SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
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Dreamsnake
Group Reads Discussions 2020
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"Dreamsnake" First Impressions *No Spoilers*
Looking forward to this! It’ll be a few days before I start, though; finishing the dense but fascinating Wolf Hall first, and then Shadowshaper since it’s a library book and will be due back.
Not a spoiler, but for those who don't know, the first chapter was originally published as Of Mist, And Grass, And Sand and was my first introduction to Vonda N. McIntyre's work. It was published in Analog magazine.It totally, in the vernacular of the times, blew my mind.
I'll be interested in rereading this; I have such oddly vivid recollections of the 'sense' of this (so much so, that it comes to mind while reading other, comparable works), yet, I'm completely vague on remembering the plot or the events.
So I am a tad late for first impressions; having read this book nearly four (4) decades ago. I can say that this was one of the few paperbacks that is still on my bookshelf from that time ... so it obviously made some sort of impression. I was happy to see it again for this month's club selection and was totally up for a re-read (having discovered my tastes have significantly changed in the interim).This book ran contrary to most of the Sci-Fi I was reading at the time.
After the re-read, this book remains on my favorites shelf …
I’ve already read it but I am SO HAPPY that more people get to read it now! \o/
Mod
I've read it 8 months ago (which - for me - is equatable with 'decades ago' ... ^^') and at least I remember that I liked the beginning best.
I read this a couple years ago and really enjoyed it. My memory of the beginning was that it immediately sucked me in to the world and also set up some of the central mysteries of the rest of the book. One of my other reasons for picking this up to begin with is that I study amphibians and reptiles and the element of the snakes really intrigued me.
I bought this a couple years ago for a group read in a different GR group but had to set it aside due to some other demands on my time. I'm looking forward to reading it this time around. I'll probably start tomorrow, right after I finish The Testaments.
I look forward to reading this - it sounds very cool! I can't start it right away due to having to finish some other books first, but I'll join later in the month. :-)
Mod
I just downloaded this on my kindle The cover looks much better than the 80ties (?) version. I have absolutely no idea where this will take me, but it comes with a[dedication to come]
which intrigues me very much... has this been forgotten over the years or will it be part of the plot? Well, I look forward to finding out...
Sabrina, which edition do you have? I love this UK edition cover:
Yes, that's the one, I like it too!
my version came from bookviewcafe.com so it has this cover
I like snakes, but still this version looks a bit scary :-)
CBRetriever wrote: "my version came from bookviewcafe.com so it has this cover"I assume that's (view spoiler)
I am enjoying it so far. Love the setting!
Jemppu wrote: "I'll be interested in rereading this; I have such oddly vivid recollections of the 'sense' of this (so much so, that it comes to mind while reading other, comparable works), yet, I'm completely vag..."I know that feeling. Some books speak to your senses more, regardless of the plot and characters.
I finished the first chapter and so far I have mixed feelings.On one hand, I'm happy I finally got around to reading this book, because I really want to read sooner or later all classic female sci-fi authors (apart from Vonda N. McIntyre: Ursula K. Le Guin, Joanna Russ, James Tiptree Jr., etc.).
On the other hand, I get heavily triggered by violence against animals, so you can imagine that it's a very bumpy start...
Mod
This won't be a very popular response. I gave up after about 30 pages and jumped ship to the discussion covering Shadowshaper. It was just too boring. Weak dialog, no character development, story didn't move fast enough. And, in what world do we think a snake charmer can cure illness. If it exists, let's go there. It would be the end of our healthcare nightmare.
Mod
Hope Shadowshaper works better for you, John!
John wrote: "This won't be a very popular response. I gave up after about 30 pages and jumped ship to the discussion covering Shadowshaper. It was just too boring. Weak dialog, no character development, story d..."I remember feeling pretty similarly when I read it. It wasn't bad per se, it just never really caught my attention. I was never invested in the story or the characters. I slogged it through as part of my Hugo winners read.
I'm going to admit that i loved the first chapter when i read it as a short story but was not overly impressed with the rest of the book.
Do we put percentage/chapter location on content warning here or the spoiler thread? There was one that I found quite disturbing.
I think this thread is better for content warnings. Chapter and spoiler tags is fine!
That was uncomfortable for me as well! Allison did mention that in her list of CWs in the first post.
Silvana wrote: "Chapter 7 has ..."My mind had somehow completely misfiled that bit of plot, so it was a very curious surprise of a recollection to come across it here. I could've sworn it was something from McMaster Bujold's Paladin of Souls (what ever went on there then, I'm now wondering).
Jemppu wrote: "Silvana wrote: "Chapter 7 has ..."My mind had somehow completely misfiled that bit of plot, so it was a very curious surprise of a recollection to come across it here. I could've sworn it was fro..."
Hmm I vaguely remembered that one....was that the (view spoiler)
Silvana wrote: "Hmm I vaguely remembered that one...."Could be. Only thing I'm left with a recollection of for that bit of story is a bed ridden patriarch...
...and the rest is now an uncertain blur with this (view spoiler).
Allison wrote: "Oh Banshee, yes that would be rough!! I'm having difficulty recalling if what happens early on is repeated. Can someone please chime in?"90% mark when (view spoiler)
I just read the first chapter and I’m finding it wonderfully evocative and mysterious. I appreciate the sense of place and culture that’s being created, and that McIntyre doesn’t work hard at explaining anything, but allows the details to present themselves.
I just got my copy in the mail and I enjoyed this blurb from The New York Times Book Review (which I don't think reviews much science fiction anymore?):"While Dreamsnake is undeniably science fiction, the book itself can be enjoyed by people whose interest in and knowledge of science fiction does not extend much past Star Wars."
I am listening to the audio version of the book and so far I really like it. I think the concept of a snake being used in this fashion is really unique.
Mod
i'm glad people are enjoying this. i'm always grateful to have a really strong book if a YA wins too, and i think this is an enduring classic
I've just read the first two chapters. It's evocative in a sort of slow way which I really appreciate.
Any other Vonda McIntyre book I should read?
I'm about to start chapter 5. I agree with those who have found it interesting and I also agree with those who have found it slow-moving. The most interesting thing to me so far is the world McIntyre has created. It's a post-apocalyptic world (she claimed in interviews that it was meant to be Earth in the future, but I'm not sure if this is ever made clear in the book) and there are references to large cities that appear to be quarantining themselves to a large degree although our story is set in the wastelands. There are also references to people living offworld. The other thing that strikes me is how modern this story feels, especially for something published 41 years ago. There's a level of "political correctness" or "enlightenment" depending on your perspective that we've really seen blossom in the fantasy genre in the last 15 years or so. We have a strong female character, a lack of physical violence or confrontations, no antagonist in sight (at least not at this point, although one could always be introduced later), non-traditional family units with bisexuality implied in which members refer to each other as "partners," and males with non-traditional roles/behavior (caring for children, crying, etc.). Fairly progressive stuff for a book published in the heart of the Disco Era.
RJ from the LBC wrote: "Fairly progressive stuff for a book published in the heart of the Disco Era."But that was also one of the time periods where women's lib was blooming everywhere, so it's not that surprising
CBRetriever wrote: "RJ from the LBC wrote: "Fairly progressive stuff for a book published in the heart of the Disco Era."But that was also one of the time periods where women's lib was blooming everywhere, so it's n..."
I haven't read much SF/F from that time period that reflects all these values. I agree that the 70s weren't the 50s, but they weren't the 2000s either.
Mod
I just started today. I think I read this a very long time ago.
... in a galaxy far, far away. Sorry, my young daughter has been watching Star Wars a lot with us all stuck at home and the long time ago thing instantly had me think of the rest of the phrase.
Carry on.
Christopher wrote: "... in a galaxy far, far away. Sorry, my young daughter has been watching Star Wars a lot with us all stuck at home and the long time ago thing instantly had me think of the rest of the phrase.
..."
One could say it was in a galaxy far far away. While I feel like I have read this book, I don't remember the details or honestly very much about the story . But I do remember the beginning (view spoiler) . I have the same feeling. Just sick,
Allison wrote: "(RJ please just remember that we're trying to keep things that people have to read to learn out of this thread. Weird line to walk, but until spoiler tags are fixed, this is the best we can do :-/)"Hi Allison, I tried to keep plot spoilers out and left my comments fairly vague. Hope that's OK.
Mod
Diane wrote: "Silvana wrote: "Any other Vonda McIntyre book I should read?"The Moon and the Sun"
thank you!
SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Moon and the Sun (other topics)The Moon and the Sun (other topics)
Paladin of Souls (other topics)
Dreamsnake (other topics)
Dreamsnake (other topics)
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Please leave discussion of all specifics including plot points, character growth, any later-book changes in style etc. for the full discussion thread open in a few days!
Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[animal cruelty, snakes (obvs), rape, pedophilia, child abuse, medical procedures, mental illness, a sort-of-questionably consensual sex scene, torture, able-ism, drug addiction, death of a loved one. (hide spoiler)]