Past Introduction messages (Archive)

[[deleted user]]

Aaron wrote: "Howdy everyone. My name is Aaron, and I am addicted to Fantasy..."

Hi, Arron. Welcome to the group. It's been seven hours since I read my last fantasy. (I do feel a binge coming on this Tuesday :)

You didn't leave a link to your Bridal Registry. I don't know whether to send Excalibur, a Ring of Power, or one of those cute little Cuendillar Ter'angreal slow cookers.

[Jonathan , Reader of the fantastic]

Robert wrote: "Jonathan wrote: Hey there Robert. What particularly in cryptozoology interests you?

I have been to Africa three times in search of a possible living dinosaur."

Fascinating! That sounds like 'an awfully big adventure' (minus some dying).

As for everyone else who joined while I was away. Welcome to our group!

[David]

Hi there. I'm David. This looks like the right group for me. I'm currently working my way through NPR's top 100 sci-fi/fantasy reads.

[[deleted user]]

David wrote: "Hi there. I'm David. This looks like the right group for me. I'm currently working my way through NPR's top 100 sci-fi/fantasy reads."

Hi, David, and welcome to the group!

Reading through NPR's 2011 Listener Poll of Top Science Fiction & Fantasy novels is as good away as any to sample a wide variety of SF&F. (Still, I reserve the right to disagree vehemently with those poll results!) I hope you find a couple of recommendations that intrigue you here in this group, too.

Please feel free to jump into any of our ongoing or past discussions, or start a new one on a topic that interests you.

Each month we try to designate one classic and one contemporary SF&F novel and one short story/novella/anthology to discuss as a group. You can find January's discussions here and nominations for February's titles here (feel free to nominate something you're interested in reading or discussing!)

[Michael]

Hey, I'm Mike. I live outside of Philadelphia, PA. Big fan of sic-fi (and some fantasy). Looking forward to participating in the group reads.

[[deleted user]]

Mike wrote: "Hey, I'm Mike. I live outside of Philadelphia, PA. Big fan of sic-fi (and some fantasy). Looking forward to participating in the group reads."

Hi, Mike. Welcome to the group! I see you've already found the group's book discussion & nomination topics, so thanks for joining. Feel free to jump right into any of the other ongoing discussions as well.

[Linda]

Hello, my name is Linda, and I'm a bookaholic. I don't have a favorite book, because that would involve choosing one. However, I have (suprisingly recently) discovered that I have a favorite genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy! So I joined this group to find more books in genre :)

Currently reading:
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (for the first time)

[[deleted user]]

Linda wrote: "Hello, my name is Linda, and I'm a bookaholic. I don't have a favorite book, because that would involve choosing one. However, I have (suprisingly recently) discovered that I have a favorite genre:..."

Hello, Linda, and welcome to the group. I hope you find some discussions here useful (if not, feel free to start a more interesting one!) We read just about everything SF here, except Vogon poetry.

[Jonathan , Reader of the fantastic]

Welcome everyone to the group! I apologise I couldn't welcome you as well as G33z3r since I live in one of the 'earliest timezones' in the world!

[Gene]

Just joined the group; am working on my own fantasy-novels.

Favorites include Lovecraft, REH, Dunsany, Tolkien, Donaldson, Lewis and Tanith Lee.

[Prin]

Hello, my name is Prin. I mainly read Sci-Fi and graphic novels. Can't get enough of them really. I've been looking for a group like this to join so I'm pretty excited. Looking forward to suggestions and participating in group discussions.

[[deleted user]]

Gene wrote: "Just joined the group; am working on my own fantasy-novels. Favorites include Lovecraft, REH, Dunsany, Tolkien, Donaldson, Lewis and Tanith Lee."

Hi, Gene, and welcome to the group. Please make yourself at home. Tanith Lee this one author I've been meaning to sample for some time. Care to suggest a good book of hers to get started with?

[[deleted user]]

Prin wrote: "Hello, my name is Prin. I mainly read Sci-Fi and graphic novels. Can't get enough of them really. I've been looking for a group like this to join so I'm pretty excited. Looking forward to..."

Hello, Prin. Welcome to the group. I hope you find it to your liking. I noticed on your profile you're a fan of Ender's Game. That's one of our chosen books for reading and discussion this month, so drop into the Book Discussions topic share your opinion!

[Dee]

Hello. My name is Dee and I have been reading SciFi since the '50s, so the body is OLD. However, the mind is still stuck somewhere in my early twenties. I loved J.R.R. Tolkein's work so much that I named my first daughter Arwen and was talked out of naming my second Eowyn. I love grand epics like Lord of the Rings and Song of Fire and Ice, but also enjoy space operas and post-apocalyptic stories and anything speculative in between.

[Prin]

G33z3r wrote: "Prin wrote: "Hello, my name is Prin. I mainly read Sci-Fi and graphic novels. Can't get enough of them really. I've been looking for a group like this to join so I'm pretty excited. Looking for..."

Thanks, I will!

[[deleted user]]

Dee wrote: "Hello. My name is Dee and I have been reading SciFi since the '50s, so the body is OLD. However, the mind is still stuck somewhere in my early twenties..."

Hi, Dee, and welcome to the group. It's nice to have someone else who thinks of books from the 50s as "contemporary". :) I see you've already found our monthly book read/discussion nomination topics. I hope you'll jump right into any discussion you find interesting; if you don't find one interesting, please feel free to start one you do!

[Jen]

Hey everyone! I'm Jen, and I've just started getting into SciFi and fantasy books a little more seriously. My boyfriend is really into the Ender's Series, and I started reading them mostly because of him, but have also found that I absolutely love them. I'm kind of all over the place with my book selections, I like to keep it interesting :) I think this group looks like a great place to get more suggestions on books to read, especially since I'm the kind of reader who will devour her books really fast and then get all sad about not having anything to read :p

[[deleted user]]

Hi, Jen. Welcome aboard. I see you found our ongoing monthly discussions already, including one of this month's choices, Ender's Game and jumped right in. Great, and I hope we'll hear more from you in the future.

[Shellie]

Hello everyone! My name is Shellie and I'm an avid reader of fantasy. Among my favorite authors are Tad Williams, Terry brooks, Terry Goodkind, and Robbin Hobb. I discovered Goodreads fairly recently and have only just begun to navigate the site. I'm in the final few weeks of college; majoring in psychology, and so participation is still hit-and-miss for the immediate futute; however, I can already see that this is going to become a favorite place when I go online!

[[deleted user]]

Shellie wrote: "Hello everyone! My name is Shellie and I'm an avid reader of fantasy. Among my favorite authors are Tad Williams, Terry brooks, Terry Goodkind, and Robbin Hobb...."

Hello, Shellie, welcome to the group. We all hope you'll find some interesting discussions here I'm can stop back and visit us. (After you graduate, maybe you can explain to us why we all prefer to live in fantasy worlds!) Cheers.

[Bidyut]

Hiya, my name is Bidyut. I am a great fan of Fantasy and Sci-fi. The Wheel of Time and Lord of the Rings (or all the books on Middle Earth) are my favorites. I consider the Dune saga to be one of the best epic science fiction ever written. As a matter of it's 'A Memory of Light' which brought me to this place. It's a fantastic feeling just to be among like minded people :)

[Martijn]

Hi everyone! My name is Martijn. I like to read all kinds of stories, but I tend to be a bit on the fantasy/sci-fi end of the spectrum. I guess I've missed quite a lot of the "must read" classics, but I hope to pick them up in this group.

[[deleted user]]

Bidyut wrote: "Hiya, my name is Bidyut. I am a great fan of Fantasy and Sci-fi. The Wheel of Time and Lord of the Rings..."

Hi, Bidyut, and welcome to the group. I hope you've already found our A Memory of Light Discussion Topic. I am reading AMoL myself right now (well, I've digressed a bit this morning, but I'll be back to AMoL by this evening.) I look forward to reading your impressions.

[[deleted user]]

Martijn wrote: "Hi everyone! My name is Martijn. I like to read all kinds of stories, but I tend to be a bit on the fantasy/sci-fi end of the spectrum. I guess I've missed quite a lot of the "must read" classics, ..."

Hello, Martijn. Welcome to the group. I hope you'll find some of the discussions here entertaining. Please jump in anywhere. Each month we designate a couple of books or group reading and discussion, one classic and one contemporary (and one short story category, of which I'm especially fond myself. :) perhaps you can visit our Classic Nomination thread, and if nothing that's been proposed so far strikes your fancy, please feel free to add a suggestion of your own. We look forward to discussing SF&F books with you!

[Tristan]

So...

well, I'm Tristan. Obviously, I've been a reader for as long as I can remember, but the last few years I really got around to reading a lot more than before.
I love fantasy, I can't remember the last book that wasn't fantasy, actually.
I'm very interrested in sci-fi, but I can't say I have much experience with it, so maybe I'll learn of a few good ones around here! :)

[[deleted user]]

Hi, Tristan. Welcome to the group.

If you're looking for some suggestions on what to read from this group, you might check out our current and past Book Discussions folder. (The group also has a Reading List topic.) You might find a few useful ideas there.

We look forward to reading your thoughts here in the future!

[Mitsy]

Hi all! My name is Mitsy. The book Prepare made me want to read more sci-fi novels, so here I am. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!

[Jcoug25]

My name is Jared, I love to read and at least half of what I read falls under scifi/fantasy. Favorite book ever: Return of the King by Tolkien.

[[deleted user]]

Jcoug25 wrote: "My name is Jared, I love to read and at least half of what I read falls under scifi/fantasy. Favorite book ever: Return of the King by Tolkien."

Hi, Jared, and welcome to the group. I think you'll find a lot of folks here count the Lord of the Rings among their favorites. (Half the books you read are science fiction and fantasy? You mean, there are some other kinds of book? :) Please join into any discussion you find that interest you, and if none interest you, start one that does!

By the way, each month we pick as a group one classic and one contemporary novel and one short story/anthology to read and discuss. We currently have three polls open to select the titles for our February discussions. Stop in and cast your vote!

[Robert C. Adams]

Hi everyone, I'm an avid fantasy and SciFi reader and I also am a big fan of f&sf anime, manga, tv movies and games. I'm also a SciFi writer with a new book but I'll put the info on that in the Advertising & Promotions folder.

Looking forward to chats on the forum. @G33z3r I also heard this rumor about there being other kinds of books.

I like the classic LoTR and Dune books a lot, the Wheel of Time series is probably my favorite fantasy but Tad Williams is really good too. For SciFi, I like some of the Star Wars books. Fave games are Dragon Age, Fallout, Skyrim and Halo. Fave animes are Fairy Tail, One Piece, Bleach and the Gundam shows.

Anyway, nice to meet everyone!

[Abby]

Hi I'm Abby. I recently got obsessed with science fiction and this site is not helping.

[[deleted user]]

Robert C. Adams wrote: "Hi everyone, I'm an avid fantasy and SciFi reader and I also am a big fan of f&sf anime, manga,... I also heard this rumor about there being other kinds of books."

Hi, Robert. Welcome to the group. (I'm pretty sure we cover both kinds of books here: we got your Science Fiction and we got your Fantasy.)

BTW, I also speak Gundam, Macross, and especially Space Pirate Capt. Harlock. (Or as they say around here, "that old stuff".) I can't say much about videogames, though.

[[deleted user]]

Abby wrote: "Hi I'm Abby. I recently got obsessed with science fiction and this site is not helping."

Hi, Abby, and welcome to the group! So, what can we do to help with your obsession? (I'm told the only cure is embalming fluid. We might be able to freeze you cryogenically and send you into the future to a world where there is no Science Fiction. But only Ray Bradbury would imagine such a dystopian future.) Please jump into any of our ongoing discussions that interest you, and if none of them interest you, start one that does!

[Robert C. Adams]

G33z3r wrote: "BTW, I also speak Gundam, Macross, and especially Space Pirate Capt. Harlock. (Or as they say around here, "that old stuff"."

Classics! I just finished watching Harlock a couple months ago and am working my way through Yamoto. Great stuff. Macross and Gundam were probably the first animes I ever saw and they are part of what inspired me to write a story with mech fighters / battlesuits. :)

And you're right, only Ray Bradbury would imagine such a dystopian future, but I wonder what people living in the future that we now think of as science fiction will have as their science fiction? :)

[Tristan]

Try watching blade runner.., evidently back then people thought msdos was the future =]

[Jim]

It's pretty easy to make fun of older movies & books for being dated. Some would say that's what separates a true classic from an ephemeral one. I've said it myself. I recently re-read Fahrenheit 451 & was surprised at how well it had aged - a true classic. Neuromancer hasn't fared nearly as well, but many programmers & tech icons today have written that it was their inspiration, gave them a vision to shoot for. I think that confers classic status on it, although it's difficult to read it with the proper perspective today since they have achieved so much of what was wild fantasy when the book was published.

And the command line is still king.
;-)

[Jody]

Hi! I am pretty new. I am a voracious reader. I tend toward more science fiction and fantasy but will read most anything. I have been more into urban fiction lately (Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Rachel Caine, etc.) I look forward to all sorts of discussions and getting to know you all.

[Jody]

sorry for the duplicate

[[deleted user]]

Jody wrote: "Hi! I am pretty new. I am a voracious reader. I tend toward more science fiction and fantasy but will read most anything. I have been more into urban fiction lately..."

Hi, Jody, and welcome to the group!

I've read a few of the Dresden Files and Rachel Morgan books, and all the Mercy Thompson novels (though I was disappointed in the most recent, and will probably wait for paperback on Frost Burned when it comes out next month.) My current primary Urban Fantasy series are Kate Daniels and The Black Sun's Daughter, though I really want to catch up with Kim Harrison's books as well.

(PS: no problem with the dupe. For future reference, you should find, immediately below and to the right of each of your messages, small buttons for "edit" and "delete". I find the former especially useful every time I actually read whatever it was I just dictated.)

Welcome, again.

[Jody]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I am reading the last Mercy Thompson and I see what you mean, by it not being quite up to the previous books. But I do like the characters and will get Frost Burned when it comes out. I LOVE the Dresden Files. I really love the way he portrays the characters and I am drawn into each and every book.

Kim Harrison is also fantastic. It's a very different take on things. I have not tried Kate Daniels and will have to give it a try. Have you tried Rachel Caine? She does the Morganville Vampire series for one.

My favorite genre over any other (and I read MANY) is Science Fiction. The first Sci Fi book I ever read was Lucifer's Hammer. It's a strong entrance into the sci fi world and I have been hooked ever since.

I look forward to having many discussions.

See ya on the boards..

[Ruth]

Welcome Jody. I just finished Kim Harrison's Ever After and Lucifer's Hammer is one of my favorites. Have you read SwanSong? If you liked Lucifer's Hammer You'll like this one.

[Jody]

Ruth wrote: "Welcome Jody. I just finished Kim Harrison's Ever After and Lucifer's Hammer is one of my favorites. Have you read SwanSong? If you liked Lucifer's Hammer You'll like this one."

I loved Swan Song. It's a great book. It's reminiscent of The Stand, but written better. What did you think of ever after?

[Xdyj]

Jody wrote: "Hi! I am pretty new. I am a voracious reader. I tend toward more science fiction and fantasy but will read most anything. I have been more into urban fiction lately (Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison, ..."

Hi, welcome to the group! I've also read a few books by these four as well as some other UF writers & Kim Harrison is probably my favorite among them. :)

[Ruth]

Ever After was good. I've read all the books in this series and enjoyed them. I like the characters. By the way, my 82 yr old mother is a fan as well.

[Jody]

Xdyj wrote: "Jody wrote: "Hi! I am pretty new. I am a voracious reader. I tend toward more science fiction and fantasy but will read most anything. I have been more into urban fiction lately (Jim Butcher, K..."

Cool. Good taste :) What other authors do you like?

[Jody]

Ruth wrote: "Ever After was good. I've read all the books in this series and enjoyed them. I like the characters. By the way, my 82 yr old mother is a fan as well."

Reading is for all ages. That's fantastic.

I agree about the characters. Even the secondary characters keep your interest.

[Xdyj]

Jody wrote: "Xdyj wrote: "Jody wrote: "Hi! I am pretty new. I am a voracious reader. I tend toward more science fiction and fantasy but will read most anything. I have been more into urban fiction lately (J..."

Within UF genre maybe Richelle Mead, Charlain Harris & Seanan McGuire, & if It's just fantasy with urban setting there are many more e.g. Angela Carter, Neil Gaiman & Tanith Lee.

[Jody]

Xdyj wrote: "Jody wrote: "Xdyj wrote: "Jody wrote: "Hi! I am pretty new. I am a voracious reader. I tend toward more science fiction and fantasy but will read most anything. I have been more into urban fict..."

I have read Charlaine Harris. Neil Gaiman is great. Will have to try others :)

[Diana]

I am Diana. I read a little of everything. However Sci-Fi is one kI keep coming back to as a staple Favorite Sci-fi authors include, but are not limited to: Lois McMasters Bujold, Terry Pratchet, David Weber, and Sharon Lee & Steve Miller.

[[deleted user]]

Diana wrote: "I am Diana. I read a little of everything. However Sci-Fi is one kI keep coming back to as a staple Favorite Sci-fi authors include, but are not limited to: Lois McMasters Bujold, Terry Pratchet, David Weber, and Sharon Lee & Steve Miller."

Hi, Diana, and welcome to the group! You seem to like space opera with a military bent. I'm only just getting into Bujold's Vorkosigan, though I've read quite a bit of Weber's Honor Harrington and Pratchet's DiscWorld. (Though really long series tend to eventually exhaust my interest.)

At a guess, you might also enjoy Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet, Elizabeth Moon's Vatta's War, and/or John Scalzi's Old Man's War series.

I hope you'll join us in discussing science fiction and fantasy books and other related topics. Again, welcome to the group!