Space Opera Fans discussion
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What are you Reading right now? Part 2.
Ally wrote: "Hello,I discovered Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series (it was about time I know !) so I read 2 omnibus in French. I mentioned this because the first story (chronologically speaking) is space ..."
I have read some of Anderson's Time Patrol and quite enjoyed them, but then Anderson is one of my favourite SF/Fantasy authors. All I can say about your election is that there was a spike in visits to the Canadian Immigration website (wonder why).
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I have several relatives who are talking about moving to Canada if the election turns out badly. But we can't even visit Canada to look for real property, because of the coronavirus. It's a tense situation all around.
It’s also waaay harder to move to Canada than Americans think. But then ignorance is how USAns roll, so that’s not a surprise. You can’t even *visit* the Great White North if you have a DUI. (George W. Bush had to get special dispensation just to visit as President.) You can even be denied entry if you don’t have a job or health care, two things which a huge number of Americans no longer have.So yeah, good luck getting that visa. 🙃
I am reading Chaney's The Last Reaper series. I am in number 7 Will of the Reaper. Actually that is a joint series with Mr. Moon and Mr. Chaney and they have created a great killer hero. It is also done in the forbidden first person. Yep and they pull it off as he talks to himself as he has a AI inside him.The battles, the side characters and the mysteries in each book make these stories all award winning. I totally recommend these series and am enjoying this lucky number seven. Good work guys.
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Teresa wrote: "I’ve been rereading fantasy. I started a few new books but nothing held my interest. What are you reading? I need to break out of this rut."Here are my 5-star reads of the year so far. Maybe something will spark your interest: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
I've been reading the Salems Lot. Pretty good book
Teresa wrote: "I’ve been rereading fantasy. I started a few new books but nothing held my interest. What are you reading? I need to break out of this rut."There is a free story from the Liaden universe on the Baen website. And new book release this month. Also Written in Red by Anne Bishop begins the Others series. Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Blood series by Tanya Huff. Happy reading.
Try google for literature map. I find it fun and intriguing.
I am going to get the Ray Cummings book I have been reading for ages it seems. I want to move on to something else but can't until I get that one out of the way.
Teresa wrote: "I’ve been rereading fantasy. I started a few new books but nothing held my interest. What are you reading? I need to break out of this rut."I'm reading the last of the Witcher novels (but I cannot recommend them as the quality is all over the place, likely to do with the translation).
On deck is the latest Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archive series), the new Linda Nagata, and the second of the Near-Earth Mysteries by Martin L. Shoemaker (the first of that series was surprisingly good).
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I've been hearing good things about Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, which is in the fantasy genre.I'm rereading Star Trek: What Judgments Come and Star Wars Death Star, and I'm reading the anthology This is How You Die.
Brandon wrote: "I've been hearing good things about Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, which is in the fantasy genre."I was disappointed by it. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have trouble finding great books, like everyone else. I wanted to touch base with some recent reads.I got 3/4th the way through New Eden by Kishore Tipirneni. There was promise, but too many LONG discussions about things not related to the plot line. Also, the inevitable happened (no spoilers), and it was a let down.
Bailed instantly on Trapped (Fleet Ops Book 1) by Scott Bartlett and Starcaster by J.N. Chaney (author), Terry Magger. Also Do-Overs: A Time Travel Thriller of Sudden Second Chances
by Jon Spoelstra. Really unpromising intro writing.
A strange one. Pushed Back: A Time Traveler's Journal by S.A. Ison. The protagonist was a Latina mother. The narrative voice was so spot on it made the story hard to read. I just couldn't do that tone in a scifi genre.
Twin Towers and Time Tunnel: The Empire
by Richard Todd on the other hand were fantastic. Well written, good characters, totally fun.
The Savage Star series is good. Kind of Horacio Hornblower in space, but very enjoyable.
Back to bad, oh, myyy The Naturalist
by Andrew Mayne. A fairly promising start spoiled by every passing chapter. More and more unrealistic as time went on. Wow.
Not that he needs my endorsement, but I had a problem with The Enigma Cube (Alien Artifact Book 1) by Douglas E. Richards. The construct of the set up, how one group totally spies on another was too hard to buy. It promised to me to spoil any chance of my buy-in. I wrote the author and mentioned the issues. He was gracious, but stood fast to his version of why the plot-hook worked. He does write well.
Well, that's enough for now.
Ilona Andrews blog post Disney Refuses to Pay Alan Dean Foster https://ilona-andrews.com/2020/disney... reminded me I haven't read Foster in some time.I'd do as one person suggested and buy some of his non-movie tie-in books but I already have them, some in multiple formats. I'm sorry he and his wife are ill. Not getting paid what he is owed... That's just not right.
Alan Dean Foster to re-read
Pip & Flinx and rest of the Commonwealth books
and a couple of non Space Opera
Into The Out Of
To the Vanishing Point
It's a weird situation as Disney purchased the assets (i.e. the books) but not the liabilities (the money the author was already owed.) from the previous publisher. Foster's agent is sure they could work something out if they could talk to the people in publishing, but they can't get past the legal department, who are standing their ground.
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I preordered Ambient Conditions by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller which is due out Friday. I had already read the eARC of their newest novel which is due out in early December.
Walter Jon Williams has a new book coming out, Fleet Elements. He's a talented writer. I hope this new Fleet Elementsbook is satisfying.
I am reading In My Memory Locked by Jim Nelson. I didn't expect much as I got it in one of those 99¢ offers. What a surprise. A great mystery with terrific characters told almost in first person. It is hard to put down with a twist on each page and a future of the Internet. The future is interesting. I can't wait to get back to the next chapter
Pat wrote: "Walter Jon Williams has a new book coming out, Fleet Elements. He's a talented writer. I hope this new Fleet Elementsbook is satisfying."I've thoroughly enjoyed all the Praxis novels to date. Hope that trend continues.
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Nuclear Weapons Team Leader Strangelove
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I wonder how many people recognize the reference. We're dating ourselves Teresa. 😊
“Gentlemen! There is no fighting in the War Room!”
Teresa wrote: "Still having trouble finding books that hold my attention. Currently about 20% done rereading A Hop, Skip and a Jump by Mackey Chandler and so far so good. Aliens!!..."Teresa - I wonder, if the inability to find books to hold our attention is the result of the times. The last few months it has been really difficult for me to concentrate on books. I end up watching a lot of bad tv series/movies because it's easier to turn on the TV and ignore whatever is streaming. I can't concentrate on books easily, which is new for me.
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Maybe try some short stories and novellas? Finishing something in one sitting is a pretty great feeling.
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Actually, I don't like it. I feel cheated with short fiction. 😏
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Personally I enjoy short fiction. Never feel that a story has been padded just to get to a certain length. My only problem with my reading is that I am doing so many other things it seems to get left by the wayside. Of course if I didn't get so much email it would help.
Betsy wrote: "Trike wrote: "Maybe try some short stories and novellas? Finishing something in one sitting is a pretty great feeling."Actually, I don't like it. I feel cheated with short fiction. 😏"
That sounds like feeling cheated by eating one candy bar. 😜🍫
Teresa wrote: "It’s definitely due to stress, but not as bad as that stretch I had last spring."I feel like I’m the exception to the rule this year, because I looove lockdown. I wouldn’t mind the pandemic lasting another 8 months, honestly.
But then I’m a super hardcore introvert, with a dash of social anxiety. Not being able to go anywhere combined with no one allowed to just drop in completely alleviates even the modicum of guilt associated with being non-social.
The lack of stress has shown up in improvements in my bloodwork, too, and my vision has gone to 20/15, so I have objective proof this has been good for me. Now everyone else gets to feel how I do during normal times, which I’m sorry about, but I’m not going to pretend I’m not soaking this up while I can.
Not much of a social animal myself so I haven't been as affected as some. My daughters noticed more as it mean no playdates. My only complaint was not being able to pop into the library to read the newspaper.
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I just finished In My Memory Locked: A cyber-noir thriller by Jim Nelson. OMG what a trip. The author has built what will happen next after the Internet into a thriller mystery told mostly in first person and it is fantastic. What a roller coaster of thrills from page to page with an ending no one can guess. I recommend every SciFi fan who wants a quick read that is different pick this book up while the price is cheap. I give it 5 starts.
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Likely after that will be Ambient Conditions by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller then rereading In Ashes Born by Nathan Lowell for the December group read.
I am currently reading Relics of Eternity by Glynn Stewart. After that will be In Ashes Born for the group read.
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I can identify with that, but I gave up feeling the guilt several years ago. I decided to just be who I was and if others didn't like it that was their problem.
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Hello ! Still in lockdown but I managed to read more than during the last lockdown.I had to read other kind of books and then I was able to go back to SF.
So I read a French anthology
.I survived Philip K. Dick 's VALIS
. Seriously I didn't know the author was borderline insane at the end of his life. This book is crazy. A good thing I read it in French. If you have time and love theology, have fun ! I may read the other 2 which are supposed to be less crazy.Then I read Peter F Hamilton' s Salvation Sequence
as the last book went out. As he is my favorite author, it was of course amazing ! Real modern space opera with Hard SF and Military SF. Great world building ... I love it.Now I'm reading Chaos Vector by Megan E O'Keefe, second book of The Protectorate series
. It makes me think of the last books of Scalzi with the politics, the conspiracy ... but the author is not as talented in telling a story. It's less fluid, but still good.
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I loved my reread of In Ashes Born by Nathan Lowell but I’m going to wait to reread its sequel.
Currently rereading Temporary Duty by Ric Locke which is technically military SF but has a completely different feel than typical military SF books. Has a strong helping of aliens and learning how to adjust to living on an alien starship, with a nice dash of absurdity and humor plus poking fun at military officers. Main characters are a couple of enlisted men. I think we discussed it as a group read a few years ago.
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My kids bowling leagues are postponed now until the new year, so I guess I will finish off the Ray Cummings book I am reading now instead of waiting. Been reading it at bowling.
Lizzie wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Still having trouble finding books that hold my attention. Currently about 20% done rereading A Hop, Skip and a Jump by Mackey Chandler and so far so..."My average is 20%. I bailed on 3 books yesterday after 5 pages. Yuckissimo!
Teresa wrote: "Saucer Holler was good. I reread some fantasy and now since I’m not seeing anything new that’s interesting I’m rereading 
[book:The Cambridge An..."I started this one, but the premiss was too hard to swallow. Hidden spacecraft launches because ... No one would do it the way they did. It's positively the worst of all possible ways to go
Lizzie wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Still having trouble finding books that hold my attention. Currently about 20% done rereading A Hop, Skip and a Jump by Mackey Chandler and so far so..."I can tell you from my end, a working scifi author, stress effects writing. It's hard to be creative in these dark times. Layer on politics and good bye next chapter. I think, as you say, the same goes with reading fiction.
Leonie wrote: "Lizzie wrote: "Banned? Really?? It never occurred to me that this was a book that had ever been banned. Canada banned Hitchhiker's Guide. The USA, it was banned in some school and public librarie..."
The HHGTTU definitely has a cult following. I wrote a couple books very similar to HHGTTG. The reviews I got from the True Believers were brutal. Hey, people, it's just a book!
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Space Opera Fans
Books mentioned in this topic
Frontier Incursion (other topics)The Galaxy, and the Ground Within (other topics)
To the Bitter End (other topics)
A Line in the Sand (other topics)
Recruit (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Leonie Rogers (other topics)Becky Chambers (other topics)
Judith Moffitt (other topics)
Jonathan P. Brazee (other topics)
David Weber (other topics)
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I discovered Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series (it was about time I know !) so I read 2 omnibus in French. I mentioned this because the first story (chronologically speaking) is space opera (space ship crash)
I also discovered the Time Patrol series by Poul Anderson
I read Brian W.Aldiss' Nonstop
And a Liaden story
Now that I'm on lockdown again I can't read, again. There is this latent anxiety.
And, Betsy, the rest of the world is also worried about the US elections.
I still have Amazon Prime video :-)