SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
SciFi and Fantasy Book Challenge
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2023 TBR Cleanup Challenge
One more down - I'm up to 12/20. (I realized that I had forgotten to tag two of my books, so I am further ahead than I realized.)20. Zero to hero - The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal (main character is trying to become the first "Lady Astronaut" in an alternate history where women are still considered unfit for such a role)
I really loved this one. I don't know if I'll go on to read the sequel, though. I feel like this book had enough of a conclusion for me, and I like being able to imagine what happens now.
Raucous wrote: "I've finished two more entries in the challenge:✔️ 1. Only one: Empress of Forever
✔️ 4. Four corners of the earth: The Genius of Birds (audio)
The Genius of Birds looks really interesting - I'm adding it to my TBR list! (Which kind of defeats the purpose of this challenge...but I like nonfiction, and I'm always on the lookout for recommendations.)
Kaia wrote: "I'm now at 9/20 also with this title:9. Nine-to-five - Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf by L.G. Estrella. I chose this title for the prompt due to the first paragraph, w..."
I have been slowly working my way through this book and it is almost a prime example of Out of Context Quotes. An amazing job by the author. Glad you liked it.
Raucous wrote: "I've finished two more entries in the challenge:✔️ 1. Only one: Empress of Forever
✔️ 4. Four corners of the earth: The Genius of Birds (audio)
1. Nothing said "o..."
Looks like some interesting books. Although the Birds one seems to be the more interesting read.
20. Zero to hero - Homeland by R.A. Salvatore (Drizz't Do'Urden begins his journey from the Underdark tp the surface where he will become a hero of the Forgotten Realms)⭐⭐⭐⭐I really enjoyed my re-read of this book and am glad that I decided to go back to it after all these years.
11. From the library - Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge (checked out from the library)⭐⭐⭐⭐What a charming mystery! Set in Paris, Tabitha stumbles onto a murder mystery and is bolstered (and taught to cook) by her neighbor, Julia Child. I'm adding this series to my continue list.
Tina wrote: "11. From the library - Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge (checked out from the library)⭐⭐⭐⭐What a charming mystery! Set in Paris, Tabitha stumbles onto a mur..."
I thought that looked like a cute mystery, so I'm glad to see a positive review. I'll be seeking it out (probably at my library).
finished7. Showstopper
Ancient Rockets: Treasures and Train Wrecks of the Silent Screen by Kage Baker
All about the shows (good and bad) - I figure one has to be a showstopper
turned out to be mostly about the silent movies but it was still an entertaining read.
this puts me at 11 out of 20
Tina wrote: "20. Zero to hero - Homeland by R.A. Salvatore (Drizz't Do'Urden begins his journey from the Underdark tp the surface where he will become a hero of the Forgotten Realms)⭐⭐⭐⭐I really enjoyed my re..."
When I first read the Drizz't book I was amazed at how well written they were considering the genre they came out of.
Just finished this one:8. Book page total ends in an 8 - The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen.
Merciless, cruel, fantastic writing.
This makes 8/20 :)
One more down (13/20) and another substitution:6. At sixes and sevens - I had planned to read Na Viro by Gina Cole, but I have been unable to get a copy of it through any of my usual sources, so it will have to wait. Instead, I read one that had been on my TBR list for quite some time - The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart. This was a read-aloud with my son, and it was pretty much non-stop excitement, intrigue, and peril for the main character the whole way through (and it was a very long book). It was a fun middle-grade fantasy read, though more-so for my son - which is fine, since he is the target audience. :-)
I've finished two more books for the TBR challenge: ✔️ 6. At sixes and sevens: The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter
✔️ 18. Around the Shelf: The Soul of an Octopus
6: The The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter tells the tale of six or seven women struggling to make a go of it in decidedly patriarchal Victorian England. "Young ladies in your situation often find it a relief to place their affairs in the hands of those who are more worldly, more wise in such matters. In short, Miss Jekyll, since you have recently come of age, you may choose to marry."
I appreciated the way that this story wove together multiple pieces of Victorian-era fiction into a coherent whole. I liked the characters and enjoyed reading about what they were able to accomplish despite their challenging upbringings and the stiff societal barriers that they faced. There was some great snark about gender roles here too (as above).
18: The Soul of an Octopus is a rarity: a book on my initial TBR challenge list that I actually read. It seemed appropriate to read it now during tentacle month here at SFFBC. The "shelf" here refers to the continental shelf.
This book doesn't quite live up to its full title but I found it engrossing. The author was clearly fascinated and not a little in love with the octopuses (primarily giant Pacific) that she met. It came through in her writing and actions. This book is less systematic than my last nature read, The Genius of Birds, but that helps make it more approachable.
Progress: 8/20
Anna wrote: "Tentacle month! :D(Brings back fond memories of my first mod poll! ^_^)"
Wow. That was the very first group poll that I voted in, before I noticed the weird way that GR handles poll comments, and I totally missed the theme. Doh. And I liked Day of the Tentacle so much.
Group poll twins! XD(Well, I obviously had voted in polls before I started doing mod polls, but close enough!)
Two more, 11/20 read.15. My old friend - After Atlas, investigating the murder of someone from their past. Really enjoyed this one.
13. Sweet Revenge - Tears of Pearl, killer driven by vengeance. This was okay but didn't make me feel like continuing with the series.
And here is another one, 9/206. At sixes and sevens - Lock In. This one was very much a Scalzi novel, fun and entertaining.
Creative responses that fit so well! Prompts like these leave me stumped. I have no idea how to relate them to books - except the more obvious ones, like 'text-only cover'. But reading yours and those of people who get this sort of thing is helpful and interesting.Edwin wrote: "My favorite challenge! I'm in, as always. Thanks mods!
16/24
✔1. Only one The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
–The only one on my TBR shelf set in Australia.
✔2. B..."
Half way through the year and I've managed 5 of 20 so far. 2. Binary - The Left Hand of Darkness LOVED this so much. I'm really glad the list prompted me to finally start it.
5. Five finger discount - Red Seas Under Red Skies Another amazing book that I have had so much fun reading.
8. Showstopper - The Great Elephant Chase
11. From the library - Aquanaut: A Life Beneath The Surface – The Inside Story of the Thai Cave Rescue Literally the first library book I read this year and it was in May. I think that means I'm doing well at reading from my TBR instead of picking up new books from elsewhere?
20. Zero to hero - Assassin's Apprentice Another book I adored. This challenge is good: three of my favourite books this year have come from it!
The number of books on the bookcase still doesn't seem to be decreasing though...
Finished1. Only one
I read the first book in the series and the other two are demanding that I finish them even if I don't want to do so. This will make me do it
12. Let's try this again
Going to try to read this one again - didn't make it through the first time
this puts me at 13 out of 20
Tamara wrote: "Creative responses that fit so well! Prompts like these leave me stumped. I have no idea how to relate them to books - except the more obvious ones, like 'text-only cover'. But reading yours and those of people who get this sort of thing is helpful and interesting."Thanks Tamara. Part of the fun of this challenge is the ideas that can come when thinking outside of the box.
Hmmm, that could be a prompt for next year: "Thinking outside of the box"
Finished two more - now at 14/20:12. Let's try this again - I ended up substituting Lost Places by Sarah Pinsker for The River of Silver: Tales from the Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty. (It had been too long since I read the Daevabad Trilogy, and I just couldn’t get into the stories.) Most of the stories in Lost Places had been printed elsewhere, and I had already read several, so I thought it worked for this prompt.
20. Zero to Hero - The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. I really liked this one!
I'm too afraid to count all the books in my TBR. That being said I finally read the the Planetside series by Michael Mammay. Also 3 books into The Clone Republic by Steven L. Kent. Both have been on my TBR for way too long.
So I'm late to the party... Here's my list (completed have been bolded with my rating added):1. Only One - Recursion by Blake Crouch - this has been on my TBR since Dec 2019
2. Binary - The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders - a planet divided between permanent frozen darkness or eternal sunshine
3. Three's Company - Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou - descendants of the Fates
4. Four Corners of the Earth - The City & the City by China Miéville - I figure multiple dimensions should work
5. Five Finger Discount - The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
6. At Sixes and Sevens - Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch - pretty much covers Peter Grant's life
7. Showstopper - The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik - I adore the series but have yet to read the last book because then it will be over
8. Book Page Total Ends in 8 - Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher - 248 pages
9. Nine to Five - Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
10. Top 10 - The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna - top 10 fantasy from 2022
11. From the Library - Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (4/5)
12. Let's Try This Again - The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
13. Sweet Revenge - The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
14. Technical Challenge - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
15. My Old Friend - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - this whole series is an annual re-read (4.5/5)
16. Scrumptious - A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
17. Cover with Only Text - Salvation Day by Kali Wallace - it might be 2-tone, but it's just text (5/5)
18. Around the Shelf - Book Lovers by Emily Henry - she's a book rep, he's an editor, can't be more around the shelf than that (5/5)
19. Bingeworthy - Qualify by Vera Nazarian - the shortest book is 556 pages and I just got done binging the entire series (5/5)
20. Zero to Hero - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Mod
Kaladin wrote: "I'm too afraid to count all the books in my TBR. That being said I finally read the the Planetside series by Michael Mammay. Also 3 books into [book:The Clone Repu..."I enjoyed reading the Planetside series. It was pretty fun.
Elisa wrote: "So I'm late to the party... Here's my list (completed have been bolded with my rating added):1. Only One - Recursion by Blake Crouch - this has been on my TBR sin..."
Some fun books on that list
finished another one5. Five Finger Discount (Theft or pilferage, typically of a small item; shoplifting.)
Pickpocket/thief/scoundrel = the main character
this makes 15 out of 20
Finished 15. My old friend – Finder: A Novel of the Borderlands by Emma Bull (one of my favorite novels from years ago)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐The Borderlands series by Terri Windling was the perfect magical urban fantasy series when I was but a young lass, about a town on the border of the Elflands, where magic and technology meet, and people who don't fit into normal society can find a home. The series is a great sandbox for other authors to play in, and Emma Bull wrote this and some other great stories in the series. Finder, a novel about the character Orient (who has the gift to find things) and his partner/best friend Tick-Tick the elf. This novel became a favorite as soon as I read it back in the day, and I haven't done a re-read in YEARS. Honestly, I was afraid it wouldn't stand up to the passage of time, but I loved it as much this time as all the previous times I read it. Finder truly is an old friend.
Tina wrote: "Finished 15. My old friend – Finder: A Novel of the Borderlands by Emma Bull (one of my favorite novels from years ago)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐The Borderlands series by Terri Windling was the perfect ..."
I enjoyed that book too
Another two down - now at 16/20. 1. Only one - Witch King by Martha Wells. I loved this book, and the Witch King is definitely one of a kind.
15. My old friend - I substituted Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire for this one. I used my original pick (Lost Places by Sarah Pinsker) for a different category, and the Wayward Children series does feel like an old friend. I originally put Lost in the Moment and Found in the category "page number ends in 8," but it turned out that the book did not end on a page with an 8, despite what Goodreads indicated - now I need to find a new TBR book for that one.
While this book is more aimed at the fine dining establishments of the US, it touches on how they not only changed the culture of dinning out, but also the way Americans looked at food in general. Of the ten restaurants in the book there was only one that I had ever been in or even heard of for that matter. It is the only one that could be considered main line as far as dinning goes, Howard Johnson's. The side of the road dinning that many in my age range ate at during road trips across the country. They are all gone now, in a way it is sad, but at the end they weren't what memory misses, so most likely not that great a loss. This book is more about change in how we view dinning and food than any real in depth history of the places that are mentioned. A little different than what I was expecting but a very intriguing read.
Ten Restaurants That Changed America
I've finished two more books for this challenge:✔️ 2. Binary: Zombies Vs. Unicorns
✔️ 7. Showstopper: Fenris & Mott
2. Zombies Vs. Unicorns is another title-driven choice. It's hard to think of anything more ones and zeros than this pairing. The stories in this collection were mixed and frequently darker than I prefer (I say that a lot), but even the stories that didn't really work for me were usually interesting reimaginings of zombies or unicorns.
7. Fenris & Mott is a fun and clever middle grade mashup of Norse mythology, animal rescue, and a girl who is determined to keep her promises in a world where it seems that no one else does. Ragnarok is definitely a showstopper.
Progress: 10/20
18. Around the Shelf- Bordertown by Terri Windling (short story collection set in the Bordertown series, pulled off my shelf)⭐⭐⭐⭐After reading Finder I decided that I wanted to go back and re-read more from the series. I pulled this one because it contains the story that was the seed for the Finder book.
Raucous wrote: "I've finished two more books for this challenge:✔️ 2. Binary: Zombies Vs. Unicorns
✔️ 7. Showstopper: Fenris & Mott
2. Zombies Vs. Unicorns is anoth..."
Okay that isn't nice. Had to put Fenris and Mott on the TBR mountain. LOL
DJ, I read Fenris and Mott in January for an MG award and really enjoyed it. We didn’t give it the award, but it was also the only one that seemed for the younger end of MG and was very appropriate for that age group.
DivaDiane wrote: "DJ, I read Fenris and Mott in January for an MG award and really enjoyed it. We didn’t give it the award, but it was also the only one that seemed for the younger end of MG and was very appropriate..."I don't mind reading things for those younger than I am, being 60 I just figure that everything is going to fall into that category, LOL.
Me too. I also have very fond memories of lots of books from that age. It’s fun to revisit them.
Two more done, and I’m now at 18/20 – only two more to go!8. Book page total ends in an 8 – Foreigner by CJ Cherryh (my copy had 378 pages). This was a substitute for my original book (Lost in the Moment and Found), which turned out not to end on a page numbered 8.
17. Cover with text only, no images - Drunk on All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson. As an aside, up until I heard the audiobook narrator say the title, I thought this was called Drunk on all Your Strange New WORLDS. “Words” makes so much more sense, given that the main character is a translator… I liked this one okay – kind of a sci-fi / mystery mash-up that definitely kept me guessing.
1. Only one -Atalanta She's the only woman among the crew of the Argonauts, searching for the Golden Fleece)I didn't find this to be the strongest of the feminist mythology retellings I've read. I liked it, it was good, but not my favorite.
finished:10. Top 10
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
Has a Ten in the title
makes 16 out of 20
Mod
Mod
And this makes it 10/20:3. Three's company - The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia A. McKillip
I enjoyed the book very much! :)
I'm up to 13/20 with two more read6. At sixes and sevens (in a confused, badly organized, or difficult situation) - Broken Homes, main character is always at sixes and sevens in this series. As am I, the reader, but I can't get enough of these characters and their weird world.
12. Let's try this again -
SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
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✔️ 1. Only one: Empress of Forever
✔️ 4. Four corners of the earth: The Genius of Birds (audio)
1. Nothing said "only one" in my TBR list quite like the title Empress of Forever. I have really mixed feelings about this book. I loved the first quarter of it. I liked the ending. The middle, though, was an endless series of near-death experiences for characters that I never really cared about. The fact that the main character was modeled after tech moguls most recently known for behaving badly didn't help. If you're into wild space operas this may be the book for you. If you want more consistency and sympathetic characters - maybe not.
4: Birds are found all over the earth, from Antarctic ice sheets to Amazonian rain forests, and from far out in oceans to arid Death Valley. The Genius of Birds covers strategies that have made birds so successful and the intelligence behind them. It's packed full of interesting information but the audiobook suffers from having a narrator who is not really comfortable with the material and the large number of citations made some sections slower going.
Progress: 6/20