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 2020?
Sounds like something I could enjoy if I'm in the right mood. I'll wait for the audiobook to go on sale. lol Thanks, Jordan!
"Sequel Rage " was something I'd noted but now it's a thing.First George RR Martin, now Patrick Rothfuss: the curse of sequel-hungry fans
Weary of waiting for epic fantasy series to be concluded, some fans – and even, it appears, one editor – are turning against their favourite authors
George R. R. Martin, if you never write another word or story, I'm grateful for what you've already put out. You too Patrick Rothfuss.
Don wrote: "George R. R. Martin, if you never write another word or story, I'm grateful for what you've already put out. You too Patrick Rothfuss."ditto here
Jordan wrote: "Soo wrote: "Jordan, can you talk more about Devolution without spoilers? I had planned on getting it on release day but I've held off because I don't like the female narrator voice that's in the sa..."Seconded. I loved Devolution.
But I have a penchant for Bigfoot and Bad B-level horror movies.
Also just adding- between this and WWZ I actually preferred this one.
Sarah, why did you enjoy Devolution more? WWZ was great! I'm not a huge fan of interview/journal entry styled books and that one was great in audio format with the cast of narrators. Great mix of writing & narration.
Soo wrote: "Sarah, why did you enjoy Devolution more? WWZ was great! I'm not a huge fan of interview/journal entry styled books and that one was great in audio format with the cast of narrators. Great mix of w..."Yes- I would agree- the audio was great. I just didn't feel super connected to any of the characters I think because of the vignette style, the way you're just getting snippets from the individual characters. Also I didn't like that it was set after everything was already over- felt like I lost some of the tension there.
With Devolution, the story is told from one POV and the same interconnected set of characters. It's still a journal entry style, but one that feels more like a book.
And this is just personal- but I think there are a lot more Zombie stories out there than Bigfoot (and for me, Bigfoot wins every time, lol). I'm sure the audio is nowhere near as impressive as WWZ, but I've met few audio books that could top it. I did eye-read Devolution.
I will note that Devolution starts much slower than WWZ. Not a lot happening until the 25% mark or so. I also think I'm in the vast minority when saying I liked Devolution better.
Thanks, Sarah! Good notes to keep in mind. Gonna see if my library will get Devolution or keep an eye out for a sale. I do like bigfoot stories. Does that mean you've read Dresden Files? Cause bigfoot makes an appearance in the short stories. Audible's Original of Dracula was another winner for audiobook vs print. Usually, I would vote for the print version but some stories are made to be read/acted out loud. =)
I have only read the first Dresden book and a couple of the short stories! I will check out the audible Dracula- Ive been meaning to read it for a while and audio seems more palatable.
I did a re-read of Dresden Files. This time around, I added the short story collections to my reading and they were good! The second collection, Brief Cases #15.1, was the best collection of shorts for a set world that I've read in a while. That's also the one with the Bigfoot stories. =)
Gideon the Ninth: I read this more out of curiosity than 100% thinking I'd like it, and ended up having a great time! It's fun, and surprisingly touching at times. The last fourth is kind of a dud imo, but its turning out not-quite the way I'd wanted/anticipated means I have no idea where this story is going next, and I'm looking forward to it. (review)
I’m a little under halfway through Gideon myself. There’s some really good, engaging stuff here, but I bounced off the incongruities of the world building jat first. I think this is just first-printed-work of an author stuff, rather than unreliable narrator... but I’m not too sure about that yet.
It’s engaging enough to keep going, and that’s what matters right now.
I admire you all that you find so much good in Gideon. It was one of the worst reads for me last year and I'm astonished that it is found award worthy by almost every jury this year. I'm definitely not the right audience.
A newbie-question: Is this the right place to ramble about great bookshelf re-reads, or is it better to discuss books in their own archived threads, or perhaps the bookshelf challenge thread? I've just read The Fifth Season and I'm in awe. I don't have much new to say about that right now, but I thought it was good to know where it's best to rant about older BOM's or re-reads. :D
It depends on how deep you want to go! If you just want to mention that you read it among other things, then here is fine. If you have more to say, then it’d wonderful to hear those thoughts in the book’s spoiler thread!
In general, necroposting is always allowed! Even if there is no scheduled reread. Any discussion thread, be it BOTM or BR, is open for anyone wanting to discuss, or even just to say they liked it.
Beth wrote: "Gideon the Ninth: I read this more out of curiosity than 100% thinking I'd like it, and ended up having a great time! It's fun, and surprisingly touching at times. The last fourth i..."That's a great review Beth and I agree with you about the book being fun.
Anna wrote: "In general, necroposting is always allowed! Even if there is no scheduled reread. Any discussion thread, be it BOTM or BR, is open for anyone wanting to discuss, or even just to say they liked it."Ah, thanks, that's good to know!
Anna wrote: "In general, necroposting is always allowed! Even if there is no scheduled reread. Any discussion thread, be it BOTM or BR, is open for anyone wanting to discuss, or even just to say they liked it."That's really good to know, thanks! And it makes sense to go in depth in the book spoiler threads. :)
I started reading
Contact. I'm about a quarter of the way into it and I keep getting a nagging feeling that I've read this before, though I'm sure I didn't. Never saw the movie, but I'll rent it after the book. Weird that some passages are familiar. Hate when that happens.
I finished The Relentless Moon, and although it felt different from The Calculating Stars and The Fated Sky, it still hit many of the same feels. I love Kowal's narration, and these are a joy to listen to! Some content warnings! I don't know how MRK managed to write an outbreak and quarantine/isolation into this alternate 1960s timeline, and even though it's not covid-19, and it didn't feel triggering to me, if someone is still not OK with reading that, maybe wait a bit. And a major TW for (view spoiler)Also those who felt that the rocket innuendo in Elma's books was too much, Nicole has opinions on that subject! :D
I roared through my first reread of Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey. I first read it about 25 years ago and strangely I didn’t remember the plot hardlY at all! Despite some questionable choices about sex, I really enjoyed it. She has a very recognizable style and it’s highly readable and fast-paced. If you read this one first there’s no reason to believe it’s anything but Fantasy, but there are clues to PERN’s SF past. I read a short story by Ursula K. Le Guin that I didn’t know: The New Atlantis. What a strange story. I think I liked her foreword explaining where this story came from and some hindsight observations in this reprint edition from Book View Cafe more than the actual story.
Now on to Servant of the Underworld.
Beth, Lowell, Gabi: Oh, I just put Gideon the Ninth on my to-read list because I saw it recced in a list, but now I'm not so sure (I was more curious than convinced I'd like it, too).
Eric wrote: "I started reading Contact. I'm about a quarter of the way into it and I keep getting a nagging feeling that I've read this before, though I'm sure I didn't. N..."About that feeling of having read something before - I hate that, too. I remember the movie "Contact" well. Oh, and Jodie Foster, she was great. I'd love to hear how you like the book. I recall that I was a little "meh" about a trope in that movie, but I might still be interested in reading the book if it's well done.
Camilla wrote: "Beth, Lowell, Gabi: Oh, I just put Gideon the Ninth on my to-read list because I saw it recced in a list, but now I'm not so sure (I was more curious than convinced I'd like it, too)."Yeah, it does seem like a book you have to try, to find out if you like it or not. Gabi isn't the only one of my GR friends who wasn't on its wavelength.
Anyhow, on to the next thing! I'm about 100 pages into Poisoned Blade and since it's a YA, it should go fast. I own both of next month's SFFBC picks, and Dreamsnake was the one I was most excited about, but since the virtual club decided on Shadowshaper, that will probably be next.
That sounds good! I'm reading The Mere Wife (and loving it), and next on my list I have a couple of graphic novels, Monstress, Vol. 2: The Blood and On a Sunbeam, and then I have a list of too many books I want to read at the same time, lol. I hope I finally manage to sit down and focus on The Priory of the Orange Tree because it is SO GOOD and I have no idea why it has stranded on my currently-reading shelf.
Camilla wrote: "That sounds good! I'm reading The Mere Wife (and loving it), ...""The Mere Wife" was one of the really exceptional books I've found through this group. I would have never picked it up on my own and I ended reading it twice last year.
I have finished the Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke with Inkdeath (and since I learned that she is writing a fourth book at the moment, the term "trilogy" doesn't fit anymore) which was a read-aloud marathon (roughly 2800 pages) with my boys. I gave each book in this series full stars which is a rare for me. The last book was way darker than the first one and my boys weren't as enamoured because of that, but I was utterly fascinated by the depth and melancholia she managed to bring into her story.
From our shelf and for the hugo award winner and nominees novels I read Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke which I liked a lot. Much more on the psychological side than on the technological one. Likewise a quite dark and sad story about the end of humankind.
For another group I read Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, an essay about women and fiction. I was positively surprised by the witty and lively prose. I've only heard of Virginia Woolf so far, but never read one of her novels. I have to rectify this.
Since I want to purchase a supporting membership for the Hugo awards for next year I started to look for new releases to get a bit of a base to choose from. I found The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again by M. John Harrison listed as an SFF release for this year and was instantly enamoured with the title. I loved the very weird, stream of consciousness writing about people who are not able to connect - but I'm not sure it would qualify as SFF. But then ... I think Murakami was shortlisted once, wasn't he? And it tends a bit in this direction.
Infected by Anna's enthusiasm I joined the A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher BR - and it was adorable! A humorous feel-good read with moments of seriousness and depth. Exactly the mix I love.
Gabi wrote: "I've only heard of Virginia Woolf so far, but never read one of her novels. I have to rectify this"Yes, you do. For easy access, try Flush = This story of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s cocker spaniel, Flush, enchants right from the opening pages. Although Flush has adventures of his own with bullying dogs, horrid maids, and robbers, he also provides the reader with a glimpse into Browning’s life.
for more of a scifi/fantasy vibe try Orlando =The book describes the adventures of a poet who changes sex from man to woman and lives for centuries, meeting the key figures of English literary history. This was made into a movie starring Tild Swinton
and for something more along the lines of James Joyce try Mrs. Dalloway = Heralded as Virginia Woolf's greatest novel, this is a vivid portrait of a single day in a woman's life. I loved this one.
ETA: I purchased the Delphi Collected works of Virginia Woolf, so i read most of her writings. I did have a bit of trouble making it through all her literary criticism articles, especially the ones from authors I'd never even heard of.
I haven’t read Flush (sounds great!), but otherwise wholeheartedly recommend Chessie’s recommendations for Woolf. My favorite is Orlando, but yes, Mrs Dalloway is wonderful. Read The Hours by Michael Cunningham right after!
@CBRetriever: I have Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse and Orlando on my shelf. So it will be one of those where I start.@Elown: whew, good to know. It sometimes feels so lonely with a contrary impression of a book.
so, after having finished Gideon the Ninth, I can definitely say there's more to dislike than to like. The action sequences are a fun, if incredibly gory/gross - who knew that a book about necromancy would be so ... squishy... ;) It was doing ok as an overall trashy read, but then...
(view spoiler)
so... 2 and 1/2 stars. It's a decent freshman effort, but I don't think it's worthy of the Hugo nom, much less any chance of winning.
Well we’ll find out soon. They start in 15 minutes or so. The Hugo’s that is.
It’s really hard to decide whether I want to read Gideon or not. Everyone I know and trust is split right down the middle. I’m thinking I’d be in the “this was fun” camp, the same way I find Stephen King to be a comfort read, but I really can’t tell. I’ve seen stuff about it I didn’t like also.
I finished The Lascar's Dagger. I really enjoy this author's books although the older ones can be hard to find.My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
As an ardent Alastair Reynolds fan, I'm reading Revenger, first of three books. I'm pretty sure his ship design is an homage to artist Roger Dean (known especially for his Yes album covers and his fish spaceship logo). And wow, looks like a lot of hate gets thrown at it on GR. It's like, cut the dude some slack, trying out something other than hard SF space opera. This one's pretty clear from the beginning that it's going to be a much more old fashioned space opera--i.e. light on the sciency stuff, much more fanciful, some say YA. People get so antsy when an author doesn't do the same thing they've always done.
Anyway, so far I'm enjoying it.
Eric wrote: "I started reading Contact. I'm about a quarter of the way into it and I keep getting a nagging feeling that I've read this before, though I'm sure I didn't. N..."Did you ever read The Listeners by James Gunn? This was the book that apparently inspired Sagan to write "Contact." When I was reading it I noticed several strong similarities to the movie Contact (I haven't read the book).
Don't know where to put it, so I just put it here: I enjoyed the August newsletter A LOT, dear Allison :D. Thank you for being so creative for us.
Gabi wrote: "Don't know where to put it, so I just put it here: I enjoyed the August newsletter A LOT, dear Allison :D. Thank you for being so creative for us."I second this! That was a fun treat to read.
Mod
Micah wrote: "As an ardent Alastair Reynolds fan, I'm reading Revenger, first of three books. I'm pretty sure his ship design is an homage to artist Roger Dean (known especially for his Yes album..."I agree, it's *meant* to be YA and is marketed as YA, so of course it's bound to be different. I think a lot of people didn't pay any attention to its category when they bought it and came to it with the wrong expectations.
Sarah wrote: "It’s really hard to decide whether I want to read Gideon or not. Everyone I know and trust is split right down the middle. I’m thinking I’d be in the “this was fun” camp, the same way I find Stephen King to be a comfort read, but I really can’t tell. I’ve seen stuff about it I didn’t like also."
I'm reading it right now and adore it so far. I think a good gauge to judge if you're going to like it or not is the question if you find the following excerpts taken from different scenes funny and over-the-top ridiculous in a good way, or not: (no actual plot spoilers, just to keep my post shorter)
(view spoiler)
Plus necromancers and skeleton feet going clickety-clack.
@Allison: it was a wonderful newsletter, thank you so much!
I’m pretty sure Gideon The Ninth is not for me.The Revenger series is interesting. I agree that it’s definitely YA but that doesn’t mean it’s not an engaging read
Creativity can be difficult !!!Patrick Rothfuss’ editor has “never seen a word” of The Doors of Stone
by Ashley Hurst4d ago
Micah, You've just explained the reason for Pen Names. One of them anyway.
Don wrote: "Creativity can be difficult !!!Patrick Rothfuss’ editor has “never seen a word” of The Doors of Stone..."
Now I'm trying to decide if the name of my new band is going to be "Creativity Can Be Difficult," "Never Seen a Word," or "The Doors of Stone." One could have argued that "The Doors of Stone" was taken but... maybe not.
I'm reading (well, listening to) Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition. It's interesting in the context of our recent group read of The Ghost Bride. The discussion of filial piety is particularly illuminating.
Just finished the latest in the Dresden Files Peace Talks. I was amazed (and relieved) to find out that the next book will be out in just a few months.My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Yes, I'm very glad that Peace Talks and its sequel are coming out together.There is a definite turn at the end of this, but still --
Well Scourge is going so slowly for me it has worked itself into a pause.To get myself out of this rut I started The Space Between Worlds and it seems like that was a good choice, only 2% and I am already invested in the main character.
Mod
To be fair, were this written today, I would probably give it two stars.
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SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
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Honestly the story really isn't that great. But, it is fun. If you like cheesy B movie monster flicks or cryptid documentaries, this is kind of the book equivalent.