What sci-fi book(s) are you reading currently?

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

PSXtreme wrote: "Just started 172 Hours on the Moon... Per the cover;

"In this chilling adventure set in the most brutal landscape known to man, highly acclaimed Norwegian novelist Johan Harstad cr..."

I'd be into reading it as well. Haven't seen it in stores yet though. It is an awesome cover isn't it?

[PSXtreme]

I've finished the first 1/3rd of the audiobook today. So far, it's ok. Still hasn't really gotten moving yet storywise.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

PSXtreme wrote: "I've finished the first 1/3rd of the audiobook today. So far, it's ok. Still hasn't really gotten moving yet storywise."

That doesn't sound so good. Hope it's picked up since!

[John]

Just started reading Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan. Currently about 20% through the book, and I like it a lot so far. It falls more into the gritty cyberpunk style and is part of a trilogy around the main character Takeshi Kovacs. Morgan's writing style is really nice, too. Very descriptive, but not too much where you lose track of the story. Can't wait to see how it unfolds.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

John wrote: "Just started reading Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan. Currently about 20% through the book, and I like it a lot so far. It falls more into the gritty cyberpunk style and is part of a trilogy ar..."

I haven't tried any of Morgan's books yet but it's good to hear that Altered Carbon is good so far.

[PSXtreme]

I've added Altered Carbon to my library d/l wish list and when available, I'll give it a go.

[PSXtreme]

Greg wrote: "PSXtreme wrote: "I've finished the first 1/3rd of the audiobook today. So far, it's ok. Still hasn't really gotten moving yet storywise."

That doesn't sound so good. Hope it's picked up since!"

I haven't had any free time to listen. Started a new job on Monday and just getting back into the swing of working nights. Taking the iPod in tonight for the 1 hour drive to/from work and will try to listen as I move Kraft cheese from the plant to the cave storage network tonight. If it works, I'll be finished w/ it tonight.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

PSXtreme wrote: "Greg wrote: "PSXtreme wrote: "I've finished the first 1/3rd of the audiobook today. So far, it's ok. Still hasn't really gotten moving yet storywise."

That doesn't sound so good. Hope it's picked ..."

Congrats on the new job! Hope the book picks up for you.

[PSXtreme]

TY. Have about 15 min left to listen. It's OK... 172 Hours on the Moon gets an average 3* score. Probably more for the YA reader...It's right up along with the The Hunger Games level of storytelling. Not for those "deep thinking" readers.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

PSXtreme wrote: "TY. Have about 15 min left to listen. It's OK... 172 Hours on the Moon gets an average 3* score. Probably more for the YA reader...It's right up along with the [book:The Hunger Game..."

No harm in that if you're looking for a bit of holiday reading. :) But 3 stars is decent enough.

[PSXtreme]

John wrote: "Just started reading Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan. Currently about 20% through the book, and I like it a lot so far. It falls more into the gritty cyberpunk style and is part of a trilogy ar..."

Currently d/ling the audiobook now.

[John]

One word of caution though, there are a couple of pretty NSFW sections in the book.

[PSXtreme]

John wrote: "One word of caution though, there are a couple of pretty NSFW sections in the book."

I'm the only one in the truck, so there is no worry about offending anyone.

Just finished up Just Say the Word (3* Rating) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... last night and started The Neverending Story. This one is a hard listen...the narrator likes to whisper some of the voices and it makes for hard hearing in the noisy truck.

[Donna Rae]

As I've now read both of this month's group reads (don't know how that happened!), I've decided to give one of the other nominations a go: Hunter's Run. Gauging by the first two chapters, looks like it'll be a straight forward 'bit-of-escapism' read.

[PSXtreme]

Started First Meetings in Ender's Universe last night. Am about 70% of the way thru it now. It's made up of "filler" stories that help further develop the characters. The 1st story in it was all about Ender's Parents, more specifically his father as a young child, his family's history in Poland and how he met Ender's mother in college. The Second story is after the original book ends while Ender and Valentine travel the galaxy.

If you enjoyed Ender's Game, this is a must-have.

[Mel]

We - I'm finally reading this. It's been loitering with intent on my Kindle for a while now.

[PSXtreme]

Finished First Meetings in Ender's Universe last night. It gets a 4* overall rating with a better breakdown explanation in my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

I've got We sitting in the on-deck circle back on the bed for once I finish up reading The Man.

[Mel]

We Finished this. Puts 1984 and Brave New World into perspective. I enjoyed it.
Currently reading Master Of Life And Death, Robert Silverberg: Eugenics, faster than light speed travel, an immortality serum and darstardly plots. It is dated and the characters so far are all horrid - I'm really getting into it.
Oh, and I read Blake Crouch's Wayward Pines trilogy on the weekend. I hate myself for doing that; but I hate Crouch more for managing to make his thin books with almost more plot holes than gaps between his paragraphs, and two dimensional characters so readable.

[PSXtreme]

Mel wrote: "We Finished this. Puts 1984 and Brave New World into perspective. I enjoyed it.
Currently reading Master Of Life And Death, Robert Silverberg: Eugenics, faster than lig..."

Try The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I think you'll like it if you haven't read it yet.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Mel wrote: "Oh, and I read Blake Crouch's Wayward Pines trilogy on the weekend. I hate myself for doing that; but I hate Crouch more for managing to make his thin books with almost more plot holes than gaps between his paragraphs, and two dimensional characters so readable. "

LOL Sounds masochistic!

[Mel]

PSXtreme - I have indeed read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and as you correctly anticipated, enjoyed it very much.

[PSXtreme]

Mel wrote: "PSXtreme - I have indeed read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and as you correctly anticipated, enjoyed it very much."

Ahhh...another one of the few with good taste in the "classics".

Currently listening to and all I can say is, "Damn, isn't this prophetic...."

[Stuart]

The Nights Dawn Trilogy, Channel Blue, Revenger, The Three-Body Problem, Wind Pinball (not strictly SciFi), and a couple of short story compilations too.

[PSXtreme]

Identity Theft

If Mickey Spillane and Ray Bradbury ever got together for a book...this would be the result

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Not reading much sci-fi at the moment but will read She Commands Me and I Obey shortly. Trying to juggle horror and heroic fantasy group reads as well as my own interest in manga!

[David]

Trying to work through David Pringle's 100 best SciFi novels and AbeBooks 50 Essential SciFi books. No particular reason why I'm following those lists, other than they show up near the top of google searches on "list of best science fiction books". I do like how they are not top heavy with recent books.

[PSXtreme]

David wrote: "Trying to work through David Pringle's 100 best SciFi novels and AbeBooks 50 Essential SciFi books. No particular reason why I'm following those lists, other than they show up near the top of googl..."

Hopefully you have a hard copy of David Pringle's list, cause the website suffered a massive failure and the data isn't online anymore...just found out in looking to expand my to-read list.
http://listology.com/list/david-pring...

However, here's the list of most of the Nebula and Hugo winners throughout the eras for looking into great historic SF. https://www.abebooks.com/books/collec...

[Damon, ZARDOZ]

I just got Culmination on my kindle! It is there right now waiting for me.

[David]

PSXtreme wrote: "David wrote: "Trying to work through David Pringle's 100 best SciFi novels and AbeBooks 50 Essential SciFi books. No particular reason why I'm following those lists, other than they show up near th..."

Thanks, I did not know that the list had been lost. Luckily, I did type it into an Excel file for easy access

[Marvin]

Since I couldn't find one of the reads for the last two months (Culmination), the other book I am currently reading aside from last month's list is Sherlock Holmes in Orbit, an anthology of Holmes pastiches which cleverly combines the world of Sherlock Holmes and science fiction. =) Also, I am reading Diaspora Ad Astra: An Anthology of Science Fiction from the Philippines containing some sci-fi short stories written by Filipino writers.

[Jarek "the Mistborn"]

Hello everyone. Iam looking for a really gripping sci-fi series. With some deep characters, good space action, great world and really compelling plot twists. Any recomendations?:)

[Damon, ZARDOZ]

The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F Hamilton

[PSXtreme]

Jarek "the Mistborn" wrote: "Hello everyone. I am looking for a really gripping sci-fi series. With some deep characters, good space action, great world and really compelling plot twists. Any recomendations?:)"

The Dune series...that should keep you busy until at least Christmas...and if you read slow...next Christmas.

If you like British Humor...the 5 book trilogy (Yes, that is what the author called it) of the The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a can't miss.

Ender's Game is another excellent series that fits your bill to a tee.

If you are looking for a lunar experience, you can either go the classic route and try The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress or something newer with the H3 series starting with Crater.

if you prefer the classics...A Princess of Mars is the first of the Barsoom/John Carter series written back in the early 1900s.

and if you haven't read the Foundation series...you don't know Sci-Fi....

[Jarek "the Mistborn"]

PSXtreme thanks for the info:) ive read most of the dune novels and i loved tchem. Enders game i ve read the first and then DNF the second at 50%. I dont know it was just so completely different like a totally different book. Ive been thinking about the foundation and the commonwealth books by hamilton

[PSXtreme]

A note with the Foundation series...the publishing order is NOT the chronological order they should be read. That info can be found here https://www.goodreads.com/series/4393...

[Damon, ZARDOZ]

I still prefer chronological so that I can see the thought process and outside situational influences.

[PSXtreme]

Damon wrote: "I still prefer chronological so that I can see the thought process and outside situational influences."

I prefer chronological, rather than publication, because I'm a linear type of guy. I really dislike jumping back and forth in a timeline...ie book one is about the main character, book 2 is about his father, book 3 is about the first character's grandson...book 4 is about book one's son....when situations like that happen...I read them 2, 1, 4, 3...etc

Usually when the author jumps around on the timeline it's because they want to add depth to the established plot/characters. Although it can sometimes present spoiler issues, I just like staying linear.

Normally I won't even start a series until I have everything published at that time already on the shelves waiting so I can go one after the other if they are an outstanding read.

[Mel]

Jarek "the Mistborn" wrote: "Hello everyone. Iam looking for a really gripping sci-fi series. With some deep characters, good space action, great world and really compelling plot twists. Any recomendations?:)"

The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey. Book 6 out in Dec. Great space opera, great characters, action and twisty plots. Starting with Leviathan Wakes

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

It's more fantasy than science fiction but I'm currently reading some manga - Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1 - among other books.

[Mel]

Recently completed The Book of the New Sun and am currently on book 2 of the Rifters trilogy, Maelstrom

[PSXtreme]

Just started Railsea and am about 50% thru. Personally, it looks like if the books Dune and Moby-Dick had an illicit love affair and had a child, and then that child then went and fathered a baby with Atlas Shrugged, this would be the result.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

PSXtreme wrote: "Just started Railsea and am about 50% thru. Personally, it looks like if the books Dune and Moby-Dick had an illicit love affair and had a child, and th..."

LOL

[PSXtreme]

Finished up Railsea. Overall it gets a 4* rating..but the ending felt forced so it's more like 3.5 but since there are no 1/2 stars...we round up. Would like to see a prequel to give more background and less "rumor" to the story.

Also blew thru Citizen of the Galaxy and Armada.

CotG was classic Heinlein. Not a lot of action, but his prose is just so damn good you really don't mind. It's not so much the story, but the telling in itself that makes this a 4* read. Definitely for those in a retro classic SF mood.

As for Armada...Ernest Cline is becoming my "NEW" favorite author. Part Wargames, part The Last Starfighter, throw in a dash of Ender's Game and then add two scoops of the generic 80s and you get a good idea on what Cline has produced with his latest rendition. I wanted to give it a perfect 5, but just couldn't put it into that vaulted company. Only a 4*, but keep up the good work Ernest and I'm sure you'll crack the top spot soon.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

PSXtreme wrote: "Finished up Railsea. Overall it gets a 4* rating..but the ending felt forced so it's more like 3.5 but since there are no 1/2 stars...we round up. Would like to see a prequel to giv..."

Pity to hear that the ending of Railsea isn't so good as I want to read some more Miéville once I get the chance. It's been ages since I've read anything by Heinlein - something I must remedy too. must check out Cline at some point too....

[Mel]

Just finished Dying Inside. It's literature. It's a book worthy of the description: Classic and it transcends genre. People who turn their noses up at SF and fantasy are missing out. That is all. For the next week or so, I shall mostly be reading: Les Miserables.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Mel wrote: "Just finished Dying Inside. It's literature. It's a book worthy of the description: Classic and it transcends genre. People who turn their noses up at SF and fantasy are missing out. ..."

I added this book to my TBR shelf three years ago. Hopefully, I'll get around to reading it as it is widely regarded as a classic.

[David]

I had never heard of Dying Inside; from what I've read about it since seeing your posting, it seems like an interesting read. Thanks for posting about it. I have added it to my TBR list

[David]

I am working through the James Blish Star Trek adaptations. Just finished Star Trek 5, which was only OK, mainly because the episodes in that volume weren't very good. Am currently reading Star Trek 1, which is better. Also just re-read Spock Must Die! after 30 years. That was my first Star Trek novel, so I liked it mainly for sentimental reasons.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

David wrote: "I am working through the James Blish Star Trek adaptations. Just finished Star Trek 5, which was only OK, mainly because the episodes in that volume weren't very good. Am currently rea..."

Did you ever read any of the books adapted from Star Trek: The Animated Series? I read the first volume (Star Trek: Log One) many years ago but never saw any of the other books in shops - new or secondhand.

[David]

Greg,

No, I haven't read any of the books in that series (yet, anyway). Do you remember if the one that you read was good? It looks like they have gotten similar ratings on Goodreads as the Blish adaptations of TOS.

They seem to be readily available for short money in the States (http://www.thriftbooks.com/browse/?b....), but perhaps not in Ireland or the rest of Europe.

I never saw the animated TV series, either. Was it well done?