2025 Science Fiction Team Chat

[Melanie, the neutral party]

CJ wrote: "Two quick questions:

Do we report our finished books in the original thread for scoring?
Yes. Points get reported here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Can we submit more than one book for the same prompt?"
No. You can only finish each prompt 1 time.

[Leonie]

Science Fiction Challenges

Aliens
1. Area 51: Read a book with an alien character.
2. Starry Night: Read a book with at least one star on the cover.

Alt History
1. Back in the Day: Read a book set 20+ years ago.
2. Historicity: Read a book with a time machine or historical figure on the cover.

Clones
1. DNA: Read a book with clones or twins in it.
2. Palindrome: Read a book with a mirrored cover (cover features a graphic that reads the same on both sides). Exodus: The Archimedes Engine by Peter F. Hamilton


Dimensional Travel
1. AltDimension: Read a book set in more than 1 dimension.
2. Portal: Read a book with any kind of portal on the cover.

Space Travel
1. The Black: Read a book set in outer space.
2. Nebula: Read a book with a space scene on the cover.

Terraforming
1. Oxygen: Read a book that features terraforming.
2. Foliage: Read a book with any kind of flora on the cover.

Biological Engineering
1. Lab: Read a book with a character that is a biologist and/or engineer.
2. DNA: Read a book with a helix on the cover.

LitRPG
1. Game: Read any book classified as LitRPG or a novelized version of a video game.
2. Console: Read a book with any gaming console or DND dice on the cover.

Big Data
1. Arithmetic: Read a book with an accountant or mathematician as a main character.
2. Data: Read a book with numbers on the cover.

Mad Science
1. Scientist: Read a book with a scientist as a main character.
2. Gear: Read a book with anyone in a lab coat or lab beakers on the cover.

Artificial Intelligence
1. Intelligence: Read a book where AI is an important character or important to the plot.
2. Robot: Read a book with a computer or code on the cover.

Time Travel
1. Time Machine: Read a book where time travel is part of the plot.
2. Clock: Read a book with any kind of time keeping device on the cover.

reply | flag

[DivaDiane]

Tina Reads wrote: "I'm putting my choices under a spoiler tag but I will be reading the following this month:

To The Stars by George Takei
Atomic Anna
Emergent Properties
Embers of War
A Botanist's Guide to Parties ..."

Tina, having read the list behind spoilers I would be glad to read Ready Player One, later this year. When do you think you might get to it?

[CBRetriever]

DivaDiane wrote: "Tina, having read the list behind spoilers I would be glad to read Ready Player One, later this year. When do you think you might get to it? "

me too

[Ellen]

The audiobook of Ready Player One narrated by Wil Wheaton is excellent.

[Ellen]

Starting Gateway . Reading with the Hugo and Nebula group. Not sure where I will plug it in here but it fits a few prompts: portal, stars, etc

[T.K.]

Reading Cascade Failure for the Terraforming prompt.

[Tina Reads]

DivaDiane wrote: "Tina, having read the list behind spoilers I would be glad to read Ready Player One, later this year. When do you think you might get to it?"

I have it slated for March. Is that good for you? @CBRetriever would that work for you as well?

[CBRetriever]

will work - I'll shoehorn it in if necessary

[DivaDiane]

Tina Reads wrote: "DivaDiane wrote: "Tina, having read the list behind spoilers I would be glad to read Ready Player One, later this year. When do you think you might get to it?"

I have it slated for March. Is that ..."

That should work for me too.

[Tina Reads]

Great! I posted in the BR Recruitment thread. Mid-March I think.

[Ellen]

I was planning to read For Alt History: A historical figure on the cover but I just received as gift so I've changed my mind.

[Banshee]

For the mirrored cover, or would work, I think.

I'm considering starting BioShock: Rapture this month for LitRPG/Game prompt.

[Sarah]

Hi - I’m sorry if this is a dumb question, but I just want to clarify.

Tracking the challenge and prompts in The Story Graph is NOT the same as reporting my points right? There’s an actual forum/thread to report points for those players reporting there?

(I tried to look to verify but the equivalent thread in TSG would not load on my phone.) I just want to make sure I’m not double reporting.

[Shawnie]

Banshee wrote: "For the mirrored cover, or would work, I think.

I'm considering starting BioShock: Rapture this m..."

Not sure if anyone mentioned it yet. Another mirrored cover here

[Melanie, the neutral party]

Sarah wrote: "Hi - I’m sorry if this is a dumb question, but I just want to clarify.

Tracking the challenge and prompts in The Story Graph is NOT the same as reporting my points right? There’s an actual forum/t..."

Correct. The only points I am tallying are the threads in GR and TSG, not the STG challenge tracker.

[Sarah]

Melanie wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Hi - I’m sorry if this is a dumb question, but I just want to clarify.

Tracking the challenge and prompts in The Story Graph is NOT the same as reporting my points right? There’s an ..."

Thank you!

[Megan]

If anyone's looking for a short, energetic book to fill a January protagonist/antagonist prompt, Doris Piserchia's I, Zombie (1982) features a protagonist who has all four of the qualities from the prompts: she's very big and very strong, and she's frequently described by herself and others as ugly and unintelligent.

[Lost Planet Airman]

I think I have found books for 2 of the 4 January bonus tasks:
1. Strong: graphic novel Tom Strong, Book Two
and 1. Huge: The Dragon and the George

Still looking for ideas for the other two prompts
2. unBrianiac: ...for their lack of intelligence.
and 2. Ugly: ...noted for an unpleasant appearance.

Bonus if it's award-winning or from a prominant SF&F author! Thank you, my teammates and Neutral Parties!

[Ellen]

Sarah wrote: "I feel like the Witcher books could work for the ugly character. Isn’t that a running joke, poor old Geralt the Mutant?

ETA: Also Yennefer is supposed to be ugly under all her glamour."

I am reading The Lady of the Lake with plans of using Geralt for the ugly character. I am half way through and have decided to use Ciri instead
because of the "hideous and repulsive scar on her face".

[Olga]

Lost Planet Airman wrote: "I think I have found books for 2 of the 4 January bonus tasks:
1. Strong: graphic novel Tom Strong, Book Two
and 1. Huge: The Dragon and the George

Still looking for id..."

I’m reading Nine Goblins for the dumb prompt.
If you go back in time in the thread, you’ll find more suggestions for both.
Also, if you use TSG, challenge tracker there has lots of entries now. I posted a link somewhere on page 1 or 2 of this thread.

[Lost Planet Airman]

Olga wrote: "Lost Planet Airman wrote: "I think I have found books for 2 of the 4 January bonus tasks:
1. Strong: graphic novel Tom Strong, Book Two
and 1. Huge: [book:The Dragon and the George|11..."

Thank you!

[Aga]

I have finished Licencja na czarowanie. It has a four-leaf clover on the cover, so I submitted it as Terraforming/Foliage.

[CJ]

Megan wrote: "If anyone's looking for a short, energetic book to fill a January protagonist/antagonist prompt, Doris Piserchia's I, Zombie (1982) features a protagonist who has all four of the qu..."

Oh! Oh! I own this! Never read it, now I reason to! TY!

(Honestly have never read that author before, despite her Earthchild being a frequent recommendation)

[Pharmacdon]

Big Data/Arithmetic/Read a book with an accountant or mathematician as a main character. Cory Doctorow's Martin Hench (fornesic accountant) series. Red Team Blues, The Bezzle and/or Picks and Shovels.

[CJ]

Pharmacdon wrote: "Big Data/Arithmetic/Read a book with an accountant or mathematician as a main character. Cory Doctorow's Martin Hench (fornesic accountant) series. Red Team Blues, [book:The Bezzle|..."

Nice! TY.

[Ellen]

For a book with a computer or code on the cover I'm going with
A Visit From Voltaire. He's holding a tablet computer

[Lost Planet Airman]

Lost Planet Airman wrote: "I think I have found books for 2 of the 4 January bonus tasks:
1. Strong: graphic novel Tom Strong, Book Two
and 1. Huge: The Dragon and the George

Still looking for id..."

Thanks for everyone's suggestions! I believe I have found my other two books in The Madman From Earth and five more stories (un-Brainiac, as all of Retief's alien adversaries are simple and easily swindled), and Agent to the Stars for "unpleasant appearance".

[Cheryl L]

I've just watched a YouTube review of , which has a lovely double helix and comes highly recommended by the reviewer, Shades of Orange.

[Olga]

Cheryl L wrote: "I've just watched a YouTube review of , which has a lovely double helix and comes highly recommended by the reviewer, Shades of Orange."

It can be even used for more than one prompt - scientist MC, bionics. Great find, Cheryl, thanks for sharing.

[Alicia]

Just wondering how everyone tags their books in a post!

[Olga]

Above the comment window there's "add book/author" link, next to "(some html is ok)".

[a.g.e. montagner]

(when you're using a browser).

[a.g.e. montagner]

Yo everyone, I've just joined.

I will only try matching prompts to the books I read, not the other way around, but hopefully this will help anyway.
I'll soon finish my first book of the year, which easily fits one of the prompts; so that's a start.

[Cheryl L]

I'll have 3 books complete this weekend and will shoehorn them into the prompts also.

[Cheryl L]

I wish I had added this earlier in the discussion.

SCIENCE FICTION CHALLENGES

Aliens
1. Area 51: Read a book with an alien character.
2. Starry Night: Read a book with at least one star on the cover.

Alt History
1. Back in the Day: Read a book set 20+ years ago.
2. Historicity: Read a book with a time machine or historical figure on the cover.

Clones
1. DNA: Read a book with clones or twins in it.
2. Palindrome: Read a book with a mirrored cover (cover features a graphic that reads the same on both sides).

Dimensional Travel
1. AltDimension: Read a book set in more than 1 dimension.
2. Portal: Read a book with any kind of portal on the cover.

Space Travel
✔️ 1. The Black: Read a book set in outer space. A Memory Called Empire
2. Nebula: Read a book with a space scene on the cover.

Terraforming
1. Oxygen: Read a book that features terraforming. (Children of Memory)
2. Foliage: Read a book with any kind of flora on the cover. (A Prayer for the Crown Shy)

Biological Engineering
1. Lab: Read a book with a character that is a biologist and/or engineer.
2. DNA: Read a book with a helix on the cover. (Possibly The Final Orchard)

LitRPG
1. Game: Read any book classified as LitRPG or a novelized version of a video game.
2. Console: Read a book with any gaming console or DND dice on the cover.

Big Data
1. Arithmetic: Read a book with an accountant or mathematician as a main character.
2. Data: Read a book with numbers on the cover.

Mad Science
1. Scientist: Read a book with a scientist as a main character.
2. Gear: Read a book with anyone in a lab coat or lab beakers on the cover.

Artificial Intelligence
✔️ 1. Intelligence: Read a book where AI is an important character or important to the plot. I'm thinking this is going to be Children of Ruin with Avrana Kern.
2. Robot: Read a book with a computer or code on the cover.

Time Travel
1. Time Machine: Read a book where time travel is part of the plot.
2. Clock: Read a book with any kind of time keeping device on the cover.

[Cheryl L]

Ok, so now I have 2 books listed for the SciFi team. Do I just post those over in the main challenge thread?

[a.g.e. montagner]

I think so.

[CJ]

Cheryl L wrote: "Ok, so now I have 2 books listed for the SciFi team. Do I just post those over in the main challenge thread?"

Yes, the mods are tracking points there.

[CJ]

a.g.e. montagner wrote: "Yo everyone, I've just joined.

I will only try matching prompts to the books I read, not the other way around, but hopefully this will help anyway.
I'll soon finish my first book of the year, wh..."

Welcome to the team!

[CJ]

Don't forget about power points! If you read SFFBC BotMs for 2025 you can post it with the prompt "power point" - the book does not need to fit any other prompt. You can read more about this in the main combat thread, in Melanie's message #3

[a.g.e. montagner]

How do you recommend to submit Translation State for the challenge?

I guess the obvious choice wuld be Space Travel / The Black: Read a book set in outer space.

[Adeline]

a.g.e. montagner wrote: "How do you recommend to submit Translation State for the challenge?

I guess the obvious choice wuld be Space Travel / The Black: Read a book set in outer space."

Or Area 51: Read a book with an alien character.

[a.g.e. montagner]

True. Thanks!

[a.g.e. montagner]

I also think I must have lost the plot... where are we with the objects of power?

[Sarah]

I *think* we need 42 more points. We have 8 so far.

[Sarah]

If we all read one of the Books of the month for February we’ll just about be able to unlock one. I’m planning on joining in for Iron Widow at least, may potentially participate in Masquerade as well!

[CJ]

I submitted a power point for Our Wives Under the Sea but had to DNF Our Share of Night. I'll happily reread Iron Widow (I am eager to get on to the sequel) and will pick up Masquerade tomorrow from the library--that one's been on my Want to Read list since it came out.

[CJ]

a.g.e. montagner wrote: "How do you recommend to submit Translation State for the challenge?

I guess the obvious choice wuld be Space Travel / The Black: Read a book set in outer space."

I used it for the AltDeminsion prompt. But the alien character or space travel prompts work too.

[CJ]

Does anyone have any books that fit the "Clock: Read a book with any kind of time keeping device on the cover" prompt?

So far, I have only see someone recommend Jack McDevitt''s Time Travelers Never Die (there's an hourglass on the cover) but it's not really appealing to me so I'm looking for other options.