SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
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The Many-Colored Land
Group Reads Discussions 2020
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"The Many-Colored Land" First Impressions *No Spoilers*
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Nearly 40 years ago I found the paperback of this (actually, The Many-Coloured Land, but I assume it's the same book ...) on a train, read it and loved it. I know have the full set of this and the other books in the same 'world'. I look forward to the discussion, and hope I can find time to re-read the book this month.
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I cheated and started reading the sample for this a couple days ago to make sure I'd like it.Started off somewhat confusing, mainly due to my insufficient vocabulary. ;) I was looking up definitions left and right. After the prologue and first few chapters, I wasn't sure if I'd take the plunge.
But, currently through the first 8 chapters and it's settled down. Bought the book and plan to read it this month. Looking forward to it!
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Ten percent in. Already introduced to a bzillion characters, and only one has grabbed my attention so far. Every chapter feels like the beginning of a new novel. Not sure about this at all.
Alex wrote: "Ten percent in. Already introduced to a bzillion characters, and only one has grabbed my attention so far. Every chapter feels like the beginning of a new novel. Not sure about this at all."I kind of thought the same thing. I feel like once I got through to where I am now I understood why that approach to telling the story was taken. I'm curious if it'll end up focusing on a couple of the characters going forward.
I read this when I was like 12 or 13 or something, and remember loving it, but I remember *nothing* substantial about it, so I’m curious to see how I’ll feel about it as an adult.
Well, gosh, this isn't something I expected to see for a reading discussion thing.The Many-Colored Land was actually the first "adult" novel I ever purchased. I used to browse the bookstore section at Belks while my mom looked at clothes and it was during one such trip when the cover for this novel caught my eye (NOT the cover above). I'd just moved up into YA science fiction (thank you, Anne McCaffrey) and I got a little too ambitious. It took a good chunk of time and a few failed attempts before I could even read it but I think it was a good experience.
Anyway, the book itself was fantastically imaginative. It felt "fantasy" while being very much "sci-fi" under the hood and blended the two wonderfully. I especially liked that it had very different characters who came from a variety of backgrounds and had extremely different experiences in the "new" world they found themselves in.
I think I might like to re-read this and see if it's as good as I remember.
I read this, oh, 4 years ago, I think. I loved it. Yes, the plethora of characters is hard to take at the beginning and then when the story takes off I wished there were a character index or something. I might actually have referred to it. That said, it really wasn’t that huge of a problem. I’m hoping to have some time to dip into this to refresh my memory.
I'm going to keep going with it for the time being. Give it a fair shot. Honestly, it might just be me, since nothing seems to be working for me lately.
Allison, why did you link that horrifying cover? XD
I started it a few days ago and I see that I'd have loved is as a teen, but it seems too mixed up now
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IF I HAD TO SUFFER, EVERYONE MUST!
...Also because I don't know how to change editions on the cover listed for the book topic.
Oh, I see now, that's what comes up when you type "many-colored" as opposed to "many-coloured". I still don't know why the Brit edition is the default one, but it's already on the shelf, so we'll let it be!
This is a re-read for me. I re-read it when the Intervention Series and the Galactic Milieu Trilogy came out. During my first read, I too was overwhelmed with all the character introduction and gave up after 80 pages. Later that year, I finished a book in the afternoon and that evening I was looking for something else to read and picked this back up. Once I made it past those 80 pages, I couldn't put it down.
I read this in 1983, loved it and have been looking for an excuse to re-read it. I hope it's as good as I remember it!
I'd forgotten this was this month's book. Right now, by coincidence, I'm finishing up a reread of Intervention and loving it. I don't think I'll go back to The Many-Coloured Land right now, but I'm definitely going to follow the discussion. I read the Pliocene books in the 80s, but not immediately on publication. I was buying on paperback publication by Intervention and hardcovers by Diamond Mask.
I read this back in the 80's and loved it. I recently re-read it and read the second . I intend to at least finish the 3rd in the series to complete my re-read. I will join in the discussion!
Read the prologue last night, and wow, that's a lot that the book just starts throwing at you. Also, the cover gets more fantastically ridiculous each time I look at it.
I'm listening to the audio book (bc I had a audible credit and my local library doesn't have a copy, lol) and I'm intrigued, so far. It feels very similar, in writing style/tone, to The Stars My Destination and parts of The Dispossessed so I'm suspecting there were just slightly different norms/tropes for writing sci-fi in the 80s. Some of the characters interest me, some REALLY DON'T, and I'm mildly worried about the whole idea of 'primal' instincts/desires/etc bc that has a tendency to get into philosophical territory I strongly disagree with. That said, it's the beginning of the book, I'm only on like chapter 6, anything could happen.
First time reading the book. I’m liking it so far.
I’m 35% in now, and enjoying it far more.
In the early going, I’m finding it enjoyably boisterous in its dialogue scenes, and I’m admiring the kitchen-sink approach to the subject matter. I’m kind of amazed that I got so into this as a teenager, because it’s got a fair amount of esoteric content. I was hoping for this to be a kind of rollicking adventure, and I’m happy to say that it seems to be so.
I have loved this series for years. I re-read it intermittently, and am always struck by the clever interweaving of the story lines.Despite the passing of years, this book still works amazingly well.
I read this book quite a while ago and really liked it. I know ive reread the series at least once but it's been a while so I think I'll jump in an reread it Again
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Allison wrote: "I've waited to say that this almost instantly lost me."Allison -- it was very rough going for me as well, at first. But I ended up really enjoying it!
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Allison wrote: "I've waited to say that this almost instantly lost me."I also had a negative reaction right from the start. I didn't make it past the online preview. Luckily there are hundreds of other group books that I can/will read instead.
Allison wrote: "I've waited to say that this almost instantly lost me."I was in the same camp.
Then, about 10-13% in it all started to click and I'm really enjoying the book.
I started this over the weekend and it felt really, really familiar but not quite like I'd read it before, so I did a bit of research into the series and I'm fairly sure that many, many years ago I read The Golden Torque, which is the sequel, but not this one. I'm kind of dying of laughter.
Melani wrote: "I started this over the weekend and it felt really, really familiar but not quite like I'd read it before, so I did a bit of research into the series and I'm fairly sure that many, many years ago I..."Haven't read The Golden Torc yet, but I'd have to imagine with the way this story is told, reading it out of order could be confusing.
Desmond wrote: "Melani wrote: "I started this over the weekend and it felt really, really familiar but not quite like I'd read it before, so I did a bit of research into the series and I'm fairly sure that many, m..."I was kind of confused, but I rolled with it. The library didn't have any others in the series and I read every sci-fi/fantasy book the library had, but also didn't use inter-library loan for some reason.
I've read about thirty-five pages so not a lot but I'm hoping the author lands someplace. Every situation was okay but then it switched.
Just over 300 pages and surprisingly there have been a couple of scenes I remember from 40 years ago.
Desmond wrote: "I cheated and started reading the sample for this a couple days ago to make sure I'd like it.Started off somewhat confusing, mainly due to my insufficient vocabulary. ;) I was looking up definiti..."
Had the very same experience regarding the vocabulary. I hope it gets better later on.
Henrique wrote: "Desmond wrote: "I cheated and started reading the sample for this a couple days ago to make sure I'd like it.Started off somewhat confusing, mainly due to my insufficient vocabulary. ;) I was loo..."
It does improve. Glad to know I'm not alone!
Finally made it through part one and it has been struggle. If it doesn't improve quickly going to put it down.
I started reading The Many-Coloured Land back in the 1990s but wound up tossing it after 20-30 pages. This time I persevered past that point. The first 50-60 pages has a lot of introducing characters and ideas. It's only after those 50-60 pages that the author starts to tie it all together. Patience is needed to get to the good parts.
Necroposting: I found this available on my streaming service and gave it a try. I'm roughly 10% in and I'm not paying enough attention ^^'. The multiple character introduction is a bit much. I already forgot about some of them. It feels like No Enemy But Time, which I ended up not liking. There was a thing with earth's early past in the 80ies, was there?
SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
No Enemy But Time (other topics)The Many-Coloured Land (other topics)
The Stars My Destination (other topics)
The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia (other topics)
Please, leave all specifics (ex. about characters, plot, shifts in tone etc) for the full discussion thread, up in a few days.
Content warnings for those who'd like them :(view spoiler)[ homophobia, misogyny, racism, slurs against the Roma, jingoism, slavery, coercion of will, rape, loss of a loved one. (hide spoiler)]