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 2019?
colleen the convivial curmudgeon wrote: "I'm glad you're liking the second book. Would you say the writing's about the same, or maybe changed some?"I think the writing is mostly the same, but there’s a bit more camaraderie between some of the characters now that they know each other better, which I think has a side effect of making their personalities come out better. The humor is similar, and the “science” is still nuts in terms of the technology and genetics. Maybe nuttier.
I’ve been a bit busy this week so I’m only about 100 pages in, but so far the story structure seems simpler than the first book. On the other hand, I’m not entirely sure where the story is going yet. I have some guesses, but nothing I feel certain about. In comparison, I thought it was clear where the first book was going from early on.
I just finished Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller and I was really impressed by its imaginative approach to distilling our modern world’s woes into a convincingly-realized near-future dystopia, and by its ambitious structure. It also had a tremendous sense of compassion, and a clarity of prose that was really welcome. I’ve now read 5 of the 6 2019 Nebula Award for Best Novel nominees — all but Spinning Silver — and of those 5, this would have gotten my vote. (I very much enjoyed The Calculating Stars and Witchmark, but had lots of issues with The Poppy War and Trail of Lightning.)
I feel like I'm using the 5-star rating a bit excessively at the moment, but I could not give my last two reads anything less. Both were SO emotional, touched me SO deeply and had such perfect audiobook narrators.The Devourers by Indra Das and The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley both excelled with a devastating story told in a heart-wrenchingly beautiful prose and a deep understanding of the darker parts of the human soul.
I could forever get lost in stories like these.
Of the Nebula nominees I have read so far (THE CALCULATING STARS, WITCHMARK, TRAIL OF LIGHTNING) I would probably vote for the winner (THE CALCULATING STARS). I have no intention of reading SPINNING SILVER but I will likely give THE POPPY WAR a try. I’m still agnostic about BLACKFISH CITY. The reviews make it seem like a less-successful Miéville. I’m surprised A MEMORY OF EMPIRE wasn’t nominated....
MadProfessah wrote: "Of the Nebula nominees I have read so far (THE CALCULATING STARS, WITCHMARK, TRAIL OF LIGHTNING) I would probably vote for the winner (THE CALCULATING STARS). I have no intention of reading SPINNIN..."A Memory of Empire won’t be eligible for awards until next year; it was published this past March. I recommend giving Blackfish City a try. It’s really ambitious and special, although certainly not perfect.
YouKneeK wrote: "Yesterday I finished The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder. This is on our group shelf, but disappointingly few people on my friends list have reviewed it. So I wou..."That's interesting - I read about Spring Heeled Jack years ago - was an urban myth in the early Victorian period esp. in London. Didn't know someone had written a novel about it.
Just caught up with a big pile of book reviews:Ian Rankin's Tooth and Nail - reviewed https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2898128107.
Another Rankin Rebus novel - Dead Souls - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2913019901
Third Rebus novel - A Question of Blood - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2913048350.
Neil Spring's The Lost Village - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2913063374
And four from Jodi Taylor's time travel series - first book 1 - Just One Damned Thing After Another - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2913098729
book 2 - A Symphony of Echoes - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2913129437
book 3 - A Second Chance - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2913163772
and finally book 7 - Lies, Damned Lies, and History - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2913232735
I started rereading Slaughterhouse-Five this week and forgot how much fun of a read it was. I think I might have kicked off a Vonnegut binge.
I think Slaughterhouse-Five is a major work of art, glad you’re enjoying it again.
Slaughterhouse was indeed quite a snide riot. One of those books you read with a constant grin on your face / twinkle in your eye.
Hi, I'm new to the group and Mostly been reading Series of books recently
Hi I'm new to the group and have been mostly been reading series recently, particularly been reading Shannara, Enders game series, Sookie Stackhouse series, and Pre-disney Star Wars.
I just finished Philip Jose Farmer's The Dungeon and was a bit disappointed with the ending as it was a cliffhanger. Otherwise it was OK but if it wasn't part of a Humble Bundle I purchased, I wouldn't own it. If you like Philip José Farmer's Riverworld series you'll probably enjoy it.
I finished Dune last night and while I can see why it's such a classic, there were also a lot of things in it that really bugged me. (See my review for more details.) Right now, I'm not sure if I'll finish the series, there's a lot if other books I'm drawn to more in this moment.I also read The Only Harmless Great Thing this morning and this is the kind of alternate history I really enjoy.
Pam wrote: "That's interesting - I read about Spring Heeled Jack years ago - was an urban myth in the early Victorian period esp. in London. Didn't know someone had written a novel about it."I hadn’t known it was a real-life urban myth until I started the book and somebody mentioned it to me elsewhere. There was a little bit of interesting historical info at the end of the book about both the myth and the real historical figures that were borrowed for the story.
Mareike wrote: "I finished Dune last night. I'm not sure if I'll finish the series, there's a lot if other books I'm drawn to more in this moment"I've read a few more in the series and they are not up to the level of Dune. I don't even recommend reading them to most people.
I finished
The Dragonbone Chair, which is book one of the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series. The land of Osten Ard. Onto book two,
Stone of Farewell. I had no idea these publications started 29 years ago. Very well written.
Mareike, Dune is the good stuff and widely appealing, the rest of the Dune series is less popular.
I’m currently reading Revenant Gun. I hadn’t expected to enjoy this and Raven Stratagem so much. Next year I definitely need to find a Hugo Award reading buddy so I stay focused on reading books nominated for best novel and am not scrambling at the last minute to finish them all so I can vote.
Carolyn, check out our buddy read thread! Lots of people read awards shortlists, even if they don't vote, so it should be fairly easy to find buddies.Raven Stratagem! <3 Mikodez! <3 Green onions! <3
CBRetriever wrote: "Mareike wrote: "I finished Dune last night. I'm not sure if I'll finish the series, there's a lot if other books I'm drawn to more in this moment"I've read a few more in the serie..."
Don wrote: "Mareike, Dune is the good stuff and widely appealing, the rest of the Dune series is less popular."
Then I don't think I'll try the others. Thanks for letting me know Don and CBRetriever!
Anna, thanks for that suggestion. I’ll try to find some buddy reads before nominations begin as I’m hoping to find time to nominate books for 2020 Hugo awards this time around!
I’ve just finished the The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man, the second book in the Burton & Swinburne steampunk series that started with The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack.I enjoyed this one quite a lot too. It’s still crazy and fun. The science is still ridiculous. This book actually introduces a lot of elements that are blatantly fantasy. It does provide a logical explanation, but it isn’t a scientific one. It’s all internally consistent enough to satisfy me though, given that I’m otherwise enjoying the series. I liked the story of the first book a bit better, but I enjoyed that this book had more camaraderie between the main characters. As with the first book, it tells a complete story and features real-world UK legends and misused historical figures. I don’t know much about most of the historical figures who show up in the story, so the wiki lookup feature on my Kindle plus the brief bits of real historical info the author provides at the end are interesting and much appreciated. My slightly longer review.
I plan to go straight on to the third book, Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon.
Thomas wrote: "I'm one step closer to finishing The Wheel of Time as I have just finished book number 13, The Gathering Storm. A perfect start to what I expect will be a spectacular finale to the s..."These last books are incredible. I'm doing a reread right now and struggling with the middle books... but knowing these are at the end keeps me going. Hope you enjoy them!
I'm now reading Jingo. I don't read all of the books in the larger series, but do like the City Watch sub-series. This is the 4th in that one, but it's 21st otherwise.
I’m reading Patternmaster by Octavia Butler.
Mareike wrote: "I finished Dune last night and while I can see why it's such a classic, there were also a lot of things in it that really bugged me. (See my review for more details.) Right now, I'm..."For the most part the rest of the series doesn't really add much in my less than humble opinion. So skipping it probably won't be much of a miss for you
So I read your review. And some of it is the time the book was written, but I can't say I disagree with any of it. Especially the bit about Paul.
Got a good chuckle out of that.
I read The Tea Dragon Society the other day. Thought it was cute - gave it 3 stars - though it seemed geared a bit younger than I was expecting. Now I'm reading Witchmark. I'm a little less than 100 pages, but I'm liking it so far. There was a bit of confusion early on, because it's one of those books that sort of acts like you should understand more of the world and history than I actually knew, but it's developed the background a bit more now.
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I'm almost done with Royal Assassin and though I am not a mood reader, I think I might be a seasonal one? This should have been read in fall. I see that now.
I started Jade War and where I expected to be thrown in, things are being set up again. I wonder when the hook will come this time!
I've read The Urth of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe, the fifth book of the New-Sun-tetralogy ;) - This one was a bit harder for me to understand than the first four and I'm going to read some secondary literature when I'm in the mood to see what I missed.Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh is a nice Green-Man-mystery novella with a gorgeous cover. It had a lot of ingredients I loved, but the mix didn't quite suffice for a possible wow-effect.
Since I figured out how to read kindle-downloads on my tablet, I tried a graphic novel: Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan. Well done, but I guess I'm not the appropriate target audience for these kinds of graphic novels.
Our Discworld-read-a-thon is nearing its end. Moving Pictures was better than I remembered, even though it is from the early, more silly period. Yet since it heavily references older Hollywood movies which my boys are not familiar with, it ever so often turned into me explaining a movie, the wordplay and being greeted by 'Yeah Mama, we know that you are a fossil' looks XD.
Allison wrote: "Oo, I look forward to your end thoughts on Witchmark, Colleen!"I'm thinking I'm going to like it, so fingers crossed.
Gabi wrote: "Since I figured out how to read kindle-downloads on my tablet, I tried a graphic novel: Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan. Well done, but I guess I'm not the appropriate target audience for these kinds of graphic novels."
I have so many friends in love with Saga, but I just wasn't wowed by the first volume. I feel like I should read the second, just to say I gave it a fair shot... :-/
colleen the convivial curmudgeon wrote: "I have so many friends in love with Saga, but I just wasn't wowed by the first volume. I feel like I should read the second, just to say I gave it a fair shot... :-/ "I haven't much experience with graphic novels so I can not compare it. But I liked the clear drawing style (even though it sometimes was a bit sloppy) and the diversity of characters was nice. Yet I was wondering why still most of them looked like humans with prosthetics. I can see the necessity on TV, but with the freedom of this medium there could have been done much more in terms of different species' shapes.
Additionally I'm the wrong audience for badass characters talking cool. Makes me roll my eyes.
Gabi wrote: "I've read The Urth of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe, the fifth book of the New-Sun-tetralogy ;) - This one was a bit harder for me to understand than the first four and I'm going to read some secondary literature when I'm in the mood to see what I missed."Tor.com is running a Gene Wolfe reread, but unfortunately it just started a few weeks ago and hasn't gotten to the New Sun series yet! Oh well, the link's there for any Wolfe fans who might be interested.
I will never forget those times, yes multiple, when I opened a Saga volume in the library to see a full page close-up of someone's genitals and tried very hard not to look around and check if anyone else saw it. Not that I care what other people think about my reading material, but there are kids in the library, too!I don't think Saga changes much after the first volume, but it does get worse in volume five, and then eventually picks up again. It's way too drawn out I feel, even though I enjoy it and will most likely continue reading the second half. Anyway, if you don't like the first volume, I doubt you'll like any of it.
Anna wrote: " Anyway, if you don't like the first volume, I doubt you'll like any of it. " Good to know. Thanks!
I read many, but really a load of borrowed volumes of Saga #1 and Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile. Now I'm done with both story lines, although perhaps I may go on reading Saga after its creators start new volumes after their current break... I also liked Bitch Planet, Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine, pity it has so few volumes. So, I'm still looking for a new favorite graphic novel with 40 issues or more to binge on ;-) but I'm not into superhero comics or horror/violence, so it is a hit and miss thing for me to really like a graphic novel enough to read on.
One fun and light comic my kids love it's Asterix the Gaul. The older the issue the better.
I loved Fables overall, but I thought the ending kinda sucked... :(
I read until book 10 of the Fables deluxe edition, so there would be still five books, but I'm yet unsure if I want to continue. The same goes with Saga that had a kind of bad middle result too in issue #54. I don't like when the end isn't as good as what the story promised.
I like Saga, although I do think it’s a little overhyped. I like the combo of Sci Fi and Fantasy, and I like the banter between his characters. One of my favorites so far is the bounty hunter guy with (view spoiler) His character has lately taken a nose dive but remains the most interesting to me so far. I have 3 more volumes to read I think?Vaughn’s other graphic novel, Y: The Last Man I enjoyed very much too.
Read a couple of non fiction for a change - Dunkirk: The History Behind the Major Motion Picture by Joshua Levine - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2913467762
and
People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil by M. Scott Peck - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2917670343.
I binged on Sci-fi last 2 months to get ready for Hugo voting so needed a palate cleanser. I’m reading The Stationery Shop, which takes place during the 1953 US-backed political coup in Iran.
Beth wrote: " Tor.com is running a Gene Wolfe reread, but unfortunately it just started a few weeks ago and hasn't gotten to the New Sun series yet! Oh well, the link's there for any Wolfe fans who might be interested. "Thanks for the reminder, Beth. I've seen this, but meanwhile I already had forgotten. ^^'
I just finished Inland by Tea Obreht last night... I’m not sure how I feel about the ending, but the rest of it was just beautiful. A slow burn novel with a western setting and some magical (supernatural?) realism thrown in. One of my favorites for this year so far, and that’s saying a lot because I haven’t had too many favorites this year.
Read book 7 of the Indigo series by Louise Cooper - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2784951361.
That's one series i really wish was in Kindle format. Paperbacks just fall apart
I just finished another Honor Harrington book and really enjoyed it!My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I revisited "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut. I had forgotten how much fun it was. Gonna start "The Sirens of Titan" today.
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That was a surprisingly good book--a great war story and a great time travel story.
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I like being ahead of the curve. ;)
I'm glad you're liking the second book. Would you say the writing's about the same, or maybe changed some?