Nominations for next series read!

[Shel, Moderator]

After a year and a half we are finally almost finished with the Realm of the Elderlings series, so now it is time to think about our next group series read! We like to alternate fantasy and SF series, so I am opening up nominations now for science fiction series. Click here for a list of the past series we have read together.

I will leave the nomination thread open for a week - until February 8th - and then will post polls for voting. We will use the same procedure as the monthly reads, where the top two vote-getters will go into a runoff poll.

Nominations so far:
Old Man's War series by John Scalzi
Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons
Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds
League of Peoples by James Alan Gardner
Confederation by Tanya Huff
The Lost Fleet by Jack Campbell
Hainish Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin
Major Bhaajan trilogy by Catherine Asaro
Culture Series by Iain Banks
Spin Saga by Robert Charles Wilson

[Shel, Moderator]

I'm going to nominate the Old Man's War series. I read and loved the first book years ago and have meant to continue ever since!

[Catherine]

If you would be interested in reading the Major Bhaajan science fiction series (mine), I might be able to get copies of at least some of them sent to members of the group for free. There are three books in the series, Undercity, The Bronze Skies, and The Vanished Seas (due out on July 7, 2020). They are part of the bigger Skolian Empire series of books. However, please don't feel that you have to consider it if other series look more interesting. I've heard Old Man's War is wonderful!

[Alex]

I'm going to nominate the Hyperion Cantos

[Eva]

I'd love to read the Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds contained in The Revelation Space Collection plus its prequels (The Prefect and Elysium Fire.

[Random]

Funny enough, I had been thinking of nominating a fantasy series. :)

For SF, lets go for

The League of Peoples by James Alan Gardner.

Its a complete seven book series. I read the first book a number of years ago, but never ended up going back to it.

[Atlanta]

I second Hyperion and revelation and old mans war, I’ve read the first. I’ll check the bookshelf later unless someone can link it.

[Kari]

I'd like to nominate the Confederation series by Tanya Huff. I've read the first two and they're good fun military sci-fi. The series is well known for having a great heroine in Torin Kerr, but overall all of Huff's characters are well-drawn. Huff's world-building and species are creative and she writes Kerr with a dry sense of humor that I love. It can be light reading if you want it to be, but I found there was a lot of depth and interesting themes to explore if you're looking.

[Mary]

Dauntless by Jack Campbell and the Lost Fleet series

[Shel, Moderator]

LOTS of great suggestions here!

Catherine wrote: "If you would be interested in reading the Major Bhaajan science fiction series (mine), I might be able to get copies of at least some of them sent to members of the group for free. There are three ..."

Catherine, thank you so much for the kind offer - our group rules do not allow authors to nominate their own books, but if any of our other members wishes to put forth your series I'll gladly add it to the list!

[MadProfessah]

The Revelation Space series is one of my favorite but so is the Hyperion Cantos.

[Gabi]

Jenni wrote: "I would love to read the entire Hainish Cycle by Ursula Le Guin."

Oh yes, great idea!

[Paul]

Jenni wrote: "I would love to read the entire Hainish Cycle by Ursula Le Guin."


I'll second le Guin

[Shel, Moderator]

I don't know how I'm going to decide between so many great options!

[Ryan]

Are seconds required?

If so, I second The Lost Fleet.

[Shel, Moderator]

We don't require seconds in this group - thanks for asking! Feel free to nominate another series if you want, or just wait and vote on the ones that have already been suggested!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I will nominate the Major Bhaajan series by Catherine Asaro. The trilogy includes Undercity, The Bronze Skies, and The Vanished Seas.

[Shel, Moderator]

Kathi wrote: "I will nominate the Major Bhaajan series by Catherine Asaro. The trilogy includes Undercity, The Bronze Skies, and The Vanished Seas."

Does the trilogy stand alone, or is it better if you've read the other Skolian Empire books?

[Leticia]

Series I would like to start reading this year:

The Fifth Season
Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1)
Promise of Blood (Powder Mage #1) by Brian McClellan
Mage's Blood (Moontide Quartet #1) by David Hair
Traitor's Blade (Greatcoats #1) by Sebastien de Castell

[Eva]

Very much agree, Leticia, those are series I'd love to read this year, as well. But they're all fantasy instead of science fiction. Which SF series would you like to read?

[Atlanta]

The culture series by Ian banks.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Shel wrote: "Does the trilogy stand alone, or is it better if you've read the other Skolian Empire books?"

From Amazon: “...A BRAND NEW SERIES by Nebula and Hugo Award Winner Catherine Asaro set in the world of her Skolian Empire universe.”

So while it is set in that world, it seems that it can be read separately. There are multiple novels, novellas, and short stories set in that world, and the publication order (staring, I think, in the mid 1990s, is not the internal chronological order. But these three seem to form their own trilogy.

Catherine, care to comment?

[Jacki]

Kathi wrote: "Shel wrote: "Does the trilogy stand alone, or is it better if you've read the other Skolian Empire books?"

From Amazon: “...A BRAND NEW SERIES by Nebula and Hugo Award Winner Catherine Asaro set i..."
I love Catherine Asaro! I would like that to do that spin-off series, too. I haven't been able to finish the Skolian Empire series because the later ones are not in my library system but I plan on getting on Amazon or Ebay to just buy them for my own library.

[Random]

Shel wrote: "Kathi wrote: "I will nominate the Major Bhaajan series by Catherine Asaro. The trilogy includes Undercity, The Bronze Skies, and [book:The Vanished Se..."

I haven't read it myself yet, but my husband has read the first novella (City of Cries).

According to him (though its been a while so he doesn't remember clearly), it is set in the same universe, but focuses on different characters and does not directly impact the main story of the main series.

I've already read the Skolian Empire series as it currently exists (MORE BOOKS PLEASE!!!) a couple of times now, so I'm always game for more in the same universe. :)

[Catherine]

Kathi wrote: "So while it is set in that world, it seems that it can be read separately. ... Catherine, care to comment?

You're absolutely right! The three do form their own trilogy, and it can be read separately. You don't have to have read the Ruby Dynasty series to follow it.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Catherine wrote: "You're absolutely right! The three do form their own trilogy, and it can b..."

Thanks for chiming in. If this series is chosen, maybe we can convince you to do an author Q&A as part of our discussion... 😁

[Leticia]

Eva wrote: "Very much agree, Leticia, those are series I'd love to read this year, as well. But they're all fantasy instead of science fiction. Which SF series would you like to read?"

A couple of sci-fi series I would like to start (and continue if the first book would be good enough) would be:

The Spin Saga Spin
Three Parts Dead
Red Mars

[Shel, Moderator]

Leticia wrote: "Eva wrote: "Very much agree, Leticia, those are series I'd love to read this year, as well. But they're all fantasy instead of science fiction. Which SF series would you like to read?"

A couple of..."

Hi Leticia! The group recently read Red Mars as a monthly read, so that makes it ineligible for the nomination. Three Parts Dead looks like it is primarily categorized as fantasy on Goodreads, so I will put in the Spin saga for your nomination!

[Catherine]

Kathi wrote: "Catherine wrote: "You're absolutely right! The three do form their own trilogy, and it can b..."

Thanks for chiming in. If this series is chosen, maybe we can convince you to do an author Q&A as p..."

Sure, I'd be happy to.

[Kammera]

Has this group ever read The Three Body Problem series? Simply amazing by Chinese author Cinxin Lui (hope I spelled that right) Do yourselves a favor and read these books. If not, I nominate this series.

[Shel, Moderator]

Hi Kammera, we read the first book last year in March 2019, so it's ineligible for re-nomination right now. But thank you for reminding me that I've been meaning to look up the rest of the series, because I loved the first book so much! Would you like to make another nomination? You've got until the end of today - I'll put the polls up tomorrow!

[Shel, Moderator]

Preliminary poll is up! I'm going to make it easy on myself and leave it up until February 18th, which is the day I'll be opening polls for the May read. There are ten amazing choices! Going to be a tough decision!

As usual, the top two vote-getters will go on to a final poll.

Click here for the poll!

[Shel, Moderator]

Hi all,
I apologize for this - it is my fault! - but we need to re-do the preliminary poll. It was brought to my attention that I treated the nominations inconsistently with regards to group policy. Historically, the group has not been as strict with series nominations as we are with the monthly reads to avoid repetition, and I did not realize that. Plus, I let through the Culture nomination even though the group is currently reading a Culture novel. So I've created a new version of the poll that includes two more of the suggestions that were nominated and initially rejected. Please click and vote again! I have set the poll to stay open through Thursday, February 20th.

Click here for the new and improved poll!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Thank you, Shel, for redoing the poll.

And thanks to the group members for your patience as we mods continue to grow in our roles. We are all relatively new at being moderators and we are always learning from each other and the various situations that arise.

[Atlanta]

Voted

[Shel, Moderator]

Final poll is up!

Vote here!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Should we start the series in April? Let people finish up with Realm of the Elderlings and have time to get the books in the next series? Say April 15?

[Shel, Moderator]

Sounds good to me!