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 2022?
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Colin
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Jun 13, 2022 05:25PM
I am still trying to sort out how I feel about Atomic Anna
by Rachel Barenbaum, which I finished today. This is a time travel story and the time travel aspects are very well done. I thought there were a couple of points of discontinuity and a point on radio telescopes I wonder about, but they were not a problem to me in reading. The characters were very well written. They were tragic in many ways and I could feel the pain in reading their stories because I became invested in them. For 96.5% of the book, I did not want to put it down, was completely in its grip, was speculating on how it would turn out while I was doing other things, and was sure it was a 5-star read. Then the ending dropped me like a sack of mail that falls off the postal truck and goes 'splat' on the ground. (view spoiler)[ I dislike endings where, mirabile dictu, all tragedy is wiped away, the inexorable approach of doom is miraculously averted by a quick and simple maneuver that could have been done before, and everyone lives happily ever after. (hide spoiler)] Sigh. I would recommend this to readers who like time travel stories and stories set in a realistic near past, in this case, the Chernobyl disaster.
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I've read several different things of late since the last time I posted.Lord Valentine's Castle, which was a good classic fantasy
H. Paul Honsinger's two prequels to the most excellent, but sadly truncated, Man of War series: Deadly Nightshade and The Hunters of Vermin
Bernard Cornwell's fabulous historical fiction War of the Wolf
Rachel Neumeier's fun and entertaining Keraunani
And Steven Brust's Orca, which is number 7 in the Vlad Taltos series.
I'm now in the middle of Brust's Dragon.
Colin wrote: "the ending dropped me like a sack of mail that falls off the postal truck and goes 'splat' on the ground..."I love that, Colin 😂
How can you not like this book? I just read
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa. This has all the boxes checked by the time you finish the title. This is a story about the power of books, of reading, and of empathy. It's a wonderful tale, a real feel-good book. And it does feature a talking tabby. It is a very quick read. I would recommend it to anyone who likes books and reading, which means I would recommend it to anyone who clicks on these pages. Also recommended to anyone who likes a blunt-speaking cat.
Another Time, Another Place
by Jodi TaylorChronicles of St. Mary's #12. Really liked this one, actual suspense. This is #12, by this time either you're familiar with the series or you're not. 4 stars.
Colin wrote: "How can you not like this book? I just read The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa. This has all the boxes checked by the time you f..."okay, I am intrigued.
I should have added that its category could be magical realism.
Finished A Mirror Mended This author can do no wrong as far as I am concerned! My review : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Jacqueline wrote: "Agree Phrynne. Loved it."🙂
I'm currently reading The Martian Chronicles, and I was wondering if the chapter headings have been changed. when I read it in high school around 1981 the beginning chapters had years like 1999. Now the same chapters have years like 2030. Did they change it to have future years?
Wikipedia says “As 1999 approached, the fictional future written into the first edition was in jeopardy, so the work was revised and a 1997 edition was published to advance all of the dates by 31 years (with the plot running from 2030 to 2057 instead of 1999 to 2026).”Different editions also include a few dfferent stories.
Wow. That's a little surprising to me. I wonder whether it will be updated again in 2028. Interesting that the title of 1984 was never updated. LOL.
Thanks. I am currently reading a new 2013 edition.
2001: A Space Odyssey would be interesting too. The HAL-9000 computer mentions he went online in January 1992.
Another week's read all for the popsugar book challenge promptsThe Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim was an utter delight in the first half of the book. With a lively, sassy and playful prose did the author write about 4 women who booked an Italian castle for one month in April. The women, who are all very different in personality, don't know each other, but all of them want to escape their normal life for a bit. I loved to read about their misunderstandings and the tentative attempts in forming friendships.
Unfortunately the author decided to bring in the husbands and other men in the second half which stole away from the enchantment for me. I would have loved to read a book solely about those women and their relationships to one another.
(For the popsugar prompt "A book that takes place during your favorite season")
The Other Husband by Kathryn Croft was a cleverly written psychological thriller which I enjoyed a lot. The end was a bit bumpy, but the ride till there was great. I usually don't read thriller, so I can't tell how typical for the genre it is. As a newbie I at least was pleased with the read.
(for the popsugar prompt "A book with cutlery on the cover or in the title")
Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier is one of the better typical medieval setting Fantasy books. The story was inspired by the plague, the characters are interesting and there is neither a chosen one trope in sight nor a dragon. But the biggest plus for sure is the virtually critically endangered circumstance that it is a standalone. - yes, a medieval Fantasy story where the author didn't feel the need to create the next series out of. So refreshing!
(for the popsugar prompt "A book by a Pacific Islander author")
1984 by George Orwell - it was a long time due that I finally read the classic. And to my surprise it is a lot more readable than I would have thought. Disturbing, though, is the fact that it still feels very much like a possible future. So the reading was intermingled with a sensation of real life dread.
(for the popsugar prompt "A book set in the 1980s")
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is another one of those books that everybody seems to have read, so when I saw that it fit one of the prompts I went for it. Unfortunately it didn't work for me. I could not get into characters or story. A bit like my dislike for the also hyped "A little life". Both take place in the environment of hollywood, so I guess that just isn't for me.
(for the popsugar prompt "A book with a misleading title")
Was able to find
A Mirror Mended by Alix Harrow and read it immediately having loved A Spindle Splintered. This one turns Snow White upside down and inside out. The story is well-told, and manages to be sufficiently opaque about where it is headed that it's fun. For a short novella, the characters are well-drawn. The one thing that bothered me was the unrelenting sarcasm of the narrator and (dare I say) protagonist. By the end, it got to be too much. I would recommend this book to readers who like fractured/re-told fairy tales and/or LGBTQ fiction.
Yeah Gabi I’ve given up on Popsugar and ATY this year. Can’t be bothered worrying about prompts. I was fine at the start of the year but have lost interest. We read 1984 for school in the late 70s (79 I believe) along with other books along the same lines. Logan’s Run, Brave New World, and Z for Zachariah. We had a very dystopian themed year. It was for our School Certificate year. The Comprehension part of our final English exam was Ray Bradbury’s “There Will Come Soft Rains” about a nuclear bomb attack. It was still during the Cold War and everything was still on a knifes edge at the time. Here in Australia you do the School Certificate at around 16 and can leave to work or go on to do your Higher School Certificate to be able to go to University. I think that we’re already there in a lot of ways. Truths are always changing and a number of countries aren’t as free as they believe. Big Brother is watching. It actually really is scary when you think about it.
Gabi wrote: "The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim was an utter delight in the first half of the book. With a live..."I've had Elizabeth and Her German Garden on TBR for quite a while, but haven't yet read it. The GR blurb doesn't mention boring stuff like husbands :D but who knows when it comes to literature of this age. In any case, the gardening and/or outdoor aspect is what made it most appealing for me.
I'm reading Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord for the Circadian Challenge and it's a good read. Magical Realism mixed with a fairy tale and based on a folk tale from Senegal. The author is from Barbados.
Did you read the BOTM by Karen Lord The Best of All Possible Worlds, CBR? It took me a while to warm to it but after I got over that hump it was a really fun ride. The audio in particular is a lot of fun.
I don’t think it’s stated anywhere but Unraveling is sort of a sequel to Redemption in Indigo, or a companion with some of the same characters.
Beth wrote: "Did you read the BOTM by Karen Lord The Best of All Possible Worlds, CBR? It took me a while to warm to it but after I got over that hump it was a really fun ride. The audio in part..."no I haven't but I've now added it to my Wish List on Amazon
read calculating stars way too quickly on my trip, so I bought at a small bookstore brian aldis's greybeard. never read him before, foreword ripped children of men (the book). I only seen the movie. anyhoo, good book so far!
B wrote: "I just picked up a copy of Our Lady of the Artilects after i saw it on a kindle promotion. I loved it! Its different---kind of a blend of sci fi amd spirituality. Very interesting characters and plot."Nice! Going to check that one out.
Thomas wrote: "I've dived into the first half of the second Stormlight book Words of Radiance and loved every second of it. I'll give myself a breather before starting the second half though. I ..."
I love Brandon Sanderson!
I'm also reading the Stormlight series now. Have you read anything else by him?
Thomas wrote: "I have complete faith in Brandon's writing and am confident this series is going to be something truly special when it's finished."For sure! Since my first read I made it my goal to read through as many epic Fantasy as I can to catch all the "must have reads". And so far absolutely nothing compares.
Beth wrote: "I've had Elizabeth and Her German Garden on TBR for quite a while, but haven't yet read it. The GR blurb doesn't mention boring stuff like husbands :D but who knows when it comes to literature of this age. In any case, the gardening and/or outdoor aspect is what made it most appealing for me."Her prose is simply lovely, adorable, charming, witty ... everything. So even if there should be boring husbands in there it is worth the read, Beth. :D
I recently finished a great military scifi book called A Choice of Treasons by an unknown-to-me author. I'll be the first in a virtual line if the sequel ever is released! I finished Suelen last night, the latest release in the Tuyo series. As usual by this author, great book.
Now I'm continuing my Vlad Taltos series reread with Issola. I think it's #9 (?).
A couple of "real" finished books, and one concession:Children of Time: this one took quite some time to finish, mostly because over the course of a couple of years, I kept getting bored 1/3 of the way through, dropping it, and restarting it a few months later. I'm not sure why I didn't just DNF it after a couple of cycles like this, but once I got most of the way through, I appreciated it a lot more. The non-human society is absolutely fascinating. (review)
The Wandering Inn: Book 1: this was the concession. This is a web serial that's been running for a few years now. I enjoyed the episodes that I read, but the author's written 90 or so full-sized novels' worth of "pretty good fanfic" level writing now and there's no way on earth I'll be able to catch up, considering I can only finish about 1/3 that in a year if I'm not pushing myself. (review)
Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter (Light Novel) Vol. 1: speaking of fanfic-level writing, here's another light novel. Nothing all that special here, aside from its being a power fantasy of a different kind than you usually see in Japanese YA media. (review)
Guilty Pleasures: this was a blast from my early '90s past! There's a lot about it that hasn't held up all that well, to put it kindly, but there was enough there for me to enjoy above and beyond nostalgia for UF, that was new and shiny at the time. Yes, I know where this series goes after volume 10 or so. It remains to be seen if I manage to get that far, since I only read about five of these back in the day. (review)
I read The Philip K. Dick MEGAPACK ®: 15 Classic Science Fiction Stories. Early short stories, now in public domain.Some good stuff, but also some pretty crude, uninteresting pulpish material in my opinion. A good many of the stories involve grim, ongoing war settings. I wonder if this reflects awareness of the Korean conflict as well as the Cold War.
Finished
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher in a little more than two flights and an airport layover. Great read! It is the story of a young princess out to kill the prince and save her sister, told with panache and a sense of humor. The characters were great, especially the heroine, with excellent depth and their individual foibles. (Have to love a demon chicken!) I have heard that some people think the story is rather dark, but I don't think so. I would not hesitate to recommend it to younger readers. Beyond that, I would highly recommend it to those who like fantasy, magical realism, and fairy tales flipped on their heads.
I'm reading (almost finished) Winterlight, which is the latest in the Green Rider series. It's a big book! Really enjoyable - I like it much better than the previous few. I think she's back to what made the first few in the series so enjoyable and interesting - with added growth & reflection/wisdom. Really thoughtful, as well as engaging.
I just finished reading The Hanging Artist by Jon Steinhagen was was very entertaining. It's a bit of magical realism with Franz Kafka and Gregor the cockroach solving a murder mystery. There's even a review by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic) for the book
Colin wrote: "Finished Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher in a little more than two flights and an airport layover. Great read! It is the story of a young princess o..."Having tried to catch a Chicken or five as a kid. I am pretty sure that describes all Chickens.
I'm reading the most recent issue of Science New this morning and I've been listening to
Poisonfeather by Matthew FitzSimmons
I am on a fairy tale retelling streak. But they couldn’t be more different: Spinning Silver (Naomi Novik) and A Mirror Mended (Alix E. Harrow). I enjoyed both of them very much and I probably would not have liked A Mirror Mended as much if it had been in a similar vein as the other.
Spinning Silver is straight fantasy folk tale retelling. I’m not sure if I know a tale that follows this storyline or if this is a Polish/Russian tale or several, but it is wonderful. My only issue was that it seemed to end at about 70% only to have it heave back up and tell the real ending.
A Mirror Mended is told from the point of view of a modern young woman who gets thrown into the multiverse of fairy tales. Actually, one in particular (Sleeping Beauty), but in this 2nd volume of the series, something strange happens. It’s all wonderfull snarky dialogue, but quite introspective.
I recommend both highly!
Another week, another update on my popsugar reads:Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson: I have read this one aloud to my boys during our breakfasts for the last months. Suprisingly (or embarrassingly ^^') I could not recall a single detail on characters or plot even though I've listened to it only 3 years ago. So it was like reading a new book to me, which was kind of nice. The boys were once again instantly on board. They liked it not as much as the Stormlight Archives, but it definitely cemented their love for Sanderson. I tried to squeeze in a Tchaikovsky next, but both were adamant that we start Mistborn next. :D
(for the popsugar prompt "A book about the afterlife")
Laugenweckle zum Frühstück by Elisabeth Kabatek is a German chick lit that I would have never ever picked up without the challenge. It turned out to be a very funny popcorn listen. It is set in Stuttgart and the narrator spoke some of the characters with Swabian accent which was super nostalgia cute. I had fun and a light palate cleanser for sure.
(for the popsugar prompt "Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (1)")
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones has a good concept with blending horror and tradition. The first half was interesting and brutal. But overall there were too many parts where I dearly wished the editor would have cut. It felt unbalanced.
(for the popsugar prompt "A social-horror book")
Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake by Sarah Graves - don't ask :D. It is fun to read several totally-not-Gabi books this year. I had absolute no idea what to do with this prompt. So I went for this rather average murder novel.
(for the popsugar prompt "A book with a recipe in it")
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult - I always avoided stories with holocaust topics because I was sure they would break me. But this one didn't work at all on an emotional level for me, which I found very strange. Everything felt distant and the structure was off. It is a high rated book, but I clearly couldn't re-create the enthusiasm.
(for the popsugar prompt "A book about a secret")
28/50 books down
Gabi wrote: "The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones has a good concept with blending horror and tradition. The first half was interesting and brutal. But overall there were too many parts where I dearly wished the editor would have cut. It felt unbalanced."Just to offer a different view: I thought it was strong beginning to end, not just offering a horror story, which it does, but tapping into traditional Native American beliefs as well as showing some of the life on Reservations. On the whole, a very good novel.
I've been on an Imogen Church kick lately. What that means is I listen to anything narrated by her, without reading the blurb first. I've read some pretty bad thrillers :S Imagine my surprise when today I noticed that she narrates a scifi novella that's on my TBR! Obviously I jumped right on it.My brain is so confused :D I'm laughing in disbelief. She is a favorite narrator of mine, but I think I've only listened to mysteries and domestic thrillers by her, and a couple of general fiction books. Definitely no scifi! OK so lovely voice, used to enjoying just listening to it, no matter what it says. Now imagine hearing this:
"As the haze of the supernova’s detonation wavefront darkened and dissipated across interstellar space, the full scale of the destruction was revealed. There was no planetary system anymore, only a zone of total annihilation with a small, radio-silent husk at the centre. The quark star: with its outer shell of neutronium containing differentiated layers of quark material, which in turn formed a prison around the core of strange matter. A prison which would shield its secret composition until the heat death of the universe."
read in the same voice/style as this:
"Your dad’s off to the chippy."
or:
"Hope the last exam went well! I’ve got some money for you in case you want to go out and celebrate with the girls. Remind me when I get home. Xx"
(edit: It's very important that you know that 'xx' is read as 'kisskiss')
or something along the lines of (not an actual quote):
"... and THAT'S when I realized my husband/daughter/mother/best friend/ex-lover's dog was a MURDERER!"
XD
I'm not saying there's something wrong with the narration, just that my brain can't process that Imogen Church is reading this. It's like ... idk, like Patrick Stewart reading erotica? (If that exists, please DM me asap.) Lovely to listen to, very professional, the association is just all wrong.
(It's Light Chaser.)
Oh my gosh! I love that Patrick Stewart comment!
Looks like there are two paying customers if that audiobook exists! :D
Not in the SFF category, just read
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I don't generally read horror at all, but I've been reading a number of her works and my older daughter highly recommended it. This book gets a "wow"! The setting is a creepy mansion on a hill outside a small, rural Mexican town. This is where a young woman is sent to find out what is wrong with her cousin, who recently married into this family. The set up was terrific, with the progression from "something is a little weird here" to "this is getting spooky" to real horror being like the slow glide to the sudden drop on a roller coaster. The evil was great, even if that seems oxymoronic. (view spoiler) I give this a strong recommendation for all horror fans.
Colin wrote: "Not in the SFF category, just read Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I don't generally read horror at all, but I've been reading a number of..."I'm not a horror fan and I really didn't care for it very much.n Seemed like a gothic romance with a touch of horror thrown in.
I would buy that book narrated by Patrick Stewart.
I read Mexican Gothic about a year ago. For me it was a 4 star book.
DivaDiane wrote: "I would buy that book narrated by Patrick Stewart."LOL! Look what Anna started.
DivaDiane wrote: "I would buy that book narrated by Patrick Stewart."🤭
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