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?
Started Ten Thousand Doors of January. Got the kindle when someone posted in the other thread for promos. I must remember to follow that thread. :)
@Grace: I really enjoyed the The Ten Thousand Doors of JanuaryI have just started Riot Baby which is this month's Tor.com ebook club selection.
Black Helicopters by Caitlín R. Kiernan. I've read several of her stories, short and novel length, and enjoyed the majority and even admired some of the ones I enjoyed less. She's a very good writer.
Midway-ish through a couple of YAs: Poisoned Blade and current fantasy pick Shadowshaper. Both are fun but also put-downable (imo). I really have nothing against YA, so who knows what's going on here.In the meantime I picked up Shrub: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush and finished it relatively quickly. "What's past is prologue" is the short story on this overview of Bush Jr.'s time as governor of Texas. (review)
In audio it's Bleak House. About 1/4 of the way through that one. Enjoyable in its own right, and also a kind of test case for The Way of Kings which is 9 hours longer...
Getting a bit manic at the moment where books are concerned, cause I have the (idiotic) feeling I have to catch up and cross off my lists. So I mostly listened in fast order to the following books (always in hope for a 5-star that will sweep me away)The New Wilderness by Diane Cook, read for possible Hugo nominations: an escapist novel set in a dystopian future. Back to the nature people try to manifest their new society while rangers try to control the group. It was compared to Station Eleven, but the prose can not compete. It's okay, but I was expecting more.
Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill, read for our group shelf: a surprisingly good robot story (I'm no fan of AI/robot stories, so I only picked it up, cause it was available on storytel). I loved the philosophical/religious approach.
City of Bones by Martha Wells, read for our group shelf: this one had the great disadvantage of me already having read the author's Raksura series. On its own it has fantastic worldbuilding and a solid action/adventure plot - but it felt so familiar to the Raksura worlds that there was nothing outstanding for me there. I should have read the books the other way round.
Falling Free and Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold read for my read-the-award-winners-challenge. Both were better than the first Miles books in the Vorkosigan saga. But I still have an ambivalent relationship to this series. LMB's character writing is superb, her dialogues are super witty and enjoyable, but especially in the romantic sector the writing feels sooooo old and cringeworthy sometimes. I'd love she would have left the romantic parts out of her stories.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo, read for possible Hugo nominations: a beautiful lyrical novella. Not much in ways of an exciting plot, but a dreamlike painting of words.
Before You Go by Tommy Butler, read for possible Hugo nominations: here I had hoped for a 5-star read, but something was missing. I enjoyed it, no question, but the wow-effect that could have been there didn't set in. Nonetheless a great book about the question why so many of us are in a lifelong search for something fullfulling in our lives (CW: suicide).
Quite a few of those are still on my TBR...
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Finished with some of the Ignyte Award nominees for short stories: Dune Song by Suyi Davies Okungbowa and Canst Thou Draw Out the Leviathan by Christopher Caldwell. Liked them all. I have A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy by Rebecca Roanhorse next.Almost finished with The Way To The Stars, my first ST Disco tie-in novel. Loving it so far and can't wait to read the others. The audio narration is very good.
Soon starting City of Bones, also in audio.
Silvana wrote: "Almost finished with The Way To The Stars, my first ST Disco tie-in novel. Loving it so far and can't wait to the others. The audio narration is very good...."The audionarration on this one is exceptionally good, indeed. The only other Disco-tie in I liked so far is Dead Endless, aside from the fact that Stamets and Culber for me are the best ST characters in 50something years of the franchise, it also has the best take on the series characters of any of the novels. All the others were a miss for me so far (have to read the Saru one yet)
Gabi wrote: "Silvana wrote: "Almost finished with The Way To The Stars, my first ST Disco tie-in novel. Loving it so far and can't wait to the others. The audio narration is very good...."The audionarration o..."
I think that and the Saru one were the ones recommended to me. I also have The Last Best Hope in my TBR since everyone in the ST panels during Comic Con seem to be crazy about it.
Silvana wrote: "I think that and the Saru one were the ones recommended to me. I also have The Last Best Hope in my TBR since everyone in the ST panels during Comic Con seem to be crazy about it...."Haven't read this one since I still haven't manage to watch the Picard series. (at least I started last week)
I finished a couple of popcorn action-adventures by Clive Cussler and his co-author.
Shadow Tyrants and
Final Option. Onto
Recursion.
*mini-victory lap* The Bonehunters #6 is done! WOO! I'm still not sure how I feel about Malazan. The author doesn't know how to pace his books, and I think I'm up to date with his writing tricks/habits/style. Up to #5, I thought each book was better than the last. #6 is a big transition piece. Important but transitional and not as much of an impact or changes in writing like the others.
I'm looking forward to finishing the series. Right now, it's a solid 4 stars for world & characters. I've a range of thoughts on the main plot arc.
Sometimes I Lie was at my library. I decided to get it based on Anna's response to it. Hopefully, I will find it suspenseful? Tricky? Absorbing? Creepy? Who knows! I actually did not read the blurb. Only what Anna wrote about listening to it a few times and stuff.
Soo wrote: "*mini-victory lap* The Bonehunters #6 is done! WOO! I'm still not sure how I feel about Malazan. The author doesn't know how to pace his books, and I think I'm up to date with his w..."
I understand the feeling as I'm halfway through Book 7, Reaper's Gale, and there's a lot going on in this one
CBRetriever, I'm planning on diving into Reaper's Gale after Sometimes I Lie. I wasn't surprised to see that there's a change in place & POV for #7. I expect it at this point. lol Anna - *fingers crossed*
I'm been binge-reading Bernard Cromwell's Sharpe series. I finished Sharpe's Siege, which was excellent, and last night I began Sharpe's Revenge
Two thumbs up for Sometimes I Lie. That was fun! I didn't find it shocking or all that twisty but I enjoyed the way the author laid out the story. Very atmospheric and good use of flashbacks.
I've just read it (well listened to it narrated by the wonderful Sophie Aldred) - my book of 2020The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky I had the highest of expectations for this book, which of course can easily lead to dissappointment. But nope! The book is a fantastic, crazy X-Files meets James Bond - meets multi dimensional theory - meets evolutionary biology - meets social awareness - meets philosophical musings ride peppered with a lot of pop culture references and led by a lesbian couple and a transgender scientist off to save the world. And everything within this context just works.
I have my nomination for the Hugo awards.
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Starting The Prey of Gods for our BR (that supposed to start in four days, but I am doing audio so I'll be slow) - my fourth hopepunk book of the month.
Gabi wrote: "I've just read it (well listened to it narrated by the wonderful Sophie Aldred) - my book of 2020The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky I had the highest of expe..."
Ahhhh can't wait! I am hoping I can wait for the print! I want to own the book instead of kindle copy.
Grace wrote: "Ahhhh can't wait! I am hoping I can wait for the print! I want to own the book instead of kindle copy...."I'm thinking about buying it in print as well. I usually don't do this (no space ^^'), but this time I'm considering it.
What else I should be reading: I have Neuromancer William Gibson sitting in the shelf having read it half- way. I feel guilty for struggling to finish what is the gateway to cyberpunk. :( I'm sad to be reading this now and wished I read it earlier when I was younger and then it wouldn't feel so outdated and I would've enjoyed it more. Sorry Gibson! :(
Grace wrote: "What else I should be reading: I have Neuromancer William Gibson sitting in the shelf having read it half- way. I feel guilty for struggling to finish what is the gateway to cyberpunk. :( I'm sad t..."Don't feel sorry about it. I read it last year (or the year before?) and I forgot what it was about the moment I finished it. This had not happened before. I apparently didn't get the slightest access to it ^^'.
Necromancer was a struggle for me too. Glad I m not alone in this.
re Neuromancer, visionary prophecy is often not as refined as later reimaginings are. I agree Neuromancer wasn't smooth reading later Gibson's are better but it is visionary.
Gabi, Falling Free is my Favorite Bujold. Agreed leave the mush out... butt some of the mush did move the story.Sea of Rust by Cargill was definitely good enough to read, a solid "in the wastelands" type novel
I’m with all of you on Neuromancer. It did nothing for me. I read it about 10 maybe more years ago and it was already dated. And agree that the writing was not wonderful.
I do think Neuromancer had a good opening line: "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."
I m kinda afraid to read other books from Gibson. Has anyone read Peripheral?
Grace wrote: "What else I should be reading: I have Neuromancer William Gibson sitting in the shelf having read it half- way. I feel guilty for struggling to finish what is the gateway to cyberpunk. :( I'm sad t..."I read this when it first came out and while it didn't feel dated then and did feel like a visionary work my overall reaction was similar to what others are reporting. I get why it won so many awards but it wasn't for me. Even back then you weren't alone...
I'm starting (late to the party) The Goblin Emperor. I hope it's as warm and fuzzy for me as I've heard.
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Stratos Chouvardas, Peripheral isn't bad, I like Pattern Recognition more. Anybody else tried Pattern Recognition?
I liked Pattern Recognition. Very atmospheric, though I didn't think it was very sci fi, more a noir-y mystery. Definitely recommend though.
Neuromancer flow of the writing feels stuttering for me. Gibson’s other works suggested here reads better? Pattern Recognition, Peripheral? Who was the author who’s title of a book on writing style was - something like - pity the reader, Kurt Vonnegut? 30% of Ten Thousand Doors of January, getting action packed now, long hook but I am patient lol. Style feels fresh!
I haven't updated in a while, apart from other things, 2020 does not seem a good year for my reading...Anyways, I just finshed The Last Wish and was quite disappointed - the dialogues were so very bad. Given that this is a spin-off and because it is on our shelf, I am sure, that someone has read the next in the series. Will it get any better?
Mystic wrote: "Currently reading Coraline
by Neil Gaiman.I hope Neil Gaiman is as great as people say he is, he has already given me my favorite quo..."
He attributes this to Chesterton but it is actually a paraphrase -- he wrote it down intending to look up the original later and then forgot that he hadn't.
(doffs pedant hat)
Along with 2020 being the year I read the most books ever, it's becoming the year where I am tempted to re-read a lot of the books I've read. Read all the books! Wee~~ lol Thoughts on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? I forced myself to read it a long time ago and it didn't make a big impression on me as being a good book or that funny. I was thinking about re-reading by audio. Maybe I'll enjoy it more in audio format?
I have never listened to the audiobook but I loved the audio drama, which I listened to through overdrive. worth trying if you can find it. I think I listened to all 5 parts, but it was a few years ago and I'm not sure.
When talking about the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy and audible, there are two things to note:1) the original hitchhiker’s guide was actually A 6-episode radio play on the BBC. This is what, on audible, is the full-cast ‘original radio series.” It’s, in my opinion, the best version of it. The Jokes land pretty solidly, the pacing is great, and it’s genuinely funny. It was followed up with a second series (called the secondary phase) which is also great. The tertiary and onward phases were written after the relevant books, and do not use the same actors and do retcon the things that occurred in the first two series, in order to better match the books.
2) The reading of the book, which is just a reading of Adam’s later novelization of the original series (which he wrote). If you want to match the book, this is the version to go with.
Personally, I highly recommend the original series (that’s primary and secondary phases), and would skip the later radio plays. The two original series are my absolute all time favorite auditory comfort-listens. I recorded them with a tape deck off the local NPR broadcasts when i was a teenager, and actually put them on most evenings for listening to while I fell asleep.
And now, I still put them on to fall asleep to at night - though I use the audible.com re-release/remasters of them, because it’s very convenient.
Eric, have you read Dark Matter?Beth & Lowell, my library has the 42nd Anniversary of the radio dramas:
- Primary Phase
- Secondary Phase
- Tertiary Phase
- Quandary Phase
- Quintessential Phase
+ Douglas Adam's Live in Concert read at Almedia Theatre
I figure I'll try this out at some point. I'm trying so hard to not do a bunch of re-reads! Hahaha! (Failed many times.)
The newest audiobook release for the Completionist Chronicles (LitRPG) came out and I ended up doing a re-read of the whole thing by audio. No regrets! XD
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I’m still reading Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. I’ve started an online mask selling business (only in Australia though since postage is a killer anywhere else) and don’t have time to read. And the time I do have my eyes are too sore to read anyway.