SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
SciFi and Fantasy Book Challenge
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2015 Group Challenge Reading Calendar/Planning
Nope. I enjoyed The Long Earth but not enough to read three more. I actually normally don't do series anyway. Except for that whole Black Sun's Daughter series I'm tearing through right now...Okay, I'm going to check your review of The Long War. I stuck to my guns, didn't I?
OMG, I knew they were going to write another one but I can't believe anyone would consider reading it. There is no real way to distinguish the first three. Here's the thing, there is only setting, which gets very monotonous after awhile, even to the characters. There is *no plot.* None. It is event after event, which are all the same, but there are no real characters, they don't overcome obstacles or mature or grow in any way and they don't accomplish anything. For your own sanity, don't read any more of them.
:) I was leaning towards no when there were three. There was no way I'm doing four.
Who is planning on reading Tigana and participating in conversations? I'm in a something's-gotta-give pickle and I'm prioritizing based on whether there will be a conversation or not.
Sarah wrote: "Who is planning on reading Tigana and participating in conversations? I'm in a something's-gotta-give pickle and I'm prioritizing based on whether there will be a conversation or not."I'm planning on reading The City & the City, but not Tigana. I haven't had a moment to update the links for this month, but will do so this week...
I'm leaning towards doing it that way, too. Unless someone is looking for a discussion. It's just 700 pages and an obvious one to cut when I'm overloaded.
Thanks guys. I need to check with Valerie.
Okay, I've updated the links on the first page. Had to add some new threads to City & City discussions, they were a mess...I've copied the links here, too, for convenience.
The City & the City
The City & The City - First Impressions *No Spoilers*
Mieville does Mystery. Whattaya think? *Possible Spoilers*
The City & The City - Final Thoughts *Spoilers*
Tigana
Tigana discussion -- First Impressions
Tigana discussion -- Sexuality *Possible Spoilers*
Tigana discussion -- Historical Fiction/Historical Fantasy *Spoilers*
Tigana discussion -- I hate love this book.... *Spoilers*
I know there are quite a few Audible users on here and I have to vent for a second. The new app update is driving me freaking insane!!!
What don't you like about it? I have not noted anything not to like. (Are you talking mobile app?)
Yes. When you put it on button-free it now has a microphone for commands. But you have to push a button to use it! In button free mode! Plus it keeps tripping on its own. Twice I've gotten caught in a broken record loop where it plays a word and a half, trips, plays the same word and a half... Once it did that four times and today it did six or seven. It's incredibly frustrating. And I always use button free in my car.
I've not had that experience. I also don't use button free, but I might have to try it. :)
I discovered that the problem is that you're supposed to say "Ok Audible" and give it a voice command. The problem is that it's jacked into my car so anytime the story says something even remotely like "Audible" it trips the mic. Yesterday I only got past the word "terrible" by pausing it at "terib" and then playing "ble". I really like button free when I'm driving because I can just tap or swipe at the screen instead of looking for the buttons. They really need to fix it though.I'm loving Tigana by the way :)
That would suck. My phone can activate out of sleep mode by double tapping the screen. It always activated pauses my audio books when I am trying to garden, both with Audible & Overdrive.
Valerie and Chris, I'm starting Dune on Thursday or Friday. I don't know how to rename threads but here they are:First Impressions
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Finished
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Cool...I'll pick up my copy and read along.
I'm hoping to join you guys for Dune. I just moved and don't have all my books unpacked yet but I know I have a copy. Hopefully will find it by this weekend and start then.
That would be great Amanda! It's pretty long so I imagine it will take me a week or two. This is my first time reading it.
It will be my first time too. Another one I've been meaning to read for ages!
Glad to have you Rosalinde. :)I think my cousin and his wife may have fainted with shock when they learned I hadn't read this. They very politely told me that I needed to do so immediately.
I always hear if it as a must read. Or the "best book EVER", as Edwin called it.
Sarah wrote: "I always hear if it as a must read. Or the "best book EVER", as Edwin called it.""Best book EVER" I wouldn't go THAT far though it is good. lol
Lol! People are seriously fierce about their love of that book. It's promising.
Boy, I am so tempted now to drop everything and reread Dune, it is such a great book. Some would way the best book EVER ;-) I.....just.....need.....more.....time.....With the "epic" of The Wise Man's Fear as this month's fantasy choice, I may switch from my original plan to read Promise of Blood and read Altered Carbon instead. Is anybody else planning to read this?
I'm definitely reading Altered Carbon.
I'm planning on Altered Carbon as well.
Great. Altered Carbon it is
That's great Christine! I'll be reading over the next couple of weeks but I think we'll be able to take longer if we need to.Edwin, I will read Promise of Blood with you later if you'd like. I think the third one is out now and I want to read the whole series.
I might be interested in Promise of Blood.
I am also planning to read Altered Carbon.I went ahead and added Dune to our "official" schedule on page 1, since it looks like quite a few will be reading it. I put it in the July 15 queue even though it looks like you are starting sooner than that...
I'm also planning to start Altered Carbon soon.I'm with Ruth, I liked Dune but it was simply a good read for me. I didn't get all the hype :)
I am kinda hoping to start Dune next week after I finish The Wise Man's Fear (halfway through) and Railsea(not on our list). I also hope to start Altered Carbon later next week - hopefully by the 15th. I am really looking forward to rereading Dune - and the hype for me is in knowing what a sophisticated book it was at the time when it was written and the dearth of similar stories when I first read it. It is hard for us jaded modern reading enthusiasts with the megatudes of wondrous, imaginative fantasy and science fiction books available to us today to remember how much less was out there on bookshelves in the mid 60's and 70's.
All,I am in the pit in a big way with my reading. These are the currently reading list I have in work, sorted by number of pages to finish. I am going to call a halt to adding anything other than the regular monthly reads until I can pare my list back. I don't want to do this, but Imsee no alternative. My slow reading skills are catching up with me again. Too many 1000 page bokks in the mixes right now. Drowning in paper....Mieville --Embassytown -182
Rajaniemi, Quantum Thief -183
Asimov, Caves of Steel --186
Simons, Mosquito --192
Cline, Ready Plaayer One - 235
Stephenson, Zodiac -- 264
Mitchell, Cloud Atlas, -- 279
McCullough, Wright Brothers - 291
Harris, Atomic Times - 303
Liu, Three Body Problem -- 311
O'Keefe, Fergusons -- 339
Mieville, The City and the City -- 368
Morgan, Altered Carbon -- 468
Valente, The Orphan's Tales -- 507
Ryan, Blood Song -- 513
Rothfuss, Name of Wind -- 530
Gibson, Neuromancer -- 561
Kay, Tigana -- 621
Howey, Wool -- 784
Rand, Atlas Shrugged -- 1098
Goodwin, The Bully Pulpit --1148
Jordan, The Wheel of Time --1342
Rothfuss, Wise Man's Fear -- 1768
Not good as you can see. Living long through the wood pulp morass!
Richard in Temple, TX
Recently got a hold of Altered Carbon and hope to read along with the group. Going to experiment with a combination of kindle and audible. Reading time is at a premium this summer...
Monica wrote: "Recently got a hold of Altered Carbon and hope to read along with the group. Going to experiment with a combination of kindle and audible. Reading time is at a premium this summer..."Great. It looks like there are a lot of folks who will be altering carbon this month. And amen to that reading time problem.
Monica, I do that all the time. Especially when I'm in a rush. It works great.Edwin, altering carbon? Lol.
Geez Michael, I don't know why you couldn't have listed all of the Tigana threads. There are only something like 20 of them. Valerie, I'm going to put my final thoughts stuff in the hate/love book thread.
I'm going to try to join in for Altered Carbon...for some reason July has turned out to be so busy!
Sarah wrote: "Geez Michael, I don't know why you couldn't have listed all of the Tigana threads. There are only something like 20 of them."Lol.
Richard wrote: "All,I am in the pit in a big way with my reading. These are the currently reading list I have in work, sorted by number of pages to finish. I am going to call a halt to adding anything other than t..."
Richard, how many of those have you started but not finished?? You may have a multi-threading problem more than a slow reading problem...
It's July 15, folks! Time for the next books in our schedule...The links are all on the first post of this thread, as usual, but I repost them below as a reminder.
First, the two from last month. If you are finishing either of these, be sure to post your comments! (I still have to post mine for City...)
The City & the City
The City & The City - First Impressions *No Spoilers*
Mieville does Mystery. Whattaya think? *Possible Spoilers*
The City & The City - Final Thoughts *Spoilers*
Tigana
Tigana discussion -- First Impressions
Tigana discussion -- Sexuality *Possible Spoilers*
Tigana discussion -- Historical Fiction/Historical Fantasy *Spoilers*
Tigana discussion -- I hate love this book.... *Spoilers*
Here are the new books for July. We added Dune due to general interest. If you are reading any of these books with us, post away!
Altered Carbon
"Altered Carbon" Starts off with a bang! *no spoilers*
Altered Carbon Final thoughts
"Altered Carbon" Problems with the Story, Setting, Characters, etc? **Spoilers Allowed**
Promise of Blood
"Promise of Blood" First Impressions *No Spoilers*
"Promise of Blood" - Finished *Spoilers*
Bonus: I doubt the author is still watching this thread but you can look at the Q&A that happened back when the group read this one:
"Promise of Blood" - Q&A With Brian McClellan *Spoilers*
Dune
Dune - First Impressions *No Spoilers*
Dune - Finished (possible spoiler alert)
Wow, I only just realized that both of last month's books were 5 stars for me. But only because Goodreads wouldn't let me give The City and the City seven stars. Still, two five star books in one month is pretty fabulous.Thanks for the links Michael.
SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Snow Queen (other topics)The Snow Queen (other topics)
The Philosopher Kings (other topics)
Cyteen (other topics)
The City & the City (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Greg Bear (other topics)China Miéville (other topics)
Ursula K. Le Guin (other topics)
Dean Koontz (other topics)
Sarah, you are such an prolific reader you might want to read the second, The Long War, and decide from there. It wasn't bad, but......