Science Fiction Aficionados discussion
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What are you currently reading?
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Mary
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Aug 08, 2020 06:13PM
Islam, Arabs, and the Intelligent World of the Jinn by Amira El-Zein
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Not exacly Science Fiction but I started the first Doctor Death novel last night
. I am reading the Pulp Press edition actually but no cover available for that one
I recently read this series : I really enjoyed it.Embers of War
Fleet of Knives: An Embers of War novel
Light of Impossible Stars
Now reading Under the Skin
Currently -The Best of Arthur C Clarke, vol2
The Barsoom Project - Niven & Barnes
My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's Vol. 1 and My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's Vol. 2 by Matsuri Akai
Dan wrote: "No one, including the 13 voters for it, is reading September 2020's book. No one even opened a topic to discuss it. I predict the same for October's book." Ouch. You got me there :) But I did read the The Gods Themselves! Fine ALL RIGHT I will get the October book if you promise to converse with me about it
Dan wrote: "No one, including the 13 voters for it, is reading September 2020's book. No one even opened a topic to discuss it. I predict the same for October's book."Hey folks Dan is right! Even though it doesn't seem from the description that I will like it, the book is on my own to-read list as it got the Nebula award a couple years ago. So I pledge to drop the other books I am reading and get on with the Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal to be done with it by the end of the month. I encourage y'all to do the same :)
Dan, I hope YOU are reading the Calculating Stars. If both of us don't like it, we'll gripe to each other!
No one, including the 13 voters for it, is reading September 2020's book. No one even opened a topic to discuss it. I predict the same for October's book.
Zina wrote: "Ouch. You got me there :) But..."I previously read September's book and gave it a one star review. I don't think anyone missed much.
The one and only book from the most recent poll I have no interest in reading won. Thanks for the offer, but hard pass. Maybe next month....
Dan wrote: "Zina wrote: "Ouch. You got me there :) But..."I previously read September's book and gave it a one star review. I don't think anyone missed much.
The one and only book from the most recent poll ..."
I already read The Calculating Stars and quite enjoyed it. Dan and I will have to disagree I suppose.
Dan, can you tell us what turned you off?
Dan wrote: "I do in my review of the book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."Thanks Dan. I do understand the problems you had with the story.
I admit, I also had some WSoD problems. But, once I got past them, I quite enjoyed the clever story.
The flaws in the first book (which Dan points out in his review) become overwhelming in the second. I actually agree with all the arguments that Kowal is making in favor of gender equality and displaying discrimination as evil in these books but it is done in such a heavy-handed (and sophomoric) manner that it is mostly counter-productive, I believe.
hmmm... looks like the system made a duplicate of the post
Wellllllll.... Being it is historical, that really was the attitude to women back then... I kept thinking that this book needed to have been published in the 60s or early 70s... Like there is an actual subplot to this - the author WAS an alternative space-time traveller and she wrote a book to encourage the women as part of some Earth education program, only there was a glitch in the matrix and she showed up in 2018 with it, way past when that message was relevant. BUT she showed up with all the space-time travelling trappings and so the Nebula voters HAD to give her an award. We have only residual clues to judge by and that is the only thing that makes sense. Back in the day, that exactly was the attitude to women. My Dissertation advisor was telling us how in the 70's she went to present a seminar somewhere and afterwards there was a dinner; she was seated at the table with the wives, not the faculty. As a historical piece, it is all right I guess. I have not got to the interplanetary part yet though. So maybe there will be something to the story that would make it actually worth it even without the author's spacetime travels.
Clyde wrote: "Dan wrote: "I do in my review of the book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."Thanks Dan. I do understand the problems you had with the story.
I admit, I also had some WSoD problems..."
what does WSoD mean?
Zina wrote: "what does WSoD mean?.."I believe WSoD means “White Screen of Death” typically an Apple computer problem.
Zina wrote: "Clyde wrote: "...what does WSoD mean?"WSoD = Willing suspension of disbelief
Clyde wrote: "Zina wrote: "Clyde wrote: "...what does WSoD mean?"WSoD = Willing suspension of disbelief"
“So I see” said the blind man.
I've just reread Nine Princes in Amber.5 stars. And the next 4 in the series will attract the same.
When I reread them over the coming few weeks.
I have the first five novels in a two-volume hardcover set, the second five in a mix of hardcovers and paperbacks. I have the illustrated guide to amber as well (not sure that is the title of the book). Unfortunately all are somewhere in the storage locker right now. I actually had the initial magazine appearances for the novels three to five in Galaxy but they didn't make the move from Ontario to British Columbia.
MadProfessah wrote: "The flaws in the first book (which Dan points out in his review) become overwhelming in the second. I actually agree with all the arguments that Kowal is making in favor of gender equality and disp..."Yeah, I am about almost 1/2 into the book - doing it on Audible - and honestly, it is a painful experience. I mean, yes, it is true and yes, women should be able to do things but it is way too heavy-handed and overbearing, completely overtaking what sci-fi story is somewhere in there. Add to this how hysterical and annoying the character actually is - and it is read by the author in this high pitched girly voice with all these hysterical notes in it, with all these "OMG I would have to talk in front of people" (with explanations every time that it is all the fault of men) and it's just such an unpleasant experience. Like reading too much of r/twoXchromosomes instead of a sci fi story. There is so little of what actually is going on and so much about her feelings and how men are not treating her right. I *will* finish it as I am a completionist and also as - I don't know, I feel certain guilt for disliking this mess so profoundly, like "don't you think women should be treated equally"? and it annoys me even further. Because sure I think women are equal and all, I am, after all, a professor myself, and I am grateful for those women back in the 50's who paved the way for us now. But I feel at the very least mislead when I come for a sci fi story and got beat over the head with this instead. Part of my annoyance too is she is writing about the 50's but making these arguments as a woman from now, not from then.
Also this makes me wonder about those who voted for this unpleasant book - I wish at least one would step in and point out some great quality of it which perhaps I am overolloking.
The first book it’s about the novelty of the premise (which is quite good) and the effective way the author portrays the main character that makes the book quite distinctive. And if one is in support of its political project (illuminating prejudice and bias based on identity characteristics such as race, color, gender and creed) one can give the book a pass, for awhile. (I think this is why many people voted it for best novel for the Hugo & Nebula). But it really IS NOT GOOD. And the author doesn’t seem to realize she is replicating and re-infircing stereotypes based on race, sexuality and gender in the second book.
That made it VERY problematic for me.
MadProfessah wrote: "The first book it’s about the novelty of the premise (which is quite good) and the effective way the author portrays the main character that makes the book quite distinctive. And if one is in suppo..."Thanks! I am going to finish it and who knows, maybe it'd grow on me by the end; after all, I didn't think much of Among Others until the faeries showed up and Connie Willis annoyed the heck out of me for a while albeit for different reasons but overall I think rather highly of her historians series. But it seems like this is going to be my bottom least like of the Nebula awarded books, at least for now. At this moment, can't imagine reading the second book or any other books by this author.
Not exactly reading, but I listened to a track from William Shatner's new album The Blues. This is the second track from the album I have heard.
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