June 2021 Off-Earth/Another Planet/Space Setting Action Group Read Nominations

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Literary Adrenaline Junkie]

Hey fellow Actioners! Sorry this is so late. I am finally done with my BFA degree, so I hopefully should have more free time again other than my two jobs. I hope to not be so behind on everything in the near future.

That said, it's past time to select our group read for June. Since it's so late, we'll have to do something creative. Instead of a week to pick a topic, we'll give ourselves five days, and then three days to vote.

Our theme is Off-Earth/Another Planet/Space Setting, so our nomination should not be on earth for most of the book and it must have action/adventure content. Otherwise, it just needs to meet the other guidelines below.

Here are some other things to consider when you make your nomination:


1. One nomination per group member. The books must be nominated with a Goodreads link by clicking on 'add book/author'. If a book does not have a Goodreads link, it will not be added to the poll.
2. Books need to be readily available, ie, in print (able to buy new or in ebook format).
3. Books should have some degree of action/adventure content.
4. Past group reads are not eligible to be nominated again. The past group discussions remain open for members to comment. You can view the list of past reads here:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

5. Books must be either standalone or first in a series (or they may be later in a series if constructed to be read as a standalone).
6. Authors are asked not to nominate their own books or solicit nominations from members.

The poll will go up on May 28th!

Thanks for putting up with me.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Literary Adrenaline Junkie]

I'm going to nominate Revenger by Alastair Reynolds.

The galaxy has seen great empires rise and fall. Planets have shattered and been remade. Amongst the ruins of alien civilizations, building our own from the rubble, humanity still thrives.

And there are vast fortunes to be made, if you know where to find them.

Captain Rackamore and his crew do. It's their business to find the tiny, enigmatic worlds which have been hidden away, booby-trapped, surrounded by layers of protection—and to crack them open for the ancient relics and barely-remembered technologies inside. But while they ply their risky trade with integrity, not everyone is so scrupulous.

Adrana and Fura Ness are the newest members of Rackamore's crew, signed on to save their family from bankruptcy. Only Rackamore has enemies, and there might be more waiting for them in space than adventure and fortune: the fabled and feared Bosa Sennen in particular.

Revenger is a science fiction adventure story set in the rubble of our solar system in the dark, distant future—a tale of space pirates, buried treasure, and phantom weapons, of unspeakable hazards and single-minded heroism and of vengeance...

[Lianne]

I am nominating Empire of Bones by Terry Mixon, a space opera in the style of classic sf. It’s self published, but still an excellent read.

The Terran Empire is dead. Long live the Empire!

Commander Jared Mertz, the bastard son of the Emperor, and his half-sister, Princess Kelsey, barely speak to one another. To their dismay, their father seizes an opportunity to change that and sends them on a dangerous quest to explore the fallen Empire.

Separated from home by an impassable gulf and struggling to redefine their relationship, they find themselves thrust into a vicious war. Unless they work together to stop the Empire’s deadly legacy, billions face a horrific fate.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Literary Adrenaline Junkie]

Lianne wrote: "I am nominating The Empire of Bones by Terry Mixon, a space opera in the style of classic sf. It’s self published, but still an excellent read.

The Terran Empire is dead. Long live the Empire!

C..."

Please post a goodreads link, Lianne. Thanks!

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I'll nominate: Steel World

The first in the Undying Mercenaries Series.

[Kanishka]

I am nominating Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission--and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, he realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Alone on this tiny ship that's been cobbled together by every government and space agency on the planet and hurled into the depths of space, it's up to him to conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And thanks to an unexpected ally, he just might have a chance.

Part scientific mystery, part dazzling interstellar journey, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian--while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.

[Jim]

I'll nominate Outpost by W. Michael Gear. It's the first of a trilogy, but stands well enough alone. Gear is an anthropologist with a lot of hands on experience as is his wife which helps a lot with the world building. It's never boring, with plenty of adventure & a lot of really dangerous local wildlife that interacts with the invading humans more than they suspect at first. Excellent, relatable characters, including the bad guys.

It's available in ebook & audiobook. I found it on my library's site in audio. Having read his Spider trilogy a decade ago, I gave it a shot & wasn't disappointed. This was every bit as good.

[Agnieszka]

I nominate Solaris by Stanisław Lem

A classic work of science fiction by renowned Polish novelist and satirist Stanislaw Lem.

When Kris Kelvin arrives at the planet Solaris to study the ocean that covers its surface, he finds a painful, hitherto unconscious memory embodied in the living physical likeness of a long-dead lover. Others examining the planet, Kelvin learns, are plagued with their own repressed and newly corporeal memories. The Solaris ocean may be a massive brain that creates these incarnate memories, though its purpose in doing so is unknown, forcing the scientists to shift the focus of their quest and wonder if they can truly understand the universe without first understanding what lies within their hearts.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Literary Adrenaline Junkie]

Agnieszka wrote: "I nominate Solaris by Stanisław Lem

A classic work of science fiction by renowned Polish novelist and satirist Stanislaw Lem.

When Kris Kelvin arrives at the planet So..."

Is this action/adventure? I thought this was more of a philosophical science fiction.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Literary Adrenaline Junkie]

Danielle The Book Huntress (Wants to Read More) wrote: "Agnieszka wrote: "I nominate Solaris by Stanisław Lem

A classic work of science fiction by renowned Polish novelist and satirist Stanislaw Lem.

When Kris Kelvin arrive..."


Sorry, I didn't can't add this to the poll because it's not really an action/adventure oriented book. I try to be pretty wide about the qualifications, however I can't see this fitting the group's theme. Please feel free to contact me by PM if you have some thoughts on it for a future poll as to why it is a good fit.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Literary Adrenaline Junkie]

Here's the poll. It will close on May 31st after 11:59 PST.

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

[Jim]

I would have liked to nominate Planet of the Gawfs by Steve Vance. It's a lot of fun, but I can't find it for less than $15 (10x the original cover price) plus shipping even though someone has run around adding it to the "Inflation Fighter Series".

[Agnieszka]

Danielle The Book Huntress (Wants to Read More) wrote: " Danielle The Book Huntress (Wants to Read More) wrote: "Agnieszka wrote: "I nominate Solaris by Stanisław Lem

A classic work of science fiction by renowned Polish nove..."

Sorry I missed your message yesterday - the joys of time zones. I have no idea what's it about, only it's the only SF book I need for a challenge and was hoping it would fit - so no worries.
The fact I'm not going to vote or participate in the next month's BOTM has nothing to do with my book non making the poll, only that it's a genre I really don't like. We'll see if the August one will fit better :-D

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Literary Adrenaline Junkie]

No worries, Agnieszka.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Literary Adrenaline Junkie]

Jim wrote: "I would have liked to nominate Planet of the Gawfs by Steve Vance. It's a lot of fun, but I can't find it for less than $15 (10x the original cover price) plus shipping..."

It sucks when books go out of print.