
(1) Suicide Collectors, The S
(3) Terror, The Terror, The S X F
(1) Those Who Hunt the Night X
(5) Tigana Tigana Tigana Tig S B V D Z
(1) Time Machine, The Time M X
(1) To Say Nothing of the Do X
(1) War for the Oaks War for X
(2) War of the Worlds War of X F
(4) Warbreaker Warbreaker Wa R V J Z
(3) Warded Man, The Warded M S V J
(1) Warrior's Apprentice, Th R
(2) Watchmen Watchmen Watchm R M
(2) Watership Down Watership S D
(3) Weaveworld Weaveworld We X D J
(1) White Cat White Cat Whit X
(3) Wild Seed Wild Seed Wild S X M
(3) Windup Girl, The Windup R V E
(1) Wizard of Earthsea, A Wi X
(1) Wizard's First Rule Wiza V
(1) Wool Omnibus Wool Omnibu R
(6) Word for World is Forest S X R B D L
(4) World War Z World War Z S R L E
(3) Zodiac Zodiac Zodiac Zod S D M
(1) Zoo City Zoo City Zoo Ci X
@Michael: I would like to join discussion for these books:The Handmaid's Tale
Warbreaker
The Warded Man
Fuzzy Nation
Weaveworld
Ready Player One
The Name of the Wind
Promise of Blood
So I've got:Foundation - 6
Altered Carbon - 5
Neuromancer - 5
1Q84 - 4
American Gods - 4
The City & The City - 4
The Dispossessed - 4
Old Man's War - 4
World War Z - 4
Manju, the discussion for The Handmaid's Tale starts the 15th. Fuzzy Nation is next month's read, also starting the 15th (of Feb). Ready Player One is March 15th. You got lucky with these :)I'll read The Warded Man, Weaveworld, or Warbreaker with you if you're just looking for a reading buddy. The same offer is open to everyone on this thread since I have a ton that I want to read this year.
Edwin wrote: "It looks like the discussion threads that we normally reuse for this are way back in November 2009. I will probably start posting pretty soon to the first impressions thread:"Here are some likely threads for discussion of The Handmaid's Tale. (Note I added the last one because there didn't appear to be a "Final Thoughts" thread...)
The Handmaid's Tale - First Impressions *no spoilers*
The Handmaid's Tale - Reading in Progress First Half - Spoilers
The Handmaid's Tale - Final Thoughts *Spoilers*
Manju wrote: "@Michael: I would like to join discussion for these books:The Handmaid's Tale
Warbreaker
The Warded ManFuzzy Nation
[book:Weaveworld|5264..."
Thanks, Manju, I'll update my list.
Sarah, I see you already saw my top 13 list on the challenge thread. And now I figured out that you've just omitted the ones we have already planned from your list.
Yes. I thought we were planning April through December so I just didn't mention those four. At least our lists match :)
Sarah wrote: "I'll read The Warded Man, Weaveworld, or Warbreaker with you if you're just looking for a reading buddy. The same offer is open to everyone on this thread since I have a ton that I want to read this year. "That pushes Warbreaker up to 5 votes, FYI. The list isn't finalized yet, I'm sure...
NO! I'm not officially voting for Warbreaker. It's just one I haven't read so I COULD do a buddy read. That one list is my only official one. I need to quit doing that!So - I'm willing to do buddy reads with people. Just contact me if you want me to join you and I'll let you know if I've read it or not.
Okay Michael, I'll behave myself now. Right after I smack myself upside the head...
I definitely want to read Neuromancer, but I've re-read Foundation and American Gods recently. Really want to re-read Dispossessed since I haven't read it in literally decades. Only one I'm not interested in is World War Z. I don't do zombies.
Barbara wrote: "I definitely want to read Neuromancer, but I've re-read Foundation and American Gods recently. Really want to re-read Dispossessed since I haven't read it in literally decades. Only one I'm not int..."I don't either. I want to do World War Z in this group because it's the only way I'll ever actually pick it up and read it. :)
I may take a back seat for that one, anyway. I just don't know that I want to use my precious reading time in that way. We'll see. I read less now that I'm retired than I ever did before.
Barbara wrote: "I may take a back seat for that one, anyway. I just don't know that I want to use my precious reading time in that way. We'll see. I read less now that I'm retired than I ever did before."Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? ;)
Sarah wrote: "NO! I'm not officially voting for Warbreaker. It's just one I haven't read so I COULD do a buddy read. That one list is my only official one. I need to quit doing that!So - I'm willing to do ..."
Okay, okay! I'm counting The Warded Man for you, since that was already on your "vote" list, but I won't count you as voting for Weaveworld or Warbreaker, or anything unless you specifically say you're voting for it!
Sarah wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I may take a back seat for that one, anyway. I just don't know that I want to use my precious reading time in that way. We'll see. I read less now that I'm retired than I ever did b..."Yeah it is, but I started writing when I finally got the law-jam out of my head, and I write more than I ever worked.
I write fantasy and poetry, most of it political, but some more traditional. Maybe someday I'll have an author page here!
Sarah wrote: "Manju, the discussion for The Handmaid's Tale starts the 15th. Fuzzy Nation is next month's read, also starting the 15th (of Feb). Ready Player One is March 15th. You got lucky with these :)I'..."
Thanks Sarah!
I would love to do a BR for these books. I'll not be able to start Warded man, Weaverworld before June but yes I'll pick warbreaker soon. when are you planning to read these books?
I've either read or would like to read all the books on the poll. I'm in for whatever.
Manju, I've set my goal from this group for 60 books this year so I'm fairly flexible. I figure I need to read at least 5 books per month. I think I would need until Feb but then I'm open. And I can wait until June for the others.
I've read The Warded Man and The Name of the Wind. I can join those discussions if that is allowed.
I would like to read a bunch of the listed books, in no particular order:Altered Carbon (pushing the vote to 6)
Alif the Unseen
Brave New World
Cat's Cradle
The Color of Magic
Dune
Dawn
Fahrenheit 451
The Last Unicorn
The Long Earth
Lies of Locke Lamora
Night Watch
Nine Princes in Amber
Pandora's Star
Childhood's End
The Name of the Wind
Neuromancer (also pushing the vote to 6)
Snow Queen
Spin
Slaughterhouse-Five
The Long Earth
Tigana
Watership Down
Weaveworld
Rendezvous with Rama
Zodiac
Red Mars
Word for the World is Forest
A bunch of the others are ones that I have read in the last year. For some of these books, it would be nice to have that additional incentive to pick up that particular book over the hundreds in my TBR pile.
Anirudh wrote: "I've read The Warded Man and The Name of the Wind. I can join those discussions if that is allowed."Definitely! That's one of the reasons we reuse the old threads, to pick up as many random contributors to the discussion as we can...
Sandi wrote: "I would like to read a bunch of the listed books, in no particular order:Altered Carbon (pushing the vote to 6)
Alif the Unseen
Brave New World
Cat's Cradle
The Color of Magic
Dune
Dawn
Fahrenhei..."
Great, Sandi. I will add your name to the discussion list and your book list to my vote tally.
Michael wrote: "Anirudh wrote: "I've read The Warded Man and The Name of the Wind. I can join those discussions if that is allowed."Definitely! That's one of the reasons we reuse the old threads, to pick up as ..."
Great :) I wanted to discuss Name of the Wind but none of my friends have read it. Has the discussion already begun?
Michael-I am in for Wild Seed and Zodiac as well. I must have missed them earlier!
so, if I am counting correctly, with Sandi and Manjus votes, we now have 6 6 pointers!Altered Carbon
Fuzzy Nation
The Handmaid's Tale
Foundation
Neuromancer and
Ready Player One
The Martian Chronicles for 5 votes
and 5 4 pointers:
1Q84
American Gods
The City & the City
The Dispossessed
Old Man's War
So our list is shaping up! Come chime in if you want to read something different!
Anirudh wrote: "Great :) I wanted to discuss Name of the Wind but none of my friends have read it. Has the discussion already begun? "Unfortunately, it is not on the list of top 12, as you see from Maggie's post. But, all the votes aren't in yet I don't think, and if you'd like to add your name to the voting, give me a list of books you would like to read or discuss this year and I'll add your votes. (If you are only voting for one book, that is okay, too.)
Of course, this list that I and others are compiling is not really "official" or anything, so you can always start your own side reads/discussions if you find others who are interested. (For example, if The Name of the Wind doesn't make it onto this 2015 roster we are compiling, you can always ask the people who did vote for it, or anyone on the old threads, if they would like to discuss it anyway...)
So 5 for World War Z now and 4 for Word for World is Forest?
I've read Snow Queen many times and would be happy to do it again. Also the Word for World is Forest.
Michael wrote: "Anirudh wrote: "Great :) I wanted to discuss Name of the Wind but none of my friends have read it. Has the discussion already begun? "Unfortunately, it is not on the list of top 12, as you see fr..."
Okay thank you for the information :) I'll see if there are any others who wish to read it. I think Manju has it on the list too.
Sarah wrote: "And sadly only 3 for Snow Queen."I read that on my own for last year's challenge and would be happy to be part of a discussion with one or more people. One of the sequels is on my list for this year...
The voting's not over yet! It's only been 14 hours since I posted the tally and already 3 people have added votes. I'd say we should wait at least until the weekend to catch any stragglers just getting to these threads...
I am going to root for Zodiac! Really-I should root that the Dispossessed and the City and The city don't drop off!
Seriously-I might be able to buddy read Snow Queen some month when none of mine are on!
That sounds great Michael. I always like things to be decided but there's no real rush.Maggie, let me know when you want to read Snow Queen. Then hopefully Michael and a couple of others can join the discussion.
I would like to read Snow Queen as well.
SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
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Ready Player One (other topics)Red Mars (other topics)
Ready Player One (other topics)
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Red Mars (other topics)
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Wil Wheaton (other topics)Larry Niven (other topics)
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I'll second (third?) the suggestion of adding Neuromancer to this year's reading. Another one of those classics that I've just never gotten around to.