Science Fiction Is My Favorite Thing discussion
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If you are reading Barrayar, you need to read Shards of Honor first. Barrayar immediately follows Shards . . . And re movies with dragons . . . have you ever seen How to Train Your Dragon? And it has at least one sequel and a spin-off TV show, which apparently wasn't that good.
I don't know that dragons will not be around even in the movies. 20 or so years ago publisher/TV gurus said vampires were dead (double meaning intended), but there are still vampire things coming out all the time.
And hey, if it's only the two of us, it won't be much fun. The only people I know are the ones in the other group. I say we should go over there and talk in the random chatter area. Maybe they will join in.
Mod
Yes, it's a little threadbare around here; I'm still waiting for the furniture to arrive....
I only found GoodReads a few weeks ago. I joined the Hugo group thinking it would line up perfectly with my interests, but it turned out not to be the case. So I decided to strike out on my own.
I'm new to the moderator business; I've never even run a blog of any kind before, so it's a learning experience for me, kinda winging it as I go.
I completely agree with your point about only us being here, and I'm trying to come up with ideas regarding that. I joined a Moderators group for moderators only, and I'm mining it for suggestions, but it's slow going trying to learn the ins and outs of the moderating business.
Meanwhile, borrowing from the real estate maxim of "location, location, location" I've decided that my primary mission is to provide "content, content, content." Give people something of interest to look at and to read should they visit, and in that way induce others to join our party.
I'm with you, I don't know anyone else except in that other group. I like your idea, but being a newbie there, I want to be tactful about it and not commit an inadvertent breach of etiquette by going into "their house" and shouting out, "Hey everybody, come on over to my house!"
Meanwhile, as I wrestle with that dilemna, I'd be pleased if you used this group as a repository for any thoughts you might have, stream of consciouness or what have you.
Would you like to be a moderator for this group, with full access to all functions of this group? Two heads are better than one, the brewer said.
I must sign off now, I'm done in after a double shift today. Tomorrow I'll be fresher and I'll have something of more substance to contribute.
Till then, be well.
Eh, I'm not sure I want to be a moderator. Let me think about it. Responsibilty and me? Worn out from, taking a restAnd besides, I think my group would be called "Fantasy Is My Favorite Thing" (But not that girly stuff with all the barechested werewolves.)
For me, it's all about the writing. Pageturners, that's what I want.
I have a post over in the other group about how to read the Vorkosigan books, of which Barrayar is, I think, now considered to be number 3, because "Falling Free" (which has nothing to do with the Vorkosigans) got added onto the front as being in the same universe.
If you are going to start in on those books, (the ones I would want if I were stranded on a desert island, BTW) let me know and I will find the order. She has more Hugos, Nebs, and noms than anybody, and almost ALL of the Vorkosigan series is . . . I can get you all lined up.
BTW, you will do better to read Shards of Honor before you read Barrayar. They are kind of like one big novel written 10 years apart. Ditto The Warrior's Apprentice before The Vor Game.
You don't have to, because she's very good about keeping her series books self-contained, but it just makes for a better read.
SoH is her 1st novel, and Barrayar won the Hugo, ditto WA is her 2d novel (which was sold first) and tVG won the Hugo.
When I read SoH the first time, I didn't think it was paced very well and I wondered why my friend was raving about these books so much. Then I read Barrayar and I was sunk. I now reread the whole series about every 4-5 years. Though I have to say, the last book, I didn't like. Nobody did, apparently, because no nominations. Though there are a few with none.
Why don't you tell me about the moderator group and I will start lurking there. Then I will let you know if I want you to moderate me :)
Free ebook on list won the Nebula also Hugo nominee, but not one of my favsStill . . . free! (there's a second book coming out in Feb)
https://www.tor.com/2018/09/18/downlo...
You have to sign up for the Tor book club to get it . . . not a bad thing . . .
Mod
I've got 75 - no, wait, more now - books on my to-read list. I started reading the next up on my Hugo list, Lord of Light, but as I mentioned earlier I picked up the first three of the Dragonriders of Pern series, and I found myself dipping into that. Must...remain...focused....
Mod
That one is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I keep meaning to replace it with a new copy, but everytime I go to the bookstore, it's not available.
Another one is Maia by Richard Adams, of Watership Down fame. And Expanded Universe and Time Enough for Love by the Grand Master.
But I think my Number One re-read is a book that I gifted to my niece upon her departure to college with the following inscription: "To my favorite niece, from my own personal library, my favorite novel of all time:"
The Silmarillion.
Mod
But your glowing recommendation certainly piques my interest. I look forward to the time that I finally meet the Lady.
Checking my list, ["I have all the specs and diagrams" (Star Trek reference)] it appears that The Vor Game is the first of her novels for me, seventh from now. Maybe sixth, maybe even fifth, depending on whether I remember if I've read The Snow Queen and Gateway.
I'm not in a big hurry; a good novel is to be savored, not raced to and through. It'll happen. Eventually. [grin]
The thing is, re Bujold, you kinda need to start chronologically. Definitely put Barrayar before Vor Game or you will not get all of what is going on in Vor Game. And actually if should be 1) Shards of Honor (a bit drawn out at the beginning--characters are "trudging across the tundra," but it and Barrayar are one big novel written several years apart)
2) Barrayar (there is a scene in this book that may be one of my all time favorite scenes in a book ever)
3) The Warriors Apprentice (which I love even though I see that her writing is not as good as it is later on)
4) The Mountains of Mourning--Won the Hugo for Best Novella. Really gives a lot of background to the world of Barrayar and wasn't my favorite when I first read it, but I have since changed my mind. Plus, there are backreferences to it in later books. You will not really have to read it, but it will help.
5) The Vor Game, one of my favs (Actually, they are all my favs)
You will have a better experience if you read these in this order, not just the nominated ones.
There's a list on our other group
Memory is actually my favorite ever (today anyway) but it is only nominated
RE the Simarillion, started it years ago, and eh! Seemed boring. If I get offered a cheap ebook deal, though, I will buy it on your rec.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is my favorite Heinlein of all time. I reread it about every 5 years. I'm not suprised it's not available.
I just recommended that our library get the ebook version of maia. You got me interested, and Watership Down is one of those books I have read several times.Sounds like we have pretty similar tastes in books
Mod
But you're right, the beginning of The Silmarillion is slow going, and the sheer volume of names and realms can be daunting. But it's the exquisite language which enraptures me. If I may, thus spoke Feanor, greatest of all the Elves:
"Why, O people of the Noldor," he cried, "why should we longer serve the jealous Valar, who cannot keep us nor even their own realm secure from their Enemy? And though he be now their foe, are not he and they of one kin? Vengeance calls me hence, but even were it otherwise I would not dwell longer in the same land with the kin of my father's slayer and the thief of my treasure. Yet I am not the only valiant in this valiant people. And have ye not all lost your King? And what else have ye not lost, cooped here in a narrow land between the mountains and the sea? Here once was light, that the Valar begrudged to Middle Earth, but now dark levels all. Shall we mourn here deedless for ever, a shadow-folk, mist-haunting, dropping vain tears in the thankless sea? Or shall we return to our home? Sweet there ran the waters under unclouded stars, and wide lands lay about, where a free people might walk. There they lie still and await us who in our folly forsook them. Come away! Let the cowards keep this city!"
Mod
I'll be honest. I'm a little bit dreading it, because it adds a goodly chunk to my "to-read" list. I'm so backed up on that list that I may never complete it. Ah, such delicious agony!
But as I mentioned earlier, I have not yet read anything by Ms. Bujold. I'm always up to explore a new author, especially one so highly acclaimed. My usual pattern with finding a book that I like by a new (to me) author is that I'll then read everything that they've ever written.
But, dang it, I'm supposed to be reading Lord of Light from The List, and I'm currently sidetracked with the Dragonriders of Pern. The first book went quickly, and I'm about one-third of the way through the second one, so it shouldn't take me long before I'm back on track.
I love the first three and then the Harper Hall series, but then I'm not that crazy about the dragonriders. I have tried several times to read more, but it just does not happen. If you have to start with Barrayar because you don;t have the time for Shards of Honor, then the beginning will be self explanatory, but you will miss some of the nuances of the relationship between Aral and Cordelia. But you must do what you must do.
Mod
I started to read Dragonsdawn years ago and quit. Maybe the library loan ran out, I don't know. My favorite book by her is actually "Crystal Singer" which has nothing to do with the dragon world at all.
Mod
I also read 2-1/2 books, including 2 in 2 days. Yeah, I still got my mojo.
I finished the Dragonriders of Pern trilogy with The White Dragon. I wish that there was a novel that picked up the story right after that, as I would have enjoyed reading of the adventures of young Lord Jaxom and his little White Dragon Ruth, after they come into their own. I started to read Dragonsdawn, but I got only a few pages in before I heeded the recommendation of the author herself and decided to read the Pern novels in the order she suggests. So, next up I read Dragonsong which tells the story of an extraordinary young girl, Menolly, who left her Hold to pursue her passion for music and find her destiny as a Harper, and along the way accomplished something nobody else had ever done, before or since, and gained for herself worldwide renown. I finished that in one day, but it's rather a slim novel.
Next up was Dragonsinger, which continued the story of Menolly, in which she found her place in the Harper Hall and made some new friends (and a few enemies too) and gained the respect of her peers, her professors, and the MasterHarper of Pern himself, the legendary Robinton. And while doing all that, she also gained the trust of the Dragonriders and their Weyrs, including the influential and storied Weyrwoman of Benden, Lessa. Quite a remarkable young woman, was Menolly, and not even having reached the age of 20. She appears in the original Dragonriders trilogy, but these two novels are her story alone, and well worth the reading. I finished that one in one day also. Yes, it's that good.
Next up, which I started yesterday, is Dragondrums. This tells the story of young Piemur, whom we met briefly in The White Dragon and got to know much better in the above two books, as he and Menolly become best friends while studying in the Harper Hall as apprentices.
As the story begins, Piemur is a young boy, and the best soprano singer in the boys' choir. But inevitably, adolescence intervenes, and young man Piemur loses his voice. As I left off, MasterHarper Robinton is about to assign him to his new role in the Hall, which forms the bulk of the book. I'm looking forward to it.
Together, these three novels constitute the sub-trilogy within the Dragonriders series semi-officially known as the "Harper Hall Trilogy." As I look through her bibliography, Anne McCaffrey, along with the assistance of her son Todd in the later novels, has published an astonishing 25 novels in the Pern series. Whew!
The Dragonbooks you have just read are my favorites. I think I read the Masterharper of Pern, but I may have just started it. I tried Renegades of Pern and put it down almost immediately, and I tried Dragonsdawn and did not complete it, either. I've read Moreta, but it just didn't have the pizazz of the books written earlier. Not sure why.
Congrats on reading so many. I just read Feed by Mira Grant for the hugo/neb group in 1 1/2 days. It was pretty good, though not as good as some. 4 stars. I only give 5 stars if I read a book over (usually on a regular basis) or if I am really sad when I have finished a book.
To me, the Dragonbooks you have just read are a true 5 stars, except maybe dragondrums which is 4 1/2. I wouldn't give more than three to any of the others I have tried. You can tell me what you think, but I am actually not planning on reading any more of her dragon books except for the one that got nominated later on. I forget the name, but it's on the list in the hugo/neb group.
Mod
I'm in a bit of a dry spell, writer's block perhaps. I've been totally consumed by the Dragonriders series. Each time I finish one of the novels, I tell myself it's time to move on, and then I find myself reading the next one. As an avid reader yourself, you've probably experienced the same thing.
I completely agree with you, Kate, those two novels about Menolly are exceptional and definitely worth 5 stars.
Currently I'm almost finished with Dragonsdawn, and then I think I'm going to read Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern. And then I think that will conclude my romp through Pern.
After that? Well, I would like your advice. These are the four novels I have from Lois McMaster Bujold:
Barrayar
The Vor Game
Mirror Dance
Paladin of Souls
Which do you think I should read first? And in what order do the other three follow?
Another thing that has lately been demanding my time and attention: I very recently bought a guitar. "Oh, you play guitar, Jeff?" Um, no. Never owned a guitar before, have no idea what to do with it. But as we say in Texas, "I'm fixin' to get after it." So far, I've learned how to tune it, and how to play the opening of Tom Petty's "Free Falling" (badly), but that's it.
If you are only going to read those 4, then the order you have them in is fine. BUT1) There are others you should read in between and
2) You should read Shards of Honor before Barrayar because it is part of the same story. Seriously.
and
3) I can give you a list of the order of those books, but Paladin of Souls is in a completely different universe, magical instead of science fiction, and I can't remember which one it is, I think number 2.
I'm glad you can tune the guitar, that's the hardest part.
No, let me take that back. Many people have failed to learn to play guitar because they aren't holding it, or their hands and bodies, in the best way so that they can actually play. This is particularly true for kids and women (smaller hands) but is actually true for anyone.
So . . .
Get a guitar strap and make sure that it supports the guitar so that your left hand does not have to hold the guitar up. THIS IS IMPORTANT. (I am presuming that you are right handed so you left hand is the one that is pressing the strings down on the neck)
You must have the guitar supported somehow so you can drop your left wrist, put your thumb in the middle of the back of the neck (more on that later) and make your fingers come in and press down on the strings at a 90 degree angle. If you don't do this you will have trouble as you try to play more things.
Later, you might not have your thumb in the middle of the back of the neck, but for now, yes. Ditto with the 90 degree angle thing. I often play this really sloppy A chord by just laying a finger across the three strings and making the first string dead. But that's for later/
Why? you ask? Well, for example, if your fingers don't come in at a 90 degree angle, they will block other strings so the notes on the other strings won't sound. But the 90 degree thing is just one of many reasons to make sure you are holding the guitar right.
So get a strap and get the guitar off of your hand. Or, when I was starting, I used to sit on the side of the bed with one leg up and holding the guitar with my right arm so my left hand was free to move.
More people have failed to learn to play guitar because of postural things than for any other reason, IMO
go read this thread to figure out the Vorkosigan book order (that's the first three in the list of books you own) https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Much discussion and a semi final list partway down. I say semifinal because there's a novella that came out last summer.
Winterfair Gifts is in the list, but the fact that it won the Hugo and the Nebula for best novella is not
Mod
I finished Dragonsdawn, and I really enjoyed it (again). It's quite a bit more science-fictiony than the other Pern novels. In fact, there's almost no element of fantasy about it. Perhaps that's why I get into it so much. Also, I like to find out about how things begin, and I'm a history buff as well. That's why I've been known to rate The Silmarillion as my favorite book ever, as it tells of the beginning of Tolkien's universe, in exquisite detail I might add.
Off-topic, my guitar work proceeds at a snail's pace. I bought a device called Chord Buddy to help me learn, but I soon removed it. Not because I didn't like it, but because of other temporal concerns. I'm all about time management and efficient use of minutes. I signed up for a free trial period of online guitar instruction from Fender and I want to utilize that full period before I make a decision on whether to continue on a paid basis. The Chord Buddy isn't going anywhere, and I can always come back to it later, no time limit on that.
Art, from the other group, good-naturedly berated me for setting aside Lord of Light in order to read the Pern books, accusing me of science fiction blasphemy or some such (grin). I told him, "That's nothing, wait until you read my review of A Case of Conscience."
Hey, if you want me to get you started re guitar, I can tell you the first song and the first few lessons that I always gave students when I used to teach guitar lessons. And I never saw Art's message berating you, but I remember that Lord of Light was NOT one of my fave Zelazny books, and I am looking forward to reading it again just to see . . . I definitely preferred the dragon books to Lord of Light
Mod
There's a book out there which I enjoy greatly. It's not on any winner's list, but it is by the legendary writing duo of Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. It's called Fallen Angels. It's a humorous look inside science fiction fandom, and a skewering of the environmental movement.
In a near-future Earth, the Greenies have taken control of the government, and North America is suffering an Ice Age, with glaciers creeping down to Minnesota. Society is tightly controlled, but the S-F Undergound finds ways to fight back, and when two pilots from the last space station are shot down, the fans rally together to rescue them and return them to space. It's a light and entertaining read, and I highly recommend it.
I'm almost finished with Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern, only about 20 pages or so left. I'll probably finish it tonight.
Aside: I do most of my reading in bed, as a prelude to sleep. Leads to some interesting dreams, especially if I've had Italian for dinner.
I find it fascinating how many diverse stories McCaffrey manages to weave from the single tapestry of the world of Pern.
Speaking of humorous novels and tapestries, have you ever read any of Piers Anthony's "Xanth" series? Last time I checked, he was up to 27 or so books in the series. If you like puns, or you hate them, these are the books for you, as they are nothing but. For example, one of the books is called Crewel Lye, about a man (now a ghost) who was betrayed by the woman he loved, and a magical arras, that is in dire need of cleaning, holds the key to his recovery. Or Night Mare, about a spirit horse that delivers bad dreams. Or Centaur Aisle, which is in itself a rare triple pun, as it refers to the home island of the Centaurs, and to the narrow zone of magic surrounding the protagonist, and of course the obvious pun. All good stuff.
Piers Anthony's writing eventually got to me. He writes a bunch of short stories in search of a novel. I read probably 20 Xanth books and quit. It's not that he writes badly, I just got tired of it.
I do like the first three of his Blue Adept series, though.
I will look for fallen angels
And I will come up with a first guitar lesson for you, but not tonight.
OK, here's the first Guitar lesson I gave everybody (unless they were only learning to read notes and so were in Mel Bay Guitar Method Book 1. And even if they were in Mel Bay, they got this a few lessons in.) But it will be harder since you are not able to see me. Go here and look at a D chord (there are many pictures)
https://www.google.com/search?q=d+cho...
Then go here and look at the littlest form of the A7 chord. Use the one the third from the left because the fingering is most like that of the D chord you just looked at. https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isc...
So, you will note that the 3rd A7 from the left has the fingers 1 and 2 on two strings, in the same fret, with one string in between. Compare to the D chord and you will see the same fingers 1 and 2 on two strings, in the same fret, with one string in between (and also has the 3rd finger down one fret away).
Play the D chord. (Thumb does not get a number, sorry you can't see the little picture of the hand with the numbers on that I always used to draw.) Make sure you stand your fingers up so they don't lean on the strings next to them or you will get dead, thuddy strings. THIS TAKES PRACTICE. Remember what I wrote above, thumb in the middle back of the neck. Stand your fingers up on their "toes" by coming in at a 90 degree angle to the front of the neck.
Now the idea is, move all your fingers at once. Play D, then move you hand straight up toward the ceiling with fingers one and two while picking up finger three, to A7. Check the chord diagrams to make sure you really have your fingers where they say. Even if thuddy, you should kind of hear an ok sound if your left hand fingers are in the right place. If bad sound, check the diagram again.
You will have to do this change over and over at first. Just strum once and/or play the strings individually with the right hand to see if you are getting clear tones, (or if you are getting less thuddy sounds as you work on it.)
10 minutes every day is better than a bunch once a week. You are training motor memory here.
Next time we will talk about strumming.
Try all of this, let me know if you are getting anything, and let me know right away if you cannot figure out the chord diagrams.
After you have sort of got these chords, we'll play your first song with them, "He's got the whole world in his hands." This will the chord accompaniment for a singer or a solo instrument, a strumming thing, not the melody.
Mod
I am so slack about not playing that mine hurt when I first start too recently. When it starts to hurt, see if you can play a little longer. It should help you gain callouses
Science Fiction Is My Favorite Thing
Books mentioned in this topic
Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn (other topics)Fallen Angels (other topics)
Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern (other topics)
Night Mare (other topics)
Centaur Aisle (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Anne McCaffrey (other topics)Lois McMaster Bujold (other topics)
Lois McMaster Bujold (other topics)
Anne McCaffrey (other topics)
That will be for later, as I work my way down The List. I've only got a handful left to acquire, but I doubt that HPB will be the place I get them. Maybe that independent bookseller, on the other side of town....
As I look at my library, I have an astonishing number of books in the Dragonrider series by Anne McCaffrey, but I was shockingly missing the first three, which started the series. Well, today I was able to pick up all three: Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and The White Dragon. Yay!
In a way, these books make me sad, because with the making of the movie "Avatar," it seems unlikely that any more movies will be made about "people riding dragons."
And in the "you never know what you're going to find at HPB" category, I picked up a unique book.
Wandering Stars: An Anthology of Jewish Fantasy and Science Fiction. Jewish science fiction! Who knew? I wasn't planning on getting it, but I walked by a shelf and there it was, grabbing me by the eyeballs.