What sci-fi book have you just read?

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Eman wrote: "The Old Man's War by Scalzi."

Hi Eman! Welcome to the group! I haven't read anything by Scalzi yet though I've heard he's really good.

Marian wrote: "Just finished last night,a short story by Philip K.Dick called "The Commuter"."

Was it good? I haven't read any of his short fiction and, of his novels, I've only read his Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep so far.

As for me, I've just finished reading Ready Player One - a very fun experience!

[Marian]

Grag,I have that book waiting for me,so you liked it?The commuter story is ok,but heard the TV show on Netflix is waaayyy better.Its called "Electric Dreams" and there's like 10 episodes.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Marian wrote: "Grag,I have that book waiting for me,so you liked it?The commuter story is ok,but heard the TV show on Netflix is waaayyy better.Its called "Electric Dreams" and there's like 10 episodes."

Hi Marian - yes, I really liked Ready Player One. It's a great near-future cyberpunk-style adventure with a YA/NA protagonist with lots of mainly 1980s pop culture references.

[Marian]

Kevin wrote: "I just finished Sea of Rust. Wow was it good."

Hi Kevin...just put your book on my TBR list,Thank you for sharing!Sounds good!

[Marian]

Currently reading..

and just finished another short story by Philip K.Dick...

[Damon, ZARDOZ]

I have just finished reading The Dark Forest

Like the title suggests, it got a bit dark didn't it?

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Damon wrote: "I have just finished reading The Dark Forest

Like the title suggests, it got a bit dark didn't it?"

Is it good, though?

[Damon, ZARDOZ]

Pretty good. Somewhat clunky at the start. Dark in the middle, but resolved by a happy ending.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Sounds good. :) I see you've added your title!

[Damon, ZARDOZ]

Yeeeess

[Mario the lone bookwolf]

I've read through all the ages of science fiction. It is always interesting to observe how the respective epoch affects the mentality of the authors.
Towards the end of the 19th century, one still notices the aftermath of the classic epic era of writing. Baroque and ancient-looking.
At the beginning of the 20th century, optimism outweighed the revolution in technology.
In the interwar period are already critical sounds.
And as soon as peace returns, the fear of nuclear annihilation, the MAD Doctrine and the balance of horror subsides over the literature. Often deeply pessimistic and apocalyptic.
From the 70s and 80s, the development is gaining more and more momentum.
In the 21st century, there are so many new styles of science fiction. It has become a visionary literary genre from the disreputable niche genre.
The themes and elements of science fiction have penetrated into many other genres and have immensely enriched them.
I'm curious to see what happens next and I'm looking forward to watching the development. To discover the influences of the long history of science fiction and the current social and global development in the new, upcoming works.
How often the predictions in areas such as societal structure, technology, economics, finance, weapons technology, etc applied is striking.

[Karen]

Just read Genesis by Bernard Beckett - It reminded me so much of conceptual Sci Fi of the 50s and 60s. It was great fun! A perfect slow-build storyline in a snack-sized novella. Read it in a couple of days but is a fantastic story. (o:

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Finished reading Annihilation - creepy, mysterious and intriguing. I think I will be following up on this series soon!

[Mel]

I have just finished reading Stand on Zanzibar, no small undertaking.
Verdict: mind blown - so good I can’t believe I put off reading it for so long! Lesson learned. Never judge a book by its cover. What can I say, I have an aversion to the colour yellow.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Mel wrote: "I have just finished reading Stand on Zanzibar, no small undertaking.
Verdict: mind blown - so good I can’t believe I put off reading it for so long! Lesson learned. Never judge a book..."

And I have a fondness for green! Glad you enjoyed that book, Mel! It's one I haven't read yet but I've heard elsewhere that it's quite good.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It's a feminist Uptopian story written and serialized in 1915. Although somewhat dated Gilman's points must have been cutting edge at the time. I enjoyed it and gave it 3 stars.

P. S. I'm not sure this book is really SF but as a Utopian story it is often classified in that genre.

[Paul]

Just finished The Stars Are Legion last night. Strange but good.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Finished reading HIgh-Rise by J. G. Ballard - one of this month's group reads.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished:


The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished:


Night's Master by Tanith Lee
Rating: 2 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Rhialto the Marvellous by Jack Vance
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joe]

My last sci-fi read which I most enjoyed was The Martian by Andy Weir. This has been rightly described as one of the best pure science fiction novel in the past 10 years. What is really great about it is the fact that all of the science in it is possible. Weir speculates about what it would take for a stranded astronaut to stay alive on Mars, given current technology and the possibilities of what could be done now. No fantasy, no impossible speculations, no gimmickry. Just pure science on the edge. That to me is what real sci-fi is all about; that's why I read good sci-fi. And this is one of the very best survival stories out there right now.

[Ian]

Joe wrote: "My last sci-fi read which I most enjoyed was The Martian by Andy Weir. This has been rightly described as one of the best pure science fiction novel in the past 10 years. What is really great about..."

"The Martian" is a great book - one of the best uses of 'the journal' style I have seen. However, if we want to talk about the science, the possibility of such a storm is zero. The wind speeds recorded are fine, but the pressure is so low the net force is about the same as a very gentle summer breeze here. The real problem with such a storm is getting lost if you are outside, and the dust getting into seals when you try to get back into something. If you use a standard airlock, it will probably slowly leak thereafter. My solution is to have a multi-door air lock, the first to simply shut out the wind before you enter the real air lock.

The idea making hydrogen to make water is a bit bizarre - why not simply burn the hydrazine? A lot safer. Also, there is no way you could live that long on Mars with hab parts made of plastic - the solar radiation would rear it to bits in no time. Growing crops would be best with special glass - with something like zinc oxide in it to help filter out the hard UV. The standard glass we have would be partially adequate. But I admire your desire to read something with some real science in it - I have to, because I try to write that :-)

It is a great survival story, though.

[Susan]

I finally finished reading The Eye of the Sibyl and Other Classic Stories. I wrote a little review of each of the stories, so it took forever. If anyone would like to talk about the stories, my review is here.

[David]

I recently re-read 11/22/63. The first time I read it I didn't like it, thought it was dull and too long, and didn't finish it. When I gave it a second try, my opinion was completely opposite, and I thought it was a wonderful book, meticulously thought out and researched.

[Joe]

I have recently finished reading a 'pure sci-fi' novel called "The Third Thaw" by Karl Hansen, about the colonization of a far distant planet by sending frozen embryos to start all over there again. A good bit of real science described throughout it; that's what I mean by pure sci-fi, not that fantasy stuff. Perhaps aimed primarily at YA readership...Review posted here and at amazon. Give it a try, guys.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Joe wrote: "I have recently finished reading a 'pure sci-fi' novel called "The Third Thaw" by Karl Hansen, about the colonization of a far distant planet by sending frozen embryos to start all over there again..."

It looks interesting, Joe. I'll keep an eye out for it.

[Atlanta]

Joe wrote: "My last sci-fi read which I most enjoyed was The Martian by Andy Weir. This has been rightly described as one of the best pure science fiction novel in the past 10 years. What is really great about..."

I'm reading/listening to the martian, I def appreciate a good survival story. That's prob why I like it.

[Chris]

I haven't finished it, but I'm reading Salvation by Peter F. Hamilton. Can't begin to describe what a page-turner this is.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

About a fifthe of the way through The Technician - one of this month's group reads. I'll need to pick up the pace if I'm to get it finished by the end of the month.

[Thorkell]

I read The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume II A and B. There were a lot of great stories there but the one that really stuck with me was Vintage Season. Chilling and original! Has any of you read it?

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Thorkell wrote: "I read The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume II A and B. There were a lot of great stories there but the one that really stuck with me was Vintage Season. Chilling and original! ..."

Not yet! Were these old secondhand copies of the books or a recent reprint/ebook?

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

I listened to a couple of podcasts of two sci-fi short stories by Eddie D. Moore. These were 'Traveling Man' in 600 Second Saga, S2.9 and 'Rose’s Robot” in Manawaker Studio’s Flash Fiction Podcast for 2018-08-16.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Finished reading The Technician finally! Although it was ponderous at times, I enjoyed the book overall. A four-star read for me.

[Susan]

I'm reading another amazing short story collection: Robot Dreams by Issac Asimov.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Susan wrote: "I'm reading another amazing short story collection: Robot Dreams by Issac Asimov."

I started reading I, Robot as a kid but I think it was too advanced for me at the time. I should return to it with older (and hopefully wiser!) eyes.

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

Finished reading one of this month's group reads, The Space Merchants, and it was a fire-star read for me! I intend to add a comment or two about it in the relevant group read topic.

[Susan]

I just finished The Death of Grass. It’s a very realistic dystopia. The science part of the story concerns a virus that decimates all species of grass, but the main story is about how people behave during the famine. My review is here.