Nominations are Open for Next Series Read (SF, starting 4/15/23)

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Our current Fantasy series will end in mid-March and then we usually take a month off from reading and discussing a series, so I am opening nominations for a series to begin April 15. Since we alternate genres, this time we are accepting nominations for a SCIENCE FICTION series. Please read the guidelines before making your nomination.

GUIDELINES:
—Each member can nominate one series.
—The series should be complete, as far as you can tell. I realize authors sometimes revisit a series years later, but as much as possible, we are looking to read a completed series.
—The series should be one we have not read and discussed as a group. Click HERE for a list of the past series we have read together.
—Please give the name of the series, the author, and how many books are in the series. Feel free to add the titles of the individual books, if you want.
—The series must be SCIENCE FICTION.
—Nominations do NOT require a second.

Nominations will be open through February 28, which gives you all plenty of time to come up with some great ideas. We will have a preliminary round of polling to narrow the field starting March 1 and then a final poll starting March 6 to determine the winner. The series read itself will start April 15.

Please post nominations in this thread here on the group page, not by responding to the broadcast message sent to your Goodreads inbox.

Let’s go!
Kathi, for the mods

Nominations:
The Gap Cycle, 5 books, by Stephen R. Donaldson, starting with The Gap Into Conflict: The Real Story
Matador series, 9 books, by Steve Perry, starting with The Man Who Never Missed
Rama series, 4 books, by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee, starting with Rendezvous with Rama
Expendables series, 5 books, by James Alan Gardner, starting with Expendable
The Void Trilogy, 3 books, by Peter F. Hamilton, starting with The Dreaming Void
MaddAddam trilogy, 3 books, by Margaret Atwood, starting with Oryx and Crake

Nominated but disqualified:
Miles Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold, already read this series
Continuing Time series by Daniel Keys Moran, not all books available in print format

[Richard]

The Gap Cycle by Stephen R. Donaldson.

A five book series starting with The Gap Into Conflict: The Real Story, a quick read followed by four rather meatier books:
The Gap Into Vision: Forbidden Knowledge, The Gap Into Power: A Dark and Hungry God Arises, The Gap Into Madness: Chaos and Order, and The Gap Into Ruin: This Day All Gods Die.

[Ryan]

Matador by Steven Perry. 9 books. Starts with The Man Who Never Missed

[Christopher]

I would like to nominate the Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke.

1. Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
2. Rama II by Arthur C. Clarke & Gentry Lee
3. The Gardens of Rama by Arthur C. Clarke & Gentry Lee
4. Rama Revealed by Arthur C. Clarke & Gentry Lee

[Cheryl]

Expendables, by James Alan Gardner.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/1231...

Expendable is the first of 5 fast-paced books that feature Festina Ramos and the "expendable" Explorers. I've read through twice and want to again; my husband, who has very different taste, enjoyed it too. (The League of Peoples series includes this and stretches it to 7 books plus a short story.)

Book description from Shepherd.com:

In a world where the marginalized of society are sent into space on suicide missions, one woman decides to fight back: “Riveting” (David Feintuch).

In Expendable, the first volume of the League of Peoples, Festina Ramos is assigned to escort an unstable admiral to planet Melaquin. Little is known about Melaquin, for every explorer who’s landed there has disappeared. It’s come to be known as the “planet of no return,” and the High Council has made a habit of sending troublesome admirals there in an attempt to get rid of them. It’s clear that this is intended to be Ramos’s last mission, but she doesn’t plan on dying, no matter how expendable she may be.

[Chris, Moderator]

Well, I've been wanting to revisit the Vorkosigan Saga for quite some time. They are full of action and humor and wonderful characters. There are several varied suggestions for reading order, but the order below makes sense to me (18 books).

I suggest skipping the short story, or combining it as an option into the preceding or following book.

Recommended here: https://bookriot.com/vorkosigan-saga-...

SHARDS OF HONOR
BARRAYAR
THE WARRIOR’S APPRENTICE
THE VOR GAME
CETAGANDA
BROTHERS IN ARMS
BORDERS OF INFINITY
MIRROR DANCE
MEMORY
KOMARR
A CIVIL CAMPAIGN
FALLING FREE
ETHAN OF ATHOS
WINTERFAIR GIFTS (SHORT STORY) (skip this, or combine)
DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY
CAPTAIN VORPATRIL’S ALLIANCE
THE FLOWERS OF VASHNOI (NOVELLA)
CRYOBURN
GENTLEMAN JOLE AND THE RED QUEEN

[Shel, Moderator]

I will propose the MaddAddam series by Margaret Atwood. I read the first book years ago and thought it was fantastic, but never continued the series. It is a trilogy that begins with Oryx and Crake.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Chris wrote: "Well, I've been wanting to revisit the Vorkosigan Saga for quite some time. They are full of action and humor and wonderful characters. There are several varied suggestions for reading order, but t..."

This was the first series the group read, back in 2009-10. We did not read CryoBurn and Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen as they were published later. We read the novellas as well, I think, but maybe not Winterfair Gifts—not sure about this one—or The Flowers of Vashnoi, which also was published after we had finished our series read. Since we’ve done most of the series, I’m going to disqualify this nomination, but you might think about nominating the books the group hasn’t read as individual Books of the Month since we’ve read up through Captain Vorpatril's Alliance.

[Chris, Moderator]

Oh, that was before my time ... thanks for the catch

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I’m going to nomate the Void Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton, consisting of The Dreaming Void, The Temporal Void, and The Evolutionary Void. While set in the same Commonwealth Universe as some of his other books, these 3 form a cohesive story that can be read without reading the others.

[Random]

The League of Peoples series, starting with Expendable by James Alan Gardner is a series of 7 books, not 5.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Random wrote: "The League of Peoples series, starting with Expendable by James Alan Gardner is a series of 7 books, not 5."

Goodreads describes the Expendables series this way:
A subset of the League of Peoples series, these are only the books that star Festima Ramos and the "expendable" Explorers.
While part of the overall League of Peoples series, the Expendables can be seen as a series in its own right.

Cheryl, do you want to modify your nomination to include all 7 books of the League of Peoples series or leave it as the 5 books of the Expendables series?

[Cheryl]

No, I do indeed intend the 5 book Expendable series. The other books are unnecessary.

[Random]

Sorry, my mistake. The book link only showed the League of People's series and I wasn't aware there was a division.

Either way, its one I'm looking forward to. :)

[Shel, Moderator]

pssst Kathi, you missed my Margaret Atwood nomination above ;)

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Shel wrote: "pssst Kathi, you missed my Margaret Atwood nomination above ;)"

Oops!! Thanks!

[Ken]

The Continuing Time series by Daniel Keys Moran
Emerald Eyes
The Long Run: A Tale of the Continuing Time
The Last Dancer
The A.I. War: The Big Boost
The Great Gods: The Time Wars - Book One
Tales of the Continuing Time and Other Stories

[Cheryl]

Ken wrote: "The Continuing Time series by Daniel Keys Moran
Emerald Eyes
The Long Run: A Tale of the Continuing Time
The Last Dancer
[book:The A.I. War: The Big Boos..."

Are these still in print? They aren't in any of my libraries.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Ken wrote: "The Continuing Time series by Daniel Keys Moran
Emerald Eyes
The Long Run: A Tale of the Continuing Time
The Last Dancer
[book:The A.I. War: The Big Boos..."

Our less-well-known rules do require that nominated books, whether for series or Book of the Month, be available in print format. It appears only the first 3 books of this series were ever published in print format and they are available through at least a few used book sellers (Thriftbooks, BetterWorldBooks, Amazon Marketplace) but the prices vary widely. Do you want to nominate just the first 3 and see what happens?

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Still thinking about which SF series we should read next? Nominations are open through Feb. 28 (tomorrow), so get your ideas in soon!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Thanks for all the great nominations!
The preliminary poll for our next series read is now open but will only be open through March 5. Please vote!

Preliminary Poll for SF Series

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Today is the last day to vote! Final poll opens tomorrow, so get your preliminary vote in today!

Preliminary Poll for SF Series

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

And the Final Poll is now open and will be open through March 10. Please vote!

Final Poll for SF Series Starting 4/15/22

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Remember, voting is open through March 10–that’s tomorrow, folks! Be sure to vote!

Final Poll for SF Series Starting 4/15/22

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Thanks to everyone who nominated and/or voted! If the Rama series was your choice, keep it in mind for the next time we do a group SF series read, as the voting was quite close.

Our next series read will be the Maddaddam series by Margaret Atwood. Here’s the schedule:

April 15: Oryx and Crake
May 15: The Year of the Flood
June 15: MaddAddam