Amanda and Mariab nerdy science-loves

[Mariab]

This is only a provisory titel!!
We could find one together later!

[Amanda]

Hi Mariab! It looks like we have the following sci-fi books in common:
Flashforward
The Collapsing Empire
Replay
Reamde

[Sarah]

You guys are the other sci-fi twins. I'll be checking in here to see what you guys choose to read.

[Mariab]

I think Reamde is a bit to much for a Monthly Challenge, with its 1000+ pages; also, I would prefer not to begin a new series (if possible).
What about Replay, which is feasible in a month-lapse?

[Mariab]

Sarah wrote: "You guys are the other sci-fi twins. I'll be checking in here to see what you guys choose to read."

Of course!

[Amanda]

Mariab wrote: "I think Reamde is a bit to much for a Monthly Challenge, with its 1000+ pages; also, I would prefer not to begin a new series (if possible).
What about Replay, which i..."

Sounds great!

[Sarah]

I added Replay to my list. Looks like both sets of sci-fi twins will be reading time travel books :-)

I used to have Flashforward on my wishlist years ago after watching the TV series. I was so disappointed that the show was cancelled after season 1 as nothing had been explained. I wanted to read the book to find out what caused it all but I'm guessing the series probably varied from the book. But still worth a read. I've added it back on to my wishlist.

[Mariab]

Amanda wrote: "Mariab wrote: "I think Reamde is a bit to much for a Monthly Challenge, with its 1000+ pages; also, I would prefer not to begin a new series (if possible).
What about Replay

[Annerlee]

Sarah wrote: "You guys are the other sci-fi twins. I'll be checking in here to see what you guys choose to read."

Me too ... I'm Sarah's twin. Funny how we had the same idea.

[Mariab]

Annerlee wrote: "Sarah wrote: "You guys are the other sci-fi twins. I'll be checking in here to see what you guys choose to read."
Me too ... I'm Sarah's twin. Funny how we had the same idea."

You are welcome!

[Amanda]

Got my book today! Yay! Mariab, do you want to use any kind of schedule to read and discuss, or just discuss as we go?

[Mariab]

Amanda wrote: "Got my book today! Yay! Mariab, do you want to use any kind of schedule to read and discuss, or just discuss as we go?"

I will have mine in the weekend. We can read (without a precise schedule) and discuss it as we go

[Amanda]

Ok, it's taking me a bit to get into this book because I came down with a nasty head cold last week, but I finally got some reading done and finished chapters 1 & 2. So far I love the writing style and story is pretty interesting.

I keep thinking about what it would be like to go back to being college age again, especially if you brought with you all your experience. To have a do-over of your adult life. I can't image. I'm really wondering where he's going to go with this.

[Mariab]

No worries! I hope you feel better now.
I couldn't start it yet. And the toppler will be a week pause. I think, I will jump in the week after that.

[Amanda]

Ok, cool. I'll take a break from the book and read Cinder next week, then, before I get too far into Replay. :) And yes, I'm feeling better now, thanks!

[Mariab]

I have started the book; I find a little funny that (view spoiler)[the MC didn't know for a while he was not in the present day... the clothes,
the cars, were reallly different in the 80s and in the 60s (hide spoiler)]

[Mariab]

(view spoiler)[I think this redo over and over again is a fantasy for many people... like a computer game: you never die, and you can always reload the game which you have saved for another round without errors or loses (hide spoiler)]

[Mariab]

(view spoiler)[Now he finds another one like he.
I must say the whole nihilistic phase was a little... off to me.
Also, I think there is a exagerate focalization in sex along the book... welll, perhaps because the author represent a male perspective... is it so, men think only an sex as life-problem?
Another thing: he or she didn't develop the idee of suicide or atent to take their lives among all the desperation they supposedly feel...? (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

Ok, I've read through chapter 5.

(view spoiler)[I agree that this is a fantasy for many. I've thought about it myself - what it would be like to get a do-over with all the wisdom you've acquired over the years. Although I found it a little unbelievable that Jeff remembered the winners of races and the World Series (with that kind of detail) after 25 years. I can't even remember what years my teams won the Super Bowl, but maybe that's just me.

I wasn't surprised he wasn't able to stop Kennedy's assassination.
That seems like a pretty normal time travel idea, that you can't change certain events. (hide spoiler)]

[Mariab]

Amanda wrote: "Ok, I've read through chapter 5.

I agree that this is a fantasy for many. I've thought about it myself - what it would be like to get a do-over with all the wisdom you've acquired over the years. ..."

I agree. That sounded as unbeliable to me, too

Many time travel have this in common, but (view spoiler)[there was a hint also, that he could not stop it because there were a bigger plot in the assassination (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

Chapters 6-10

(view spoiler)[The nihilistic phase made a lot of sense to me - he didn't want to get attached to anyone again, so he sought oblivion. I agree that there's a weird focus on sex for a time-travel book, although lots of books by male authors have more sex than I think is necessary. I think finding Pamela is going to be an interesting turn of events. (hide spoiler)]

[Mariab]

last chapters...
(view spoiler)[I think the main mesaje of this book is the aknowlogement that life is one's self responsability, and no matter which other people you encounter in the way, you are the architec of your own destiny -paraphasing the famous poet; and each decission, each path you take is full of endless possibilities, but also heavy with the security that will bring either good and bad things for you, no matter what you chose: life is a risk, and be alive is take that chance (hide spoiler)]

I dont think I have a favorite character in this book (as the challenge ask us). Do you?

[Mariab]

I have give it a little more thought on the whole, and I reckon there is also true that you make your life in interrelation with others, and not only in the meaning "there are other to consider", but that the others make you, in the same way that you make yourself. It's no self-made-man, not relly. Sure, you are the one who is responsabile for that whole thing, but you are a social being, not a being that is, also, social.
I hope I made sense and that I haven't babbled to much here.

[Amanda]

Ok, finished the book. I think my favorite character was Pamela, but I grew to like Jeff a lot more around the halfway point in the book.

(view spoiler)[I thought the second half of the book was really interesting. The idea of trying to go public and it becoming a major problem for them, as the government tried to fix the upcoming disasters only to make it worse. That seems really realistic to me. I was so happy for them at the end, that the book didn't end on a sad note but a hopeful one. (hide spoiler)]

I like both your points of life being risk and being made of our relationships with others. I think one of the big messages I took from the book is to not spend a lot of time second-guessing things. If there's a problem, try to fix it, but don't waste time looking back and wondering how things could be different. It could have been better, but it also could have been a lot worse. Maybe that's just me reading too far into the book, but that's what I got out of it.

[Amanda]

Overall, I liked the book but didn't think it was fantastic. The large amount of sex talk bothered me and I thought the book dragged until the halfway point, but around halfway I started to really get into the book and like it.