Moderator Thread

[mark, personal space invader]

hey i just noticed that the Footfall/Reality Dysfunction runoff poll ended in a tie! i'll be happy to moderate the group random read thread for that month. my preference would be Footfall (probably no surprise) but i am actually fine with rereading Reality Dysfunction as well. i will go with whichever the moderator pack thinks is best.

edit: i just noticed that Reality Dysfunction is already featured on the home page as the Feb read. why is that?

also, voting in the series read just ended and Vorkosigan Saga won (by 1 point!). i almost hate to do another poll, but because there are strong arguments in favor of starting off with two different books (Shards of Honor or Warrior's Apprentice), i think i have to put up a poll to determine where the majority want to start. although my preference is start with the very first book in the series and will probably do that either way.

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

ok, so when the feb random poll first ended, RD had won. Somebody must have left the group since then, making it a tie. I first noticed this yesterday when I realized I had never put the books on the shelf. Being as at the time of the vote RD had won, I let it lay. If you think we should do something else, I am all for it...that was just why I did it that way. lol

wow, vorkosigan was in third place yesterday....lol Here I was thinking Culture was going to win. Just my personal opinion, but most people start with The Warrior's Apprentice, as Shards of Honour is about Mile's mom and dad meeting, but I guess I dont care. Since it's technically #1, it might be a better idea.

Megan did you want to do the Doomsday Book? I will if you're busy, but my plate overflows at the moment!

[Megan]

I can certainly do the Doomsday Book! I will order it from the library today. :)

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

Cool!

and for the record, I am all grrrr that Footfall didnt win. I think we should have a Footfall theme month! lol

[mark, personal space invader]

Maggie wrote: "ok, so when the feb random poll first ended, RD had won. Somebody must have left the group since then, making it a tie. I first noticed this yesterday when I realized I had never put the books on..."

ah, well that makes it simple. i'm fine with moderating Reality Dysfunction, or not if someone is excited to read it for the first time.

[Jason]

I have Reality dysfunction on my shelf. I'd be happy to take it.

[mark, personal space invader]

it's yours!

i'd love to take the first month of the series read.

[Jason]

Done!

[mark, personal space invader]

After receiving a notice from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club that they were just about to start their read of Bujold's The Warrior's Apprentice, and knowing how much both Maggie and I do not want to repeat other groups' reads... I was just about to propose that we go ahead and make an executive decision and start with Shards of Honor for the Vorkosigan series read.

However I just recieved Maggie's notice and, as usual, she has somehow been able to telepathically predict my own thoughtstream. So all I'll do is post a message in a couple appropriate spots (series read discussion thread & poll comment trhead).

Marjorie made some really strong points as far as why we should start with Warrior's Apprentice. but i think another group reading that book is reason enough for me to skip setting up yet another poll and for us to just start with Shards of Honor.

[Megan]

Sounds reasonable to me!

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

mark makes me sound all agreeable or something....lol

I already put it this way in the bookshelf

[Jason]

Sounds good to me, too!

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

anybody wanting dibs on either Barrayar or Hyperion??

[Megan]

I'm having trouble getting my hands on a copy of Barrayar (and Shards of Honour, for that matter.) I could do Hyperion - I've never read it before. Unless someone is dying to moderate that one.

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

thanks Megan-I will put you down for that. As for BArrayar-I am always seeing the combined edition of Cordelia's Honor, which is both shards of honor and barrayar

[Megan]

I'll take a look for that in local bookstores - my library system doesn't have it either. Annoying.

[mark, personal space invader]

if no one wants Barrayar, i am happy to take it. or not, whatever the case may be.

[mark, personal space invader]

i just checked the publication order for the Vorkosigan Saga, and it actually looks like Warrior's Apprentice is the next one up. or are we going for internal chronological order? if so, we probably should have started with Falling Free.

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

yeah that is a pre-pre-prequel, happening like now practically! and it's probably the boringest of the series....lol

[mark, personal space invader]

so let's skip Falling Free for now. but for next month should it be the next one by publication order - The Warrior's Apprentice - or the next by internal chronological order - Barrayar? i'm inclined towards the latter. but i haven't read the series so i don't have the strongest opinion on the matter.

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

I was assuming Barrayar myself as well....

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

Anyone want to take on Ringworld????

Also, as for the series read, either way you go this month is Warrior's apprentice, but I am wondering if we should keep going chronological or switch to publication order? and if we stay chronoligical does anyone know the appropriate place to fit in Falling Free?

[mark, personal space invader]

i'd rather take on Warrior's Apprentice.

i think we should stick with Bujold's preference (which appears as an appendix in many e-versions of her books), which is the internal chronological order - with the exception of Falling Free. at the end of her comments on chronology, she really sort of sets Falling Free apart since it takes place 200 years earlier. i think we'd be okay with reading it last.

[Megan]

Who is taking books on for June?

Is there any way I can be delinquent and not moderate for the second month in a row? I'm on the road for the first week of June, and won't be online much. I could definitely take a July book, whatever those end up being.

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

I have been so delinquent lately....lol

Mark wants to do the Vorkosigan book, so we still need a moderator for Consider Phlebas....I will ask Trax if he can.

[Trax]

I will consider it....wakka wakka. (No seriously, Consider Phlebas sounds cool).

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

Knowing your literary tastes (wacka wacka)....I think you would love it.

[Trax]

Sounds good, I'll get after reading it here and stop being such a slacker.

[Megan]

I can definitely take one on this month, and can get either book from my library. Does anyone else have a preference for one of the books this month?

I'm caught up on the Vorkosigan books, or I could take I Am Legend, whichever.

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

Go ahead and take on I Am Legend then Megan!

[Megan]

Sounds good!

[Megan]

Who is taking the books for August? I just did I Am Legend, but if we need someone, I could do Snow Crash - yet again, my library doesn't have the Bujold available.

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

sorry, I recently started Wi-Fi and have the hardest time getting online anymore....I will get the snow crash post up now. I am pretty sure Mark is continuing with Vorkosigan.

[mark, personal space invader]

yep, I will be happy to continue with Vorkosigan. I'm putting up the thread shortly.

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

anyone willing to take on Tau Zero???

[mark, personal space invader]

not it! I read that one a while ago and found it only so-so.

[Megan]

I can do that one, if no one else wants to claim it.

[Jason]

Hey guys.

I am going to step down as moderator for this group. There is one big reason for this. My life is about to change, hopefully for the better. I'm going back to school and I have a baby on the way! I'm going to be really busy. :)

I figure that you guys are doing a great job here and I'm not doing much at all. I'd love to remain a member, though, and perhaps participate more in the future when things finally settle down again ... if they do. lol

Thanks Maggie for having me on! It was a lot of fun!

[Megan]

Congratulations on the big life things! We'll miss having you as a moderator.

[mark, personal space invader]

YAY, CONGRATULATIONS JASON! and good luck with school as well!

[Jason]

Thanks, guys! :)

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

no problem Jase-I knew how busy you were!

and you are welcome back wholeheartedly anytime you want!

[Megan]

Who's doing what next month? I know, Maggie and mark, you don't want to do the Orson Scott Card. I don't really want to read anything new by him, but I read Speaker for the Dead a long while ago, so unless Trax wants to take it on, I'm pretty sure I could moderate it.

[mark, personal space invader]

I don't mind continuing with the Vorkosigan Saga.

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

thanks Megan! I appreciate it...

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

Mark you going to continue with Vorkosigan?

and anyone up for Perdido? I read it last year so can handle it if need be, if no one else wants to....

[Megan]

If you want, Maggie, or I can take it. I haven't read it yet, but I'm excited to.

[mark, personal space invader]

I can continue with Vorkosigan. I just need to catch up! two books behind, geez.

[Maggie, space cruisin' for a bruisin']

If you are going to read it, go ahead and moderate. I am hoping to have time to do a reread, but not too optimistic about the chances....lol

Mark! They are not that long of reads!!! LOL That is probably the problem! I tend to put off the shorter reads thinking I can get to em quickly. I am reading Freefall now and I think you would really like it.

[Megan]

Cool. I will order Perdido Street Station from the library right now!