2025 Science Fiction Team Chat

[Lost Planet Airman]

CBRetriever wrote: "CJ wrote: "I've been reading the RSC/Modern Library editions, which include additional reading about the play and..."

Timons will work..."

Timmons will also work because Melanie has stated prompts can be met by one story in a collection.

Although, obviously, you can only use the whole book once.

[CJ]

Lost Planet Airman wrote: "Timmons will also work because Melanie has stated prompts can be met by one story in a collection."

Good to know! Yeah, I went and used a different book (The Siren Depths by Martha Wells) for that prompt, but in hindsight I probably should have used that book for the Pretty prompt since the MC is supposed to be attractive although it's not a major factor in the story.

So, I'm still looking for a read with a pretty MC. This is a little hard for the SF genre, so I will probably have to find a book from a different genre.

[Sarah]

The Ninth Rain has a couple ‘pretty’ MC’s if you’re looking.

[Sarah]

Or Babel-17

[CJ]

Thanks for those recs but unfortunately for me, I read both of those recently when they were this group's BOTMs and not too eager to reread them so soon.

[Olga]

CJ wrote: "Thanks for those recs but unfortunately for me, I read both of those recently when they were this group's BOTMs and not too eager to reread them so soon."

Have you read all the books in Ninth Rain series? I plan to read the second one for the "Pretty" prompt. I suppose the cute MC elf should still be there. Or his sister.

[Sarah]

What about any of the penric books? Penric is pretty

[CJ]

Sarah wrote: "What about any of the penric books? Penric is pretty"

Wasn't a fan of the first book, but I own the second, so that is an option and it's not long, iirc. Thx!

Olga wrote: "Have you read all the books in Ninth Rain series? I plan to read the second one for the "Pretty" prompt. I suppose the cute MC elf should still be there. Or his sister."

Oh, yeah, that's probably true. Hadn't thought of that. I bought the 2nd book a little while back when it was on sale. So that's definitely an option.

[Ellen]

Finished Project Hail Mary. It will work for several of our prompts.
for March - Sidekick
It has an alien character.
It works for both Space travel prompts.
Ryland is a biologist, scientist. Rocky is an engineer.
Plus it's a good read.

[Ellen]

Any suggestions for March Antagonist :Not In Charge: Read a book where the main character is not the person in charge at their organization.

[Olga]

Ellen wrote: "Any suggestions for March Antagonist :Not In Charge: Read a book where the main character is not the person in charge at their organization."

When reading this prompt, I immediately thought of Glokta (The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie).

[CJ]

Posting this here for our convenience! Original post is here. Remember that we need to start and finish the books for the monthly prompts within the specified month.

March Protagonist: Sidekick
1. 2nd Best: Read a book with a sidekick character or where the main character is only the 2nd best at something.
2. Helpful: Read a book where the ‘hero’ needs help accomplishing a goal.

March Antagonist: Assistant to the Villain
1. Sidekick: Read a book with a character who is a sidekick or a character who has a sidekick.
2. Not In Charge: Read a book where the main character is not the person in charge at their organization.

[CBRetriever]

Ellen wrote: "Any suggestions for March Antagonist :Not In Charge: Read a book where the main character is not the person in charge at their organization."

lots of those: any book where the main character is working for the government/king/queen, anyone in a school, anyone being mentored. This could also apply to a main character on a spaceship/trading post, colony, where a good percentage of the original characters get killed off. Andre Norton books are often good for this. As is Crystal Singer by Anne McCaffrey

[Olga]

A buddy read for The Space Between Worlds is to start in a few days.

It fits the multiple dimensions prompt for Sci-fi team in booklovers game.

GR thread - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
TSG readalong - https://app.thestorygraph.com/readalo...

BTW, question for those who read the book - would it fit any other prompts, especially any of the Feb/March bonuses?

[Juliana]

Olga wrote: "A buddy read for The Space Between Worlds is to start in a few days.

It fits the multiple dimensions prompt for Sci-fi team in booklovers game.

GR thread - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/22..."

I'll try to buddy read it with you. :)

[Aga]

Is this cover mirrored enough? —> Przeminęło z Wiedźmą

[Olga]

Olga wrote: "A buddy read for The Space Between Worlds is to start in a few days.

It fits the multiple dimensions prompt for Sci-fi team in booklovers game."

It also fits two March bonus prompts - "hero uses someone's help" and "hero is not in charge of their organisation", imo.

[CJ]

Olga wrote: "Olga wrote: "It also fits two March bonus prompts - "hero uses someone's help" and "hero is not in charge of their organisation", imo."

Ah, good point. I needed a book for that second one.

For some reason, the March prompts are proving to be a bit of a task for me. I hope to complete all four since I can't get both of the March BotMs for the power points.

Not sure what happened with the scoring, but we were neck and neck with Team Fantasy but now Team Fantasy has a big lead? I've got 4 more books lined up to read some of original prompts I haven't' done yet but I'm struggling to find books for 3 of the original prompts, the ones with "have X on the cover":

- a gaming console or dice
- numbers
- anyone in a lab coat or beakers

My book budget is super tight right now so I need books available through my libraries or included in KindleUnlimited or Audible subs (in the US).

[Melanie, the neutral party]

Aga wrote: "Is this cover mirrored enough? —> Przeminęło z Wiedźmą"

Sure.

[Olga]

CJ, how about Farenheit 451? It's a buddy read over at Dystopia/Utopia thread and it has numbers on the cover. It's a classic, so maybe should be available at a library.

Just in case, here are some more options for each prompt
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading...

[CJ]

Olga wrote: "CJ, how about Farenheit 451? It's a buddy read over at Dystopia/Utopia thread and it has numbers on the cover. It's a classic, so maybe should be available at a library.

Just in case, here are so..."

Oh, geez, that's an obvious one isn't? Also I have copies of it in 3 formats. Thanks! EDIT: Now that my brain is aware that numbers IN THE TITLE count, I'll read The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon because it's on my classics TBR and I haven't read that one yet, while I'm read Fahrenheit 451 several times.

And thanks for the TSG link--I'm on there, just not active because it's too much for me to keep up on two sites.

Also, my library hold for The Tainted Cup just came in, it's the BotM for another group, and for those who've read it already, do you think it fits the "character with a sidekick" prompt? It's apparently a Sherlock and Watson kind of story, which I didn't realize until I read the first chapter. Kind of funny because I was thinking of reading a Sherlock Holmes book for that same prompt.

[Olga]

Oh, I was looking at The Tainted Cup and thinking whether I should squeeze it in. Now it looks that I must.

[Aga]

Melanie wrote: "Aga wrote: "Is this cover mirrored enough? —> Przeminęło z Wiedźmą"

Sure."

Goood :)

[Sarah]

Regarding the fantasy lead- I think some of them are just really fast readers. 😂 I am hoping it will even out a little as they get through the regular prompts, but also they have a handful more players than we do.

A good strategy might be to concentrate heavily on power points so we can unlock the objects of power quicker, but I think they’ve caught up or overtaken us there too.

[CBRetriever]

Sarah wrote: "Regarding the fantasy lead- I think some of them are just really fast readers. 😂 I am hoping it will even out a little as they get through the regular prompts, but also they have a handful more pla..."

I'm a fast reader who's retired and spending a lot of time in hospital waiting rooms for my husband's appointments so i tend to read fairly fast

[CJ]

I've been trying to keep up with the power points, although I had one DNF in January and this month the group selected a book that isn't distributed in the US so not only I cannot afford it, none of my libraries have it (I now have more appreciation for how one of my other GR groups requires BotM nominations to be available in libraries).

If the Fantasy team has more active participants than us, I guess there's not much we can do beside continuing to plug away. At least I now have books for all the original and March prompts.

[CJ]

CBRetriever wrote: "I'm a fast reader who's retired and spending a lot of time in hospital waiting rooms for my husband's appointments so i tend to read fairly fast"

Yeah, I am a fairly fast reader when I have the energy for it, but I had a rough month in February so didn't read as much as I had in January. I have chemo tomorrow and usually the few days right after are a little hard for me, so I lined up some shorter books for the weekend.

[Peter]

Sarah wrote: "Regarding the fantasy lead- I think some of them are just really fast readers. 😂 I am hoping it will even out a little as they get through the regular prompts, but also they have a handful more pla..."

Maybe Team Fantasy is using magic?!

[Tina Reads]

Starting on March 10th we'll we doing a buddy read of Ready Player One for LitRPG prompt! If anyone wants to join in and bang it out, please join us in the Buddy Read Discussion.

[Tina Reads]

Peter wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Regarding the fantasy lead- I think some of them are just really fast readers. 😂 I am hoping it will even out a little as they get through the regular prompts, but also they have a ha..."

Between the larger numbers, fast readers, and what I think are easier prompts, it's not surprising that they're ahead. I'll be plugging away this month and plan to get at least three more points.

[CJ]

At the end of day it's all for fun!

I completed 3 books today. I suspect that by the end of April I'll likely have all the original prompts done, so after that it'll just be power points and monthly prompt.

[Sarah]

CJ wrote: "At the end of day it's all for fun! ..."

This is the approach I’m taking too. All in good fun. :)

[Ellen]

Caught up with reads available so far
24 of 24 prompts
6 of 6 botm
12 of 12 Protagonist / Agtagonists through March

[Ellen]

CJ wrote: "At the end of day it's all for fun! "

I agree. I love challenges even when there is not a competition .

[Olga]

Ellen wrote: "Caught up with reads available so far
24 of 24 prompts
6 of 6 botm
12 of 12 Protagonist / Agtagonists through March"

Wow! Great job!!!

[Edwin]

Ellen wrote: "Caught up with reads available so far
24 of 24 prompts
6 of 6 botm
12 of 12 Protagonist / Agtagonists through March"

Wow is right!

[CJ]

Nice, Ellen!

The April BotM polls close soon, so you can get cracking on those next! (I kid! I kid! Good job--you deserve a little break)

[Ellen]

CJ wrote: "Nice, Ellen!

The April BotM polls close soon, so you can get cracking on those next! (I kid! I kid! Good job--you deserve a little break)"

Thanks! I've already been scoping out those botms for April and am ready to place library holds or use a book credit as needed.
I broke my on rule and purchased the expensive book with limited availability this month. Won't do that again. Too many great books at the library for free.

Plus I'm going to work on the fantasy prompts just for fun!

[CJ]

Ellen wrote: "I broke my on rule and purchased the expensive book with limited availability this month.."

Oof, yeah, that was a rule I couldn't break this month myself. But at least the top runners for April in the polls are accessible for me through my library.

I'm done with the March prompts and have a few more of the original prompts to go. I'm starting Firebreak today for the computer/code prompt.

[Melanie, the neutral party]

Great job Ellen! How will you ever decide what to read next??

[Ellen]

Melanie wrote: "Great job Ellen! How will you ever decide what to read next??"

Thanks Melanie!
I have some challenges in some other groups I've been letting slide. Time to catch up!

[Megan]

Way to go, Ellen!

[Ellen]

Thank's Olga, Edwin and Megan!

[Juliana]

Ellen wrote: "Caught up with reads available so far
24 of 24 prompts
6 of 6 botm
12 of 12 Protagonist / Agtagonists through March"

Wow!! Impressive.

[Juliana]

Hi team!

I managed to finish 3 more books this month so far, but I'm having trouble find books with cover requisites that fits what I like to read and/or is available at my library.

[CJ]

3 books is great!

Yeah, unfortunately it seems some of the SF prompts are a bit more difficult to complete. But it's all good. Hopefully the April Protagonist/Antagonist prompts will be easy ones.

[Ellen]

Juliana wrote: "Hi team!

I managed to finish 3 more books this month so far, but I'm having trouble find books with cover requisites that fits what I like to read and/or is available at my library."

Three books is good. I read a couple of books I never would have read otherwise to meet prompts. I also read some books suggested by other team members I that really enjoyed.

[CJ]

I don't mind reading books that aren't of great interest for me for this challenge, but I also have more time to spare for such things. I completely understand if other members are like, "Nah, I am not reading that." It's your time and energy, you get to decide how to use it. But I appreciate everyone's contributions nonetheless!

[Ellen]

I agree CJ.

[Aga]

It’s great that we have also "Prompts of the Month" and power points to gain from Books of the Month.

I’m lucky my local library has Neuromancer (I read for VBC) with a computer code on the cover. It was a pleasant surprise.