Beyond Reality discussion
General - Group Business
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New series read?
I think it's best to pick something you are really interested in and are likely to join in for. I didn't do Deverry, but I did do Malazan with this group and it was a really fun experience:)
I'm also not sure exactly where the group read would end on some of these. For example with Uplift, just the original 3 or the second uplift trilogy too? (Which I haven't gotten to yet still own....)
Mod
Unless you have a really good memory or plan to reread the series along with the group read, I would vote for something you haven't read. More motivation to join in, I think.
Agree with Kathi. I voted for Old Man's War since:1. Read the first book years ago and liked it
2. I own the rest of the series
3. The series are completed.
4. Scalzi
5. Military SF
However I would not mind to group (re)read series like The Expanse which next book is coming out in December. One book per month might give you time to be up to date with the series by that time.
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We did a SF series, Honor by Weber or something like that. I read 5-6 of them.
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Helen, you are right! I should have said--we haven't done recently! 😋
Silvana wrote: "Agree with Kathi. I voted for Old Man's War since:1. Read the first book years ago and liked it
2. I own the rest of the series
3. The series are completed.
4. Scalzi
5. Military SF
"
I like all these points except that I'm not a military SF fan. So, even though Scalzi used to be a journalist in my fair city, I have to look elsewhere. And, Kathi, I have to also say that I'm not all that comfortable with May. I got the first three books in the Jack The Bodiless series, but couldn't get through the first one. So, since it appears that poor David Brin isn't sweeping to victory, I may have to switch my vote to to the Corey series, as voluminous as it is (and not yet finished, if I'm not mistaken). Sigh.
Kathi wrote: "Helen wrote: "We did a SF series, Honor by Weber or something like that. I read 5-6 of them."Helen, you are right! I should have said--we haven't done recently! 😋"
:) I keep changing my vote!
Jennifer Roberson so rarely gets in a poll, I have to vote for her.
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Kathi - I have no set opinion on this, not being a big series person (or a big fantasy reader, to be honest,) so I think if it wins we should go with majority wishes for the read.
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Thanks. I was asking because I might switch my vote from the seemingly-out-of-contention Julian May series to the Hobb series IF we were reading more than just the Farseer trilogy.
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So, because the many colored land seemed to be out of the running, I change my vote to the Farseer/Realm of the Elderlings series. Did that several days ago though...
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Yay! I have read the 1st three but would love to do the rest with the group. Hope it makes it to the finals...
I hope Hobb's series makes it to the finals, too. I'm reading the last one now and they all have their own unique (and excellent) flavor.
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As I was putting up the books-of-the-month polls anyhow, I went ahead and put up the final series poll. I wanted to be able to link to it in the email broadcast so as many members might see it as possible. I set the poll to close on May 31. For the Hobb books, I linked to the full Realms of the Elderlings series. Let me know if you want anything changed.
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...
Hi, do we have a start date for the new series?
I have all of the ebooks and just did a mass purchase of the audiobooks (had Downpour credits that needed using).I off for vacation in a little over 4 weeks. Planning on focusing mainly on reading and walking the beech listening to audiobooks. Hopefully I'll be off these crutches and out of this boot by then. I really miss walking. :)
Enjoy your vacation, hope you feel better soon.
If we start next month then by January 2018 we could already read the 7th book (which will be published in December)
I have to say that I'm quite disappointed that the Realms of the Elderlings didn't get picked. I don't have time to start a brand new (to me) series and I planned to reread the entire series anyway now that it's finished and was looking forward to discussing it with the club. Oh well, maybe next year!
Hi Diane, there is a specific Robin Hobb group in Goodreads. We are still discussing Assassin's Fate.
Thanks, Silvana! But which group is it? There are several! We only just started reassign Assassin's Fate a few days ago and since I'm reading aloud to my husband before bed, it'll probably take us forever to finish, but I'd like to join the group anyway. Thanks!
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I was also hoping for Realms of the Elderlings to win, since I have only read the first 3 and would love to go through the rest with the fpgroup, but that's why we vote. I probably will not be joining the group read of The Expanse, but one never knows. I definitely want to read the series at some point, especially since I am enjoying the TV series so much.
Diane wrote: "Thanks, Silvana! But which group is it? There are several! We only just started reassign Assassin's Fate a few days ago and since I'm reading aloud to my husband before bed, it'll probably take us ..."This one:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I think that having Science Fiction and Fantasy in the same group always leads to conflicts. Some of us would prefer to read science fiction and others would prefer to ready fantasy. This is solved somewhat by selecting a book from each category for the monthly picks.I am glad that The Expanse series was chosen. If the Robin Hobb series was selected, I probably would have just read The Expanse instead. More likely I would have waited to read The Expanse until after I finish the Known Space and Dune series that I am already reading.
To keep both groups of people happy, I suggest having discussion threads for both series. In the future it might make sense to kept the selection of science fiction and fantasy series separate as is the main book selection.
Bill wrote: "I think that having Science Fiction and Fantasy in the same group always leads to conflicts. Some of us would prefer to read science fiction and others would prefer to ready fantasy."A valid point. Although I am in principle open to both genres, I do lean heavily toward SF. However, i have read some amazing fantasy novels and wouldn't refuse to read one just because of the category. In the main book selections, I will sometimes not vote for any fantasy selection because I truly have no preference. But with SF, I always seem to have a choice I feel compelled to make.
So I like the suggestion. However, getting this inaugural read off the ground was a great accomplishment in and of itself. Perhaps we can consider a dual approach the next time the opportunity arises.
That would likely be too much for series reads. They take a lot more effort to keep moving, participation, etc. While I personally love science fiction, I enjoy fantasy as well. But after two fantasy series reads in a row, I was craving something else.
Is there still no idea on when this one is going to start or who will be leading it?
For the record, although in this case, I would've preferred to read the Hobb series, it is really the main exception to my preference for SF. I would probably love the Expanse, but Hobb just came out with the last of the series and I've been planning a (rare) reread anyway. I made a vow to stop buying new books, because I have hundreds on my shelves that are unread already. 😳
I will probably not be reading this series, but I want to set everyone up with a comfortable space, and you'll definitely need a discussion leader. So...some questions, on both this series and series reads in general:
1. Is there someone who will be reading (or has read) the Expanse series who is enthusiastic enough about it to wish to lead the discussion?
2. Do those of you who want to read the Expanse wish to start the first book next month (July)?
3. Do you want each book to start the 1st? 15th? Do you want a month per book, or will you want more time for each book, as they are lengthy?
4. Do others feel as Bill does - that we should have concurrent discussions for both the Expanse and Elderlings series in separate threads, so that everyone can read the series they prefer? Or is that too complicated? We'd definitely need a discussion leader for each separate series to keep things rolling along as smoothly as possible. I have no objection to having both a "Science Fiction Series" and a "Fantasy Series" ongoing, as we're really just winging it here, anyhow. Whatever the group wants should be the direction the group goes, in my opinion.
I only have an answer for #3I would prefer no more than 1 book per month, since I also would like to read other books.
I have 2 books on the go now and was planning to start The Expanse once I finish those, so July 1 (Canada Day) would be a good time to start.
#4 only exists because I suggested that complication
Bill wrote: "I would prefer no more than 1 book per month, since I also would like to read other books."Oh, I certainly wasn't suggesting more than one of the series books per month, Bill! Quite the opposite; I wanted to know if people wanted to give each book, say, 6 weeks or 2 months, because of their length - not read 2 books in a month.
2 months per book would be good. I expect them to be very interesting so they should be fairly quick reads for me.Back when my brain was a few decades younger, I could read 500 pages in a technical book in a day on the weekend. Now that I have the time to read all day every day, my brain can't handle it anymore.
I am now reading Starship Troopers which I was expecting to be a 2 or 3 day read, but I am not finding it very interesting, so it is taking longer.
To answer Candiss' question #4: I personally would love it if we would run a parallel Realms of the Elderlings Read. I can't volunteer to run it though. I'll be on vacation 3 weeks (not sure about how much I'll want to be online) and shortly thereafter moving house internationally. 1 book a month or every 6weeks would be about my speed.
I can lead Abaddon's Gate and Cibola Burn as long as they start no later than October. (In December I'll be reading Persepolis Rising so I would be confused if I have to lead Nemesis Games discussion at the same time, but I can contribute for sure.)I hope the rest of the Expanse voters can contribute as well to lead the discussion. (I voted for Scalzi, but oh well gotta find other group read for the Old Man's War series.)
Since many are disappointed over the loss of Hobb's series, I don't see any reason why the voters should not make the discussions threads.
Mod
While I voted for Realm of the Elderlings, I am happy to alternate series between SF and a Fantasy. I think 2 series at once, plus the BOTMs, is too much. I participated in the Honor Harrington series back when we read that. I read both genres, but lean toward Fantasy bit more.
Also, since people may be reading one or both of the BOTMs, as well as other, non-group books, I think one series book per month is good unless the books are exceptionally short.
Too bad I didn't discover this group when you were reading the Malazan series. I got those for my son, but have never got around to borrowing them to read myself.
Oh great, then Shel can lead the first two books. Six weeks per book sounds more reasonable for me (although I still prefer a month). More than six weeks is too long. The Expanse novels are quite fast-paced despite the thickness.
So how about:
July-15 Aug Leviathan Wakes
16 Aug-Sept Caliban's War
1 Oct-15 Nov Abaddon's Gate
16 Nov-December Cibola Burn
1 Jan-15 Feb Nemesis Games
16 Feb-March Babylon's Ashes
1 Apr-15 May Persepolis Rising
Kathi wrote: "While I voted for Realm of the Elderlings, I am happy to alternate series between SF and a Fantasy. I think 2 series at once, plus the BOTMs, is too much."I agree. I think the only thing two series reads at the same time will do is kill participation in both of them. And that in my option is not fare just because your choice didn't win. My preference doesn't always win either.
I might be able to lead Leviathan Wakes if Shel can't, but I'm back in surgery around late August/early September. And as I get back on my feet, my insane work schedule will return. I just can't commit to leading Caliban's War and then end up disappearing in the middle of it.
The schedule looks fine to me.
Oh, what about the in-between stories? Looks like there are 6 according to the series page and I believe they are somewhat short, (less than 100 pages). There is a guide at the top of the series page which gives the authors' recommended reading order.
Expanse
I am fine with those as I have read all but maybe we should have them as optional? And there are some new comics as well with character backstories in it. I bought the first two, the first one (about Holden) was meh but the second one (about Naomi and Amos) was good. The third one on Alex has just been released a few weeks ago.
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Edited to add: it's too much to run two series reads at the same time, but since this is a group for both SF and fantasy readers maybe we can switch off? Deverry was fantasy, now we're on SF, then the Hobb for another fantasy series?
That sounds fine to me. I've already recently read The Expanse, but I'm happy to just wait on Hobb.
Beyond Reality
Books mentioned in this topic
Starship Troopers (other topics)Intervention (other topics)
Surveillance (other topics)
Metaconcert (other topics)
The Deed of Paksenarrion (other topics)
I've never done a group series read before - do you think it is better not to pick one that you've already read (or partially read) and go for something totally new?