SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

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Members' Chat > Former Introduction Thread

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message 3501: by Heidi (new)

Heidi Draffin (tarsier) | 37 comments Hello, Heidi here. 1957 vintage whole-earth/star-child. Have made the brain/tech shift to audio books in the last few years - a shift made easier by hearing many if not all authors remark that audio is the way their work should be experienced. I still need to transfer my 'reading' list to Goodreads, in two 1/2 years I am up to 258. Just this minute I'm listening to Book 2 - Caliban's War - in the Escape series of the James S.A. Corey authoring team. My favorite SF epic is 'Cities in Flight' by James Blish. I'm partial to Niven, Donaldson, Simmons, Murakami, but only because Lem, Clark, Asimov, and Card are not names which need to be said. My most recent discovery is Bacigalupi and the authors I hate to love lately are Scalzi, Gaiman and Gibson.


message 3502: by Mike (the Paladin) (new)

Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 874 comments Hi Heidi.....humm....

Anyway, welcome. Enjoy.


message 3503: by Heidi (new)

Heidi Draffin (tarsier) | 37 comments Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Hi Heidi.....humm....

Anyway, welcome. Enjoy."


hummm....I think you're delusional about audiobooks?
hummm....The above and go away you poser/traitor (your pick)
hummm.....I dislike your taste in SF? OR
hummm...."Oh what a beautiful morning, Oh what a beautiful day. I've got a wonderful feeling.." and so forth.

Curious, H


message 3504: by Mike (the Paladin) (new)

Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 874 comments No just the juxtaposition of "Hi" with "Heidi"...:)

As a matter of fact I'm a huge audio book fan. You can do "other stuff" as you listen to an audio book. I discovered them when it was "Books on Tape".


message 3505: by Heidi (new)

Heidi Draffin (tarsier) | 37 comments Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "No just the juxtaposition of "Hi" with "Heidi"...:)

As a matter of fact I'm a huge audio book fan. You can do "other stuff" as you listen to an audio book. I discovered them when it was "Books on ..."


That's a relief. I was ready for a duel. After 45 reading became a game of finding my glasses and trying not to fall asleep. Audiobooks fill in all the spare time and keep me from sinking in the mire of trivial pursuit.


message 3506: by Mike (the Paladin) (new)

Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 874 comments Yeah...but I have to careful that I don't need to listen to too much of it over again. I do listen to audio books often when I lay down at night. I try to go with CDs though. That way I don't miss more than a disc.

So, what's your problem with Trivial Pursuit?


message 3507: by Heidi (new)

Heidi Draffin (tarsier) | 37 comments Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "
So, what's your problem with Trivial Pursuit? "


Trivial is everything that falls below the waterline of loved things on any given day - usually excesses and lazy defaults.


message 3508: by [deleted user] (new)

Heidi wrote: "Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "
So, what's your problem with Trivial Pursuit? "

Trivial is everything that falls below the waterline of loved things on any given day - usually excesses and lazy defaults."


Like, trimming toenails? LOL


message 3509: by Heidi (new)

Heidi Draffin (tarsier) | 37 comments They are getting kinda long....


message 3510: by [deleted user] (new)

Lasers. They should make laser toenail trimmers. Hmm.....I feel a short story coming on! LOL


message 3511: by Mike (the Paladin) (new)

Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 874 comments I'm one of those guys who has to use heavy duty wire cutters and then the flying toenails tend to break things and endanger pets.


message 3512: by Heidi (new)

Heidi Draffin (tarsier) | 37 comments Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I'm one of those guys who has to use heavy duty wire cutters and then the flying toenails tend to break things and endanger pets."

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I'm one of those guys who has to use heavy duty wire cutters and then the flying toenails tend to break things and endanger pets."

Say "Good night, Gracie"


message 3513: by Penny (new)

Penny (penne) | 748 comments I would totally buy lazer toenail trimmers!

Welcome new members! :)

Alan and Rob - are you still having the same issue with the emails about this thread? If so I'll send a note to GR to ask how we should go about fixing this.


message 3514: by Alan (new)

Alan Denham (alandenham) | 256 comments Penny wrote: "Alan and Rob - are you still having the same issue with the emails about this thread? If so I'll send a note to GR to ask how w..."
Hi Penny
It now comes up in the right place (Heidi, 3661) - but messages are labelled as 'new' right back to Kirstin at 3645, it should have started 'new' with Heidi at 3661. I can live with that.


message 3515: by Rob (new)

Rob (robzak) | 876 comments It's mostly better..I think. Or maybe it's a moving window of wrongess..


message 3516: by Penny (new)

Penny (penne) | 748 comments Alan wrote: "Hi Penny
It now comes up in the right place (Heidi, 3661) - but messages are labelled as 'new' right back to Kirstin at 3645, it should have started 'new' with Heidi at 3661. I can live with that."


Good to know, thanks Alan! Let us know if it becomes an issue again or if something else pops up. You can always PM myself or Kim with group issues.


message 3517: by Alan (new)

Alan Denham (alandenham) | 256 comments Penny wrote: "Alan wrote: ..."

Hi Penny

Thanks

Alan


message 3518: by Mike (the Paladin) (new)

Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 874 comments Okay Heidi you are now in my "good books" simply because you remember "Say goodnight Gracie". High five.


message 3519: by Cat (new)

Cat Hermoso (cebukitty) | 9 comments Hello everybody :) You can just call me Cat. I was born in '74 and I reside in the mountain residences of Cebu, Philippines.

I'm a voracious sff reader. There's no other literary genre that has utterly captivated my imagination. When I read other genres. its akin to watching black and white non talking movies. Reading sff on the other hand is like watching a 3D movie in imax with the soundtrack in full blast surround sound stereo.

I can't quite figure out why sff fires up my neurons so. When you think about it, sff worlds are plumbed entirely from the wild and wonderful imaginings of the sff authors. But somehow its more real to me than reality.

Am really looking forward to exploring strange new worlds and new civilizations through the recommendations of bold explorers like you :) Here's a toast to our future journeys together. Kampai!


message 3520: by Mike (the Paladin) (new)

Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 874 comments welcome Cat.


message 3521: by Cat (new)

Cat Hi, I go by Cat! I've loved to read since I was a kid, and lately I've been looking for something new. I love to read fantasy and I've been reading sci-fi lately (most notably Ender's Game and Speaker For the Dead), and I love it.
I'm currently in between about 3 books, Interview With a Vampire (Anne Rice, of course), The Red Queen (Phillipa Gregory, I'm a sucker for good historical fiction), and Red Prophet (Orson Scott Card).
I plan on trying to keep up with some of the discussion boards, but I'm not expecting to participate a whole lot.. I look forward to reading with you all!


message 3522: by Mike (the Paladin) (new)

Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 874 comments Okay...I'm confused. Hi other Cat. :)


message 3523: by Kat (new)

Kat | 4 comments Hi my name is Kat, I love all kinds of books! Sci fi and fantasy especially. Love Robin Hobb, ( and her short stories as Megan Lindholm) she's probably my favourite author so far. I have started buying books on my iPad because the bh says we don't have enough space for anymore books! Problem is, it's hard to find new books through iTunes book store that aren't horrid romance novels... So I'm hoping to find some new (or old) stuff to read through other people's suggestions. I love futuristic sci fi, serious or humorous, and well written fantasy, and I'm also looking for good novels with a stronger female presence in them. So many books I have read involve fantastic male characters which is great, and often the books that I have read with a female main character have pretty much always ended up in some form of romantic endeavour which becomes the main focus. Not saying this is bad or that I haven't enjoyed those books, or that all of them are like that I'm just saying if anyone has any suggestions for books that don't have such a large focus on romance would be nice :-). Oh and I love George R R Martin game of thrones books, but I have also thoroughly enjoyed the tv adaptation even if it isn't strictly true to the books :-).


message 3524: by Penny (last edited Jun 22, 2013 06:14AM) (new)

Penny (penne) | 748 comments This is awesome! Hello Cat, Cat and Kat! Welcome :)

No seriously, you guys planned this right?


message 3525: by Rob (new)

Rob (robzak) | 876 comments I've decided to change my name to Puma. To jump on the cat train, yet trying to be a unique snowflake.


message 3526: by Ben (new)

Ben Nash | 118 comments Howdy, all!

I've been lurking here for a couple weeks. It's probably time to introduce myself. My name is Ben, and I love reading all sorts of things. Science Fiction and Fantasy are my first loves, though, so I'm almost always reading it among whatever else may be on my currently reading list.

Some favorite authors:

Gene Wolfe
Ursula K. Le Guin
M. Rickert
John Scalzi

And a couple editors:

Jonathan Strahan -- of all the best of the year editors, his taste coincides the most with mine
Al Sarrantonio -- for what I think of as his trilogy
*999: Twenty-nine Original Tales of Horror and Suspense
*Flights: Extreme Visions of Fantasy
*Redshift:: Extreme Visions of Speculative Fiction

Also, I'm stoked because I just got the 2013 Hugo Voter Packet and loaded most of it onto my ereader (curse those three password protected pdfs, though!). Can't wait to start that marathon once I clear a couple items from my currently reading list.


message 3527: by Penny (new)

Penny (penne) | 748 comments Rob wrote: "I've decided to change my name to Puma. To jump on the cat train, yet trying to be a unique snowflake."

Rofl! Oh Puma, you make me laugh :)

Ben wrote: "...And a couple editors:..."

Hi Ben :) That's not a list one sees often. List of favourite authors sure, but editors seldom get the credit they deserve. Are you per chance an editor? I ask mostly because I've been making good guesses lately :P


message 3528: by Ben (new)

Ben Nash | 118 comments Sorry to ruin your streak, Penny, but I'm not an editor. ;) I just love finding good short stories, so I've found which ones are most likely to gather stories in line with my tastes. Ask me about long form editors and I won't be able to tell you much of what they've worked on.

Now that I think of it, we're lucky to have Jim Frenkel of Tor living around here, so I get to see him at the local cons. Still couldn't tell you which books he's worked on, though.


message 3529: by Jonah (last edited Jun 22, 2013 10:09AM) (new)

Jonah (kerberos91) | 3 comments Hi I'm Jonah

I'm new to this club and rather new on goodreads as well. So far I'm really more of a fantasy reader than a sci fi reader. In fact the only sci fi I've read so far is Douglas Adams's books and arguably that's more humour than sci fi. I can't say that I'm a hardcore fantasy reader either cause I've only been reading fantasy for two years. Started after watching season 1 of Game of Thrones. I do love fantasy. Especially dark, gritty fantasy. So far my favourites are George RR Martin and Steven Erikson. Other authors whose books I tried or am currently reading include Joe Abercrombie(me likes), Robin Hobb(me likes), Tad Williams(not really my thing), Robert Jordan(meh) and Terry Goodkind(definitely not for me) Very much looking forward to reading Daniel Abraham's Long Price Quartet and Dagger and Coin series and Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire series. I'm open to any and all suggestions. Allthough of course not in this thread. Also I tend to be passionate about certain series such as Malazan so I might get carried away a bit in a discussion. Though I always try to remain civil.


message 3530: by Kat (new)

Kat | 4 comments Hi :-) I'm using the app on my iPad and when I first posted it had the comments from oldest to newest... So i didn't see that two other Cats had posted right before me! I felt somewhat embarrassed after I posted when I found the button to see the most recent comments and lo and behold.... 3 new Cats/Kat in a row! So for some clarification - my full name is Katherine, between my bh and I we have collected 5 fur things (cats) and everyone just calls me Kat :-). You may call me Katherine if you prefer, I don't mind either. I work in customer service and although my name badge says Katherine (my choice for professionalism) a lot of people still shorten it so I'm cool with whatever as long as its not rude :-D. I'm excited about talking books with peeps on here and maybe making a few friends. There aren't many bookworms in my town, people's eyes just tend to glaze over.. The conversation normally starts with 'ooh, what are you reading?' and I know now that its a polite 'how's the weather today' kind of question... So I just go 'oh it's a book called.... It's really good' and leave it at that.


message 3531: by Juniper (new)

Juniper (juniperx) | 9 comments Hi! I am also Kat. I like books. All kinds really, except maybe... I dunno. Ayway, I was recruited by Penny and I'm currently working my way through The White Queen (Gregory), The Blade Itself (Abercrombie - yes, Rob, I am!), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy (le Carré) and The Book of Disquiet (Pessoa).

I dabble in all things creative and have a past of dancing, acting, singing, writing and snapping photos... and some other things. I do a lot of things. I also enjoy traveling a bunch, and the outdoors. Taa-taa!


message 3532: by Penny (new)

Penny (penne) | 748 comments We're collecting all the felines! I thought the Kat that I knew before the influx of felines should join too :)

Kat wrote: "So i didn't see that two other Cats had posted right before me!"

It seemed like neither you nor the Cat just before you noticed which is what made it so funny actually :) At first I thought you were other Kat (the newest Kat post) because you mentioned SoIaF and I know this Kat also likes the series.

None of you are going to believe me because it seems too big a coincidence, but when I was a teenager we used to sometimes pretend not to be ourselves and make up schools and back stories the fake name I always went with was Cat :) It was partly because of my love of cats and partly after a character in a book but don't ask me which one!

Ben wrote: "Sorry to ruin your streak, Penny, but I'm not an editor. ;)"

Blast! You have to admit it was a fair guess though :) I didn't realise all the editors you mentioned were short story editors until you said so. I can't say I read much short fiction, I seem to like books in excess of 1000 pages lately :P

Jonah wrote: "I'm new to this club and rather new on goodreads as well."

Welcome! We have an entire section dedicated to suggestions and no shortage of members keen to recommend their favourites! Start a thread saying what kind of books you like and what kind you're keen to read and you'll get lots of suggestions. Same goes for you Kat! The one who wanted not to strongly focused on romance fantasy suggestions, not the one I already knew from the Not a Book Club Club :P


message 3533: by Rob (new)

Rob (robzak) | 876 comments Kat wrote: "I'm currently working my way through The Blade Itself (Abercrombie - yes, Rob, I am!)"

Uh huh. I'll believe it when it happens. O.o

Have you managed to get your copy yet?


message 3534: by Juniper (new)

Juniper (juniperx) | 9 comments Rob wrote: "Kat wrote: "I'm currently working my way through The Blade Itself (Abercrombie - yes, Rob, I am!)"

Uh huh. I'll believe it when it happens. O.o

Have you managed to get your copy yet?"


Yes, sir! I love the cover.

Penny wrote: "None of you are going to believe me because it seems too big a coincidence, but when I was a teenager we used to sometimes pretend not to be ourselves and make up schools and back stories the fake name I always went with was Cat :) It was partly because of my love of cats and partly after a character in a book but don't ask me which one!"

Love this! Cat is a perfect nickname! Short and snazzy. Good call! I wish I knew what book you were inspired by. I'm not gonna ask... not gonna ask.


message 3535: by Rob (new)

Rob (robzak) | 876 comments Kat wrote: "Love this! Cat is a perfect nickname! Short and snazzy. Good call! I wish I knew what book you were inspired by. I'm not gonna ask... not gonna ask"

The Cat in the Hat too obvious?


message 3536: by Juniper (new)

Juniper (juniperx) | 9 comments Yes, it was. Heh.


message 3537: by Xara (new)

Xara Niouraki | 6 comments Hello everyone. It's good to be here. My name is Chara, I'm 29 years old and I'm from Greece. I'm a teacher and I teach English to children and adults. I've been reading since I was 5 years old. My first fantasy book was Lord of the Rings, which I found by chance in a bookshop when I was 12. I fell in love with fantasy books and since then it is my favourite genre. My favourite author is Steven Erikson. Now I'm reading Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan


message 3538: by Cleland (new)

Cleland Smith (clelandsmith) | 22 comments Hi, I'm Angela.

I'm new to Goodreads as well as to the group. Born in Scotland in 1977, I studied at Glasgow Uni (English Language and Literature) and at Goldsmiths College, London (Creative and Life Writing). I now live in Surrey with my husband and two young sons. I'm a published poet and indie novelist.

I read a pretty wide range of stuff. I've just finished "Perdido Street Station" and "Air (Have Not Have)" and I'm just getting into "The Shining Girls" and "Holophin" (by fellow poet-SciFi crossover Luke Kennard) but to be honest I don't get enough time for reading - I get most done whilst feeding my youngest son in the night, but there is a Kindle vs phone-Scrabble battle which takes place nightly. I'm hoping the scheduled group reads and discussions will weigh in on the Kindle side of the battle and help me get through more books. "There's...too many of them..."


message 3539: by Cat (new)

Cat Hermoso (cebukitty) | 9 comments Thanks for the welcome and a hello meow to Cat, Kat, Katherine and Puma


message 3540: by [deleted user] (new)

Cleland wrote: "Hi, I'm Angela.

I'm new to Goodreads as well as to the group. Born in Scotland in 1977, I studied at Glasgow Uni (English Language and Literature) and at Goldsmiths College, London (Creative and ..."


Hi, Cleland!


message 3541: by Rob (new)

Rob (robzak) | 876 comments Cat wrote: "Thanks for the welcome and a hello meow to Cat, Kat, Katherine and Puma"

ROFL


message 3542: by Cat (new)

Cat Hermoso (cebukitty) | 9 comments To my fellow felines, including Puma, The Penny formerly known as Cat, and the non felines ;)

I had fun backreading. Talk about coincidences, 3 cats in a row and then some more lol. They say trouble comes in threes, I wonder what kind of trouble we're invoking :p The wit and easy banter of the members in this forum made me feel really welcome. Am really looking forward to checking out this active and fun group regularly :)

BTW a list of my fave sff authors in no particular order

CJ Cherryh
Stephen Donaldson
Roger Zelazny
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Esther M. Friesner
Robert Jordan
Terry Goodkind
C.S. Friedman
Judith Tarr
Peter David (for his star trek work)
Michelle Sagara West
Jennifer Roberson
Ray Bradbury


message 3543: by Penny (new)

Penny (penne) | 748 comments Hello Chara and Angela and welcome :)

Rob wrote: "The Cat in the Hat too obvious?"

Rofl, no I meant that I don't remember the book, not that I don't want to admit to it. It was part of a series of young adult books based on star signs. I was superstitious and into all that when I was a teen. Now I have to go look for this series. Excellent! I so love having something other than my thesis to do :)


message 3544: by Shlomo (new)

Shlomo (shlomoreuben) | 4 comments Hi everyone. I'm Shlomo from Mumbai, India. I've been reading Sci-Fi and Fantasy since years. It's been my life essence and helped me evolve my creative abilities. Of course, it definitely does the same for everyone else too.

My favourite books are:
1. Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton.
2. The Dragonlance Chronicles - Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman.
3. Prey - Michael Crichton.
4. Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin.
and a lot to follow...

I believe I've found, not just a group, but a fountain full of analysis & creative matter, as I viewed the paths of discussions for various books.

I completed reading Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin this month, and watched Season One of the TV series, making sure I didn't go ahead with the TV series for Season Two. I could only decide for reading the books first, rather than watching the TV series first.

I hope it'll be fun to discuss a lot of things and meet different people.


message 3545: by Chris (new)

Chris Matthews (larksong4) | 22 comments Hi I'm Chris and I am a bit of a newby. I have been with GoodReads since November 2012. Loving the discussions, the analyses - goes to confirm my prejudice the S&SF readers are the most discerning and intelligent of readers.

Finally, a bit of cheek- I have a book coming out on 1 July through Pan MacMillan Momentum - its called Mudlark and it's a book where the women don't get damseled and the gays don't all die.

Cheers
Chris


message 3546: by Deeptanshu (new)

Deeptanshu | 21 comments Hi I am a relatively newbie here at Goodreads.
I have been I love with sci fi ever since I got my hand son Caves of Stell by Issac Asimov as a child and been a fan of fantasy since I saw LOTR at the theater.
Some of my favorite authors are
Steven erikson,
Asimov obviously,
Tolkein,
Sanderson,
Adrian Tchaikovsky,
Ernest Hemingway,
Paul s Kemp etc.


message 3547: by Chris (new)

Chris Matthews (larksong4) | 22 comments Deeptanshu wrote: "Hi I am a relatively newbie here at Goodreads.
I have been I love with sci fi ever since I got my hand son Caves of Stell by Issac Asimov as a child and been a fan of fantasy since I saw LOTR at th..."


Hi Deeptanshu
thought I might try and start a thing where the person just before the next person welomes them. So welcome Deeptanshu from a fellow Asimov reader

Cheers Chris


message 3548: by Israel (new)

Israel | 1 comments Hi. I'm Israel and am a huge Syfi fan. I read mostly old school syfi.


message 3549: by Pat (new)

Pat Griffith | 17 comments Ba Weep Granna Weep Nini Bong, everyone!

Just wanted to find some like minded individuals to connect with. I live in San Francisco, I came here for school and have never left. My first love is Transformers G1, followed by Ender's Game, Firefly, and Doctor Who.

My favorite author's are Ray Bradbury, Margaret Atwood, Issac Asimov, Orson Scott Card, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, to name a few. I try to read current stuff as well as classics. I have a propensity for history and science as well. Right now I am reading "The Drunkards Walk-How Randomness Rules Our Lives."

I am working on the second book in my scifi trilogy. I am looking forward to some lively discussions. Cheers!

PG


message 3550: by Deeptanshu (new)

Deeptanshu | 21 comments Israel wrote: "Hi. I'm Israel and am a huge Syfi fan. I read mostly old school syfi."
Welcome aboard my friend.


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