SFBRP Listeners discussion
Books I would like to see reviewed
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Juliane
(last edited Feb 10, 2015 02:04PM)
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Feb 10, 2015 02:00PM
Haha! Who would ever pick up a book that looks like that? Looking across to German book design - it happened a lot that I bought a book which caught my attention also because of its book cover. It doesn't need to be crappy.
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Jesse liked the dinosaur book, Juliane!
Well, nothing against the story - but if I'm not pointed directly at this and get told that the story is superb and worth it, I would never pick up this book...or like Luke says, not if you're a 12 year old boy and really into dinosaurs ;)
Hi Luke,Have you read any of Jasper Ffordes Thursday Next series?
It is set in an alternate universe 1980s England where books are so important theres a special ops unit dedicated to literary crime.
I think you and Juliane will love it.
It starts with The Eyre Affair.
From the description, I think I'm more likely to like this book than Luke. I'll read the sample and see how it goes.
Well if you like it and Luke rants about it it'll still make for a great podcast :^)(though I do hope Luke likes Fforde's work, it is very British).
I hope it is available in the German Audible store.
As Luke was asking for recommendation for authors writing in languages other than English, I would like to recommend something by the French author Daniel F. Galouye. I gave 4 stars to Dark Universe which is about a society living underground in complete darkness, and 3.5 stars to A Scourge of Screamers (which I read under the title The Lost Perception) which is about an epidemic of madness and hallucinations sweeping the world. I have also recently added Simulacron 3 to my wish list after hearing it mentioned on the SFFaudio podcast - they said it has been filmed twice, in English as The Thirteenth Floor and in German as Welt am Draht (World on a Wire). There is a common theme as all 3 are related to the nature of reality.
And speaking of weird book covers, fortunately/unfortunately the book The Puppies of Terra is not as crazy
as this cover implies!
Isabel wrote: "I have also recently added Simulacron 3 to my wish list after hearing it mentioned on the SFFaudio podcast - they said it has been filmed twice, in English as The Thirteenth Floor and in German as Welt am Draht (World on a Wire)."Ah, The Thirteenth Floor, the movie that had the misfortune to come out two months after the Matrix, so everyone dismissed it as a low-budget ripoff even though it was based upon a novel written thirty years earlier.
For foreign language SF, almost everything published by Haikasoru is worth picking up, but especially Harmony, which I'm never going to stop recommending because it's easily the best SF novel published this century.
Isabel wrote: ""Shades of Grey" by Jasper Fforde is set in a future Wales, a long time after the 'Something That Happened', and the people aren't exactly human any more. I loved it and and wrote a huge review ful..."Hm...I just read the sample. I would definitely put it as youth fantasy-fiction. Don't really see any science fiction so far - just because it's set in a "future-fantasy" doesn't make it feel like science-fiction. And it's more on the level of Inkheart or Momo, just for maybe 15 year old people? Of course I get the dystopian meaning behind it, but so far it feels like a school book to read before reading 1984, just softer and easier to understand the unfairness of the society in a "colortocracy".
As it was just the sample, maybe there is more to come, if you can convince me to continue, I'll read it. Otherwise, I think very obvious statements like..."A 14 second clip of something got me started as if a vage hint towards the Red singer would convince me..." is just a bit too simple.
Also part of the story writing is like...- this is how I will end up, although I am only just entering a situation - ...is like constantly spoiling the story to come. Maybe that is a clever thing - for me it didn't do it so far.
Should I continue?
Shades of Gray is definitely not Fforde's best work.I think he was trying to write something different from the very distinct style of the Thursday Next and Nursery Crime series he's been writing so far. and frankly it wasn't very good.
And yes it seems to be leading to something that never pays off, and so far I haven't heard of a date for the publication of a sequel. Though strangely a prequel is planned.
To get Fforde's special style you should read the first 4 Thursday Next books and then the 2 Nursery Crime books.
But first start with the Eyre Affair and see if you like it.
I'll do! I got it from audible in German. From the description it sounds really good. I'll let you know how it goes...
Shades of Gray? I think the movie just came out.
What's your take on the German SF author Andreas Eschbach?His books introduced me to SF when I was an early teenager. I read almost all of his novels.
He is one of the most or maybe the most famous German SF author.
I read his rather recent book "Todesengel" and it went flat for me. I remember enjoying "One Trillian Dollar" and "Lords of All Things".
I'm still hoping the Luke will like it too.
Sorry Luke I thought the comment would appear under the relevant message.I'm still hoping you'll like The Eyre Affair.
I didn't recommend it so you'd rant about it.
See what Juliane thinks and decide if you'd also like to give it a go.
Could make for an interesting podcast. :) It has an experimental structure, but it's not that long. Maybe Juliane would like it, if she's read some feminist books. I would suggest Dhalgren but it's very long. 
Started the sequel to Leviathan Wakes, Caliban's War, after listening to The Incomparable's podcast on it, "Fun is underrated". I like Robbie, the big female soldier. There's certainly a more diverse cast.
Mod
In the end I was surprised that so many had so much good to say about the novel/series, but then I guess this was a self-selected panel of people who liked the series enough to continue reading. Those who bailed after book one wouldn't stick around.
I may give the second book a go as an audio books, but only once I've read everything by Alastair Reynolds another few times ;)
Actually, I'm suprised they haven't done a Reynolds, Hamilton, or Banks episode.
Mod
I don't understand why Banks / Reynolds / Hamilton wouldn't get a Hugo nod. (Yes, okay, I know Banks is no longer with us but you know what I mean)I know Reynolds had a novella nomination in 2011, and maybe Hamilton will feature in the 2015 list with The Abyss Beyond Dreams, but do we detect a conspiracy here? Is it a case of there's lots of genuinely better stuff out there? Or is it that SF in the world of Hugo goes in one direction and Hamilton and Reynolds et al in another?
I guess they don't quite have that mass appeal for the World Science Fiction Convention?
Reynolds gets handicapped because his books get published in Britain six months before the US, so American fans often don't get to read them the year they're eligible for nomination.
I think a lot of brit authors are like that. I'm still waiting for the second Baxter.I'm surprised publishers don't try to remedy that.
Mod
It's not a conspiracy. It's just that the Hugo voters aren't very diverse in their reading. Leviathan Wakes is nothing but a re-do of Redemption Ark with all the subtlety removed. It even has the same character names for the same roles (The Butcher of Tharsis), the same science fiction elements (a melding plague, inertia dampening, an ancient alien power that wants to destroy/control life, an alien-infected ship captain that has to be convinced to save the day, etc, etc), and many other elements in common.
Redemption Ark is just better in every single way... except Reynolds, back then, didn't have two authors working on the promotion, a built-in following of not one but two fantasy series, and all that kind of thing.
So Leviathan Wakes is like Redemption Ark but for people who simply don't know better. And now Reynolds is an established author, he won't even get the new-author buzz that happens for books like Ancillary Justice.
Personally I don't think either Abyss Beyond Dreams or On The Steel Breeze (Hamilton's and Reynolds' last books) were anywhere near their best work.
I don't care these authors don't get awards nods, but it does surprise me when I find hardcore science fiction readers who have never even sampled a Culture novel, or a Revelation Space novel, or Pandora's Star. Even so, if one of these did make it to a ballot, they would probably lose to the latest Miles Vorkosigan outing.
Hmm, I actually haven't read Redemption Ark. I'm tempted to read it framed as "the original Leviathan Wakes".
And on a related matter... I'd be interested in hearing Luke and Juliane do something around "This is the state of SciFi now" maybe an hour episode, with a lot of opinion thrown in, of course. What's good, what's not so good. I know this is a vast subject but I look at the book's Luke's read and I think "Okay I'd like to hear what the man says about the state of things now" given the breadth of reading, and I think Juliane can give the whole thing a bit of a Yin and Yang feel. So bring on some analysis guys, I'd be interested to hear what you both have to say
Andrew wrote: "And on a related matter... I'd be interested in hearing Luke and Juliane do something around "This is the state of SciFi now" maybe an hour episode, with a lot of opinion thrown in, of course. What..."The state of science fiction as a literary genre, or the culture that surrounds it? Because I'm finding the latter -- the cults of personality that surround many authors, the hype machine (io9, Tor) that builds up certain books as The Next Big Thing before they're even released, the whole fans-are-slans attitude -- has sapped my enjoyment of the former. Which is the main reason I avoid so much American SF these days.
Sean wrote: "The state of science fiction as a literary genre, or the culture that surrounds it? Because I'm finding the latter -- the cults of personality that surround many authors, the hype machine (io9, Tor) that builds up certain books as The Next Big Thing before they're even released ..."Yes Sean, I know what you mean. To answer your points here - I think I'd prefer something from Luke and Juliane on the literary trends in the genre, although I'm sure they could say something about the cultural trappings of SF, good and bad.
But you are right, the breathless hype that surrounds the genre can actually drain the fun out of it, the pressure to "keep up" with SF is like a full time job, and not always an enjoyable one.
As for "fans are slans" - I don't like that at all. I am suspicious of victimhood mindsets anyway, and this is a counterproductive approach that will actually keep SciFi separate from the literary mainstream, it's like a superiority complex borne out of insecurity. I think the barriers are breaking down anyway.
Amongst all the hype and steam that gets generated around the genre I'd like to hear more people talking about the need for great stories that entertain people and tell a truth about the world as it is.
Luke and Juliane - yes episode 300, bring it on!
I don't post too often but I had to agree with the idea about doing a podcast about the state of scifi now. Really like that idea! And as someone who doesn't usually read a ton of the most current scifi I would love to hear a general overview of what authors or series Luke/Juliane and the listeners like best, too.
Mod
Its a joint venture by Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias S. Buckell, the audiobook is under 6 hours and its narrated by Jonathan Davis.
What's not to..."
May I recommend SFBRP #102 – Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias S Buckell – The Alchemist and the Executioness
Mod
If you're ever in the mood to do another cyberpunk thriller type book, Daryl Gregory's Afterparty has a well narrated audiobook version. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... He's a fairly new author that has some other books I like a lot too, though those ones are more on the horror side of things.
I really liked "Nexus" by Ramez Naam. Intriguing idea about literally hacking our brains on based on a computing layer overplayed with our brains by a next-gen drug. Third book in series about to be released.
I really liked "Nexus" by Ramez Naam. Intriguing idea about literally hacking our brains on based on a computing layer overplayed with our brains by a next-gen drug. Third book in series about to be released.
I just finished The Kraken Wakes and I noticed Luke has it tagged as to-be-read. So I'm here to push for it being moved up the tbr pile. The two lead characters can be a bit annoying, but there is a load of interesting stuff here for a reviewer to sink his teeth into. Writing in 1953 Wyndham had some fascinating stuff to say about a western media that seemed happy to work hand-in-glove with the government in order to pacify the people, a general public that bores of a news story after about three days even if that story seems to presage the end of the world, and more. I really enjoyed it.
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I also have a BBC radio drama version on my laptop that I've not got round to yet.
I would love to see Luke review a Jack Vance book or especially Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast trilogy because he'd have a lot to talk about.
I'd like to recommend The Man from Primrose Lane by James Renner. It caught my attention when it was published in 2012 because it was billed as mystery/SF genre mashup. Knowing it's sci-fi is almost a spoiler because until you get to part 3, there's zero SF and then boom you are immersed in very complex sci fi which includes homage to a sci fi classic (view spoiler). Knowing that you're reading sci fi, though, there are clues in parts 1 and 2 about what's really going on. I think Luke would get a real kick out of (view spoiler) elements of the book especially given his own work.There's also a weird element in that the main character David Neff is an Ohio-based writer who published a book called The Serial Killer's Protege and James Renner is an Ohio-based writer published a book called The Serial Killer's Apprentice: And 12 Other True Stories of Cleveland's Most Intriguing Unsolved Crimes. That just makes things a bit more interesting and twisty.
I fairly certain the reason I discovered Luke and SFBRP is because after finishing The Kraken Wakes I searched for someone who posted about it because I liked it that much. I think I liked it better than The Day of the Triffids (hard to tell b/c I'd been exposed to that story in multiple ways) and definately preferred it to The Chrysalids.
Luke, have you ever tried anything by Adam Roberts? I've just finished 'Stone'? SA stand alone - which probably recommends it in itself - an unusual but enjoyable tale. Not sure if anyone else have asked for it.A
Keith wrote: "If you're ever in the mood to do another cyberpunk thriller type book, Daryl Gregory's Afterparty has a well narrated audiobook version. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1......"I recommand "Pandemonium" over "Afterparty". It is basicaly the same, but the implications of Pandemonium are more fun.
I have also to suggest "Seven Eves"... not the Kind of Stephenson that i prefer, but full of broing engeneering in space stuff...
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Luke wrote: "I'm rarely in the mood for more cyberpunk thrillers." Has Snowcrash made that big an impression? Lol
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