Nominations for April 2016!

[Candiss]

Hi everyone,

It's time to open nominations for our April 2016 Books of the Month. Each group member can make 1 science fiction and/or 1 fantasy nomination in this thread. If you would like to make a nomination, please reply to this post with the title and author of the book(s) you would like to put forward for the group’s consideration. A couple of suggestions to keep in mind:

1. Telling us a little about the book and why you think it would be a good group read can help get other members interested in reading (and voting for) your nomination.

2. To see if your nomination has already been read by the group, you can check:

a. the group's bookshelf for Previous Books of the Month

and/or

b. these threads:
Master List of Previous Books of the Month 2012-Present
Master List of Previous Books of the Month 2006-2011

Books the group has read in the past 2 years are not eligible for current consideration. Being chosen as a past BotM prior to that time is not an automatic disqualification, but be aware that it may hinder your nomination’s chances at the polls.

General guidelines:
• Feel free to re-nominate a book that didn’t win in the polls in previous months!
• For questions regarding specifics such as book formats, books in series, self-nomination and various rules for nominations, please see the group FAQ.
• Seconding isn't necessary in this group.
• Friendly discussion & debate is strongly encouraged, but let's please keep things civil.


Poll schedule:
• Nominations will remain open through Wednesday, January 20.
• The first round of polls will open Thursday, January 21, and will run through Monday, January 25.
• The run-off polls go up Tuesday, January 26, and will be open through Saturday, January, 30.

Thanks!


NOMINATIONS SO FAR:


SCIENCE FICTION:
The Gap Into Conflict: The Real Story by Stephen R. Donaldson (Sumant)
Grass by Sheri S. Tepper (Louise)
Ice Crown by Andre Norton also in omnibus Ice and Shadow (Mary)
Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin (Maggie)
City of Illusions by Ursula K. Le Guin also in omnibus Worlds of Exile and Illusion (Jaro)
Elysium by Jennifer Marie Brissett (Justine)
To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer (Lulu)

FANTASY:
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb (Sumant)
Half a King by Joe Abercrombie (Louise)
Malice by John Gwynne (Helen)
The Queen's Necklace by Teresa Edgerton (Mary)
The Birthgrave by Tanith Lee (Jaro)
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip (Maggie)
A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar (Justine)
The Brides of Rollrock Island (aka Sea Hearts) by Margo Lanagan (Lulu)

[Sumant]

For sci-fi I would like to nominate Gap cycle book 1.

For fantasy I would like to nominate Ship of magic.

[Louise]

I would like to nominate Grass by Sheri S. Tepper for Sci-Fi, and Half a King by Joe Abercrombie for Fantasy.

[Helen]

Malice, I've heard good things.

[Mary]

For fantasy: The Queen's Necklace by Teresa Edgerton. An early clockpunk works. Swashbuckling adventure and political intrigue in a hundred kingdom, heirs to the fallen Goblin Empire.

For SF: Ice Crown by Andre Norton. A book by the classic author. Far future technology holds a planet in thrall, and an off-worlder finds herself in the middle of the issues. (In print, but I think only in the omnibus Ice and Shadow)

[Maggie]

I would like to nominate for sci-fi : Native Tongue. It looks really good! Seems to be in the vein of A handmaid's tale, with an added twist on language

[Jaro]

I will nominate two books with characters who wake up with no memories of who, or what, they are. One in a dense forest, and the other in a volcano...

For science fiction: City of Illusions by Ursula K. Le Guin. Part of her Hainish cycle. (Available as e- and audiobook and in print in the omnibus: Worlds of Exile and Illusion.

For fantasy: The Birthgrave by Tanith Lee. Her first novel, reprinted last year with an author's note dated just a few months before her death.

[Candiss]

All the nominations up to this point have been vetted and updated above. Keep them coming, folks!

[Bob]

Helen wrote: "Malice, I've heard good things."

The first 3 books (starting with Malice) are excellent and the final book is due out later this year so no worries about getting hooked on a long series with no end in sight.

I can't recommend this series enough for people who like epic fantasy. When you start reading, it will likely seem like standard fantasy fare as it plays off many of the usual stereotypes. It quickly evolves though and the story is very compelling.

[Maggie]

I thought of a fantasy: Patricia McKillip with The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
I love her writing and have been wanting to read another of her books

[Justine]

I would like to nominate A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar for fantasy.

For science fiction, I'll nominate Elysium by Jennifer Marie Brissett.

Candiss...let me know if it is too late to add these:) Sorry I didn't post this sooner.

[Lulu]

I'm going to give To Your Scattered Bodies Go one more nomination for science fiction!

For fantasy, I'll nominate The Brides of Rollrock Island (or "Sea Hearts" in some places).

[Candiss]

Nominations are now closed. (Justine and Lulu, you snuck in under the wire. ;) )

I'll have the polls up in a bit.

[Candiss]

The first round of polls are now open. You can vote through Monday, January 25.

Science Fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

Fantasy: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

[Candiss]

The run-off polls for April are open. Voting will be live through Saturday, January 30.

Fantasy: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

Science Fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...