Former Introduction Thread Showing 1,001-1,050 of 6,846

[[deleted user]]

Greetings!
I'm Kae Cheatham (a.k.a. K Follis Cheatham). I live in the great state of Montana and have published two SF books. They are available in print and as Kindle e-books.
Titles are: Daughter of the Stone and Child of the Mist
Two other titles deal with paranormal events. I'm not certain they would be appropriate here.
I hope to get some tips on interesting titles to read.
Recent reads I really enjoyed include The January Dancer by Michael Flynn, Muse of Fire by Dan Simmons, Singularity's Ring by Paul Melko.
Looking forward to discussions.

[Alan]

Welcome Kae! I'm in Montana too, haven't seen many of us here yet!

[Aloha]

Hi, I'm Thoa (twah or toi). I'm into literature, fantasy, sci-fi, the metaphysics, art, paranormal romance, and horror, to name a few. :o)

As a result, my reading can be schizophrenic. I enjoyed Dune and Orson Scott Card. I'm here to be further enlightened regarding the SF and fantasy genre.

[[deleted user]]

Hi Thoa,
Love your avatar!
I'm also spread all over with the types of books I read, including nonfiction science -- especially physics.

Alan: Where the heck is Coach?

[Alan]

LOL, I coach soccer as a hobby. I live in Billings ; )

[[deleted user]]

Andrew wrote: "Hi,

My names Andrew, I'm 20 years old. I'm currently living in New Zealand, where I was born. I've been reading different popular science books for the last few years but have now started readin..."

Hi Andrew,
Have you read any of David Brin's books? really interesting. The "uplift" saga was my favorite.
David Brin

[[deleted user]]

Alan wrote: "LOL, I coach soccer as a hobby. I live in Billings ; )"

Oh so Coach--the name your players call you.
I coached soccer for many years, and still run into adult 30-somethings who say "hey, Coach" Love it!

[Paul]

Hi Kae,
Welcome. I have a special regard for people who read real physics, at whatever technical level. I also used to play and coach soccer.

[Neil]

Hello all,

My name's Neil and although I'm a keen reader and sci-fi fan, with my own blog, I find myself in the position of catching up on my scifi reading.

Big fan of China Mieville, Cory Doctorow, John Wyndham and Neil gaiman - any suggestions gratefully received!

[Kriss]

I forgot to mention in my original introduction that I also enjoy Terry Pratchett's works. He's an author that I can still read with my teenaged son as well.

Kriss

[Aaron]

Hello Everyone,

I'm Aaron. I am in my second year in the Master's of Social Work Program at ASU. I enjoy a variety of genres (i.e., psychology, philosophy, the classics, and SF/Fantasy). I am fairly new to SF/Fantasy; I began reading it after within the past three years. Since then, SF/Fantasy has become the main genres I read in my spare time. The reason I enjoy it is because it allows me to leave all the stress of working in the mental health profession and relax.

Currently, I am reading the following series; The Mistborn Trilogy- Brandon Sanderson, The Blade Itself Trilogy- Joe Abercrombie, Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians Trilogy -Brandon Sanderson.

My current favorite authors (in no particular order) are Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, Soren Kieregaaard, and Alexandre Dumas.

[Stuart]

Aaron wrote: "Hello Everyone,

I'm Aaron. I am in my second year in the Master's of Social Work Program at ASU. I enjoy a variety of genres (i.e., psychology, philosophy, the classics, and SF/Fantasy). I am fair..."

Hi Aaron and welcome. It sounds as if our work overlaps. I also work in the area of mental health and find that SF/fantasy can help me relax.

[Rob]

Hello everyone! I'm 45, live in Ohio, married with two kids and a dog. I'm a psychiatrist by day and amateur musician by night. I love reading epic fantasy and sci-fi. For me, the ongoing Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson is second only to Tolkien. Also love the new "Kingkiller Chronicles" that Patrick Rothfuss is writing. I'm a big fan of Margaret Atwood's dystopic future fiction, and Phillip K. Dick's works (which can be difficult, but rewarding). I've enjoyed (in no particular order) Asimov, Gibson, Card, Lewis, Herbert, Bradbury, Rowling and many others. Stephen King's fantasy-oriented books (particularly the "Dark Tower" series) are a lot of fun. Big fan of independent cinema, also. Too little time, so much to do...

[Janny]

Rob - what kind of music?
Your book list has delightful variety. You will find lots more to read here!

[Rob]

Janny wrote: "Rob - what kind of music?
Your book list has delightful variety. You will find lots more to read here!"

Hi Janny - we do original rock, influenced by classic rock (i.e. British Invasion). I play bass and do some singing and writing - our web site is: www.collideascope.net. While it's not at the "quit you day job" level, it is a lot of fun as a creative outlet!

I see you are a writer - which book of yours do you recommend I start with? Thanks!

[Greg]

Aaron wrote: "Hello Everyone,

I'm Aaron. I am in my second year in the Master's of Social Work Program at ASU. I enjoy a variety of genres (i.e., psychology, philosophy, the classics, and SF/Fantasy). I am fair..."

Hey everyone - I'm in Salt Lake City, and have been reading scifi/fantasy for, oh let's see, about 40 years now. Ah, jeez...

Aaron, sounds like your a Brandon Sanderson fan. Are you going to be at the Conduit convention next weekend? We'll be hanging out with Brandon, he'll be reading & signing (and even playing Magic with a group of fans). He's the nicest guy you'll meet, right up there with Garth Nix and Terry Brooks when it comes to being just down-to-earth nice guys... Cheers!

[Janny]

Rob wrote: "Janny wrote: "Rob - what kind of music?
Your book list has delightful variety. You will find lots more to read here!"

Hi Janny - we do original rock, influenced by classic rock (i.e. British I..."

Wow, influenced by classic rock is right - I really enjoyed the energy in the mp3 link I just listened to. Reminds me about what I miss most from rock in the 70s and early Yes, and some other groups. Cool. Nice hobby!

Books: you asked.

Based on your list of authors (I have read all of your list SF and Fantasy) - and the first 3 fantasies you put forward (Donaldson, Tolkein, Rothfuss) mature depth and detail will please you -- if you like big series not done for YA, and not stuck in the current trend for cynicism, and not oversimplified to good VS eeeevile, ;) then The Curse of the Mistwraith opens a very big one, and has a musician as a hero (this has layers of complexity, no elves, no Dark Lord, no One Battle Solves All). It develops carefully, and as the layers unfold, the music and the magic are deeply connected. Note: I do not do cliffhangers endings.

If you want to just try out with a standalone, and a plot that wraps up in 5 days with the relentless build of a Cameron film, then try To Ride Hell's Chasm.

My publisher is HarperCollins UK/distributed in mass market in the USA also. There's a kindle version of Hell's Chasm, and both titles have text and Mp3 teaser files on my website, (linked from my profile). You need not buy blind.

As a fun side note, it was Stephen Donaldson who pointed out my stuff to an editor I worked with along the way - at the time, I'd been published in the UK for many years, and she worked for another company. On one of Stephen's book tours, they had a book conversation on a train about their reading preferences, which caused her to pick my name up off the orphan list when HarperCollins UK hired her, much later on. She's long since promoted up the corporate ladder. It was also her influence that brought Alan Lee and Brian Howe to Peter Jackson's notice as conceptual artists for the LOTR films.

For fun, on music - and classic rock, did you ever read The Armageddon Rag by George R.R. Martin? Quite the apolcalyptic novel. I think it one of the best books he's ever written.

[Rob]

Thanks, Janny - I'll message you privately so as to not monopolize this thread with our conversation!

[Janny]

Rob wrote: "Thanks, Janny - I'll message you privately so as to not monopolize this thread with our conversation!"

Ron, thank you, that's considerate.

[Doc]

Having been reading for 50 yrs, Curse of the Mistwraith is excellent starting point for Janny's novels.

[Ashanti]

Dusk

Hello, I am new to the group and to Goodreads and would like to introduce myself and my book. I live in Richmond, Virginia and have just published Dusk, a work of epic science fiction. It is currently available at Barnes and Noble.com, and there is an excerpt of the first five chapters at http://www.AshantiLuke.com. Visit the site as comments are welcome!

As a reader I am a fan of Octavia Butler and Orson Scott Card. Because of my own research, I have not had much time to read fiction lately, but I have been able to partake in a few audiobooks lately as well. It is good to meet all of you.

[Alicia]

Hi Everyone!
I'm an unpublished author. Trying to get my first manuscript published (keeps fingers crossed!) Born in Lynwood, California-1980. My birthday is coming up next month and not really looking forward to turning 30.

I read different genres, pretty much anything that interests me (YA, Fantasy, Erotica, Romance, Suspense, Thrillers, Horror). I just finished "The Crimson Petal and the White" By Michael Faber and absolutely loved it! I write fantasy/horror and erotica. My website: http://www.alicev.net My blog: http://www.alicev.net/blog Twitter ID: alicevtweet. Just to put a few up. I have myspace and facebook but I don't want to overdo it with the self-promotion.

I'm looking forward to sharing and learning from everyone here.

[Rachel]

Greetings!

The name is Rachel, and I'm new to goodreads. Let's just say the people around town weren't cutting it for me as far as good discussion is concerned. I'm a big reader, always have been, and I've always gravitated toward fantasy and young adult stuff. Yes, Harry Potter if you must, but that's just the beginning. I'm looking forward to trading recommendations with new people and getting into a conversation.

So how does one go about making friends on here anyway?

[Janny]

Hi Rachel - you might start by giving them a clue about what you love to read, and why you like fantasy and young adult stuff - or jump into a going discussion on a monthly read, or ask for a recommendation, and you're off.

Welcome.

[Meine]

Hey,

Names Meine, and I'am rather fond of science fiction and then mainly aimed at alternate societies with a slight flavor of some post-apocalyptic event. I'am somewhat of a sporadic reader, normally I read 3-6 books in a spurt with intermediate periods in which I start with a dozen which drag along for quite sometime.

It would be great to get some more tips of this groups towards readings that might be of interest since I 'am currently just checking various random sci-fi lists to get new book ideas.

[Rachel]

Janny wrote: "Hi Rachel - you might start by giving them a clue about what you love to read, and why you like fantasy and young adult stuff - or jump into a going discussion on a monthly read, or ask for a recom..."

Hi, Janny. Thanks for your welcome, and I'll be sure to take your advice. I love that an Ursula Le Guin novel was just picked. She is great. I'm also a fan of Margaret Atwood, Phillip Pullman, and Neil Gaiman. What are your favorites?

[Janny]

Rachel wrote: "Janny wrote: "Hi Rachel - you might start by giving them a clue about what you love to read, and why you like fantasy and young adult stuff - or jump into a going discussion on a monthly read, or a..."

Leguin's Earthsea would be among them.
Also Zelazny, C J Cherry, R M Meluch, Guy Kay, Carol Berg, and a heap more, too many to list. I have a distinct preference for very rich characters and unpredictable storylines.

[[deleted user]]

Hello,

I've read:

Orson Scott Card
Neil Gaimen

I love graphic novels, manga and Charoline Harris. I'm basicly here to learn from you.

[Alan]

Hello fellows,

I'm a poor English major that thinks he wants to be a teacher.

I may be new to this group, but I'm a veteran reader of genre works. I'm looking forward to taking part in these discussions and hope I have enough of merit to put into them to earn my membership here. :)

My favorite works of science fiction are:
Shadow & Claw
Lord of Light

and my favorite fantasy is here:
The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again
The Complete Lyonesse
The Mabinogion Tetralogy
The Once and Future King

[Nathan]

Hello all,
I'm Nathan Lowell a fantasy and science fiction fan. When I was ten I rapidly exhausted all the sci-fi titles at my school library. To feed my reading obsession, an aunt who was a voracious reader, dropped off a paper grocery bag full of Ace Doubles every month. For those unfamiliar, a double is two novellas in one book printed back to back. You read one to the middle, then flip it over and read the other. My favorites are all the greats: Asimov, Bujold, Cherryh ... through Lackey, Modesitt, Moon ... all the way through Weber, Willis, and Zelazny.

[CV]

Hello,

About ten years ago I was working in corporate America as an Automation & Controls Engineer (my claim to fame is that I'm responsible for all the Pop Tarts made on earth) but what I really wanted to be was a writer. I had no time for writing, not to mention reading, with my work and travel schedule and no mental energy for it either. One day I walked into my boss's office and I quit my job with no plans for the future and no safety net. I just knew I wanted to write.

I started a window washing business as a way to make ends meet and I found out that I can listen to audiobooks while I work. The business became much more than just getting by, and I listen to books 6 to 8 hours a day. I also get 3 to 4 months off every winter to write.

My favorite books are Flowers for Algernon, To Kill a Mockingbird, Slaughterhouse-Five, Three Day Road, and The Things They Carried.

About a third of what I read is sci-fi fantasy, but I tend to put more mainstream works like those by Audrey Niffenegger, Huraki Murakami, and Margaret Atwood into the genre because if it feels fantastic to me then it belongs.

I'm looking forward to this group and I hope I can find some of the discussion works in audio format.

Also, I've read 5 of this year's Hugo Nominees already. I'm hoping to get through the last one soon.

[June]

Hi,

I am an out of work Children's Librarian who is looking to feed my fantasy/Sci-fi love with my extra time.

[Tom]

Hey all

Love Science Fiction...never knew how to wade through all that is out there and had no one interested enough to discuss with me.

Im looking foreward to the groups discussions!

[stormhawk]

Welcome, Tom! Hop on in, the water's fine!

[Lucija]

Hello everyone!
My name is Lucija Vojnovic and I am 24 years old. I live in Croatia and english is not my native language, so please don't mind my mistakes in texts ;)
I managed to buy the American Gods by Neil Gaiman for this month Fantasy section, so I will be joining the discussion.

[Diane]

Hi everyone,

I've been on the site awhile but haven't explored it as much as I probably should. I was happy to find this group, though, because fantasy is one of my favorite genres, including YA and middle grade books. I wish I was a faster reader so I could read all the wonderful books I've heard about.

I'm a published children's book author and illustrator. Right now I am working on a fantasy novel as well as some picture books that someday I hope to have published.

I just finished Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater, which I thought was beautifully written with characters I came to care about. I'll look forward to getting some recommendations from the group.

[Jessica]

Hey,

I'm quite new to the site, if I'm honest I joined a while ago and then forgot all about it and have only just become active again. But i love reading so I am hoping to explore more.

I'm 18 years old and as I'm sure is ture for lots of people my age my love for reading and the fantasy genre started with Harry Potter. Since the moment I finished that first book I haven't been able to get enough.

I'm actually already in the middle of this months book so I'm hoping I have time to finish it so I can join the discussion.

[Teresa]

Hello

Love Sci/Fi and Fantasy. I am always looking for new reads so I enjoy hearing what other people like to read.

[Teresa]

Hannah wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Hello

Love Sci/Fi and Fantasy. I am always looking for new reads so I enjoy hearing what other people like to read."

I'm not much into Sci/Fi these days, but if you like fantasy, ..."

Thanks for the recommendation!! I will check it out.

[Hannah]

You're welcome! I hope you enjoy the books.

H.

[Ginny]

Hi, I'm Ginny- I refuse to call myself a geezer but am 43. I live in Michigan, am a single mom of two teenage daughters and work as a freelance sign language interpreter for the deaf.
As for Fantasy/Sci Fi authors, I love Tolkien, Gaiman, Asimov, Bradbury and HG Wells.

[Ginny]

Hannah wrote: "Hi, Ginny. If you love Tolkien, you might also enjoy The King of the Trees, by William Burt. If I remember right, he also is a freelance sign language interpreter. This book is the fi..."I looked the book up as well as the author and he is indeed a freelance sign language interpreter- a nationally certified one, whereas I am a lowly state certified (in Mich. and Texas) one but my goal is to become nationally certified in the next year. I will try to find his book! Thanks!

[Eric]

Just joined the group and am a long time sci-fi/fantasy reader and have just gotten back into the realm of the fantastic after about a year of reading from the more mundane world. Piers Anthony sucked me back in and now moving onto American Gods for the group after I finish the last 40 pages of Baldur's Gate (made for a nice in between book being as short as it is, plus I've been playing Dark Alliance on PS2 making for a nice parallel)

[Inithello]

Hail and well met, y'all.

I'm a tattoo artist and software developer based in Pennsylvania who happens to read, nay, devour science fiction and fantasy on a regular basis. Right now, as my feed would indicate, I'm working my way through Terry Pratchett's Discworld series again, after which I might re-read ... lordy, I have no idea.

[Kristin]

Hi everyone! I'm a 21 year old college student living in Chicago. I live with my boyfriend, Dave, and my 2 little sugar gliders, Zippo and Nuke. I lived in the suburbs of Chicago my whole life and I could never go too far away from the city. The lake and the city atmosphere is something I could never give up. I dabbled in writing wince I was 6 and I'm never satisfied enough with the stories to do anything with them generally.
I'm always up for new friends!

[stormhawk]

Hi Andrew! Welcome to the group. I envy your access to the Moravian Bookstore!

[Condwiramurs]

*rolls up sleeves* Hi! I'm fifteen as of this month, a complete fantasy lover (griffins and dragons being on my favorite animals list), and an author wannabe. I'm not exactly sure when I started writing stories, the majority of which haven't been shared with anyone. Other than that I'm working on my drawing skills because I want to be able to illustrate my own books. That's about it I think.

[Michael]

Hello,

I'm Michael Norris (but you can call me Mike) the co-author of the novel Midnight In Never Land mentioned by Perry in message 1133.

Some of my favorite books/series are

Dune
The Mars Trilogy
Stranger In a Strange Land
Song of Fire and Ice
Riverword series
The Stand
Saga of the Pliocene Exile
Uplift War
Tales of Alvin Maker

Outside of SF&F I enjoy historical fiction, especially the work of Bernard Cornwell.

[stormhawk]

Independent bookstores are worth their weight in gold these days. Cherish it!

[William]

Adaraschia wrote: "*rolls up sleeves* Hi! I'm fifteen as of this month, a complete fantasy lover (griffins and dragons being on my favorite animals list), and an author wannabe. I'm not exactly sure when I started wr..."

Since you love griffins and dragons, you might want to check out my fantasy series of 7 titles. The first book in the series is The King of the Trees. I incorporate a variety of dragons and griffins in my stories (readers especially seem to love the griffins), but I also have created numerous other sorts of fantasy creatures to populate my plots. Have a fun summer of reading!