The Thread in Which We Suggest Books for Future Consideration

[Warren]

For Scifi books I know that the two bigeeies are the Hugo and Nebula Awards. I'm not sure on the fantasy ones.
I only mention them since the winners of each are probably enough to provide reading for at least half the year. They have the added advantage of being good books that are readily available.

[Michal]

Need moar Ellen Kushner.

[Al]

I was delighted when someone here posted a link to David Brin's list of 'Greatests' and he had a category just for me. It even includes the obscure Courtship Rite! More recently, I'd add Kage Baker's Sky Coyote to the list. I'd love to reread anything he mentions.

Snipped from http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2012/01...

* HUH! I NEVER REALIZED!

Some tales simply rock readers back with wondrous stories that also broaden their perspective... from strange cultures to alternate social systems to unusual ways of thinking.

Lord of Light, by Roger Zelazny
Dune, by Frank Herbert
The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. LeGuin
Courtship Rite, by Donald Kingsbury
The Years of Rice and Salt, by Kim Stanley Robinson
A Deepness in the Sky, by Vernor Vinge
Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson

...plus the "Nine Worlds" series of John Varley and the brain-twistings of Samuel Delaney...

[Alterjess]

I'd originally thought Use Of Weapons might be too long for a book club pick, but I'm zooming through it right now. It's just fantastic. I don't know yet if I like it more than The Algebraist.

I was disappointed in Years Of Rice And Salt - I *really* wanted to love it, because the premise is just fantastic and of course the Mars trilogy is one of my all-time favorites, but it just never quite got off the ground.

[kvon]

Bookshelf wrote: "For Scifi books I know that the two biggies are the Hugo and Nebula Awards. I'm not sure on the fantasy ones."

The Hugos and Nebulas include fantasy (Harry Potter, American Gods, Jonathan Strange) although no fantasy had won a Hugo before 2001. There is also a World Fantasy Award; it is picked by a panel, so sometimes has less popular titles.

[Tamahome]

Nice review of Player of Games http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Warren]

kvon wrote: "Bookshelf wrote: "For Scifi books I know that the two biggies are the Hugo and Nebula Awards. I'm not sure on the fantasy ones."

The Hugos and Nebulas include fantasy (Harry Potter, American Gods,..."

Thanks. I didn't realized they were lumped together.Since Nick was kind enough to list the Nebula Award nominees. I'll try to read a few of them. Maybe even having an informed opinion about the winner.
(That's crazy talk)
Warren
AKA Bookshelf

[Warren]

Wow, I see what you mean.
It looks like this year everything except Firebird is
fantasy. http://goo.gl/ygCZ7

[Tamahome]

I read Firebird. I thought it was average.

Among Others is about a girl who reads sf, but then I think there's magic in her real life.

I'm pretty sure Embassytown is sf. God's War is sort of soft sf bug technology, but I didn't finish it. The ebook was actually free for a while.

[Nick]

If we need a quick fun read for a laser book I'd suggest Old Man's War. I'm about one third of the way through it and I'm really enjoying the read. Not to mention its already been picked up by a studio to turn into a movie by Wolfgang Peterson. Can't wait to see it.

[Jordy]

Laser:
The Song of the Earth by Hugh Nissenson. I've never read any book quite like it.
Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks. Starts off the "Culture" series.

Sword:
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

[Noel]

Nick wrote: "If we need a quick fun read for a laser book I'd suggest Old Man's War. I'm about one third of the way through it and I'm really enjoying the read. Not to mention its already been pi..."

Seconded. Really good story, well written.

[Warren]

third-ed
(is there such a word?...whatever)
Old Mans War is a classic.

[Steve]

I have been laid up with a cold/flu this weekend, and coincidentally chose to re-read Old Man's War, which I immediately followed by re-reading The Ghost Brigades and then Ender's Game.

I highly recommend all 3 books.

I was not aware of the Old Man's War movie - I hope they do a better job of it than they did with Starship Troopers, which is an amazing book with some great political undertones that the movie completely missed.

[Brianna]

I think Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus would be a good future sword pick.

[Warren]

I'm not sure if this one falls under fantasy or dystopia Sci-fi.
http://youtu.be/QxEienWi-Pk

Come to think of it I'm not even sure what book its from.

[AndrewP]

Nick wrote: "If we need a quick fun read for a laser book I'd suggest Old Man's War. I'm about one third of the way through it and I'm really enjoying the read. Not to mention its already been picked up by a studio to turn into a movie by Wolfgang Peterson...."

I read Old Man's War last year and highly recommend it. The movie should be interesting and I wonder what Peterson will do with it. He might make a straight action film but I would hope he would give it the dark overtones that it deserves. His 5 hour version of 'Das Boot' is one of my favorite movies of all time.

[Joseph]

Steve wrote: "I was not aware of the Old Man's War movie - I hope they do a better job of it than they did with Starship Troopers, which is an amazing book with some great political undertones that the movie completely missed."

I don't think it was so much "completely missed" as "deliberately set out to mock and subvert". How good a job they did of mocking & subverting is, of course, a different question.

[Dharmakirti]

Joe wrote: "Oh, sorry. I haven't been following this group until recently. How about the other Hugo winning novel last year tying with The Windup Girl...the City and the City. I haven't started that yet."

The City & The City is fantastic. For my money, it is Mieville's best work.

[Procrastinador]

My suggestion is Retribution Falls, cause I'm sure there are a lot of Firefly fans here and it's a light, fun, sci-fi adventure to read, very similar to the Joss Whedon show.

André

[Ian]

Since we are due for a Laser next, my nominations would be as follows - all fairly hard sci fi with spaceships and interstellar scope, none of this near future namby pamby not-really-scifi stuff we've had the last few picks :-)

1) Something by Iain M Banks - either Consider Phlebasor The Player of Games. Both are great, I think his earlier stuff is definitely better than the later ones, and both can be read standalone

2) Something by Alistair Reynolds - perhaps Chasm City since its relatively standalone as a story and it gives the background to the setting of a lot of his other stuff

3) Hyperion by Dan Simmons. Simply one of my favourite books, unique and compelling - if you are a sci fi fan you have to read this, up there with Dune as an all time great

[Joseph]

If we're looking for a laser, might I offer Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh? Lots of spaceships there, although she's coy about whether they actually use lasers.

[Skaw]

I second previous mentions:

The Curse of Chalion and Young Miles by Lois McMaster Bujold

If you get sick of books always having a young, green hero, then Chalion is the fantasy book for you. Our hero has already lived through a lot and is tired. All he wants is a quiet place to live out his life. Things don't go as he plans.

If you love a young, green hero, then Young Miles is a laser choice for you. It combines the first two Miles Vorkosigan Adventures. Miles may be young, but he is far from the typical hero.

But if neither of these books is for you, I will second Downbelow Station