What Else Are You Reading - November 2016

[William]

John (Taloni) wrote: "About halfway through Baxter's Manifold: Time. Two things stand out. One, Baxter is uniformly depressing in his depiction of the future. This one's about 2010 (published 2000) and he g..."

I agree with what you say, though "Time" is one of my least favorite of his books. Strangely enough Manifold:Space is one of my absolute favorites.

Baxter is absolutely brilliant at writing SF...just someone get him a happy pill.

[Colin]

Rick wrote: "Colin - if you enjoy Fforde's Thursday books you might like Cogman's The Invisible Library. I just finished it and it was a good read."

That looks interesting, although the reviews are a little mixed. I'll definitely add it to my list of maybes!

[Joseph]

Finished The Vagrant and started The Golden Strangers by Henry Treece.

[Walter]

Right now reading SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes And Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance. Not quite as good as its predecessor, but still occasionally provocative.

Commute audiobook is another in the Modern Scholar lecture series, The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Interim book (for when I'm between stuff) is one of the numerous ebook collections of The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.

[Trike]

Freakonomics and Superfreakonomics always bugged me because they were wrong on so many levels. Although hats of to those guys on making a career out of that. They're like the the Dr. Oz or Deepak Chopra of economics. Problem being that people listen to them when it comes to health care and global warming, which has the effect of literally killing people.

[Rick]

Colin wrote: "
That looks interesting, althoug..."

It's somewhat the first book of a series and, although the story is complete in the first book, it's also setup for the series - there's intimation of politics at the library, etc


If you're at all interested grab it now as it's on sale for $2.

[William]

Just finished reading Orsinian Tales - absolutely beautiful short stories that are also absolutely unsettling.

Now I've started Slan because, since it was mentioned in the podcast, it's been going around in the back of my head, and I felt in the mood for some old fashioned SF.

[John (Taloni)]

So I'm about halfway through Manifold: Space and I'm curious about a few things. Massive spoilers follow...

(view spoiler)[So if I'm following this correctly, in Manifold: Time, humanity was forever alone in the universe. Then the Downstreamers reached back in time and got some Blue kids to destroy the whole thing and replace it with something else that in the view of the Downstreamers was better.

That "something else" includes a universe where life is common instead of being only humans until the end of time...actually, I could go along with that being better, it's just the killing of an entire planet and every life to follow that I find disturbing.

Also, the setting of the first book can be reused because Reid Malenfant dropped himself into a black hole that largely replicated the Earth they were in. So all of humanity didn't poof into nonexistence at that time, but rather got a reset.

This all sounds like the opposite of a plotline of the later Robot books, where the Robots select a universe where humanity expanded out into the galaxy unopposed. Checking the copyright on the two books, it's entirely plausible that's where Baxter got the idea. (hide spoiler)]

[William]

John (Taloni) wrote: "So I'm about halfway through Manifold: Space and I'm curious about a few things. Massive spoilers follow..."

My understanding was that each Manifold book was essentially a standalone novel, each existing in a parallel universe - each being a different take on the Fermi Paradox.

Your take is way more interesting and I absolutely see your point regarding Asimov.

[Brendan]

Finished: Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. First 75% felt a little directionless, with wooden characters all sort of doing their own thing. Then there's a big magic fight. I give it 3 stars, was not particularly inspired to continue with the series.

Starting Infomocracy because it looks interesting.

[Joseph]

Just started Spring Festival by Xia Jia (translated by Ken Liu), a short collection of SF stories originally published in Chinese.

[Stephen]

Finished The Castle of Kings and it was not very good. Starting Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel by James Luceno whose other Star Wars book are among my favorites.

[Shad]

Finished Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel. Enjoyed it pretty well. Krennic is a piece of work.

Had put a hold on this month's pick on my library's ereads site and didn't expect it to come to me the next day, so I'm starting on The Rook. It has me intrigued so far.

[Joseph]

Next up: Dark is the Sun by Philip José Farmer, a book I remember fondly but which I haven't actually read in probably 20-30 years. Fingers crossed ...

[Trike]

Joseph wrote: "Next up: Dark is the Sun by Philip José Farmer, a book I remember fondly but which I haven't actually read in probably 20-30 years. Fingers crossed ..."

I added that to the "Best cats of SFF" thread.

I don't recall anything about the actual writing, but so many of the ideas have stuck with me. The self-healing highways, the giant skeletonish creature, the floating air whales or whatever they were, the house shaped like a screw that was millennia old, the guy stepping through the portal... it was one of those true "sensuwunda!" books that hit me at exactly the right age.

I wonder if shows like Thundarr the Barbarian and Attack on Titan were inspired by it.

[Joseph]

Trike wrote: "JI added that to the "Best cats of SFF" thread.

I don't recall anything about the actual writing, but so many of the ideas have stuck with me. The self-healing highways, the giant skeletonish creature, the floating air whales or whatever they were, the house shaped like a screw that was millennia old, the guy stepping through the portal... it was one of those true "sensuwunda!" books that hit me at exactly the right age.

I wonder if shows like Thundarr the Barbarian and Attack on Titan were inspired by it."

Yes, that was one of the things that put it back on my radar (although it had been eyeing me from the shelf for several years now).

I don't think it could've been an influence on Thundarr? -- it was published in 1979, and the first episode of Thundarr came out in October of 1980. Well, I suppose it could've, but the timeline would've been tight. But there was a lot of that kind of thing in the air at the time, including Hiero's Journey and the original Gamma World RPG. Or even Larry Niven's A World Out of Time, if you kind of squint at it.

And yes, I don't remember much about the actual story either, but all of the weird stuff you mentioned sticks with me to this day. Plus Deyv's reaction when he first encounters someone (the female lead?) wearing pants.

[Trike]

I didn't realize the book and Thundarr were so close. A year feels like forever when you're a teen. Now I want to see the show again. Oh! And also The Herculoids!

I think that was also the first time I encountered the trope of "regular names spelled strangely." I remember about halfway through the book realizing Deyv was actually "Dave" and laughing.

[Alan]

Shad wrote: "... I'm starting on The Rook. It has me intrigued so far..."
Best opening line I ever read! The rest of the book doesn't quite live up to it, but it comes pretty close. My review (with minor spoilers) here
I haven't read the sequel (sequels?) yet

[Joseph]

Trike wrote: "I didn't realize the book and Thundarr were so close. A year feels like forever when you're a teen. Now I want to see the show again. Oh! And also The Herculoids!

I think that was also the first t..."

I've picked up a bunch of those old shows on DVD in recent years. Thundarr still holds up reasonably well (and I keep wishing, desperately, for some kind of revival, preferably a live-action movie, as long as it's not "campy"). Herculoids and a lot of the other shows of that ilk, well, not so much ... The design work is still cool, but the 10 minute episodes just didn't leave much room for actual storytelling. Ah, well.

[David H.]

Treachery's Tools by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. The 10th overall Imager novel, though the 2nd following Alastar (with another Alastar one coming next year or so, I think). Not sure what to say about this one--I love the Imager novels, and I've always liked Modesitt's slightly boring style.

In a Flash 2016: The eSpec Books Annual Flash Anthology edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail & Greg Schaur. This is an anthology of flash fiction (2-5 pages long), and all were picked via contests over a year+ period. They were OK, but I think stories THIS short are harder to get into or have much of an impact.

Grimdark Magazine: Issue #1 edited by Adrian Collins. I read the first 8 issues of Grimdark Magazine via a Kickstarter stretch goal--the stories themselves were pretty good, though I tended to skip a lot of articles and stories (I don't like reading excerpts for books I'll read, and I skipped stories set in universes whose actual books I plan to read). I also find that the word "grimdark" has lost all meaning to me--it's a nonsense word to me now.

Runtime by S.B. Divya. Fun novella that ties together a bunch of SF issues together.

The Emperor's Railroad and The Ghoul King by Guy Haley. I'm not a fan of zombie stuff at all, but adding this weird Angel Hegemony aspect and the renegade Knight at least made is somewhat interesting.

I've also read a variety of individual short stories that I don't track on Goodreads (I only track novella-length stories and collections/anthologies when I read short fiction). But I did finally catch up on most of the Tor.com free stories--I liked "Typecasting" by Harry Turtledove (with a sasquatch governor of the state of Jefferson), for instance.

[John (Taloni)]

Finished up Manifold: Space. Interesting, but depressing. (view spoiler)[This is now the third Baxter book that ends up with two people at the end reflecting on the end of everything. Doom! Gloom! Tomb!

I'm not sure if this still fits with my theory mid-book that Space is a reset of the Time universe. It does seem like the reset didn't quite work as planned and Malenfant comes back to make it right. I'm not quite as convinced now, though since that idea isn't fully supported by the book.

As for humanity, I doubt it is extinct by the end of Manifold: Space. There are a few left going round the Portals. Perhaps some survived underground or deep in Mercury, the Moon or Mars. (hide spoiler)]

Moved on to A Closed and Common Orbit. Kind of interesting. Not a continuation of the previous characters, more like a spinoff. It's a reverse take on the Tabula Rasa human best known from Stranger in a Strange Land. I'm enjoying the AI's sense of otherness and how she doesn't feel fully invested in her body kit.

One piece amuses the hard-SF fan in me. After flubbing the orbital mechanics of a tidal locked moon that orbits a tidal locked primary, I saw the issue addressed again. Rather than explain away the flub, they double down with an environment that is a physical impossibility. In that situation the moon will not not not have a side that is always in darkness, as it will be illuminated on both sides as it orbits its primary.

I'm not bothered by books that don't even try. Pernese telepathic, teleporting dragons, some of whom time travel? Sure. Carriger's totally impossible upper atmosphere in the Finishing School books? Just fine, a relic of Victorian theories. But if you present a moon's orbital mechanics, for the love of God get it right. It's not hard. You just have to have watched Avatar, or read Nemesis.

I don't blame the author, she's clearly going for characterization. The editor should have caught it.

[Aaron]

Joseph wrote: "I've picked up a bunch of those old shows on DVD in recent years. Thundarr still holds up reasonably well (and I keep wishing, desperately, for some kind of revival, preferably a live-action movie, as long as it's not "campy")..."

If you watch the current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon (Nickelodeon), they are sometimes watching cartoons that are spoofs of 70s and 80s cartoons (they even animate those segments in the correct style and have multiple episodes). One of them is Thundarr with a little He-Man. They have also had Star Trek and Voltron.

[Rick]

Finished the 4th (and so far last) of the Matthew Swift books by Kate Griffin, The Minority Council. If you like this series and Griffin's writing, it's quite good. Not a place to start the series of course and sometimes her impressionist style takes over in a way that is appropriate to the scene, but could, I imagine, grate on people who don't like it. Start with A Madness of Angels and if you like it, the next 3 are well worth reading.


Next up? Probably Grass by Tepper. Maybe The Fifth Season. Maybe football.

[Phil]

Just finished Among Others by Jo Walton. If it weren't for all the SF book references this would just be the diary of a crazy emo girl. As it was, it was the diary of a crazy emo girl and her opinions on a lot of books. I found it all quite boring.
That does mean that I've now read every book on the S&L bookshelf except for 2 that were later books in series. I only lemmed one (1Q84) and gave one other 1 star (Memoirs Found in a Bathtub). I gave 30 five stars. My favorites from the list that I read before joining are Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch and Ender's Game and my favorite that I've read with the group is The Martian.
Starting The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove.

[AndrewP]

I'm skipping this months pick and currently reading a former S&L book Elantris by Brandon Sanderson.

[Brendan]

Rick wrote: "Next up? Probably Grass by Tepper. Maybe The Fifth Season. Maybe football."

Read both, both are great.

[Shad]

Tore through this month's pick over the holiday weekend. I really enjoyed the theme of how someone could be different if they started over with the same general abilities, but lost their personality and memories.

Will start either Abaddon's Gate or Deadhouse Gates next. Got them both as early Christmas presents since my brother and his family won't be able to come to town at Christmas.

[Stephen]

Started Slan because it is short and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress because it is in my " to be read pile" that must be reduced this year.

[David H.]

The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson: A nice Lovecraftian tale mirroring the other famous Dream-Quest. I really liked the main character, an older woman in her 50s, as well as having a "native" character as opposed to someone from Earth on this journey.

Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw: An interesting Lovecraftian noir mystery (note: you may want to look up who the Yith are first). I think the first in a series, so we'll see how the next novella goes!

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle: Yet another Lovecraftian tale--this was purely accidental on my part, I was just reading the Tor.com novellas I had in alphabetical-author-order. Anyway, I really liked this one and how it sets this horror among the racial issues of 1924 New York.

Pieces of Hate by Tim Lebbon: Technically this is a collection that includes both the short story "Dead Man's Hand" and the novella "Pieces of Hate" (at least the Tor.com edition is). First was a Western tale, the second was a pirate tale, and both feature an immortal character seeking revenge against a real bad guy named Temple. They're OK stories!

A Whisper of Southern Lights by Tim Lebbon: This was is set in Singapore 1942. Has a similar ending to the first two, but indicates an eventual ending to this revenge quest. Don't know if Lebbon will actually write it.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire: I really really liked this one. Portals to other fantasy worlds are real, and when kids return and can't adjust they often to go Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children where they learn to move on (if they can). There's also a nice mystery in this one, and I'm intrigued to see what will happen in the sequels.

City of Wolves by Willow Palecek: Steampunky, magical fake-London with werewolves. This was a fun enough detective mystery, but fridge-logic strikes (the revelation at the very end doesn't make sense at all).

A Matter of Belief by Matthew Ward: So I've been enjoying this guy's other stories (via the Evil is a Matter of Perspective anthology Kickstarter), "The Tribute" and his Grimdark Magazine stories. This novella appears to be set in the same fantasy universe as "The Tribute" but in the city this time, featuring a city guardswoman solving a religious-based crime. I enjoyed it, will definitely check out Ward's other stuff.

[Kristina]

Just finished up The Coldest Girl in Coldtown... I liked it ok. Got The Chemist cheap on black friday so I'm going to give that a try next since I've already read the Rook.

[Joseph]

And wrapped up Dark is the Sun and started The Sketch-Book of Geoffrey Crayon by Washington Irving.

[Sumant]

My review of A Crown of Swords

[John (Taloni)]

Finished up A Closed and Common Orbit. Decent as far as characterization goes. Major plot points were telegraphed so far out that there was little suspense. I lost interest about 60% of the way in. I feel like this should have been a subplot in a different book.

There's still quite a lot of story to tell, if indeed the author is interested in plot. That's not a given since the two books to date have been overwhelmingly characterization. The first book takes a long time to get where it's going, but it does eventually have a plot.