SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
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Former Introduction Thread
Welcome to the group, Alicia. I'm sure the break from teaching is much deserved and much needed. A noble but tiring profession.
Welcome, Alicia...I'm new/new, but looking forward to chatting about the genre. I'm a writer and it can be so hard to find the time to read!
Welcome, welcome :)
I used to want to be a teacher, back when I was a kid.
And then I went to high school and realized that most kids suck and teaching them would be hell for me.
So yeah, never became a teacher :P
I used to want to be a teacher, back when I was a kid.
And then I went to high school and realized that most kids suck and teaching them would be hell for me.
So yeah, never became a teacher :P
Ala - so true! I always wanted to major in history then realized teaching was about the only thing that would work with that degree...and the thought of teaching terrified me. I so admire those who can do!
hello everyone.I'm Anna and I've been a fan of science fiction and fantasy for as long as I remember myself. it started with 9-years-old me discovering "The Mysterious Island" in a local library, when I got impressed with Jules Verne's genius and tried to read all his books I could lay my hands on. in a few years I moved to H. G. Wells and few other classics including J. R. R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis (I admit that I didn't like him much and dropped midway through the first book).
I like challenging and well-written fantasy and science fiction. from the resent additions to my shelf I like Simmon's "Ilium" and Clarke's "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell" the best.
Hello, everyone!My name is Zulfiya, and I am 34. I am Russian, but I moved to the USA two years ago. My fascination with science fiction has its best and worst moments, but I truly enjoyed the books written during the Gold Age of science fiction, namely book by Azimov, Heilein, Lem, and Anderson.
Three years ago I rediscovered the pleasures of SciFi reads in the novels of A. C. Clarke. And I do equally enjoy both the soft social Scifi books by Le Guin and the modern techno sagas by Hamilton and by A. Reynolds. And manifold Dan Simmons is my special love.
Have you read "We" by Yevgeny Zamyatin?
I did, when I was in high-school, and I find uncanny similarities with the other important novel 'Brave New World'.:-) They were even written at the same time.:-)
So my librarian told me at my high school. I thought it was a wonderful novel and I loved every moment of it.
Welcome to the group, Zulfiya :)
Thank you, Ala. EJ Luv Zombie, I do like dystopian and apocalyptic novels. I also like fleshed-out shadowy characters: there is a certain fascination to explore the darker side of a human soul.
Though the most disturbing one was definitely '1984'. I actually read it in my early teens for the first time and was wondering for a long time whether it is fiction or non-fiction. I was twelve, after all, and my hesitations were excusable, IMHO.
Sorry for an off-topic.
I do love apocalyptic fiction. One of my favorite series is still the Hunger Games, brilliant idea for a story, but the plot was sadly predictable in every book. Another post-apocalyptic like book I loved was "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy (I think that's how it's spelled...)).
Hello,I'm '94 IB student from Finland. When I was small my parents read me a lot of fantasy (e.g Tolkien) and when my own reading skills were good enough I started reading it by myself. I read my first books in English when I was 14 years and nowaydays I actually read more in English than in my mother tongue (Finnish).
I admire Toklien's books greatly. I believe that no other book can really be compared to his works. Other good authors that I like are in example Trudi Canavan, George R.R. Martin, Ian Irvine, Diana Wynne Jones, Ilkka Auer, Paul Hoffman, Eoin Colfer, Garth Nix, Jonathan Stroud, Jaida Jones & Danielle Bennet and Robin Hobb.
I'm currently reading Tad William's To Green Angel Tower. I have really liked the whole Memory, Sorrow and Thorn -trilogy and I hope this last one is not going to let me down.
Welcome SSirppi :)
I've heard nothing but good things about that trilogy, so hopefully the ending won't be a letdown.
I've heard nothing but good things about that trilogy, so hopefully the ending won't be a letdown.
Hello everyone, I'm Kevin, 42, from California. I've been a fan of SF&F for most of my life, yet I can't say that I've read all that much.Tolkien, GRRM, Le Guin, Goodkind, Orson Scott Card, Joe Haldeman. When I was a teenager I consumed Terry Brooks & David Eddings. Oh, there are others. The point is that I've barely scratched the surface.
So, I'm really looking forward to this group!
Hello all, my name's Chris and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintances. I'm originally from Michigan, recently relocated to the beautiful mountains of Colorado. Obviously I'm a lover of the fantastic (though if I started listing out all those I loved, we'd be here a while), and am an amalgamation of journalist, photographer, and writer on the professional side of things.In about a month I'll be releasing my own first novel (fantasy, if you're curious), and between the stressful times that come with balancing that and the day-to-day routines, I'm always on the lookout for great new reads in the fantasy and sci-fi scenes.
Hi all, my name is Vaibhava. I'm a software engineer from Bangalore, India. I can read almost anything (fiction or non-fiction) on science, military history and fantasy. When I get free time out of my busy schedule, I write short stories. I've been writing them since I was 12 years old :)
I've joined this group mainly to get some nice recommendations.
Welcome Vaibhava :)
I'm sure you'll get plenty of recs here
I'm sure you'll get plenty of recs here
Susan Kaye Quinn, Author and Rocket ScientistHello all, my name is Susan Kaye Quinn, and I've been a fan of science fiction since I first read Heinlein’s Foundation series as a kid. I was always a math/science geek, but science fiction made me a literary lover too. I grew up to be a serious engineer (worked for NASA, got a Ph.D.), but I was drawn back to stories, and now I write them for children and teens. I have one published teen love story (Life, Liberty, and Pursuit) and my new paranormal/science fiction novel Open Minds just came out.
I vote for a resurgence of science fiction at all levels - middle grade, YA, and adult! But that's just me. :)
Susan Kaye Quinn: Open Minds
Hi there,I'm relatively new to Goodreads, but love SFF and can see I've come to the right place to discuss good reads... hmmm, no pun intended:) Enjoy most SFF but have to admit that anything horrific will drive me away pretty quickly:) My favourite authors run the gamut from Tolkien to Terry Pratchett to Sharon Shinn. I'm sad to say that I'm definitely not as well-read in SFF as I'd like to be, but am hoping being part of this community will change that. Thanks:)
Welcome Isabella and John :)
You're in a good place Brianna.I don't talk too often, but try to keep up on the posts. There are a lot of good people here more than willing to talk books.
I've been on goodreads for several years now,but I constantly discover new groups that I wish to be a part of, like this one. I am q huge fan of fantasy, fairy tales, and mythology, and I often read sci fi, excpecially when the lines between fantasy and sci fi are blurry. Some of my favorite authors are Anne McCaffrey, Diana Wynne Jones, and Tamora Pierce although I am constantly on the lookout for new books.
There are so many new authors and books coming out it is impossible to keep up. That is why I like the groups here so much. I am constantly discovering new books to check out.No matter what you like from light fantasy to hard sci-fi, there are like minded people to talk to.
Plus, as an added bonus, there is the exposure to books you may not look at and by reading posts here, decide to try them out after all.
My problem is that I have so many interests and subscribe to so many groups that I either lose track of where I am and post about horror to the sci-fi group or post not realizing I had just posted on the same subject.
Welcome Brianna and Sharrina :)
Hi Everyone,I'm new to goodreads and just getting my feet wet. Came across this group browsing today. I read many different genres; sci fi & fantasy are among my favorites. I've really enjoyed the works of Tolkien, George RR Martin, TH White, and Patricia McKillip, among others. Hope I can find you all talking about these & similar authors in these threads.
My day job is as a biology professor and an ecologist; by night (when I'm not reading) I write fantasy. On weekends I dance flamenco. I also love to travel, camp, hike, garden, listen to music and hang out and talk with friends.
Looking forward to getting to know all of you & the stories that you are reading.
Karin wrote: "Hi Everyone,I'm new to goodreads and just getting my feet wet. Came across this group browsing today. I read many different genres; sci fi & fantasy are among my favorites. I've really enjoye..."
Well my-my, you are a busy one aren't you? All that activity must give a real boost to the creative spirit, though.
Welcome to the group!
And a fine welcome to you as well, Ronald. I'm sure there's more than a few epic swords swinging through these forums. Nice picks, author-wise, for the both of you - I think you'll fit right in.
I'm trying to be more active in goodreads groups (usually I'm just a major lurker), so here I am! I'm Riona from Brooklyn, NY. I'm definitely more of a science fiction reader, though I will read fantasy on occasion -- though it's usually more of a "new weird" or urban fantasy rather than epic/high fantasy, which I can rarely get into. I also tend to prefer newer or more niche/literary sci-fi rather than old school space operas, but I am trying to read more of the classics too! Lately I've been actively trying to read science fiction novels written by women authors, since they definitely don't get as much exposure.
That is so sadly true. I know of (male) readers who simply refuse to read SF by female writers. You have to break the ice for them by getting them to read Bujold.
Welcome new people. :)
I too do not care what gender an author is as long as they can tell a decent story
I too do not care what gender an author is as long as they can tell a decent story
Brenda wrote: "That is so sadly true. I know of (male) readers who simply refuse to read SF by female writers. You have to break the ice for them by getting them to read Bujold."You know, that is pathetic. They only hurt themselves by missing out on some of the best fiction.
Two authors were instrumental in me starting to read and reading Science Fiction & Fantasy. Edgar Rice Burroughs (not the Tarzan stuff) and Andre Norton. I consider Andre Norton to be the absolute best in female sci-fi and maybe in her style of sci-fi/fantasy out there.
There are so many great writers male and female.
On the sexism...I can understand that people are that way and the how and why of it in a historical way. Not that I condone it in any way!
What I just don't understand is having that mindset in this day and age. IMO, it demonstrates an ignorance of reality that is simply shameful.
Okay. Off the soapbox.
Oops. One last thing. A lady I admired very much was instrumental in breaking down the gender barrier in fiction, or at least trying. They named an award after her. Here is a brief from Wiki--
The James Tiptree, Jr. Award is an annual literary prize for works of science fiction or fantasy that expand or explore one's understanding of gender. It was initiated in February of 1991 by science fiction authors Pat Murphy and Karen Joy Fowler, subsequent to a discussion at WisCon (the world's leading feminist-oriented science fiction convention).
The award is named for Alice B. Sheldon, who wrote under the pseudonym James Tiptree, Jr. By choosing a masculine nom de plume, having her stories accepted under that name and winning awards with them, Sheldon helped demonstrate that the division between male and female science fiction writing was illusory. Years after "Tiptree" first published science fiction, Sheldon wrote some work under the female pen name "Raccoona Sheldon"; later, the science fiction world discovered that "Tiptree" had been female all along. This discovery led to widespread discussion over which aspects of writing, if any, have an intrinsic gender. To remind audiences of the role gender plays in both reading and writing, the award was named in Sheldon's honor at the suggestion of Karen Joy Fowler.
Brett wrote: "Brenda wrote: "That is so sadly true. I know of (male) readers who simply refuse to read SF by female writers. You have to break the ice for them by getting them to read Bujold."You know, that ..."
Absolutely. But in a lot of cases, I don't think it's people actively saying "Oh, I don't read female authors", it's just that they aren't as well known. Maybe their publishers don't push them as much, they aren't reviewed as much? I have no idea. But if you ask the average reader, even a sci-fi fan, to name female science fiction authors, I think a lot would be hard pressed to name even 2 or 3, whereas they could list tons of men. I don't think it's intentional, just the way it is now. Hopefully it will change!
I keep meaning to read some James Tiptree Jr. (Alice Sheldon), but haven't gotten around to her yet! I've only been doing this for a few months, so there are tons of fabulous-sounding female authors I haven't sampled yet. Once I started looking, I found so many!
Riona wrote: "I'm trying to be more active in goodreads groups (usually I'm just a major lurker), so here I am! I'm Riona from Brooklyn, NY. I'm definitely more of a science fiction reader, though I will read fa..."It is a tragedy and a wonder that so many are so negative on the female Sci-fi front...anyone that outright refuses to read Ursula K. Le Guin on such grounds, for example, deserves an immediate scowling at the least (beatings optional). I find her to be one of the most talented sci-fi artists out there, gender and anything else aside.
And it's a ridiculous stance to hold, that gender alone could ever disqualify one as a writer, particularly when many consider Mary Shelley and her legendary "Frankenstein" to be the founding work of the whole bloody genre.
People always have their unfortunate perceptions, though, no matter how much logic you slap them with.
But you're right - it's not just in a potential reader sense, it's also that they get less "screen time," as it were. Perhaps because the publishers believe in that sense of negativity in the audience, and in turn downplay because of it? But then, the downplay only pushes that perception further, presenting an unfortunate cycle...but as you say, hopefully it will change.
Rant ending now, I mostly wanted to say hello and welcome! Hope you enjoy the group.
There is a reason why Alice Sheldon used a pseudonym, or why C.J. Cherryh uses initials, or Leigh Brackett and Andre Norton went with ambiguous first names. My first novel went out as by B.W. Clough, since the editor thought it would sell better that way. I have since reverted to my full name.
Hi,
I was a member of this group a year or so ago. Now I'm back. I have no idea where my previous introduction is, so I can't point to it. Suffice it to say I read sf books. Watch a few sf movies. Hate TV. And I write sf once in a while. I'm a member of Book View Cafe. We recently decided we need to get some action going at our goodreads group, so that's what I've been trying to do. There's not a lot happening over there, so I kind of drifted over here where it's much more interesting. So while I should be over there making noise, I'll probably spend more time here doing that. Hope you'll have me.
I was a member of this group a year or so ago. Now I'm back. I have no idea where my previous introduction is, so I can't point to it. Suffice it to say I read sf books. Watch a few sf movies. Hate TV. And I write sf once in a while. I'm a member of Book View Cafe. We recently decided we need to get some action going at our goodreads group, so that's what I've been trying to do. There's not a lot happening over there, so I kind of drifted over here where it's much more interesting. So while I should be over there making noise, I'll probably spend more time here doing that. Hope you'll have me.
Welcome Sue :) the more noise the better
Hello there!My name is Mariana, I'm 22 years old, portuguese and a university finalist :)
I've been reading fantasy since I "met" Harry Potter, when I was around 12 years old. I had a slower reading phase on my highschool and first college years, but now I'm back on track and with an absolutely huge list of books I want to read!
I'm also a scifi fan, but I got into the genre not a very long time ago. Big fan of dystopian novels too (1984 and Hunger Games <3)
Hope to find a lot of people to discuss great books! Have a nice day :)
Ronald wrote: Welcome aboard! I've, sadly, watched all of the Harry Potter movies but never managed to get through the books. I read about 25 pages into the first one, put it down, and never picked it up again. =\ I'm the opposite. The books went by in a flash, but never had much interest in the films. I have seen them, but usually on cable, never the theatre.
Mariana wrote: "Hello there!My name is Mariana, I'm 22 years old, portuguese and a university finalist :)
I've been reading fantasy since I "met" Harry Potter, when I was around 12 years old. I had a slower readi..."
Hi Mariana. Good to see you here.
You mention you're a university finalist, is that for the University of Lisbon? They have a good reputation. In any regard, congratulations. I enjoyed my college years more than any other time in my life (I have 11 years of study so far) and miss the atmosphere of learning.
Hello everyone, we're Untreed Reads. For two years we've been releasing eBooks of all shapes and stripes, rapidly approaching our 300th title. We also have a soft spot for the fantastic, with a growing collection of fantasy and science-fiction books. Our authors have penned novels but, given the utility of the eBook format, we're also publishing short story serials such as Space: 1889 & Beyond, The Roads Through Amelia by Joshua Calkins-Treworgy and the now complete The Zagzagel Diaries by Bryl R. Tyne.
As new books are released we'll be posting announcements here. We hope you'll come check out our current catalog at our website-- we even have a fantasy/scifi imprint called Orbits.
Our greatest pride would be introducing everyone to a title that becomes the subject of a book club read.
Please get in touch if you have any questions about Untreed Reads or the authors who make us what we are. You're invited to come check out our Goodreads group (new but growing) as well as our official blog.
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SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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I've been reading SciFi and Fantasy since I was 11 years old. My gramps got me started on the genre with C.S. Lewis. I enjoy all areas of the genre, but my favorite authors include but are not limited to CJ Cherryh, Terry Brooks, Neil Gaiman, Octavia Butler, and lately George R. R. Martin.
I'm looking forward to adding to this list.