Side-reads

[CS]

I've read Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog. If you like Willis' books about time travel, then you will probably like this one. I don't think this book is as strong as some of her other books, but I remember liking it overall.

[Jo]

As it was a joint winner for January's group read there are only two books this month:
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor and Roma Eterna by Robert Silverberg

Once again I haven't read either of them....

[CS]

I just reserved Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor at my public library. This one intrigues me.

[Jo]

CS wrote: "I just reserved Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor at my public library. This one intrigues me."

I hope you will post a review when you are finished, that was the one I voted for so i'd like to know how it is. I'm not going to have time to read it this month unfortunately.

[David]

Jo wrote: "Has anybody read The Death of Grass? I've been wanting to read this for a while but I seem to remember being told that it seems quite dated."

Yes, it is a little dated, but still a very good read, in my opinion. For me it spoke to what's going on today with genetic engineering of crops. I gave it 4 stars, but didn't write much of a review.

[David]

Buck wrote: "This is what I wrote about The Einstein Intersection in 2014. For the life of me, I don't remember the book:

Delany wrote in his journal, excerpts of which are inserted into this book: "Endings to be useful must be inconclusive."..."
I don't think when Delany wrote this he intended it to mean the book doesn't end. He rarely writes sequels. The only exceptions are The Fall Of The Towers trilogy and The Neveryon cycle. I think what he meant is all the loose ends shouldn't be tied up. There should be room left to leave the reader thinking. Probably his least conclusive ending is in Dhalgren, which ends with the beginning of the sentence fragment whose ending is the first line in the book. It's a circular novel and it just leaves you with more questions.

[Buck]

David wrote: "Probably his least conclusive ending is in Dhalgren, which ends with the beginning of the sentence fragment whose ending is the first line in the book. "

That's an interesting point about Dhalgren. IIRC, David, you are a Delaney fan. I haven't read a lot of Delaney, but some. Here's a link to my review of Dhalgren: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... I wonder if my take on Dhalgren is anything at all like yours.

[Ed]

David wrote: He rarely writes sequels..."

He had said that there would be a sequel to Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand, so I held off on reading it for many years while waiting for a sequel. One never came. But after I finally read "Stars", I don't feel like it needs a sequel.

And does anyone really want a sequel to Hogg? [Very highly not recommended!]

[Ed]

There was some discussion further back on this thread about Solaris. I've never gotten around to reading it, but I've seen 2 films based on it and loved them both. I have read other things by Lem, and in almost every case I felt something was missing.

Anyway, for those who are interested, Tarkovsky's film of Solaris is available online free and legal: http://sovietmoviesonline.com/en/fant...

It is one of my favorite films. ("Stalker" by Tarkovsky, also available there, is one I like even more.) But be aware this is a sloooooow film and very little is explained clearly. That is typical of Tarkovsky. You almost have to go into a meditative trance to enjoy his films.

(Several other interesting SF films based on classic books are there, like "Heart of a Dog" and "Hard to be a God".)

[Jo]

Ed wrote: "There was some discussion further back on this thread about Solaris. I've never gotten around to reading it, but I've seen 2 films based on it and loved them both. I have read other th..."

This is a great site. I've seen the two Solaris films but much preferred the Tarkovsky one than the Sodeberg version, but I do like slow atmospheric films. Hence I also really like Stalker.

I see they've also got Dead Mountaineer's hotel which is another adaptation of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky which is a book i've been meaning to read.

[Jo]

This month's side reads are:
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
Osama the Gun by Norman Spinrad
Underground Airlines by Ben H. Winters

[Jo]

For this month's books I have every intention of reading The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August once i've finished Dark Matter. There's a good chance I will read the Becky Chambers novel at some point as I really enjoyed the first book in the series but it won't be this month.

I've already read Osama the Gun which is really topical, it's extremely well written but the subject matter might not be everybody's cup of tea.

[Ronald]

I might start a thread for Osama the Gun.

[CS]

Last month's side-read, Who Fears Death is still on my agenda. I've been so busy that the book had to be returned to my public library unread. If I had the time I'd read The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August and Underground Airlines. Unlikely, though. I'm up to here with project deadlines and personal commitments. I might not get any significant reading done until this summer. Not kidding.

[Donna Rae]

CS wrote: "I've been so busy that the book had to be returned to my public library unread."

Don't you just hate it when that happens? It's happened to me, too, quite a lot recently - and that's after renewing on multiple occasions. Hope things settle down for you soon.

I'm going to start The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August soon, as I've already read Dark Matter.

[Donna Rae]

Started reading The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August yesterday and I have to admit, I can barely put it down. The style is really quite absorbing!

[Rosemarie]

I am reading a book from a previous month, Roma Eterna by Robert Silverberg. Then onto the Harry August. My goal is to read the books that I voted for first.

[Rosemarie]

I finished Roma Eterna and would not call it science fiction, but instead an "alternate history".

[Jo]

Donna Rae wrote: "Started reading The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August yesterday and I have to admit, I can barely put it down. The style is really quite absorbing!"

I'm a third of the way through and have to agree, really good so far. I like the way it jumps around a lot but still manages to be coherent. Really difficult to guess anything that's going to happen.

[Leo]

Since your enthousiasm here, I started Harry August yesterday. I read reviews warning about the barren dull middle part of the book. Anyone got past that yet?

[Jo]

Leo wrote: "Since your enthousiasm here, I started Harry August yesterday. I read reviews warning about the barren dull middle part of the book. Anyone got past that yet?"

Not yet, it's just starting to become clear where the story is going so I guess I am shortly approaching the mid-section maybe in the next two days.

[Donna Rae]

Leo wrote: "Since your enthousiasm here, I started Harry August yesterday. I read reviews warning about the barren dull middle part of the book. Anyone got past that yet?"

I'm at 80%, but I haven't found a boring part yet - at least, I don't think so. There's a lot of jumping back and forth through timelines, but I think that's appropriate given the main character's position. And I guess it might seem to slow down where the plot needs to linger a bit longer on particular lifetimes, providing a pivotal or focal point to the story, but I wouldn't say these areas are boring. I've certainly read worse!

[Buck]

This one is on my library list, but there are a dozen or more ahead of it. It'll be a while 'til I get to it.

[Leo]

Thanks. I like it so far (10%) and reading your comments gives high hopes this will be the case till the end. Since our protagonist seems to be here forever, I'm extra curious how this book will end.

[Jo]

I just finished The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August travelling back today and I really don't think the mid-section lulled. The whole book was really clever and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I preferred this one to the group read, Dark Matter. It's a great concept, what would you do if you had to keep reliving your life over and over whilst remembering everything.

[Leo]

I also find it intriguing. Unlike Dark Matter, I have to take my time to read it. Both books make me think and wonder though.

[Jo]

March side reads are as follows:
The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells
Somnium: The Dream, or Posthumous Work on Lunar Astronomy by Johannes Kepler
Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon
Gladiator by Philip Wylie
The Goddess of Atvatabar by William R Bradshaw
Star Begotten: A Biological Fantasia by H.G. Wells

[Jo]

I don't know how much time I will have this month but if I can after reading The Invisible Man I would like to read The Goddess of Atvatabar as it just sounds bizarre.

I've already read Last and First Men which is enjoyable, but a bit of a dry read. I have Last Men in London which i have been meaning to read for some time by Stapledon so maybe I should finally read that instead.

[Buck]

The only one of these I've read is Last and First Men, which I did not enjoy. It is almost like a future history text book. Similar to your reaction, Jo, I wrote in my review that it is dry but interesting.

FWIW, here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Leo]

Finally finished The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. A great book.

[Jim]

H. Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy is a book I've been meaning to get around to it for ages & finally did. Wish I hadn't put it off so long. I gave it a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I wonder why Scalzi did a rewrite of it.

[Leo]

Didn't know this writer, but I seem to have, somewhere in a box, two of his translated novels: Little Fuzzy and Space Viking. I'm going to try and locate the box...

[Jo]

I'm three quarters of the way through The Goddess of Atvatabar and it's not a book i'd recommend. It written in the dry style of the era. It starts like a novel by Jules Verne then turns into a sci-fi love story. I'm going to finish it but to be honest i'm not sure it really matters what happens, it's all a bit ridiculous.

[Marc-André]

I'm half way throught Ender's Game. That book has a a lot of issues. Like how women are seen or it tries to say he end justify the means, It definately is a power fantasy too for bullied kids who like to play video games.

[Rosemarie]

I just finished The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. I enjoyed the book, but there was a section that dragged on for a bit, but only for a bit. The book went out with a bang. Lots of suspense and a satisfying ending.

[Buck]

I'm about a third of the way into Harry August and really liking it. It's well written and quite readable. But now we have house guests and my reading time is curtailed, so no telling when I'll be able to finish it.

[Jo]

Rosemarie wrote: "I just finished The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. I enjoyed the book, but there was a section that dragged on for a bit, but only for a bit. The book went out with a bang. Lots of suspense a..."

I didn't notice it dragging but it's one of the things Leo mentioned before that he had read several reviews of the book that said this.

[Jo]

April's side reads are:

The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
Time Out of Joint by Philip K. Dick
Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney
Brain Wave by Poul Anderson
The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury

[Leo]

Before the start of this month's read, I read The City and the Stars. Because I saw it was presented as Arthur C. Clarke's 'finest novel'. Given that, I was disappointed. The book was entertaining, but no more than that. Although the ideas in the book are great, both story and characterisation where a bit flat, and failed to make me really enthousiast. I plan to read much more of his books but sure hope this was not really AC Clarke's finest novel.

[Buck]

Just finished The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. This is the best novel I've read in quite a while.

Has anyone read Touch by Claire North?

[Jim]

I just finished The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl & gave it a 3 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This is supposed to be one of the classics of SF, but it wouldn't make a top 10 or even 25 list of mine. I think the original title, "Gravy Planet", of the serialized version fit better. This edition was published prior to Pohl's update in 2011 which I'm not sure I'd want to read, but am curious about. If you've read both, I'd love to know what you think.

[Buck]

Jim wrote: "I just finished The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl & gave it a 3 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This is supposed to be one of the..."

I haven't read both.

My reaction to the original is more positive, although I don't count it among my favorites.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jim]

I just finished Appalachian Overthrow, the 10th book in the Vampire Earth series, & new to me. It's action-SF & post apocalyptic, I suppose. (I'm not good at genres, much less sub genres.) While I really liked the first few books, I'm still enjoying the series. I have Baltic Gambit: A Novel of the Vampire Earth to read, too.

I've decided to read some old favorites to justify keeping them around, so I started Wolfling, an old favorite, to round out my lunch time reading.

[Jim]

I'm on a Keith Laumer kick now. I just finished 4 short stories in The Undefeated. Great old SF. I gave it 4 stars in my review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Before that I read Retief: Envoy to New Worlds, the first set of Retief short stories. I only gave them a 3 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I'm going to read The Long Twilight, I think. I might read Earthblood after that. They're all quick, fun, interesting reads. Laumer manages to keep the action flowing fast while putting in some thoughtful themes.

[Jo]

May's side reads are as follows:
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
Simulacron 3 by Daniel F. Galouye
The Hieros Gamos of Sam and An Smith by Josephine Saxton
The Genocides by Thomas M. Disch
City of the Chasch by Jack Vance

[Gregg]

Delany is taking a Postmodernist position that literature should reflect life and have no definitive beginnings or endings. "Dhalgren" is a masterpiece on the nature of humanity.

[Donna Rae]

I read Lem's Solaris back in September's sidereads so felt that it was a bit too soon for me to read again with this month's group read. Instead, I've chosen Slaughterhouse-Five and so glad I did. I remember this novel being recommended to me by an art lecturer whilst I was studying for my degree, but at the time, I never quite got round to it. I can see now why he did - the absurdist take on life through the eyes of a post-traumatic war veteran is irresistible and would have complimented The Myth of Sisyphus-esque subject matter that I was dealing with at the time.

Oh well; I've read it now, Mr Woods, and loved it. You were spot on again, so it goes.

[Ed]

Oh, yes, Slaughterhouse Five is quite good. As are many of Vonnegut's books. I got tired of him after a while and so haven't caught up on his later books, but I should someday. So it goes.

[Jim]

Ed wrote: "Oh, yes, Slaughterhouse Five is quite good. As are many of Vonnegut's books. I got tired of him after a while and so haven't caught up on his later books, but I should someday. So it goes."

He appealed to me more around 20 +/- 5 years. He has that sort of adolescent, idealistic sarcasm going. It's still OK in small doses. I read The Sirens of Titan, Armageddon in Retrospect, & Breakfast of Champions at the rate of one per year the last few. Only the middle one was new to me, a collection of short stories. Many fit right into Slaughterhouse-Five. Welcome to the Monkey House. another collection of short stories, is my favorite.

[Buck]

I concur with Jim Re: Vonnegut. He has a distinctive style and is good in small doses. Slaughterhouse Five and Welcome to the Monkey House also are my favorite Vonnegut.