2023 Bookshelf Rereads

[Michelle]

The only one I read was Gardens of the Moon and I liked it. I never got around to the rest of the series.

[Stephen]

It doesn’t really seem like my kind of thing, but I seem to have a copy on my Kindle.

[HeyT]

I think at one point it was free from tor.com which is where you may have picked it up.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

It is long and it is complicated and bleak and based on a GURPS campaign. I liked Gardens of the Moon, but the series didn't carry me.

[Michelle]

What's a Gurps campaign, Allison?

Edit: Nevermind- I googled and found out.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

GURPS is a roleplaying game, like D&D! I, personally, have a hard time with books based on rpg games, I feel like I see the dice and see where players think things look cooler than anyone else would think.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I voted for books I wanna discuss in VBC lol

And, of course, the books you all mentioned, because (and I say this mostly for Mesal! Who did so great!) we heartily encourage campaigning here!

[Beth]

Mine are always a mishmash of things I:

- haven't seen mentioned in conversation in some time
- own
and/or
- think would be interesting to talk about in VBC (like Allison)

C'mon and vote, folks, there's plenty of good stuff to talk about and one person's vote shouldn't swing things as strongly as I did by going in there and clicking whatever caught my fancy....

[Xinqi]

I'll vote for the princess bride too! That sounds like a really fun read

[a.g.e. montagner]

Melanie wrote: "Maybe we vote in a few fantasy picks this time?"

Touché.
I usually focus on afrofuturism and the philosophical side of SF (Philip Dick, Le Guin) in this list. Historically I'm not good at campaigning, but I'm ready to shamelessly barter votes.

What about G. Willow Wilson?
Her run on Ms. Marvel was the best superhero cycle I've read in a while (including this year's Eisner winner...) and I'm curious about her novels.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Alif has lots to discuss in vbc too!

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Vote here: https://goo.gl/forms/joASo8yDfm9oGvDm2
Live results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Voting ends: August 25th / GR links to all books here

[Aga]

Looks good!

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

I'd like to discuss The Moon is a Harsh Mistress over Zoom. Just putting that out there.

[Melanie, the neutral party]

Ok, but I am actively avoiding that book 'cause I don't think I'll like it.

[Sarah]

The Mere Wife, The Just City, and The Vanished Birds all in the top six? That’s like three of my favorite books. This never happens 😂

[DivaDiane]

LOL, Sara!

Melanie, I actually liked The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, but it was a long time ago I read it. Stranger in a Strange Land, on the other hand, I hated!

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

I don't think you will hate it, Mel, but if you'd prefer to go with the three books Schix has mentioned instead I wouldn't be unhappy.

[Bobby]

I need to go back and read some of the Heinlein classics. Loved Starship Troopers. Stranger in a Strange Land was good. Have not read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Vote here: https://goo.gl/forms/joASo8yDfm9oGvDm2
Live results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Voting ends: August 25th / GR links to all books here

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

^ Voting updated

Get ready for the next rereads!

August 15th:
Red Mars >> First impressions | Final thoughts & More & Series
Brown Girl in the Ring >> First impressions | Final thoughts

[Kaia]

SFFBC wrote: "Get ready for the next rereads!

August 15th:
Red Mars >> First impressions | Final thoughts & More & Series
Brown Girl in the Ring >> First impressions ..."

I'm planning to read Brown Girl in the Ring - it will be a first-time read for me.

[CBRetriever]

Kaia wrote: "I'm planning to read Brown Girl in the Ring - it will be a first-time read for me. ."

me too

[Meredith]

SFFBC wrote: "Vote here: https://goo.gl/forms/joASo8yDfm9oGvDm2
Live results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Voting ends: August 25th / GR links to all books..."

I'm impressed, there seems to be a lot of movement at the top this round.

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Vote here: https://goo.gl/forms/joASo8yDfm9oGvDm2
Live results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Voting ends: August 25th / GR links to all books here

[a.g.e. montagner]

Thanks to whomever rescued N.K. Jemisin from being like no. 7 on this list.

[Anna]

It's still in the tied 7th (and 4th) spot! :D

edit: Actually 4th/8th right now.

[DivaDiane]

No no no! The Vanished Birds has to stay in!! I want to read it!

[Kaia]

DivaDiane wrote: "No no no! The Vanished Birds has to stay in!! I want to read it!"

I also want to read The Vanished Birds - please, someone else vote for it! :-)

[a.g.e. montagner]

Anna wrote: "It's still in the tied 7th (and 4th) spot! :D
edit: Actually 4th/8th right now."

I might be confused... but I only see one Jemisin in the top spots.

[DivaDiane]

Thank you!! I like this line up. Hopefully, I’ll be able to read them too!

[Anna]

a.g.e. montagner wrote: "I might be confused... but I only see one Jemisin in the top spots."

Yes, just the one, but it was tied with three other books for that top spot!

[Anna]

Vanished and Fifth are both in the top six at the moment :)

[Ranna (Ray) Marie]

This was one of the best lists I’ve seen in awhile! I definitely vote for more fantasy as well though. I have several of the books listed but haven’t read so it would be cool to see what gets chosen!

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Vote here: https://goo.gl/forms/joASo8yDfm9oGvDm2
Live results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Voting ends: August 25th / GR links to all books here

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Two days left to vote!

[Sarah]

Don’t suppose I can garner up a little more support for The Mere Wife?! I’d really love to reread it.

[Meredith]

I voted for Mere Wife too!

[CBRetriever]

I'd like to see these bump up

10 The Black Company (319 pgs)

9 Babel-17 (192 pgs)
9 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (512 pgs)

[a.g.e. montagner]

CBRetriever wrote: "I'd like to see these bump up
9 Babel-17 (192 pgs)"

So do I, but I've already voted for it...

Sarah wrote: "Don’t suppose I can garner up a little more support for The Mere Wife?! I’d really love to reread it."

I had the same idea. You can thank me later...

[DivaDiane]

I could only help with Babel-17. I’d already voted for the others.

[Meredith]

Mere Wife! 👏👏Mere Wife!👏👏 Mere Wife!👏👏

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Vote here: https://goo.gl/forms/joASo8yDfm9oGvDm2
Live results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Top 6 will become our October-December 2023 rereads.

18 The Princess Bride (398 pgs)
15 The Fifth Season (468 pgs)
15 The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (382 pgs)
15 The Vanished Birds (391 pgs)
13 Assassin's Apprentice (480 pgs)

12 The Just City (368 pgs)
12 The Mere Wife (308 pgs)
12 She Who Became the Sun (416 pgs)

11 Jade City (498 pgs)

10 The Black Company (319 pgs)
10 Flowers for Algernon (311 pgs)
10 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (512 pgs)

9 Babel-17 (192 pgs)
9 Frankenstein (273 pgs)
9 Good Omens (430 pgs)
9 The Name of the Wind (662 pgs)

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Here they are!

Option 1:

October 15:
The Princess Bride (398 pgs)
The Vanished Birds (391 pgs)

November 15:
The Fifth Season (468 pgs)
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (382 pgs)

December 15:
The Mere Wife (308 pgs)
Assassin's Apprentice (480 pgs)

[a.g.e. montagner]

If at all possible I'd ask to have The Fifth Season and The Moon in different months. Thanks!

[Anna]

I'll wait a bit to see if there are other requests, before I switch things around!

[Kaia]

I’d also appreciate it if Princess Bride and Vanished Birds were not in the same month.

[Anna]

OK good, let's switch those around.

Option 2:

October 15:
The Princess Bride (398 pgs)
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (382 pgs)

November 15:
The Fifth Season (468 pgs)
The Vanished Birds (391 pgs)

December 15:
The Mere Wife (308 pgs)
Assassin's Apprentice (480 pgs)

[a.g.e. montagner]

Kaia, we're a team.
Or more precisely, Anna shaped us int a team, with a flick of her wand.

[Anna]

:D