SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
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What Else Are You Reading?
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What Else Are You Reading in 2018?
Well, kudos to Jeff Bezos. From an idea, a few computers, a different way of selling books....an empire.Reminds of Yankee Candles. Started in a garage in South Hadley, Massachusetts. From melted crayons, no less.
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Bringing things back on topic, I'm one power-read away from finishing Tigana I think and it's so close to perfect, I hope the end blows me away.
As is always the case, no matter how I try to stagger library holds, every book I've ever wanted to read (okay, I exaggerate, but that's how it feels) came in all at once, so I'm back to juggling 5 books. Le siiiiiiigh.
I stopped in to Barnes & Noble and I’m proud to say I only bought the book I went in for, The Fated Sky.I mean, I added to my list of Books To Get, of course. I’m not crazy.
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Better than what I would have exhibited that's for sure lol I go in to buy nothing and come out with at least one.
Allison wrote: "Huh! That's interesting, Eric!Bringing things back on topic, I'm one power-read away from finishing Tigana I think and it's so close to perfect, I hope the end blows me away.
As is..."
Good to know. Guy Gavriel Kay is on my list for next year (probably -- I don't think I'll get to any of his books this year). I'll probably read Under Heaven first though, since the library already has it. But sometime next year, when I have read a few library books from the SFBC list, I will probably buy some, so I'll keep this one in mind.
Books I've read recently that were pretty darn great. Most of them have been added to my favorites list. The Forbidden Door by Dean Koontz
Hollywood Dead by Richard Kadrey
The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French
The Curse of Chalion & Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg
XOM-B by Jeremy Robinson
Heroes Die by Matthew Woodring Stover
Super Powereds: Year 1 (Whole Series) by Drew Hayes
Fun, Quick Reads:
The Sentinel & The Raven by Jeremy Bishop
Dominion of Blades by Matt Dinniman
Really loved The Grey Bastards :)
A little less than halfway through We are Legion (We are Bob), and it's great. I've been alternating between lighthearted fun books and more serious books, and it's working really well for me. So after I finish this book that's made me laugh out loud multiple times, I'll go back to Jade City, which I started at the same time because of those pesky library hold times.
@Soo I’m so curious about Heroes Die. It did abysmally in the poll but I’m very intrigued. It’s definitely in my TBR queue.
Jacqueline wrote: "Goodreads is also owned by Amazon.....From what I’ve seen lately from looking at it if you go directly from your search on booko to the book on the other site the shipping is free."
Shipping is quoted in a separate column. Many are always free like Book Depository. It's a great service though. Saves a lot of research!
@Jacqueline - I know right? I wasn't sure if I would care for it and it ended up being really well done. I hope the next book comes out in 2019. Definitely slanted towards super macho shenanigans but done in a way that didn't make me groan in disdain. Fun characters & interesting plot. @Bobby - Bobiverse is great popcorn SF. Though it's a little hard to take in audio format with some of the Bob-variations.
@Anthony - If you enjoy stories with recalcitrant heroes, a mixed bag of various politics, a little philosophy and a kick in the butt soul searching, you will enjoy Heroes Die. I liked the book so much that I ordered the other books in the series. This is one that I want to read in print but I will probably get them in audio because it's the best way for me to "read" right now. This was a book where I liked the characters & events enough to overlook certain aspects of "this is how it works". I feel that is normal. If a story truly engages your interest, stuff that may annoy you in one book will not in another. It isn't a light story but one with contrasts.
I’m nearly finished We Are Legion (We Are Bob) on audio myself and I’m loving it. Not having any trouble distinguishing the Bobs. Hopefully I’ll get it finished this week. The other week when I was looking for something on booko it told me that if I had got to the site through booko the postage was free instead of the $7.50 or whatever it was supposed to be.
Allison wrote: "Bringing things back on topic, I'm one power-read away from finishing Tigana I think and it's so close to perfect, I hope the end blows me away."I blew through Tigana. Was a tough book to put down when other things needed to be done. Enjoy!
Just finished Joyce Carol Oates' Expensive People and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2536952581.
Trike wrote: Woo woo! All aboard the murdertrain!...wait.
Yeah...when you put it like that Trike...
Just finished Tanya Huff's Blood Price and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2539524209.
Pam wrote: "Just finished Tanya Huff's Blood Price and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...."Nice review, Pam!
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Now onto reading about way too many rocket launches!
I tried The Girl in the Moon by Terry Goodkind several times and I just don't like the setup. The character is not meant to be likeable but I figured I may enjoy the story. Nah. I may try it again in print but I am not a fan of the audio or how icky I felt listening to it. Started The Mongoliad: Book One (the Foreworld Saga) and I am curious to see how the authors weave their parts together for the overall tale. I've enjoyed the collaborative works that I've come across in the past few years. It's one thing to collect short stories. It's another to create a story with multiple writers & have it work.
It's a plus that the series is on KU as a Read & Listen. =)
Also Reading/Listening (A few rereads):
Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds
The Spirit Lens
Speaks the Nightbird
Ninefox Gambit
Soo wrote: "Started The Mongoliad: Book One (the Foreworld Saga) and I am curious to see how the authors weave their parts together for the overall tale. I've enjoyed the collaborative works that I've come across in the past few years. It's one thing to collect short stories. It's another to create a story with multiple writers & have it work. "I found the stories held together quite well through the series. Currently, I'm trying to go through some of my older Baen and Humble Bundle books like
Gods and Androids from Baen = read
Bedlam's Bard from Baen = in progress
"Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman from the Humble Bundle = read
Ill Met in Lankhmar and Ship of Shadows: Two Novellas from Baen = read but the two novellas in no way related to each other as one was Fantasy and one was SciFi
I tried to find out the best way to read the series with the short stories. I think I will try to aim for publication order. It's interesting that the whole project was to see if they could make an multi-media interactive story app. There are plenty of "pick your own" adventure style story apps out right now and it's popular enough that many more have been made. Too bad this one did not find enough reach & momentum to be continued. According to Wiki, Neal Stephenson was not happy about his fighting scenes in the Baroque Cycle. He worked on learning more about fighting styles/etc. The Foreworld Saga is a tangential result of that.
I finished the second and third book of the Xenogenesis trilogy Adulthood Rites and Imago, which deeply impressed me. SF at it's very best.For the family read I finished Night Watch. I read this book for the 4th or 5th time and it still makes me shiver. Certainly one of the very best of Pratchett.
Since I've read quite some books in the last months, that really flashed me, I have to go and re-evaluate my stars. I have given too many 5 stars, so that the ones, that really swept me away don't stand out enough.
And now I'm right on time for the To Say Nothing of the Dog BR.
I’ve been giving all of the Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ a lot too Gabi. I put it down to only reading quality books. Life’s too short to read shit books.
Jacqueline wrote: "I’ve been giving all of the Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ a lot too Gabi. I put it down to only reading quality books. Life’s too short to read shit books."You're right, yet when I start a book I don't know if it will be high quality for me. I have to thank this marvellous group, since most of the books I read have been from recommendations of fellow members. They were spot on.
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Someone embroider this on a pillow!
Jacqueline wrote: "Life’s too short to read shit books."So very true and the older I get the quicker I am to put one down unfinished. If I don't finish a book, I don't review it ... don't feel it is fair as it may appeal to someone else. I do reserve my 5-star ratings to just the books I keep and expect to re-read, but everything I finish I pretty much give at least 3 or 4 stars to unless the blindside me at the end with something I really, really dislike!
I finished listening to Bloody Rose, which is easily one of my favorite books of the year. Now I'll have to go back and read Kings of the Wyld.Just starting listening toThe Robots of Dawn.
Beth wrote: " Guy Gavriel Kay is on my list for next year (probably -- I don't think I'll get to any of his books this year).."Same here (and no, this is not me talking to myself). The Tigana buddy read was tempting but the time wasn't right.
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Allison wrote: "Haha! Well, the threads will be around, I'd love to keep discussing this book. Or do another GGK BR with as many Beths as we can find ;-)"The Lions of Al-Rassan and The Summer Tree are both on our group shelf and could get a reread... I also have A Song for Arbonne on my TBR...
I used to read everything through that I started. That policy changed as I got older. I just didn't have the time for "shit" books. Periodically I'd be surprised, but a book that's bad in the beginning is usually bad all the way through.
The Summer Tree: I am going to revisit the Fionavar Tapestry series at some point. Someone poke me if there is a BR for that one.
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I am sure it'll come up in the Buddy Read Recruitment thread!
I just finished We are Legion (We are Bob), and I loved it. It was exactly what I hoped it would be. I will definitely be reading the next 2 books in the trilogy, but I've got lots of other things planned so I probably won't jump in right away.Now it's finally on to Jade City. I think this is my 4th attempt, but I'm not going to get distracted by a shiny new buddy read this time!
The “We Are Bob” books are surprisingly effective and lots of fun. They may resonate more with engineering types because they are full of nuts and bolts issues. Along with alien invasion and the survival of the human race!
I'm currently reading To Say Nothing of the Dog and even though I'm not at all sure, if there is much of a story, the writing is so delightful, the dialogues so crisp and the situation so weird, that I can't put the book down.I should finish the audiobook of Assassin's Quest, but since the painting work, cause of which I started audiobooks three weeks ago, is finished, there is so little opportunity to listen. Yesterday I tried it, just lying on my couch - but of course I fell asleep ^^' .
Just finished listening The Song of Achilles - a thoroughly pleasant experience. Such an intimate take on the demigod's relationships, from the viewpoint which should've been heard a long time ago. Got this treasure instantly added to the list of personal all time favorite works.
I've never understood the difference between a semigod and a demigod.
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Jemina, I keep hearing that from folks. I really must get Miller on my shelves. Too many books!!
I just finished The Fated Sky and I really liked it quite a bit. It was, I think, better than Calculating Stars, as a book. Much more rounded out and with lots more tension. And fewer rocket launches!
Onto the books for next month. I have a busy October planned so I'm starting early.
@Allison are you conclusively abandoning The Eye of the World? I need someone with whom I can commiserate about this exceedingly frustrating book.
I loved Song of Achilles. I have Circe sitting ready to go. So many others I want to read first.
Song of Achilles is so beautiful and devastating. Circe is a great read as well, Madeline Miller is fantastic at mythological history.
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People who've read both SoA and Circe, do either seem like a better starting point for her?
This beast needs to be slain something fierce. Occasional moments give me hope and then there are endless pages of inns and carts and markets and teeth clicking from mouths shutting and smiling wenches and scowling guards and creepy dreams and and and... I’m hoping to slay this beast by tomorrow.
*hah* sounds like you've entered some sort of fantasy book limbo. I'd say like Groundhog Day, but given how you're already reading it for selfless reasons you ought to be through with it easily by now.
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Oh I meant I’ll finish it by end of day tomorrow. No pressure for you!
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SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
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Yes, Amazon does own GR. Perhaps that's why Amazon has "pride of place" in having the most visible tag to buy the book by clicking on it at the book listing.