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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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We have a new home, but we’ll still have the same good discussions. Welcome back, all the old friends, and hello and greetings, all the new ones.
What has everyone been reading? Any good Christmas books? Any new tips for the rest of us? Any old favorites that got lost in the move? Stop by and tell us about it.
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Should anyone care, that's the Spiral Galaxy NGC3628 in Leo, taken by someone who signs himself Fryns.
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I recognized it immediately ! - - - from APOD : -
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080515.html (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080515.html)
I'm joking of course, but I DO go to APOD every day, and must have seen that in May.
Brian.
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That's funny, Brian. I didn't think of going to APOD, but anyway, I needed something inb the public domain. Are you a SciFi fan?
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Hi, Brian. Good to see you here.
PatH suggested I give my daughter "Bellwether" by Connie Willis for Christmas. I did, and now can't wait for her to finish it so I can borrow it. It looks intriguing.
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PatH - - - not actually a SciFi fan, but certainly interested in Space and a great fan of NASA. I have been particularly intrigued with the Halidron Atom Smasher project in Europe that has unfortunately been stalled by a major catastrophe.
I'm interested in most things - - - except for that which passes as MUSIC these days.
Brian.
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Just before Christmas, I finished up the first four Vatta series books by Elizabeth Moon. I still need to get my hands on the fifth and last book in the series.
My next SciFi will probably be Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. If I like that I will pick up the rest of the Ender series.
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I have been interchanging old and new the past few weeks.. The Gate to Womens Country is quite old,, by Sheri Tepper.. but very worthwhile. I had read it years ago and decided to reread.. Yum.
Then I am reading a series by Patricia Briggs. It is shape changers and vampires and the fae.. Interesting series. Darker than Charlaine Harris and lighter and not so much sex as Laurell Hamilton.
The heroine is a car mechanic and a shape changer Coyote.. She was raised by a werewolf clan.. but considers herself as outside the world.. If you like this sort of fantasy, t he author is quite good.
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Frybabe and Steph, it's good to see you here. Frybabe, let us know how you like "Ender's Game". With the sequels, I kept finding myself saying "yes, but..." but I couldn't put them down anyway. I guess I should try the Vatta series, and Steph, the Briggs sounds good.
Brian, some of the really good Sci Fi writers are astronomers--Fred Hoyle, for example. You might like his best, "The Black Cloud", which is pretty astronomical.
Gregory Benford is another. "Timescape" deals with the possibility of sending warning messages to the past by means of tachyons.
Hal Clement had a BS in astronomy, but his books are a rather specialized taste. They often consist of a series of good-natured arguments between humans and aliens over the physics of whatever disasters have overtaken their joint venture.
And of course there is Carl Sagan.
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Signing in, and glad to be here. At Pat's suggestion, I am repeating the post I placed in the workshop, since it really belongs here.
I have been working my way through a number of J. A. Salvatore's books. My older daughter made off with the one I planned to read next, so I'll have to wait until she brings it back.
Meanwhile, a repeat of an old irritation: my library bought Book III of a new Margaret Weis trilogy, but they don't have Books I and II. I do wish they wouldn't do that!
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I read a bunch of Salvatore quite a long time ago. Some I loved, others,, maybe not.
Many of the earlier sci fi writers were scientist..Arthur Clarke of course always interested me. He loved so many topics.
I have a passion for Terry Pratchett. Disc world,, death and the witches.. One of the few writers who make me laugh out loud.
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At his best, Pratchett is just about the funniest writer I've ever read. His latest are uneven in quality. "Monstrous Regiment" is a good one.
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There is a new Pratchett out.. But last year he and his wife announced that he has Alzeimers and has no idea how long he will write. Yes Monstrous Regiment was a good example of his sense of humor. Loved it.
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Oh, STEPH, what sad news! I hate to think that such an enormous talent will be lost to us. As Pat said, he is so funny one has to laugh. But he makes you think, as well. He exemplifies the old truism, that the best way to deal with hypocrisy and pomposity is to laugh it off the stage!
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Babi, I do know. I love his work and mourned his announcement. He has great strength to announce this himself.
I also picked up a New Anne McCaffrey.. I think it is written with her son.. Cant say I liked the first one they coauthored, but she has always been a favorite of mine.
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Reading Charlaine Harris.. the one about the girl who can feel the dead where they are buried. Interesting. It is the third in the series. Not sure where this fits.. Sort of fantasy, I guess. Still she is interesting and so is her brother( not actually, her mother and his father married).
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STEPH, I agree the first McCaffrey and son book was a bit stiff and repetitive, but they improve with each book. In the more recent ones, the son seems to have done a good job of picking up and matching his mother's style.
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I've just read a review in Entertainment Magazine (don't laugh, I use it for movies, I almost never get to the theater, but love Netflix and don't like to miss good ones, that's how I saw Curse of the Golden Flower, great movie I would have totally missed since it did not come here.)
ANYWAY, they are on about a new book called Daemon, which is a trhiller concerning a "homicidal computer program unleashed by a dead computer-game titan" which in real life has caught the attention of Washington for the author.
It's a techno thriller, written by a former software programmer. It was self published but is coming out this month from Dutton, a "scary prospect of a techno-savvy future."
The author says that "If you don't have to be a human being to do mot of the things human beings do, that changes society..it seems to me a scary prospect, to have these not self- aware bots running everything."
He got the idea when he created a meteorological software product and sold it online, got busy and forgot to check it. He found later that there was a lot of money in the account, because people had been buying the software, and he had it set up so that the website was paid for by the same account, and "it occurred to me that I didn't even need to be alive for it to continue."
That sounds fascinating to me, sort of like a modern sort of RUR to this is the kind of thing I love, it's billed as a techno- thriller, but is it Sci Fi? Is this the right place to mention it?
Can't wait to get it! :)
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Computer technology thriller? Of course that's SciFi. What else? I just hope Washington's interest isn't going to cause grief for the author. I sometimes suspect that somebody up there suffers terribly from paranoia.
Ginny, would you tell me a bit about "Curse of the Golden Flower"? As you mentioned, it did not come here, so I've never heard of it. And if I saw the title on Netflix, I'd probably dismiss it as hokum. But I tend to take seriously your opinion on the 'good ones'.
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That certainly is sci-fi, Ginny, and if that book is well-written, it sounds like a good one. I hope you'll tell us about it when you've read it. Is the author Daniel Suarez?
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Daemon/Daniel-Suarez/e/9780525951117 (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Daemon/Daniel-Suarez/e/9780525951117)
Warning: the description in this link takes the plot farther than Ginny did.
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WOW! Ginny, Daemon sounds exciting.
PatH, I am into Enders Game now. The author's introduction was quite interesting, especially regarding the feedback from youngsters and the book being used in classes. I was not real impressed by the first pages, but it does set up the story to come. I noted his ability to suppress physical reactions that give away what he is thinking or feeling which he attributes to dealing with his brother. The other thing is his ability to not to just react but to quickly analyze situations and then act upon them, conventionally or unconventionally, to get the desired outcome. He very quickly learns from his mistakes and thus avoids repeating them more often than necessary to fine tune his actions. Makes me think of mathematics and logic.
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Babi, Curse of the Golden Flower is a film from China in Mandarin Chinese with sub titles about an Emperor in the Tang dynasty, his second wife, and his problems holding on to tradition and managing his three sons, the eldest from his first wife. I really liked it.
It won an Oscar for Best Costume design in 2007 and it won a lot of other things including, and this surprised me, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA, costume and nominated for Best Film. I think it won 7 awards altogether. It's also known for the sumptuous costumes, and they are out of this world. It's hard to describe and I guess not for everybody's taste, but I got quite obsessed with it and got a copy for myself, the extra disks alone and interviews are mesmerizing. The BATTLE scene!
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Ginny, I've put it on my queue. Thanks.
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Ginny, that is a surprising award. The story you outline doesn't seem to have anything to do with Sci/Fi or Fantasy. There is, of course, the "curse" of the Golden Flower. Maybe that's where the fantasy, or horror, comes in. Can you tell me what the curse was about, without giving away too much?
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hahah Actually,. I can't? I am not sure I know, maybe after Pat sees it, she can tell us both. hahaha In Chinese the title means curse of the golden armor, I guess it might mean the weight of power (lots about tradition in it) is too heavy, but they've tied in the chrysanthemum throne (but were the Tangs connected with the Chrysanthemum throne?) I don't know, I looked up this particular Emperor and didn't find much. Then there's some kind of ceremony...you have to see it really, it's got a LOT of plots.
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Twilight. which is the book and movie that all are raving about. I read the book,maybe a year ago.. Bought it and when my granddaughter of 13 was here for the past few days, I told her it might interest her. She didnt think so, since it was way.....large. But about an hour later, I went to find her, found her curled up in the bedroom with the book. She carried everwhere since Friday night and just before she left with her parents, asked if she could take it home. I told her of course.. She was thrilled..Amazing since she struggles with reading. She likes to read, but finds it hard.
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Looks like I need to add "Curse of the Golden Flower(Armor)" and "Twilight" to my Netflix list. Thanks for the input, Ginny and Steph.
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I did finish the Charlaine Harris about the girl who finds dead people. I know it sounds macabre, but it is excellent. Charlaine has the ability to make us care about the darndest people.
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Anybody here watch the tv series, "Trueblood," (on Showtime) based on the Charlaine Harris books? I haven't read the books (and don't intend to), but found the tv show interesting enough to watch all the episodes. I did have quibbles about it and certainly wouldn't give it a rave in a full review (from which I'll spare you), but am curious if anyone here watched it and liked it.
Oh, and I really should say, as a devoted sci/fi and fantasy reader, how happy I am about this board. I plan to visit often.
And one more thing: just in case you missed the news, the final 10 episodes of "Battlestar Galatica" begin on the sci-fi channel this Friday! I can't wait.
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Welcome, catbrown! It's good to meet another fan. Tell us what else you like. Did you watch the "Firefly" series when it came out?
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No, I didn't watch "Firefly" when it first aired, but caught up on it later on dvd after watching all of "Buffy" and "Angel," also on dvd.
Friends I really respect kept telling me about Buffy, so after a long resistance I finally gave in and ordered the first few dvds from Netflix ... and so began months of immersion in Joss Wheedon tv-land. I'm a huge fan, particularly of Buffy and Firefly. I shoud always, always listen to my friends.
Do you know that his new show, "Dollhouse" debuts next month?
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Hurrah! The latest in Jim Butcher's Codex series is finally available! Since I've had it on my list at the library for ages, I now have it. "Princeps Fury" is sitting in there waiting for me and I'm savoring the anticipation.
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This only barely intersects this site, but we have just lost Ricardo Montalban. He was mostly a romantic latin type a long time ago, plus playing some characters of different ethnicity than his, then part of "Fantasy Island", which I never watched, but he also acted in some Star Trek episodes, and played Khan in the second Star Trek movie, "The Wrath of Khan", doing a super job. He was 88, IMHO too young to go. I'm shooting for 95 myself.
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Ricardo Montalban.. Ah,, one of the very few latin types that I admired. He had such grace.. As I remember he also had a gift of marrying lovely women.. I think he married Esther Williams and possibly another star.
I love Star Trek and he was a great villain..
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I'm thinking it was Fernando Lamas who married Esther Williams, isn't he the one with the you look MAHVELOUS DAHLING? His son was on Falcon Crest, what WAS his name? He was married many times for such a young man.
I have heard that Ricardo Montalban was a wonderful person in real life.
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According to the newspaper obit, Montalban married Georgiana Young (Loretta's half sister) in 1944, ant the marriage lasted untol her death in2007.
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We just recently lost Patrick McGoohan too. Some of you may remember him in an old TV series, Secret Agent and, of course, The Prisoner. I can't recall him in any SciFi shows or movies. My personal favorite was his movie Ice Station Zebra.
Re Firefly: That show was recommended to me by a friend, but I never got to see it. It was either on when I was at work or on one of the premium cable channels to which I do not subscribe.
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I never saw Firefly on TV, but Netflix has it on DVD. Four disks for all the shows. Then there was a movie, "Serenity", which carried the story further as well as back some, but wasn't as good as the TV show. I think the movie was supposed to have sequels, but they weren't made.
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Lorenzo Lamas!! Thought about it all night. Daemon has come! It's huge and now I read the word Daemon is something connected with computers as well, can't wait to start it. Preston and Childs wrote one about an amusement park gone berserk by computers also, can't remember the name of it but it was good.
The Prisoner, I loved that thing, just loved it. Just occurred to me it's sort of an early The Truman Show in a way? I also liked the Avengers, but with McGoohan and Diana Rigg, those were so good.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Lamas , it was.. Oh me, I loved the Prisoner and The original Avengers with Diana.. Also liked Secret Agent Man.. Bring back the old stuff. We have recently found a station that shows Fraser in the early evening and are rewatching it.. Gentle and funny..
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Another "Avengers" fan here. I was so disappointed when that series was dropped. I imagine, tho', that good actors do want a change of character after a while.
What was that series...KXY?...that ran on the broadcast channels for a couple of years, and then was transferred/sold to one of the cable channels. Unfortunately, we did not have cable at that time, so we were just out of luck.
I was enjoying that one very much. We have cable now, and re-runs are still available, but I would be lost going into it completely out of sequence.
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I feel like that about Battlestar Galactica.. Watched the original space opera and loved it.. Not as much as Star Trek, but still.. I guess my heart is always firm with Jean Luc.. Ah.. the man who knew where to go and who to talk to..
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Ah, Jean Luc was the ultimate, consummate starship captain, was he not?
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Jean Luc as my personal starship captain for sure. I have also seen him in several other things and consider him a fine fine actor indeed.
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" isn't he the one with the you look MAHVELOUS DAHLING?" Isn't that Billy Crystal?
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Billy Crystal is the Mahhvelous Dahling line.
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I'm starting "Princeps Fury", the new Jim Butcher book, today. Yay!
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Joan K and Stephanie, on the You look Mahvelous, Dahling, Billy Crystal was making fun of Fernando Lamas:
http://books.google.com/books?id=cKaGNTGFbvoC&pg=PA286&lpg=PA286&dq=You+look+MAHVELOUS+DAHLING+Fernando+Lamas&source=bl&ots=xP7EExDDVb&sig=3n62vvvjuZxtLlyBiKkFTIykIzE&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result
http://www.crimefilenews.com/2008/10/sarah-palins-wardrobesarah-dahling-you.html
http://drkblog.com/persuasion/making-sense-of-speechmaking-how-you-look
I remember when he first said it, it was definitely about Lamas, the whole original schtick. Then it got to be a trademark and people forgot what it was about.
Many sites citing same. Sites citing same, sounds like she sells sea shells. :)
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Yes, I thought it was Lamas, who was also the one who kept marrying different people including ( I think) Esther Williams).
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I have started "Princeps Fury", by Jim Butcher, to my great satisfaction. The book was late coming out and it's been a long time since I read the previous issue in the series. It took a few pages for me to identify and remember some of the characters, but it's all coming back now. One hallmark of the series remains unchanged; the enemy always greatly outnumbers the heroes of Alera. And they're twice as big, too. ::)
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Ah Babi, I do love that last line.. Villains twice as big.. Hmm.
I have a new Terry Pratchett on hand and can hardly keep my hands off. He does strike my sense of humor..
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Just finished a Pern novel by both of the McCaffreys. It covers an illness ( like Flu) and its spread. Now this one I liked.. Not so much war type things. I think Todd is finally getting into what his mother was all about.
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I agree, Stephanie. The Tood McCaffrey books have gotten better, and I'm reading them now as quick as I find them.
I love Terry Pratchett, too. I'm not kidding about the monsters in the Codex Alera series being huge, though. They are...and they always seem impossible to defeat. But, of course, our heroes manage. In spite of this all too common trait, I do love the series.
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Hi everyone,
I think I would like a change from always reading Mysteries (not that I would ever give them up) and Science Fiction/Fantasy seems interesting. I used to read a lot of Science Fiction and then somehow got away from it. I have always enjoyed Fantasy.
Any recommendations to get me started?
Evelyn
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Welcome, Evelyn! Sci-fi/fantasy and mysteries definitely go together--I like both. For recommending new books, it would help to know what kind of thing you like. Tell us what you used to read, and if you think you would still like that sort of thing or want to take a new direction. I see you like P. D. James--I like her too, haven't yet read "the Private Patient", but have read everything else--and don't care for gore. If you want really funny British style humor Terry Pratchett is good. Connie Willis is funny too. Sharon Lee and Steve Miller have written a very addictive 5 book series of extremely high quality space opera with a lot of personality and sociology thrown in. Orson Scott Card is good--Ender's Game is the one to start with. Anne McCaffrey is good.
Give us some clues, and one or another of us will make suggestions and recommend which of an author's books to start with.
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Thanks, Pat. I'm going to the library today and will look up some of the authors and books you recommended.
I read Sci-Fi so long ago, I have no idea who the authors were.
As a matter of fact, I can never remember author's names. I just started making book/author lists in the last year or so when I realized how helpful they would be.
I am on the wait list at the library for "The Private Patient", I'm 13th on the list as of last Sunday. Now P.D. James is an author whose name I have always remembered. I started reading her books many years ago and have re-read some of them many times.
I have always enjoyed fantasy, but of course cannot remember which books I've already read. So many times I end up bringing repeats home. I would like to blame it on age, but I have always been this way....
I'm off to my favorite place, the library.
Evelyn
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To Pat's excellent list, EVELYN, I would hasten to add the name Lois McMaster Bujold. She has written such great, most enjoyable books. I heartily endorse all those Pat mentioned; they are tops.
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I went to the library on Friday and all the Sci-fi books were paper back and in tiny print. There were just a few hard cover books.--- I went to the Large Print section and there were six very old dog eared books.
So, I am going to the few used book stores that we have in this town and see what's on offer.
Evidently there are not many sci-fi fans in this town and those must be young people with very good eyes.
I'll keep looking.
Thanks for the authors names.
Evelyn
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Generally you need a used book store that specializes in science fiction, since many readers never ever trade their stuff..
If its fantasy you want,, Anne McCaffrey and her son Tod.. She is getting older and he is now writing with her.
If its vampire type stuff.. Charlaine Harris is super.. She has a sense of humor combined with interesting characters..
classic.. Cant beat Robert Heinlen..
I am not fond of nuts and bolt stuff, but I am sure that somebody on her is..
Terry Pratchett is probably the funniest person imaginable. Once you meet Death, you will never be the same..
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Thanks, Steph. I appreciate the info.
Evelyn
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Interesting. My library has a good-sized SF section and is always getting more SF books in. I guess I assumed it was popular elsewhere. MY biggest complaint is that all too often they don't have all the books in a series. Books 2 & 3, but not #1. That sort of thing.
I have enjoyed most of the authors mentioned here, but I've never cared for Heinlein. There is something about his viewpoint or attitude that I simply dislike.
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Babi, you may remember that we had a spirited discussion about Heinlein on the former site. Almost no one was neutral--they either liked him a lot or hated him.
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You're right, PAT. I had forgotten that. It also reminds me that a friend and I got into a 'heated' discussion on the same subject. She demanded that I give her sound reasons for not liking Heinlein, but didn't like any of my answers. I finally had to tell her that I was entitled to my own opinions and did not have to justify them.
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Heinlin was patronizing about women. No idea why.. He made them important in his books, but in the end, it was the males who seem to be the active parties. I liked him when I was younger, because he h ad a gift for a story that sort of sweeps you along..I like alternate worlds mostly, so most of my favorites tend to be there.
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Terry Pratchett is as Steph says the funniest person imaginable. I received a copy of "The Wit and Wisdom of Disc World" as a Christmas present. This contains some of the funniest quotes from many of his books.
From "Small Gods"
" 'My grandmother used to give me a thrashing every morning because I would certainly do something to deserve it during the day.' said Brutha."
Witches Abroad (one of my favourite books).
From Maskerade:
"'It's too draughty on broomsticks this time of year, Esme. The breeze gets into places I wouldn't dream of talking about.'
'Really? Can't imagine where those'd be, then.' "
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Alexan.. you did make me laugh. I love the witches. They are very funny and down to earth.. Although Death is still my favorite character.. His adopted daughter is funny as well.
I read the first of the Stephenie Meyer books..Twilight. I think she does an excellent job of protraying a teen.. The new school and feelings of the girl are excellent. The vampires.. Hmm. I dont really get them. Such an odd mixture of good , bad and indifferent.. I picked up the third at some thrift shop, but still have not run on the second one..
I am going to try Eragon.. But Anne McCaffreys dragons are a love of mine.
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Reaper man -
Death is missing - presumed ...... er .....gone. Which leads to the kind of chaos you always get when an important public service is withdrawn.
Meanwhile, on a little farm, far, far, away, a tall dark stranger is turning out to be really good with a scythe. There's a harvest to be gathered .......
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Steph - we seem to have a lot in common - I love those dragons too. Haven't read any of these books in a while.
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Joyce, you just sold a copy of 'Wit and Wisdom", to me.
Here's a challenge for the Terry Pratchett fans (I'm not just playing games, I really want your opinion). All of you know my twin sister, JoanK. She doesn't have many faults, but one of them is she doesn't care much for Science Fiction. But I keep reading her funny bits from Pratchett, and now she thinks she'd like to try him.
Where should she start? The Witches? Death? Probably not the Guards, though I'm rather partial to them. I sort of thought "Maskerade" would be good, but I'd love suggestions.
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PatH - my favourite is definitely "Witches Abroad."
"Magrat has adopted trousers as practical wear for travelling by broomstick.
'I don't 'old with it,' said Granny Weatherwax, 'everybody can see her legs.'
'No they can't,' said Nanny, 'the reason being, the material is in the way.'
'Yes, but they can see where her legs are.' said Granny Weatherwax.
'That's silly. That's like saying everyone is naked under their clothes.' said Magrat.
'Magrat Garlick, may you be forgiven,' said Granny Weatherwax.
'Well it's true!'
'I'm not,' said Granny flatly, 'I've got three vests on.' "
P.S. - Do I get commission??
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I love the quote, ALEXAN. I must have missed the book about Death and an adopted daughter, tho'. Can anyone tell me which one that is?
PAT, in this case it might be best to introduce Pratchett to Joan with one of his best. Much as I hate to admit it, there were one or two of his books that simply weren't up to par. I particularly have in mind the one about movie-making, but I forget the title at the moment. But most of the books are so good I wish I owned them instead of the library.
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I think the witches are the best place to start. Death or Mort is sort of an acquired taste. I love the guard, but you have to really start at the beginning with them or it gets quite confusing. Like you,, the movie was not up to his general standards, but read it anyway.
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Can't find anything about an adopted daughter:
But did find a quote in Mort:
" 'I wasn't cut out to be a father, and certainly not a grandad. I haven't got the right kind of knees.' "
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Ah Yes, at some point, Death acquires an adopted daughter.. Quite by accident.. Very funny story indeed. He also of course has the butler, who does literally everything. They even have a swing for the little girl, who grows up and then the fun begins.
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Steph: Must try to find that one with adopted daughter!
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Steph: found something: Ysabel - adopted daughter
As a child, Ysabell had been rescued from death by, ironically, Death himself (probably in a rare moment of sentimentality). When she was 16, Death brought her into his own realm outside of time and space, where she lived as his adopted daughter.
During all that time, Ysabell didn't grow old, as nothing ages in Death's realm. But living in this stale realm, with only Death and Albert as companions, was boring her a lot. The situation changed when Mort was appointed Death's apprentice.
Initially Mort and Ysabell didn't like each other, but after Ysabell helped Mort out of the mess he had created with Princess Keli, they fell in love with each other and finally got married. Death released them both from his realm and they became the Duke and Duchess of Sto Helit. Susan is their only child.
After they left Death's realm, their immortality was taken away as well, and they both died in an accident some 16 years later. During their last moments Death offered to bring them to his Domain for them to continue their life, but was turned down because they both decided it wouldn't be truly living, but just postponing their death.
P.S. Albert is the butler
P.P.S. At the end of "Mort" Mort marries Ysabel and they become Duke and Duchess of ........ somewhere?????????? They have a daughter - Susan - that's where Death refers to his "knees"
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I can see it's too long since I reread "Mort". All this Pratchett reminiscing has led me to some rereading (never mind that I haven't read them all yet, I'm going with what's at hand) and the one that came to hand was "Monstrous Regiment". My favorite line--"it must be the socks". Does anyone recognize the quotation in the title? It's sort of a spoiler, but amusing.
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I could not decide if Pratchett was playing with my head or not in Monstrous Regiment.. I agree it is a quote and remembered the end, but dont know where it came from. That is a real favorite of mine.
Mort is one that is very funny and makes Death into one of my favorite characters.. The mouse who is their version of death is also well done..
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Alexan, thanks so much for identifying "Mort" as the title of the book. I haven't seen that one in our library, but I'll dig it up from somewhere.
I've read "The Monstrous Regiment", and it took me a bit to catch on. I don't recognize a quotation, but I'll dig that up, too, if I can.
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Spoiler--don't read this if you haven't read "Monstrous Regiment"
It's John Knox, the Scottish religious reformer. He didn't approve of women rulers, and in 1586-8 published a tract "First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment (meaning rule) of Women". He meant Mary of Guise, regent of Scotland, and Queen Mary of England. About then Elizabeth I became queen. She was pretty mad at him, and he never published his "Second Blast", though he continued his other reforms.
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Pat, Thanks for where the quote came from. The book was a joy. I rooted around in my to be read basket. I h ave two Terry Pratchetts that were in there. One a new book and the other from a used book store and an old one.. Moved them up to the top.. I do need a good laugh
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Hi Ginny and all,
I am sooooo proud of myself. I am beginning to really enjoy Fantasy. I just finished "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman. The book is wonderful. It's like a fairy tale: magic, witches, instead of mushrooms there are mushrumps, etc. It's so much fun. Never say what you won't read. :o
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Never say what you won't read.
Hi, Hats. It's great you found a Fantasy book you like. Niel Gaiman's books cover a wide range. At one end, his children's story "The Graveyard Book" just won the Newberry Prize (it's about an orphan being raised by ghosts) and the movie "Coraline" is based on a book of his. At the other end, "American Gods" is full of foul language and dreary situations, and I gave up on it. And there's a lot in between, as you've discovered. My SIL likes him a lot.
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Hi Pat H and all,
Thanks for giving me an alert about one of those titles.
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I started the latest Terry Pratchett.. It is about Moist and his adventures with the mint and the state bank.. He is zinging bankers in general and money in particular. Funny funny man.
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Pat, in her quest to get me to like science fiction, steered me to "Bellwether" by Connie Willis. It is absolutely hilarious -- I recommend it to anyone who has ever worked in a beurocracy, anyone who has ever noticed "fads" or anyone at all.
It's not a good test, however, since it isn't really science fiction. Well, on second thought, maybe the ending puts it into the realm of sci-fi. It is full of stories about scientists. And the book gives a glorious justification for my messy, disorganized ways. (I'll bet Willis is a messy person).
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I like Connie Willis. She is a funny writer. Another science fiction, but not always writer is Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. She writes a good deal of fantasy, but was also a nurse in Viet Nam and has written some fiction using that part of her life.
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Goody! Some more books to check my library for. (I don't know why I'm so pleased. I just started a volume that is really four Salvatore books and I already have a list of books in my purse for my trip to the library today. You would think I had all the time in the world to do nothing but read! Not to mention how stiff I can get if I sit too long!)
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I seem to be at the point, where sitting too long is not good for my back and hips..So I alternate reading with the WII and the gym and the computer. I even occasionally get struck with the urge to do houswork, But that passes if I sit quietly for a bit.
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Haven't been reading much sci fi recently - have to get back to it. Just popping in to see what is happening.
Steph: Your comment about housework reminded me of this:
http://usera.ImageCave.com/Alexan/cleanhouse.jpg
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I even occasionally get struck with the urge to do houswork, But that passes if I sit quietly for a bit
. LOL
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I am really enjoying the Terry Pratchett on Money, banks, finance, the Lavish family ( I think I know those guys) and Moist.. I can see the golems are in there as well, along with Moist lady friend who is a hoot.
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STEPH, ALEXAN: right on!
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Making Money.. Since Terry is ill and knows this might have been the last book. He has everyone but the witches in it thus far. Death made an early visit. The guard is around.. the sausage dealer who always makes me laugh. Moist and an IGOR.. My favorite characters are often the Igors.. Shades of Frankenstine...
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Just found this interesting book -
Blood and Ice by Robert Masello
"Blood and Ice is a riotous mix of history, cryogenics, vampirism, and a chilling adventure set in the Antarctic."
Seems to combine mystery and Sci Fi
I am going to see if I can get it from my library.
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:Blood and Ice does sound interesting, Alexan, but I will have to wait until warmer weather to read anything in a setting of Antarctic ice. (shiver) :-X
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Two pages from finishing Making Money. As always he manages to hold you until the very end. Moist is now being contemplates for Tax commissioner. That should be a wonderful experience.
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Just tried to get a copy of "Blood and Ice" from my library - it must be very new as they don't even have this author on their catalogue. Thought that was how you spell 'catalogue', but it showing an error??? I found it in a e-newsletter from Random House called "Blood on the page". This is a new newsletter just recently out.
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Just checked Amazon - Blood and Ice will be available Feb.24/09. the name is Robert Masello - I had the wrong spelling. That's why it's not in my library. There are other books by Robert Masello, but my library doesn't seem to even have this author. Got to check up on it.
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You may find this site interesting - hope the link works:
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=Robert+Masello&page=1&qsrc=2417&zoom=&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.robertmasello.com%2F
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Alexan, I think 'catalogue' is the English spelling; 'catalog' is the American version. The 'English' word that looks oddest to me is 'rase' instead of 'raze'.
Actually, I suppose the English spelling is more reasonable, since it appears to come from the same root as 'erase', but it always looks wrong to me.
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My dictionary allows "catalogue", even puts it before "catalog", but my spell checker doesn't agree.
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I use the English spelling of words - honour, splendour etc. - these show as underlined in red. I also use the "s" and not the "Z" (pronounced as 'zed' to me not 'zee).
Catalogue comes to my mind first - not catalog - which the spell check shows catalogue in red and catalog as being correct.
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I spell in many different ways. I am a genealogist and I became interested in spelling when I started reading old documents and realized that spelling was certainly optional for many years.
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Optional, and sometimes downright weird! :o :-\
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I actually read an article by a genealogist, that talked about styles in spelling. It seems that in the early 1800's young ladies had a fad for misspelling certain types of words and it was considered very refined.. So.. life was certainly different. I have ancestors who started out with one name and then later changed it to something considered refined as well.. I have one whos name was Bata( Dutch). In later life, she became Bathsheba.. Who knows why.
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Perhaps it made her feel exotic and adventurous, Steph. Secret longings to escape the dull routine... ::) ;)
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According to several writings on the period.. The Dutch in upstate New York decided in the mid to late 1700's to become more English.. They started trying to learn the language (Dutch was still the primary language there until mid 1800's). I gather that the name Bathsheba was considered an elegant name from the bible. Her husband who was Gerardus did not anglify his name..
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I am still reading, from time to time, J. A. Salvatore's Drizzt do Urden series, but he is really beginning to annoy me. The major theme of the book is that the black drow (black elf) fights an ongoing battle against prejudice because the black elves from Underdark are evil!
At the same time, Salvatore expresses prejudices constantly throughout his books. Goblins are all dirty and stupid; in fact 'goblin' is usually expressed as 'stupid goblin'. For that matter, all black drows other than Drizzt have 'evil' smiles! (No great wonder people were/are hostile toward Drizzt. Any one in his right mind would be, considering that every time drows came to the surface they murdered everyone in sight.) Salvatore is not only inconsistent, he is being boringly repetitious about it.
If I didn't like Drizzt, Bruenor and Cattie-Brie so much, I'd drop the whole thing.
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Fair warning, Babi.
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Trying to remember. I think the Salvatore, that I remember was something like Tea with the Black Dragon. Does that sound right???
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I really don't know, Steph. I got started with the Drizzt do Urden series, and apparently that goes on forever. I think he's written about fifteen of those so far. Whether I will read all of them is another question.
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Hi Everyone. I joined awhile back but didn't participate. Now that I'm retired from the day job I have more time to devote to reading and writing. I also review for "Romantic Times Bookreviews" magazine. I read most anything but my first love is sci-fi. I recently read a review on a blog of a book I reviewed in 2007 - ROLLBACK by Robert J. Sawyer. They didn't like it as much as I did. I was wondering if anyone read it and what you thought. It's a story about alien contact, rejuvenation and love. It poses a fascinating what if - can love survive if one partner is restored to youth while the other remains aged? Gail
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Interesting premise. I will try and catch up with the book.
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Interesting question, indeed, BOOKWORM. My own immediate reaction is that the person who remains aged (we can identify with that one) would not be able to continue with such a change in the relationship.
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Hi, bookworm, it's good to see you. Tell us more.
No, I never heard of "Rollback", but I'll look for it. I've gotten a lot of good suggestions from my fellow fans here.
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A neighbor recently recommended Neal Stephenson to me. My SIL also likes him, so I got one of his books. I'll report on it when I've read it.
Has anyone else read him?
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Morning or rather Afternoon. I can't believe I slept so late. The grandkids really tired me out yesterday.
Hi Babi - You are right on - "My own immediate reaction is that the person who remains aged (we can identify with that one) would not be able to continue with such a change in the relationship."
That's a big part of the story as well as the sci-fi elements. I don't want to give away too much. The couple is in their eighties and celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. They get the opportunity to recieve rollbacks , a procedure that takes them back to their twenties. It works on one and not the other. I thought it was really emotional without being too mushy. But I like romance and character driven stories even with my sci-fi.
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Thanks, bookworm, for not giving too much away! That's hard to do here sometimes.
Another book which deals with rolling back age is John Scalzi's "Old Men's War", which is otherwise a very different sort of book. Earth people can, at age 75, be transformed back to about 20 if they agree to fight in the interspecies galactic wars. Of course there's a catch to it. There is also a romance, with a very odd twist.
Most of the book is about the fighting, though, and it gets very graphically gory. If you can stand the blood and gore (I barely could) it's a good book.
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Hi Pat, "Old Men's War" sounds like something I'd enjoy. I do like blood and gore. (there isn't any in Rollback, btw) I'll check it out. Thanks.
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I looked up "Old Man's War" on Amazon. 297 reviews, average 4.5 ratings. There's a sequel too - "The Ghost Brigades" about infants in old bodies. I put them both on my wishlist. thanks.
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Bookworm, you have to read them in order. There are three. The second is much less bloody, and poses an interesting question of personal identity. If I were you, I would get just one first, in case you don't like them. They are also somewhat tough-guy, in a Heinlein sort of way.
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Pat, is "Old Man's War" the first? Yes, good idea. I'll just get the first of the trilogy until I see if I like it.
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Yes, "Old Men's War" is the the first. Remember, it's different from what we've been talking about lately. You might love it or hate it.
If you tell us what other books you like, everyone here will probably have another different suggestion for you.
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I just watched "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." It was okay, some good acting, but I didn't think it was worth all the hype. I'm still not sure if it's supposed to be a drama or a comedy - both I guess. Maybe I should have picked up a book instead.
My likes are all over the place. I recently reread a few favorites that I've had for years and I put the reviews on Ezine. One of them was "The Experiment" by Richard Setlowe published in 1980. It's about a man dying of cancer and his lungs are replaced by gills. Another was "Omnibus of Science Fiction," a collection of 43 stories that came out in 1952.
Some of my favorite more recently published books are "Kop" and "Ex-Kop" by Warren Hammond, "Acacia: The War of the Mein" by David Anthony Durham and "The Blade Itself" by Joe Abercrombie. They're all pretty different.
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I did look up Savage. He has been writing a long time and has a lot of books in print. Have my name in for Rollback in my swap club.
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Morning Steph, let me know what you think of "Rollback." Have you read anything else by Sawyer? It's the first book I've read by him and I see he's written quite a few.
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A neighbor recently recommended Neal Stephenson to me. My SIL also likes him, so I got one of his books. I'll report on it when I've read it.
Has anyone else read him?
Pat, which book did you get? His three early books are very good and very accessible (Snow Crash, Diamond Age and Zodiak); his next four books are, in my opinion, masterpieces, but they're in the love'm or hate'm category. Needless to say I loved all four thousand plus pages and read them in one huge gulp, beginning with the three volume Baroque Cycle and then reading "Cryptomicon," which is sort of a sequel to the trilogy, but was written first (hmm, guess that makes the trilogy, technically, a prequel).
I bogged down on his latest, "Anathem," which got very mixed reviews and I can see why, but will revisit it again soon. I was reading it when I started studying Latin again and Latin was enough brain scrambling for me at the time ... in other words, I needed quick and easy reads while I got my head around the Latin and "Anathem" is definitely not quick and easy.
Anyway, I'm a huge Neal Stephenson fan and am very interested in what of his you're reading and what you think.
Cathy
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Catbrown, I actually bought 2 Stephensons, "Snow Crash", recommended by my neighbor, and "Diamond Age", recommended by my SIL, but I haven't had time to read them yet, because I'm co-leading the
"Team of Rivals" discussion, which is very time-consuming. They're sitting on my bed, though, looking plaintively at me.
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Bookworm, I forgot to warn you that Scalzi's books have a lot of bad (army-type) language in them, so if that's a deal-breaker for you, you won't like them.
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Hi Pat - Bad language is not a problem. I ordered Old Man's War on Amazon, will get it this week. It's on their 4 for 3 list and I had 3 others I wanted - Neverwhere and 2 medical thrillers.
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Bookworm, let me know what you think of Neverwhere. I own it, but it'll be a while before I get to it. At the moment, I'm concentrating on Abraham Lincoln (see above) a great man, but not sci-fi. What are the medical thrillers? That's another thing I like.
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Skin Deep by Bill Clem and Isolation Ward by Joshua Spanogle. I haven't read anything by them before, but the plots sounded good and the reviews on Amazon averaged 4.5 stars.
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I just started on the Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Scarborough book about the twins on PeTayBe.. I had read the first three books about the planet and decided to venture a bit further. A lot of ecology on how planets form which is interesting.
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CATHY, I'm intrigued by your classification of the NeilStephenson 'masterpieces' books. I'm going to see if my library has them. Thanks for the tip.
STEPH, I read all the McCaffrey books I can find, but I don't remember any about twins, tho' 'PeTayBe' has a vaguely familiar sound. I'll have to check into those, too. I'll be so delighted if there are still some McCaffrey books out there waiting for me.
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Babi, be warned: the "masterpiece" Stephenson books can't be easily classified. They are picaresque historical adventures with historical characters ranging from Isaac Newton (a major character) and Louis IVX and including some of the most memorable imagined characters possible. There are fascinating historical moments, including the great fire of London, lots of information on the history of science, code breaking and the Royal Academy, but also pirates, treasure, alchemy, prison breaks, a character who (apparently) can't die, general high-jinks and high adventure. As I wrote, these books are in the love'm or hate'm category.
I started reading with "Quicksilver," the first novel in the Baroque trilogy, but many have started with "Cryptomicon" which was written first (although the action takes place many centuries after the action in the Baroque trilogy).
I really hope you love these books as much as I do.
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Yes, Babi.. there is a small series by McCaffrey and Scarborough. All about terraforming planets by a villain.. And a planet that turns out to have a mind of its own. Very interesting series and has not been continued by the twins, who are the children of the protagonists in the first three books.. The Powers That Be, is I believe the first in the series.
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CAT, my library has "Quicksilver", and I plan to check that one out and read it.
They have some others, if I find I like that one. I think I will, as I like
'picaresque historical adventures'. I'll let you know.
Alas, STEPH, my library does not have the PeTayBe or the twins series.
Actually, I remember reading a couple of 'Power' books, esp. "Power Lines", but
I'm reasonably sure I haven't read anything about the twins. My older daughter
uses a county library, and I'm going to ask her to check there for me.
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Hmm, Babi, as you like historical adventures, may I ask if you've read Dorothy Dunnett?
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I checked some sources and the two following twins books are quite hard to find. No idea why.
I was notified by my bookswap club that rollover is now on its way to me.. Hooray.
I am reading New Moon, which is a vampire/love story.. My granddaughter at 13 read the whole series and I had read the first one. She wants to talk to me about them, so she sent me the others..Sort of slow reading at this point. I can see why this appeals to that age group.. Only teen age love is that painful, vampire or not.
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No, CAT, I'm not familiary with Dorothy Dunnett. Can you tell me the titles of some of her books, and what you like about her? Of course, it's always possible I read one of her book at one time or another, but don't remember the name.
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Dorothy Dunnet? Do tell us what she writes. Never remember hearing about her.
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Oh dear, you've gotten me started on Dorothy Dunnett ... beware what you ask for!
Here goes ...
First, she didn't write sci-fi or fantasy, so since this is off topic for this discussion, I'll keep it brief, or move further info to the Library discussion if you guys want more.
Ok, in brief, Dorothy Dunnett was (she died in 2001) a Scottish writer of historical fiction, who has a very enthusiastic and devoted fan base. She is most famous for her 6-book series of novels, "The Lymond Chronicles," which together span roughly the period of time from Henry VIII's death to the ascension of Elizabeth to the throne. The settings range from Scotland, England, France, Russia, Turkey and spots in between. The hero, Francis Crawford (Lymond), is fascinating: he's beautiful, brilliant, suicidal (literally), tormented, cruel, loving, misunderstood, a master swordsman and soldier, a great leader, a talented musician. Once you've met him, you'll never forget him.
The first book in the series is "Game of Kings." As it's the first book that Dunnett ever wrote it has some stylistic quirks (like little tags in foreign languages) that are dropped in the later volumes, but ignore those and persist. Some of us are hooked from the first words, others have reported that it took them until about 50 pages in to become fully engaged.
Whichever is the case for you, if you like vivid, well-researched, adventurous historical fiction, you should read it. Hint: it has the best sword fight scene I have ever read (Dunnett is a master of the action set-piece).
Also, be warned: the first book can be read on its own as can the second, but the third, fourth and fifth books all end on cliffhangers and if you get that far, you'll be reading them end on end far into the night.
For more, check out the reviews for "Game of Kings" on Amazon.
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Since I am obsessed with the Henry/Elizabeth era I will certainly read this series. She wrote some mysteries that I just devoured. I've gotten her King Macbeth novel, King Hereafter.
A series about a space fleet, The Lost Fleet, by Jack Cambell, is good space opera; see: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/jack-campbell/
Under his real name, John Hemry, he's writing another series about a young Anapolis graduate who starts as an ensign on a US Navy Space ship. Interesting atmosphere about the younger officers and their interactions with one another as well as their superior officers and the enlisted personel they are in charge of.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/john-g-hemry/
I don't know how I got on this military kick, just liking one book and going on tp the next, I guess. I've got some fantasy books to talk about next time.
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Welcome back, Jackie! I thought we'd see you here soon once you found Seniorlearn. I'm eager to hear everything you've been reading.
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On my last of the Stephenie Meyer vampire stories. I see why my daugher in law was not happy about Kait reading this last one. At 13 it did tend to get a bit graphic at best. Not a favorite author of mine, but I did promise Kait I would read them all and discuss them with her.
I think I may try to turn her over into Patricia Briggs who write fantasy and has a lovely young heroine ( not into undying love) who turns herself into a coyote, instead of a wolf..
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I love the Patricia Briggs stories! Such originality in a genre that had become stale and trite.
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Thanks for the info. on Dorotht Dunnett, CAT. And I've noted down Jack Campbell, too, JACKIE. After all, I'm only one and a half books away from needing some new reading material. :)
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Dunnett's MacBeth novel shows the complexity of political life in 1050. I had no idea that Denmark and Norway had figured so prominently in the history of the British Isles. It seems that MacBeth's path to success was modeled on those of his predecessors. The facts of treachery are described, not the gruesome acts themselves. It is a thick book and I've barely started.
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Jackie, when I followed your "Lost Fleet" link, it listed as "similar books" the trio by John Scalzi that we just talked about here. That suggests both that I would like Campbell, and that you might like Scalzi--assuming that the lavish amounts of gore and bad language don't put you off.
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I loved the Scalzi books. What a concept, trading in this archaic body and getting my own young self back again. Being green would take some getting used to.
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And there are some interesting questions of personal identity raised in "The Ghost Brigades" as well as by the existence of Jane Sagan.
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Dunnett's MacBeth novel shows the complexity of political life in 1050. I had no idea that Denmark and Norway had figured so prominently in the history of the British Isles. It seems that MacBeth's path to success was modeled on those of his predecessors. The facts of treachery are described, not the gruesome acts themselves. It is a thick book and I've barely started.
My history with "King Hereafter" is that it was the first Dunnett book I ever read ... or, I should write, partially read, since about halfway through I decided I should also check out the Lymond series, started the first one and didn't stop until I had read all six in a great big gulp. Then, somewhat later I went back to "King Hereafter" and reread the part that I had already started and finished the book.
I loved it, but in a different way from Lymond. It's denser and more serious than the Lymond Chronicles, but you still get very involved with the history and the characters. Dunnett was (of course) Scottish and this book was a work of tribute to her mother country.
Recently, rereading Hamlet, I noted the connection in it between Denmark and England, which I would have missed the significance of except for "King Hereafter."
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Hamlet! Of course. Ol' Will must have had an excellent education! Better than mine.
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Found two more Terry Pratchett that I had not read in a used book store in a flea market.. Not much else butthat was fun to score.
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We taped a movie last night that I'm looking forward to greatly. It's "The Colour of Magic", drawn from three or four of Pratchett's books. I wish I had known about it earlier, so I coud have mentioned it here and on 'Books Into Movies'. I hope some of you caught it; if not, the channel will probably repeat it again. It was a movie channel, Ch. 40 here, and I cannot for the life of me remember the name of it right now. Life! I think that's it..."Lifetime".
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Thanks for the tip, Babi. I don't get that channel, but I put "The Colour of Magic" on my "save" list on Netflix for when it comes out in DVD.
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I looked the movie up on IMDB, and it turns out that Terry Pratchett himself has a cameo role as astrozoologist 2. So watch for him.
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Somehow I learned about Farthing by Jo Walton. Tried it and liked it; it is an alternate reality story, post WWII, with Germany occupying the continent; Britain has signed a non-aggression treaty with Germany. I read the others in the series and am awaiting the arrival of the newest at my library. Jo Walton has written other books so I'm tying them. Tooth and Claw is about a society of dragons and it is a hoot. If you can imagine Jane Austen-like social maneuvering between dragon families, well, it is worth the read. Right now I'm reading one about what seems to be another take on the Arthur legend. Also very good.
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Tooth and Claw is about a society of dragons and it is a hoot. If you can imagine Jane Austen-like social maneuvering between dragon families, well, it is worth the read.
"Tooth and Claw" is a hoot, I agree! It's not based on Austen though, rather on Trollope's "Barchester Towers," and, since I'm a confirmed Trollope fan, that made me happy.
Cat
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Yes, Trollope, what a treat reading Barchester was. Another name I found on the award lists is Elizabeth Bear. Her New Amsterdam was good so I deterrmined to read more of her/ Hammered is tough and gritty as it recounts a future world where Canada is in competition with the Chinese for, among other things, space. Our heroine is a reck of a woman, half mechanical, who survives on coffee and booze. Her best friends are: the head crime lord of Hartford, a rogue cop and a cat. Gradually her past catches up to her and she can no longer hide in the bottle. I'm ordering the nest one as I type.
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"Tooth and Claw" appeals to me, but my local library doesn't have it. Maybe the County library does. I suspect my library has been feeling a financial pinch for the last year or so. Too much free space on the shelves now, compared to what it used to be.
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Babi: At the very time when borrowing is up in libraries funding is down, meaning fewer new books, shorter hours and reduced staffing. Guess folks are reading morel. TV sure is boring, it becomes noteworthy when a series has a new story. While I can watch reruns of The West Wing over and over, others do not retain their attraction once the solution is revealed.
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Tooth and Claw appeals to me. Will look in my paperback swap club. I also likeElizabeth Bear. Had not thought of her in a long long time.
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JACKIE, would you believe, since we got cable, I have been spending far too much time watching re-runs of MASH. They are such good shows, and it's been so long I don't really remember most of them. Next to Hawkeye, Radar is still
my favorite character.
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We are out inthe rv and we get Frasier every afternoon. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the acting in that show.
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The timing was just right and I was in the mood so I succumbed to one of those TV commercials and bought a DVD of WKRP in Cinncinnatti. What fun to see the crazy clothes and hair. It was like time travel. Old TV shows, there is a channel in Portland which has played Perry Mason every day at noon since 1972 or some such date. Except for West WIng my favorites are the comedies, MASH for one. Home Improvement, Bob Newhart, both of them. We also watch Star Trek, all variations, which is not known for its humor.
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Ah, Bob Newhart! I loved his telephone monologues. I still remember the one where he is Sir Walter Raleigh trying to explain what tobacco is and what it was used for. Especially the part where you 'wrap it in paper, put it in your mouth and set it on fire'. The man had me lol every time.
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There is a program called American Masters on PBS: "AMERICAN MASTERS is an ongoing series of award-winning primetime specials examining the lives, works, and creative processes of our most outstanding cultural artists." http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/ The Bob Newhart story was fantastic. I had forgotten the tobacco sketch. He is a true master.
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I love Star Trek.. However Jean Luc is my Captain forever..
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I'm with you, Steph. William Shatner is embarrassing.
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I'm with you, Steph. William Shatner is embarrassing.
Yes, especially when he thinks he's being romantic, but Spock is OK, and the TV series as a whole definitely has something, even with the corn and the clumsy special effects. By the way, I assume you have all seen "Galaxy Quest"?
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Jackie, I just read the first of the "Lost Fleet", "Dauntless". You're right, it's very good. I'm going to read the rest, but I dassn't get them now, because if I do I'll read them straight through, and I don't have the time right now.
It just finally occurred to me (duh) that if I see a book on the Fantastic Fiction link and I know I'm going to buy it from Amazon, I might as well access Amazon through the link on the FF site, and maybe it'll do some good in terms of Amazon continuing to think it's worth pouring some money into FF. I did that with "Dauntless", and it worked the same as always.
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FF is Amazon?
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No, I don't think so, but there are shopping links here and there. I'm sure Amazon pays for this, and it's probably what keeps the site paid up. It's a British site, so you have to be careful not to get AmazonUK.
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I recently put in a wish list on my bookswap site for the book that was recommended here. Where they use an anti aging and it works on the man, but not the woman.. Looks fascinating. If life does not overwhelm me, I hope to start it next week. Going away for a week in the rv, means I am somewhat behind in all of my normal activities.
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I started
Terry Pratchett's Night Watch.. It features Sam Vimes, who has always been one of my favorites. Something threw both him and a criminal back in time.. neat.
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I was so disappointed when I tried to watch our tape of "The Color of Magic".
The tape was so bad and there was so much distortion that it was a total loss.
I'm going to see if I can find it on Netflix.
Did anyone here get a chance to see it? If so, what did you think of it?
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I must see if I can rent the tape. I am having fun with the book. It looks at time travel a bit differently and Sam is getting to train the young Sam.. He knows who he is, but the young one has no idea. Fun
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Finished Night Watch.. An excellent book. I learned a lot about Sam.. The idea was interesting and Terry Pratchett made me laugh and laugh at some of the characters.. Even death got a cameo part.
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I liked Night Watch too--one of his better ones. I'm currently reading Making Money. Having reformed the Post Office, Moist is now turning his attention to the Mint.
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I loved Making Money and get a kick out of Moist.. Pratchett is a favorite of mine.
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I finally had time to read the rest of Jack Campbell's "Lost Fleet" series, and chomped through it at a great rate. Jackie, you're right, it's very good military space opera. It's sort of like the Perils of Pauline too, out of one space battle into another dangerous situation. After 5 books (all there are to date) we are left at what could be the end or, much more likely, leading into another 5 book series. I wait with interest.
Now I have to get hold of "Tooth and Claw". "Barchester Towers" was amusing, and the idea of redoing it with dragons boggles the mind.
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PATH: You'll get a kick out of Tooth and Claw.
I'm reading the latest in the Jack McDevitt series about Alex Benedict, the antiquities dealer. The Devil's Eye refers to a planet way, way far away which has only one "star" in its night sky. There is no moon so there are no tides.
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Sounds like a dark planet, JACKIE. I finally found, ordered and received the
Petaybe Twins series by McCaffrey and Scarborough. Unfortunately, I am
somewhat disappointed. All three books are about the twins as children, and
the books seem more suitable for young readers. Not much depth to them, but kids would love the idea of being able to turn into selkies (seals), cavort in the water, and do heroic things.
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Just received my latest book order which include "Old Man's War", the first Alex Benedict book from Jack McDevitt, and Elizabeth Moon's last book of her Vada Series, "Final..." something or other. Not at home at the moment to double check the title names.
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I just finished "Zoe's Tale", the fourth book in John Scalzi's "Old Men's War" Series. It's essentially the events of the third book, "The Last Colony" told from the standpoint of a different character, a teenage girl. There can't be a lot of plot suspense, since you know the major events, but there is some, and the book holds your interest well.
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Just oredered Zoe's Tale. Thanks for lmentioning it. Robert J Sawyer has a new series starting, as I read on FF. For some reason I can't copy and paste the site but look it up. WWW:Wake Looks good.
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Just received my latest book order which include "Old Man's War", the first Alex Benedict book from Jack McDevitt, and Elizabeth Moon's last book of her Vada Series, "Final..." something or other. Not at home at the moment to double check the title names.
Amendment:
The fifth and final book in the Vatta series by Elizabeth Moon is Victory Conditions. The Jack McDevitt book I received is A Talent for War.
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Saw the newest Star Trek movie.. What a hoot.. The young Spock really really looks like Leonard Nemoy..
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Those of us who are watching Fox TV's Fringe were delighted to see Leonard Nimoy appear in the very last few minutes of the season's finale. This creative show about FBI agents ala Mulder and Scully has been consistently entertaining this family since its inception. With the addition of Nimoy to the cliffhanger end of season show we can anticipate more delicious suspense next year. If you havenn't been watching I suggest that you get in line on Netflix to catch up before September's new season starts.
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I finally got ahold of "Tooth and Claw". Will report later.
I'm now moving to JoanK's, and if we don't get her online, I'll be out of it too. If one of you sees that you are posting #200, would you please just post "saved for heading" in it so I can put in the heading without messing up your post, then use #201 instead.
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I have strong feelings about Fox News and rarely will watch the channel, but Leonard Nemoy may bring me over for at least that show.
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Steph: I'm with you about fox news but Fringe is worth the risk of contamination. Do order the DVD to see the whole season if you can. The story line builds each episode. BtW, sad to say that Medium won't be back. I really enjoy the stories storeis of the mother (Patricia Aquette) who can dream future events and the loving family it portrays will be sorely missed amid the dreck that most shows consist of.
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My SIL tells me the new Star Trek movie is the best Star Trek movie ever. He's seen it twice. I'll have to see it when I get back.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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I will miss Medium; my daughters and I all enjoy it. I suspected we had seen the last
of it when I saw an item on TV of a new show Patricia Arquette will be starring in
this fall. I hope it's as good as medium.
I was curious about the new Star Trek movie, PAT. Thanks for posting your SIL's
recommendation. I'll put it on our Netflix list.
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Great News! CBS picked up Medium! They will announce details later.
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Medium was picked up by another channel. They are going to show it after the Ghost show on
Fridays. I think the Medium is the better show. The girl who is the star of the Ghost show cannot resist showing off her (hmm) assets.. It is remarkable. Everyone other female on the show is covered up and then out she comes.. now sleeves, plunging everything. Ah well. found out she was originally aplus size model..
Yes, I thought that this Star Trek was really good. I liked one of the early ones the most..I think it had Khan in the title.
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That was "The Wrath of Khan", my second favorite. Ricardo Montalban played Khan. My favorite is the next one, "The Search for Spock".
I'm home now, and will try to find the earliest possible chance to see the new one.
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Since Patricia Arquette is going to be working in another show, I am guessing
CBA will be showing re-runs. Maybe not.
I enjoy "Ghost Whisperer", STEPH, but I have to agree about the star's style of
dressing. But then, she is the producer...or is it director? In any case, she
does what she likes, and she definitely likes being the center of attention.
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I have no idea about Patricia Arquette, but CBS announced they had purchased(?) or acquired Medium and it would follow Ghost Whisperer on Friday nights.
Wrath of Khan.. and Ricardo Montalban.. One of those early movie stars who made me very happy to watch. Gorgeous man.
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Lots of confusion but it seems that CBS owns Medium and snapped it up when NBC dropped it. Mentalist, starring yummy Simon Baker, is moving to Thursday which puts CSI in greater jeopardy; without William Peterson CSI is hopeless IMHO. There are some new SF series planned for next year. Google TV fall Schedule and look for the Variety site where the new season is objectively described without the network hype/bias in most of the press stories. (For some reason my software no longer allows me to copy and paste URLs.)
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I hate it when competition for prime time spots means two of more of my favorite shows are on at the same time. Think goodness for the technology to record some of them.
I agree that Wm. Peterson has been a loss to CSI. I still watch it, tho'. I think one could consider the CSI series as Science Fiction, as it is fictional stories with a strong scientific core.
The one that frequently annoys me is CSI Miami. 'Horatio' cannot seem to do or say anything without posturing for the camera. Whenever that one is competing with another show I like, Miami CSI loses.
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Horatio drives me nuts. Wont watch the show. I still watch CSI, but darn it all, dont like the new guy,, still grieving over the guy they murdered.. Now NCIS is doing stupid things with Zivah.. She is the character I like, they could send Tony to the moon and I would be happy.
Science fiction shows that I like are few and far between. MDH hates them, so have to retreat to another tv to watch them.
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I agree with you about Horatio. I heard long ago, but never confirmed that David Caruso started out as a model, hence the posing. I don't remember doing all that posing when he was on NYPD Blue, but then I didn't watch that much. CSI: Miami is my least favorite of the CSI group and like you, Babi, if something else is better I watch that instead. Some shows just don't catch my interest so I don't even watch them later on On Demand. Too bad, some of the actors in the show I do like.
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What are they dong to Zivah? She deserves better. She is why I watch the show, although the rest of the ensemble works very well, too. I regard Tony as the comic relief. Never watched Miami cause I can't stand david Caruso. I hope CBS brings Flash Point back; I love those guys. Sure glad Numbers is back. Another Fox xhow I like is Bones. The last show of the season was a hoot!
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While we are still on this TV thread have you seen Primeval? It's on BBC. Ihappened to catch the last episode of season one on SF channel and got hooked so I've ordered the DVD from Netflix for seasons 1 & 2 since season 3 just atarted on BBC.j Here's more: http://www.bbcamerica.com/shows/primeval/
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I like Bones as well, and my husband adores it. I understand from various gossip things that the main character in Bones is not easy to work with. A truly militant vegetarian,, possibly a vegan and doesnt wear leather, etc either..
I am hoping for the best with Zivah.. They made her such an interesting character with such strength and intelligence.
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Oh, that last Bones was literally 'somethng else', wasn't it? I loved
that quirky departure from format.
I sometimes get annoyed with Tony, but I remember what an excellent job
he did when he took Gibbs place for a while. There's much more to the
character than he reveals most of the time, preferring to play the gadfly.
I feel confidant that Ziva will be back.
My grandson is a vegan. He generally has to bring/buy his own food when
he visits. He is a very sweet young man, but he does adhere to his diet.
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We have a young friend who is a vegetarian, not a vegan.. She eats chicken and fish. She has three small boys and a husband who likes meat.. Soooo McDonalds has reared it ugly head. She is really struggling with their joy at Hamburgers..
Reading the latest Sookie and loving it.. Quinn is now gone from her life. When will she stop and look at Sam..
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Jackie, thanks for the recommendation of "Primeval". I put the first disc at the top of my Netflix queue, but somehow it didn't take, so I'm getting "Daywatch" instead. That's the second of Sergei Lukyanenko's trilogy. The first, "Nightwatch", is somewhat unintelligible unless you've read the book, and also somewhat bleak. Reviews suggest the second movie is fairly psychedelic in effect. We'll see what I make of it. It's obviously popular, since it's also available for instant play.
Steph, if your friend eats chicken and fish, she's not exactly a vegetarian. There are so many different levels of meat-non meat diets that I've found the only safe thing to do is to ask for specifics. As long as I know the rules, I don't mind accommodating any diet whatever. It's an amusing challenge.
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I agree that chicken and fish do not sound vegetarian to me, but she is quite adamant that she is a committed vegetarian.. Who knows.
I do know someone or did some years ago when was so much into it that she wouldnt eat at your house, because your dishes and pots, etc had cooked meat.. Weird.. Since I knew for sure that when she traveled for her job, her husband and teens cooked all sorts of meat. She just never knew.
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Catbrown: I see from one of your posts in "The Night Villa" that you are in Berkeley. I used to visit there a lot when my daughter was going to law school and my SIL was in grad school. Is my favorite sci-fi bookstore, the Other Change of Hobbit, still going strong?
For non-Berkeleyites, it's a great new and used sci-fi/fantasy bookstore. It reminds me a little of Terry Pratchett's descriptions in "Guards! Guards!":
"...even big collections of ordinary books distort space, as can readily be proved by anyone who has been around a really old-fashioned secondhand bookshop, one of those that look as though they were designed by M. Escher on a bad day and has more staircases than storys and those rows of shelves that end in little doors that are too small for a full-sized human to enter. The relevant equation is: knowledge=power=energy=matter=mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read."
"Books bend space and time. One reason the owners of those aforesaid little rambling, pokey secondhand bookshops always seem slightly unearthly is that many of them really are, having taken a wrong turning in their own bookshops in worlds where it is considered commendable business practice to wear carpet slippers all the time and only open your shop when you feel like it."
The proprietors of "Hobbit" definitely fit, and you would sometimes have to work hard to get them to take your money.
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James Schmitz is one of those "Golden Age" authors who was breathing the same air as Asimov, Clark, Bradbury, and Heinlein. Eric Flint , of 1632 alternate history fame, has been editing and reissuing allhis works, seven paperbacks in all. The Telzey stories take up the first four, #6 is all his other short stories - 730 pages of them; Witches of Karres will be #7. I've read them all and enjoyed them. Stories from the 50's and 60's have their little anachronisms but the story lines are still strong. Sort of deja vu; wondering what I was doing when I read these the first time?
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Jackie, I missed him the first time around, guess I should try him now?
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Oh I loved James Schmitz and read all of them. The Witches has( I believe) a followup book.. At least I seem to remember reading a bit more on the Witches, especially the littlest one. Telzey is quite a number.. Thanks for reminding me of a long time favorite author.
He was like another favorite. Just did not write nearly enough. Zenna Henderson was also like that. She didnt write very much, but what she did was pure heaven. Her people felt so real..
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PAT, I loved your quote from "Guards, Guards". That was one of the first Pratchett books I read and I didn't remember that quote. Thanks for posting it.
I don't know Schmitz or Zenna Henderson. I'll have to check on them.
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Babi: You are in for a real treat when you read Zenna Henderson. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/zenna-henderson/ She first showed up in Analog or F&SF and I couldn't read enough of her stories. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenna_Henderson My library doesn't have any listing for her; her work is probably only available used.
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JACKIE, unfortunately my library doesn't have a single Zenna Henderson book.
I did pick up "The Witches of Karres" this morning and have started that. I am bemused, and interested to see what manner of man our hero will become under the tutelage of the witches.
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Finally we got a chance to view the first Primeval DVD from Netflix and found, after three hours of excitement and dread, that CC is included. Believe me, I'll use it for the next episodes since the actors speak softly and the various British accents are not always easy to understand. This one goes right to the top on my list of favorites. Prosfessor Nick Cutter, his lab assistant Stephen, his graduate student Connor, and reptile specialist, Abby, stumble across a living, breathing anachronism, a creature frpm Earth's prehistoric ages, roaming around the countryside. Sightings multiply and the Home Office spends its time thwarting the scientific study in order to prevent panic. BBC America has split the 23 episodes into three "seasons" of 6, 7, and 10 episodes.
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Zenna Henderson is truly hard to find.. Used science fiction places may have some.. She is worth the search. She was a teacher and her writing was remarkable.
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Primeval must have been on one of those stations I didn't get
pre-Cable, JACKIE. Sounds interesting. I'll get the first one
and then decide if I want to watch 'the whole thing'.
We have a used book store in our area. I'll have to write myself a
note to look for Henderson there, STEPH.
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So I put Primeval at the top of my queue, but somehow it didn't stick, and I got Daywatch instead. This is the second movie based on Sergei Lukyanenko's trilogy: Nightwatch, Daywatch, and Twilightwatch. I've read the first two books--they are about the conflict between Good and Evil reduced to Russian beaurocracy. The movies are good, but if you haven't read the books I think you would have a hard time figuring out what's happening. If you have read the books you'll spend your time grumbling about what they've changed. And by the end of the second movie we are still in the first book. But the movies have a good quality to them--the gritty, flashy, grubby, sordid life in Moscow. I guess my recommendation is: if you've read the books, try the movies, otherwise give them a miss.
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Seems that my satellite service does not allow me to utilize CC or subtitles. Turned subtitles on and got nada of disc 2 of Primeval. Add to that my hearing is failing and I'm having a hard time. Has anyone tried those things like Bluetooth that are supposed to help your hearing for TV,etc? I saw one of those special accessories for TV sound cost $150! If I have to I'll get it but I'm wondering if the $39.95 set won't work.
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AAARRRGH, Jackie, that is so unacceptable. I hope you can solve the problem, but don't have any useful information to help. Can you watch DVDs on your computer? That's how I watch them anyway, since my computer screen isn't much smaller than my TV screen, and I can just sit close. My hearing is failing too, but not so far yet, but CC or subtitles add a lot for me.
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Pat: I've watched DVDs on my monitor though it is only 19"; not bad. Turning on the CC option must have a solution; I'll call the satellite custormer service geeks.
Does anhone watch Eureka? The new season is starting soon and we're catching up watching reruns on the SF channel. Those folks in Eureka are slightly out of kilter but it sure is fun waiting for the shoe to drop.
Speaking of TV i've claimed never to watch reality TV but must admit that there are some things I'm addicted to: Ice Road Truckers, this season, has a young, shapely blonde driver amidst all those burley road wrestlers. When she has to put on her chains, they weigh almost as much as her 120 lbs, she is nearly done in. The suspense is sleep-destroying. The History Channel has another engrossing series, The World after People. This shows the degradation of the world when there are no people to maintain it. Not at all maudlin, simply pragmatic illustrations as to what happens to, say, dairy cows when no one is around to milk them, or how plant life can bloom on a derilict sky scraper when the wind-driven grains of earth accumulate and seeds arrive via birds or more wind. The graphics make the scenarios seem all too real but, again, the lack of emotion in the narration turns it into almost a scientific exercise.
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Poring over the new books on FF I found Laura E Reeve's Peacekeeper, book one of a new series about a woman who is an N-drive pilot in real life but is a Major in the intelligence service on the side. Seems there are several factions competing for advantage in space and Ari (Ariane Kedros) has unique skills to offer. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/laura-e-reeve/
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I'm always looking for a good new Sci/Fi writer, JACKIE. Now if I could just
persuade my library that if you're going to purchase a book from a series, you
should buy all the series. Books 1 and 4 only of a series is distinctly
annoying.
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Now if I could just persuade my library that if you're going to purchase a book from a series, you
should buy all the series.
Yes, Babi, that's so annoying. You'd think anyone could figure that one out.
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Oh yes, I must chime in. It is amazing how many libraries do not have copies of all in a series. I have been known to frantically search for the missing volume. Now must libraries have a computer search engine for their county or state.
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I am reading Elizabeth Moon's "Remnant Population" and thoroughly enjoying
it. My thanks to whomever recommended it. I will be reading more of her
books.
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Those of us who are regular watchers of the Sci Fi network have learned that it has changed its name to Syfy, hoping to attrct nore viewers. Just so they don't take all the good stuff away. Eureka comes back this month and there are some new series arriving also. See more about it here: http://www.syfy.com/ Don't you just love how Eureka, that typical small town of geniuses, has to rely on its plain jane sheriff to rescue it from the dire results of its follies?
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Why ever did they change their name. Seems stupid. I guess they thought they were being hip or something.
I hope they do reruns of Eureka or put it up on On Demand (Comcast). I work the nights it is on. And no I don't have a DVR.
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Fry: One disadvantage of the DVR is that the data is stored on a hard drive; our particular machine does not have the capability of downloading or transfering the data so we are continually deleting old stuff to make room for the new. Sure wish I could put some of it on a DVD.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Once we watch a recorded show, we immediately 'erase' it. Isn't that the
same as deleting it? So far, we have had no problem with running out of
room. Of course, I may be talking about an entirely different set-up. I wouldn't know the difference. ??? :-\
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Babi: Erasing/deleting after viewing is probably what most people do. We are big fans of geology shows about earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, etc., and these often mean re-viewing. My son is an avid fan of car racing and he likes to see these more than onc. Add his football team, SF 49ers, tennis, soccer, pretty soon the space availoable is in the single digits. A program i have saved is Secret Yellowstone. Among other vignettes it describes the search for waterfalls in the outer wilderness. Previously there were 5 known falls. As a result of the search there are now at least 300. the graphics are super; a satellite-type view of the park is used to show different aspects - the areas of the wolf packs, the extent of areas damaged by fires, the locations of the 300 falls, etc. I will spend happy hours seeing this over and over.
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Oho! I didn't know you could 'save' these programs indefiitely. Offhand, tho',
I can't say there have been any I would want to re-view again and again.
Some shows, of course, are available for puchase on DVD's. We can't get a
good picture on one channel here, so we watched a favorite show from that
channel on DVD's from Netflix.
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Isn't it grand that we can see whole seasons of faves, thanks to Netflix?
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I loved the geysers and mud pots at Yellowstone. Not so crazy about all of the left over fire damage.. Buffalo are ok, but not really my favorite animal.. We never saw any of the wolves or bears.. Did see what was probably a coyote or the worlds smallest wolf all alone.
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Needed a good laugh, so brought out one of my few Terry Pratchetts that I have not read before. This one was Rincewind..and the Magicians college. Something like The Fourth Continent.. Anyway.. funny.. intense, a lovely takeoff on Australia done with great love and humor..
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Yes, Steph, I've read "The Last Continent" too. It's everything you say.
I recently read "Feet of Clay"--not a recent one, I think it takes place right after "Men at Arms"--not as good, but still pretty funny.
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I have never read the Pratchett book in sequence. They are hard to get and I tend to buy them when I see them and then dole them out to myself for when I need truly funny. My favorite character however is Mort. Rincewind is funny, but I do love the Suitcase
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Only Pratchett could come up with 'the Suitcase'. What an imagination that
man had! He is a treasure.
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Yes , the suitcase in this book at one point was with a bunch of female impersonators and seems to have decided he liked it. Rincewind was horrified at the thought.
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The History Channel's series, The universe, is a favorite in this family. Last night I was sdpellbound watching Living in Space. ALong with excellent computer graphics illustrating current hypothetical application, latest developments in NASA's research in adapting environmental needs of Man to the harsh realities of space life as emplified by living on Mars was demonstrated by personable young scientists. I was spellbound, seeing some of the favorite SF scenarios brought to "life".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Universe_(TV_series)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Universe_episodes Scroll down to December 23, 2008, episode
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I've just started Old Man's War by John Scalzi which some of you recommended. What attitude! Just love it so far. And here I wasn't sure I was going to like it.
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Jackie--one aspect of the harsh realities of space: an acquaintance of mine at NIH is an ophthalmologist, specializing in cataracts, and he had a grant from NASA. Because of the radiation in space, it's going to take some work to prevent astronauts taking a slow route to Mars from being partially blind when they get there.
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Frybabe--I'm glad you like "Old Men's War" so far. If you don't mind the gore and profanity, you're in luck, because the 2 sequels and the after-sequel are, if anything, even better.
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I second the recommendation on Scalazi's books. He's a keeper.
The suits for the Mars residents will have gold plated visors to protect vision. There was an interesting segment on the suits, too. This program was a real treat, it made living on Mars almost feasible.
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hi all
I see some of you currently at the people of the book discussion. I'm rereading, which is very unusual the first of a series by Lois McMasters about space politics featuring Miles, a very inventive dwarf. the writing is good which is the reason I'm back at it this time. the book is Warriors Apprentist and there are lots more of them
Another good series by Robin Hobb starts with a title very much like this assassins apprentist. I read the whole series, the first one free on my kindle.
claire
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Robin Hobb is a new author for me.Will try and track down one of them.
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Lois McMasters Bujold is a great favorite of mine, CLAIRE, and I read all of
the series you referred to. Miles bone growth was impaired due to a poison
gas attack during his Mother's pregnancy. (Both parents are great characters, too.) The bones were very fragile as well, and broke easily. Miles spent a
great deal of time in hospitals getting bones replaced...and limbs painfully stretched at the same time. He eventually winds up a few inches taller than
his original adult height. All of which, of course, is only a sidebar to the exciting
stories.
Have you read her 'Curse of Chalion' series? Only three books, but also wonderful!
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I have several books going at the same time in other areas as well as here. remembering names is an issue for instance I'm partway into one by a poet, his first novel and lovely writing. .... the name of the wind by Patrick ???/ will look later or google the title if interested magic fantasy.
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Robin Hobb's work spans many frontiers in fantasy which never ceases to enchant me.
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her it is. I googled the name of the wind
http://www.patrickrothfuss.com/content/index.asp
claire
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I recently saw the new Harry Potter movie, and commented about it in "Books into Movies". Here's some of what I said.
How good was the movie ("Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince")? I have a lot of complaints. They made the choice to go for gee-whiz flashy special effects over connected story telling, and added some new, unnecessary, bits to the story at the cost of leaving out stuff. But it's good enough that Potter fans will want to see it.
I suspect that anyone who hasn't read the book would have a lot of trouble making any sense whatever of the plot.
In addition, I'll say that Jim Broadbent did a nifty job as Horace Slughorn (about the only new character) and, although the surrounding battles were not so good, Alan Rickman as Snape did full justice to the climactic moment.
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Have not yet seen the new Harry Potter. Have of course read all of them and am now listening to the audio tapes, which I adore. I hate being close to the end..Next to last book on tape.. Will see the movie though.
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Okay gang, you wanted to know what I think of Scalzi's Old Man's War. Just loved it. Hard to put down. I liked the humor (tongue in cheek? smart***?), the bit where he discovered his wife's clone, and the last sequence involving the Rraey and, of course, the demise of the politician, Bender. I am going to have to add Ghost Brigades to my buy list.
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Steph, I've heard the audio tapes are remarkable in quality. The books do read well aloud. I read the first four (all that were out then) to my husband when he was too shaky to read himself but welcomed being read to. We had some surprises about what does and doesn't do well aloud. Agatha Christie is hopeless, and Sherlock Holmes is excellent.
Frybabe, I'm glad you liked the Scalzi. Three more to go. You're right, Bender is a hoot.
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I,ve just gotten well into Roger Zelazny's "Eye of Cat" and I'm finding it fascinating. His writing style is unusual, and he weaves in so much of the Navajo culture. He has some Navajo 'songs', or chants. If they are not genuine, they could be; they seem to capture the spirit of the People. As the jacket says, "The gods, powers and monsters of Navajo legend provide the backdrop for the working out of Singer's fate".
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I am reading Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs. I had read her three about the girl who becomes a coyote, but this is the same world, but a different intent with the werewolves. Excellent thus far.
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Finished Cry Wolf.. Oh me, I loved it.. She writes a very human love story intertwined with Werewolves and witches..
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Steph: I agree that Patricia Briggs can reach my heart. Last night I saw a new series on BBCAmerica called "Being Human" which also has that heart-rending quality. This is about three 20somethings who are trying to be human though they are handicapped: the girl is a ghost, one guy is a werewolf and the third is a vampire. A very poitnant scene was when the pizza delivery guy was able to see and talk to the girl; she was ecstatic! The nerdy looking guy with glasses, the werewolf, is devastated when he reaches his hideyhole minutes before his change and finds it full of workmen who are remodeling the space into new administrative offices for the hospital where he and his vampire buddy work. The vampire and the werewolf are trying to deny their warped natures and be human instead. Not a bit over the top but very appealing. The next episode is this Saturday and is reshown on Thursday which is what I saw last night.
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I'm reading Jane Yolen's "Sister Light, Sister Dark". An intriguing premise and
an unusual writing format. It has sections entitled 'Myth', "Legend"-which is a
scholarly (fictional) commentary on the myth- and 'Story', which is the actual
events. Ver-r-ry interesting.
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I had heard about the BBC series and meant to watch it, but I am still suffering from either allergies or a sinus attack and simply flake at 9pm and slept until 6 am the next day. I have finally broken down and will go to the doctor on Monday to see if I can get some relief on this. Not being able to breathe and sneezing six or seven times in a row all the time is just way past fun.
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Yeah, STEPH. No point in being thickheaded about it. ;D
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Babi, I did laugh. Both my husband and my best friend( who lives far away and we email all the time) have pronounced me "blockheaded" this week for not giving in until now.. Ah well. I am mostly healthy and have problems believing I am ill..
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I think a lot of us react that way, STEPH. It seems to me the older generation
is less likely to run to a doctor for minor things or dose up for minor pains. But
then, maybe that's because we see so much more of them, now, and decide
not to 'sweat the little stuff'. Sometimes we can carry it too far.
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Last night, on ABC, I watched a new seres which excited me. It is called "Defying Gravity", four men and four women on a six-year space voyage. As they be4gin their mission we are treated to flashbacks about their testing, their friendships, their crises. the scene shifts realistically IMHO between the ground support and the astronauts. My son called it Space Opera, and I replied, I like SO. I give it an eight. Did you see it?
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You make me feel I should pay attention to the TV.. I have never been a fan, so leave the viewing up to MDH and he watches things like House and Bones, etc.
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So do I, STEPH, in spite of the fact that House is a real b........, and shows like
Bones can get horribly graphic. I sometimes think I missed my calling. Tracking
down clues and finding answers really appeals to me.
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The little I have seen of House is scary.. I would hate to have a doctor who treated me like dirt and always accuses everyone of lying.. The drugs are terrifying. I know.. its tv, but I dont like the attitude in it.
I guess I will stick to my books.
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House and Bones are hits in this house. We watch Burn Notice, too. I haven't laughed so hard in months as I did watching last week's show.
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Try not to laugh at me too hard. I haven't yet gotten around to hooking up my converter box so I can watch TV again.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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David Weber's Honor Harrington series was great fun to read so I was excted to se in FF that he has starrted a new series. grin beginning as the human race is essentially wiped in the first few pages by a horde called Gbaba who have anhilated race after race in space. Oddly though the Gbaba have been manufacturing their space4 ships for more than 8 millinia, as was discovered when some captured ships were analyzed, the latest model is identical in all respects to the 8000 yr-olds. No knowing how our colonies were detected earth establishes a new colony which will have no technology on a planet called Safehome. How that goal was achieved has caused a rift in the caretakers of Safehome. That's all I've gotten so far. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/david-weber/off-armageddon-reef.htm
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Pat, we were on the road in the rv when the conversion took place.. We did not need a converter box, but it is much much harder to get a decent signal with an antenna now.. My husband was furious. A lot of rv parks do not do cable and we refuse to use the dish.
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I've never watched Burn Notice, JACKIE, but if it's that funny I'm obviously
missing something. I'll be sure and take a look. And I'm delighted to hear
Weber has a new series; I also loved Honor Harrington.
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Well, first of all Burn Notice ended its season last night. Second, it is kind of straight spy-shoot-em-up and kind of parody. Last night had a few funny bits but was pretty grim since the hero's GF was kidnapped. It's funny because every element is just that tad over the edge. The bad guys are soooo bad, etc. Sharon Gess plays his (Mchael's) mother and she is almost a stereotype mother: always smoking, wearing huuuge dangly hoop earrings, she sort of knows what Michael does so she hints, last night she called Michael and his Buddy, Sam (Bruce Cambell) Butch and Sundance as they sat at her dining table and checked their weapons before going out to the ramparts once again.
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Ah, well, there will no doubt be re-runs. I'll eventually get a chance to decide
if that 'tad over the edge' is funny or irritating. Somehow, if it's done on purpose it can be funny but if it's just bad writing I get annoyed.
Does the stereotype mother wear dangly earrings? I never even had my
ears pierced. But then, of course, there are different stereotypes, aren't there?
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Hah.. Babi, piercing my ears with my 50th birthday present to myself. I used that year as a makeover.. I joined the gym, stopped smoking, started walking, pierced my ears and lost weight ( However the last found it again somehow).
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Babi: I guess the better word would be iconic. Sharon Gess is not everybody's mom but she is typwe of mom. If she word glasses they'd be sutsy frames maybe with rhinestones. Her earrings last time were approx. 2.5 inches, black with white dots. Since this is Florida, maybe she's the mom who moved to Florida? Steph, does this sould familiar? Do you see these women walking around with their earrings distracting your attention, even from what she's saying?
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STEPH, I gasp as the casual ease with which you wrote..'stopped smoking'. I,
thank God, never started smoking, but I have watched the terrific struggle my
younger daughter has gone through to break the habit. And she still finds
herself wanting one on occasion.
I joined a gym once. It was a 'lifetime' purchase. However, by the time the
business had changed hands a couple of times, the 'lifetime' bit had vanished
down the drain. Still, it was good for me while it lasted.
JACKIE, my idea of a 'makeover' was to start wearing my hair in a shorter
style and using make-up more cnsistently. Wild, that's me. ;)
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Stopping smoking was the single hardest thing I ever did as an adult. Whew.. it was at least a year before I wanted one so bad and maybe five years before the whole idea left me cold. However I did it and my husband did as well, once I said I would. Boy does it affect your brain for at least a month or so..
Makeup.. I always have good intentions, but generally forget to actually wear it.. However I do love earrings, not thelong long danglers, but smaller ones.. My husband and two sons lovedit when the ears were pierced. I got a lot of earrings over the years from them. They know I love studs and I probably have every color and gemstone now..
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When I was in my 40s I went back to school to finish my BA. This was in the 70s and everyone had pierced ears. Well, at a party one night, a friend volunteered topierce then for me. Worked like a charm and ever since I have had holes in my ears. Only one set of holes, however. When I was working I shopped endlessly for new ones, eBay, estate sales, boutiques. When I retired I must have had more than 100! Now all I wear is a set of gold hearts but I'm looking for the perfect gold bamboo hoops, about 1" at the perfect price! So far no luck. If it's the right price it's not the right gold or bamboo and vice versa.
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STEPH, that's why my daughter failed on an earlier attempt to stop smoking.
It affected her brain so badly she thought she was going crazy. Later she
talked with her doctor and he explained what was actually happening. Armed
with that info., she has been able to stay with it this time.
I went back to college in my 40's also, JACKIE, but had no impulses to pierce
my ears. Perhaps that was because the only college offering the course I
wanted was a Catholic college located on conventual grounds. Whole different
ambience there. ;)
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I have two sets of gold bamboo hoops. One quite small and another that is larger. Love them. But my favorites just now are small glass types of all colors.
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Last night NatGeo had a fascinating program that let us see what the world looks like with the oceans drained. It is being repeated Tuesday night and is well worth the time. Using mapping technology and computer graphics we saw stunning vistas. Monterey Bay has a canyon that is similar to the Grand Canyon in size but there are no rivers to account for ther deep fissure which reaches 10,000 feet. The Atlantic ridge is shown as a line of mini volcanos, burping lava and flame. I was mesmerized for the etire 2 hours. http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/drain-the-ocean-3639/Overview?sicontent=0&sicreative=3802631002&siclientid=804&sitrackingid=52998448&source=link_semgngc_108
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Patrick Rothfuss is a new author for me and I don't remember where I heard about him but his first book in the Kingkiller series, The Name of the Wind had me missing sleep for the last several days. It is a fantasy which is reich in depth, full of surprises, characters that capture my mind and heart. This story of a wunderkind who has a log and rocky path to travel is full of uinexpected turns and twists, never predictable except in the major themes of love, treachery, adventure, innocence, evil - all the stuff good fantasies require. Check it out: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/patrick-rothfuss/
Also read the lastest in the Morganville vampire chronicles (Rachel Caine). Seems Amilie's bad, bad daddy has come to town to kill her and tiake over. The kids at Glass House are torn and twisted as the world falls apart around them.
David Weber's Off Armagedon Reef has ensnared me and I will be eager to continue this story of the remnants of our civilization who have been deliberately deprived of all knowledge of technology lest the Gbab turn the Safehome into a cinder as they have done to all others in the past 8000 years. Ah, but there is a fly in the ointment. seems the founding fatherss plans went awry, or did they?
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I do hope my library gets the new David Weber series. In fact, I need to check
in with Fantastic Fiction and identify his other series. Honor Harrington was my
first introduction to him and I read all of those.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PatH!
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Is it Pat's birthday?! Yahoo!!
[size=14HAPPY BIRTHDAYPAT!!pt][/size]
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Happy Birthday Pat.
I have had the latest in paperback Laurell Hamilton here and have tried three times to get into it. She has finally just lost me. I loved her early stuff, but now it is sex...sex..sexx. and then more sexxx. Stupid.
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Hi, everyone. I've been out of things for a few days, traveling to the LA area to visit grandson Robert, now 6 months. Yesterday JoanK and her family joined us so she and I could celebrate our joint birthday together--5 adults, 4 children, and 2 cats in a small apartment--hectic but fun. Now I've moved to JoanK's for 2 days, then home.
As a birthday treat, my SIL took me to see "District 9" We both agreed it's the best Science Fiction movie we'd seen in years--an incredibly good job. BUT it is also extremely bloody, gross, and violent. I have a strong stomach for these things, and it was about at my upper limit.
That said, it's an extremely well done combination of social commentary and shoot-em-up chases, with a plot that keeps you guessing and action so fast-paced that you are on the edge of your seat most of the time. The special effects are really good, and so is the acting.
But don't go unless you think you can stomach the grossness.
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Happy Birthday, PatH and JoanK. the movie sounds like one I will want to see.
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I just sat through Public Enemies, think I will pass over still more grossness. That one was bad enough.
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Ah, a bit of a dilemma there, PAT. Still, and 'extremely well done' SciFi
movie is not a thing to dismiss lightly. And I do watch the CSI shows; they
can really be unecessarily gross sometimes. All in all, I think I will want
to see this one.
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CSI may be gorss but I've seen some real horrors on Bones. SF movies haven't bothered me much but "Alien" almost did me in. I saw the old, original, B&W 'Night of the Living Dead" and was surprised at how it got to me.
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Oh, yeah, JACKIE. "Bones" doesn't yield a thng to CSI when it comes to
things I'd rather not see. My daughter and I tend to look away when those
scenes come up. I did see "Alien"...and it's one I never cared to see in a
re-run. Once was enough.
What was that movie where alien beings formed into human doubles inside
watermelons? You'd think that ridiculous, right? My husband and I saw that
one afternoon, came out somewhat stunned. We walked out to our car, paused, looked at one another.....and checked the trunk before we got in the
car! Now that is a powerful film.
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Creature from the Black Lagoon affected me that way.. But the worse was The Hannibal Lector series. I read them and had a horrible time going to sleep for months.
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Invasion of the Body Snatchers, AKA Pod-people, sounds like the one you mentioned, Babi. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049366/ Jack Finney, author of Time and Again was one of the writers.
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James Arness in "The Thing" was another one I had trouble with.
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Whew.. the old movies that we remember.
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That's it, STEPH. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
I haven't read the Hannibal Lector books, don't intend to, and had the rare good sense to decline seeing the films as well.
"Time and Again" was a very different type of film, though. I really liked
it, though I always find these time shift themes confusing. You know it can't
really work, so you have to suspend good sense to enjoy them.
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Wow! What a nostalgia trip! I'm trying to calibrate your tolerances from what you've just said. I didn't see "Alien", but I'm guessing that's about the level of "District 9". I definitely found "D9" stronger than "Night of the Living Dead", but in a different way--in "Living Dead" you are in a situation you could really be in in your ordinary life, which makes it scarier. I guess I recommend asking someone who knows you if you would like the movie. Oh, it also has bad language, though appropriate to what's happening.
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While we're being nostalgic, does anyone remember the 1951 movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still"? It was shot in Washington, DC, and when it first came out I had a good time figuring out just where we were, as well as enjoying the movie. My SIL gave me the DVD, and it holds up surprisingly well. It's dated, and pretty tame by today's standards, but it's still fun to watch.
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The Day the Earth Stood Still turns up fairly often on TV and I saw it just a few months ago. It is still compelling; so many of its elements became SF icons. Pat Neal was so lovely as the Girl Next Door. When I was in Jr High the entire school walked the mile or so to our neighborhood theater for a special matinee of The Beginning of the End, an Apocalypse tale which filled us with the horror of using nuclear weapons. I wonder how many of us in that audience became Peaceniks? I certainly did.
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The Day the Earth Stood STill was a wonderful picture. Still is..
I am trying to remember the Australian author who wrote an end of the world and new beginning book set there. It was an old favorite of mine. The author was very popular.. Good writer.
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How about Nevil Shute "On the Beach"?
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I am sure I have seen The Day the Earth Stood Still but the most memorable oldie SciFi for me is This Island Earth.
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This Island Earth was unforgettably "done" by Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_Science_Theater_3000
This family has very low humor. We like Monty Python and MST3K among others.
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Thanks,, Yes, On the Beach,, which was also made into a movie.. My favorite end of civilization was the Pat Frank... Alas, Babylon, which was set in central Florida yet.
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Alas, Babylon, couldn't remember the title, thanks. It's available at my library so I'll pick it up next time.
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Monty Python.. Oh we are huge fans or them and for their predecessors..Four guys who included two of the Monty Python and two others. They were on Broadway years and years ago and I have forgotten their names. We loved the show and used to quote it to each other when we were a bit younger.. Still do the French castle routine in our family. We broke both boys in young to Monty and we all four loved the routines.. The parrot has now been taught to our 13 year old Granddaughter , who is obliging, but doesnt quite get the humor..
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
STEPH, you should get together with my son. He loves Monty Python, and
saw "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" so many times he had the entire
script memorized. He would enact his favorite scene, playing all the roles, to
the delight and hilarity of his friends.
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Monty Python, how many of their lines have we said. Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. Bring out your dead. There was one routine which we, as cat lovers, giggled over. Something about Amuse a Cat with this suburban house and lawn and a bored cat. The cheese shop, I could go on for hours. One of the kids brought home the yearbook and I always loved to look at the kids hair and chothes, etc./ This year it was dedicated to Spiny Norman with a picture. That's how I discovered Monty Python. I was not an instant convert, it took a while to get on the right wave length, but then I was hopelessly addicted. And now for something completely different . . .
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Ah, the joys of John Cleese in drag or better yet.. "The Canadian Mounty song"
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And the Lumberjack song.
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Lumberjack.. Oh me,, all for a rousing chorus..
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Serendipity! We were discussing Isaac Asimov, and on the bookshelves at
the local senior center I found an old copy of Vol. 1 of his collected works.
It contains two novels and a number of short stories. So now I'm reading some Asimov's short stories along with a book of four short story/novellas
by James Schmitz. Interesting contrast. Asimov's books are naturally dated
now, and one can see his strong interest in educating the average reader on
the history and basics of science. The modern Sci/Fi writers seem more
involved in the story, and let the reader sort of absorb the science through
osmosis.
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Babi: I think that the basic science information which is common in the US today, partly as a result of the great SF writers of the past, allows stories to take off (pardon the pun, I couldn't resist) into the plot w/o having to lay the foundation (Oh, I'm so bad). Asimov was writing for people who had never seen a space launch, or any of the thousands of hours of science TV shows we've watched. Just last night we were watching, on ScienceTV, an explanation of where future colonists on Mercury would have to establish their habitation - that shadow land called terminator between where the sun's light reaches (temps of 800+) and where there is no ligtht (temps of -300+). He wrote about all the sciences in his column every month in Analog. He would start off with some statement such as: Mt Everest is not the tallest mountain. Then he would discuss how heights of peaks are measured, comparing say, K2 to a peak in the Andes, developing his thesis logically. He also wrote about Shakespeare's plays; I've meant to buy that one but my attention span is so short these days.
Wow, guess I'd better get off my soap box for now. Sorry to natter on and on.
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Oh, absolutely, JACKIE. I wasn't criticizing either Azimov's science lectures (good ones) or the current crop of story-oriented SciFi. Just comparing the
difference, and noticing how strongly dated Azimov's work is already. We've
come such a long way.
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Babi: Sorry to sound so defensive about Asimov. He is one of my idols; I didn't realize how deeply I felt about his place as a pioneer. His was a stratospheric intellect but he could make the most esoteric subject vital and compelling. He was the victim of HIV infected blood, caused his death. To revisit Asimov I read his Wiki entry. I thought I knew about his career and life but the reality is astounding. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_asimov My li9brary has pages and pages of entries under Asimov. I'll never run out of books to read if I try to read all these!
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James Schmitz wrote a lot of books that are just plain fun.. Is this the Witches of Karres set of books. They are just wonderful.. There is also a series with a girl ( whose name , I think) is Kelzie.
Asimov.. I loved most of his stuff. Foundation and the books surrounding it are just fascinating. He was a scientist, but also a dreamer.
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Astounding is the perfect word for Asimov. JACKIE. I didn't know he had died
from an HIV infection. That's a shame. Still, he did have long and amazingly
full life.
The Schmitz book I'm reading now is "A Pride of Monsters" STEPH. It's not
part of the "Witches of Karres" series, though I would like to read the rest of
those as well. I've only read the first. 'Pride' is a collection of some half-dozen
short stories/novellas, all dealing with monsters of one kind or another. It has
another character I like, with the improbable name of Gem Danestar.
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The Witches are wonderful. I laughed my way through the series and wished he had done more.. I have some of them floating around somewhere in my bookcases.. Another oldie but goodie if you see them are the Gray Lensman series. Forgot the author, but they are old fashioned shoot em ups down in sci fi style. Neat series.
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I'm reading Alas Babylon again.
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Jackie, thanks for the Asimov article--it started all sorts of reminiscences. I agree with him, that "The Last Question" is better than "Nightfall". I remember reading the science spoof about thiotimoline when it came out. It was quite clever. A normal carbon atom has 4 bonds, pointing in 4 directions like the corners of a tetrahedron. In thiotimoline, one bond points slightly into the future, and one bond points slightly into the past. This leads to some interesting effects. I also saw him once at a sci-fi convention, but had no close up contact with him.
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Don't start Alas Babylon unless you have nothing else to mdo for 24 or so hours. Reading it as if were alternate history, which eliminates the troubling anachronisms, it is impossible to put down. Tremendous impact and full of horrors yet it is optimistic as to the resiliance and future of the human race.
Pat: I'll have to research that thiotimoline article. I've started reading the books in my library that he authored. Starting with Jokes and Shakespeare, two of my favorite subjects, then I'll get into some of his other works. I won't live long enough to read them all. His output was astounding (there's that word again ;D).
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For those who are interested you will find thiotimoline here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiotimoline
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Ah, you people persist in educating me. I never took geometry (algebra was
hard enough), but now I know that pyramidal looking figure is a tetrahedron.
(Just in case it comes up on a quiz show....if only I could get on a quiz show!) ::)
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Thanks for the thiotimoline reference, Jackie. I hadn't read those two later articles. What a hoot!
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Asimov was truly inspired to make everyone learn about math and science. He loved it and wanted all to see why.
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David Weber's Safehold series has spread out to become an epic about an island nation which has almost a monopoly on seafaring which arouses the ire of the Inquisition arm of the local worldwide religion. Spying, treachery, sabotage, secret societies, battles on sea and land. This is really a saga. Book two, By Schism Rent Asunder follows Off Armageddon Reef which introduces the players, set the scene, and begins the action. By Heresies Distressed follows and pending is A Mighty Fortress. The basic premise is that this is the last remnant of the human race which has been devastated by the Gbaba, a mysterious people who annihilate any sentient life they discover. They have been rampaging for approximately 8,000 years but they seem to have plateaued since their technology is stagnant. It is believed that they can locate their victims by the electronic signals which leak into space. This remnant is established with no memory of the past and no power other than muscle. The principles guiding this society are spelled out in a document which is the foundation for their religion. The Inquisition's mandate is to prevent innovation by any means. An invitation to disaster.
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My female civilization is about to become a alone in the wilderness theme.. Not sure I will like it.
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"an island nation which has almost a monopoly on seafaring " Now what does
that remind you of? It doesn't seem plausible, does it, that an island people
would have that much power? Yet it has happened already in our world's history. I like the David Weber books I've read. I'll have to see if my libaray
has all the Safehold books to date.
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Babi: The religious schism didn't ring any bells?
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The best sci fi cuts close to the bone..
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(Sob) I've finished book 3 of Weber's Safehold series.
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Shucks, JACKIE. Religious schisms are as frequent, omnipresent and common
as dirt. Island nations that can outdo much bigger nations on the sea are, IMO,
more remarkable. 8)
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Just exactly how remarkable Charis, the island nation, is will be revealed as you read. This is a vast canvas of a world with lots of players but most are distinct enough to tell them apart. Making notes would have helped me, however, for some of the lesser rank players.
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Still strugling with the Calistros Daughters.. Cannot read more than 30 or so pages at a time. Just does not hold me and I love Laurie King
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Steph: Is that Califia's Daughters? The author's name is Leigh Richards; I never associated LRK with that name. Since its theme is sociological it is a must read for me. http://www.laurierking.com/?page_id=719
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Yes, Califia.. It seems that that is Lauri King.. if you look at the copyright.. Also in the back of the book on the author page, it admits this is Lauri writing under another name. Actually it sort of implies this is her read name. No idea. It is hard going..Violence and women are hard for me to read.
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Hi! This is my first foray onto the sci-fi discussion. I love Asimov's work also. I believe that he wrote every day, which explains his legacy. I picked up two of his non-fiction books recently (used volumes) - one on the history and archeology related to the Bible and one on how to use a slide rule. I don't even own a slide rule. I bought it because it was by Him!
I for TV sci-fi, I enjoy SyFy's Eurika and ABC's Defying Gravity. I cannot tolerate Bones, CSI:Miami, or House and I find CSI (Vegas) & NCIS to be passible, but my DH loves them. (I think my DH enjoys waiting for House to self-destruct.)
In order to participate intelligently, I have reviewed all the previous posts. I am surprised that no one has mentioned Frank Herbert. (Or was he discussed at SeniorNet?) I enjoyed the Dune series. His non-Dune works are enjoyable as well. Has anyone read The White Plague?
I also am a huge Harry Potter fan. The American version of the audiobooks are excellent. The "reader", Jim Dale, changes his voice for each character. He does a very good job of keeping everyone straight through all seven books, too! I am not at all fond of the movies. Too much of JKR's clever work is lost when translated to the big screen. JKR is one of the reasons that I signed up for Ginny's Latin classes. Her education was more in the Classics and mine was in health and environmental science. JKR helped me to see some of what I had missed!
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Welcome, flyergrad!
It's great to have a new fellow-fan. As you guessed, just because you don't see an author discussed here doesn't mean we don't like him/her. A lot was lost when the old SeniorNet site imploded. I think we did talk about Herbert there. I haven't read him, but a daughter, an economist says I have to read him for the economic system.
A lot of us are Harry Potter fans. Those books stand up well to rereading. I read the first 4 aloud to my husband when he was too sick to read stuff for himself, and when I wanted to review my Spanish I read El Prisionero de Azkaban and half of El Caliz de Fuego. You're right, the movies don't capture the incredible richness of ingenious detail in the books, and they mess about with the plots in an unfortunate way.
A lot of us also like Terry Pratchett. If you haven't tried him, you might have a look. The books vary a lot in quality, though.
I do still own several slide rules, though I haven't used them for half a lifetime. They are actually better than calculators for a few things, but I can just imagine the laughter if I pulled one out.
Just because you don't see something here doesn't mean we don't like it. Tell us your favorites, and you'll probably hit paydirt.
You're right about taking Latin. Everyone I know who has taken it is glad they did. Come talk to us whenever Ginny gives you a free moment.
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I am such a Harry Potter geek that I even bought Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis and Harrius Potter et Camera Secretorum. i haven't spent much time in them yet; haven't learned enough Latin yet. :(
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"I don't even own a slide rule. I bought it because it was by Him!"
FLYERGRAD, that is 'above and beyond'. Welcome to the SciFi/Fantasy discussion, I can see you are going to fit in beautifully here.
CSI Miami sets my teeth on edge, but I do enjoy Bones. As for House, I think he did sign into rehab. at the end of last season...and none too soon.
DUNE is one of my all-time favorites. I hadn't heard of 'The White Plague".
Thanks for mentioning it. I think we all have enjoyed Harry Potter. I
found the movies entertaining, too; one expects that something will be
lost whenever a book is made into a movie.
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Frank Herbert.. Oh me, I read quite a few of the Dune books, until they got way past themselves. But he is interesting on ecology.
I adore Terry Pratchett.. have all of the Harry Potter, both books and audio tapes..
Just finished Califias Daughters by Leigh Richards ( who turns out to be Laurie King).. A scattered book.. Too many themes. It was published in 04, but I am willing to bet that it was her first attempt at writing.. I liked it, but would have preferred a more coherent theme.
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I first read about what became Dune in Analog. It was published in installments. It blew me away. Herbert can write really exciting stories. When the book came out I had to read it, more depth than the Analog versions. Still thrilling the concept of those sand worms and their riders.
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I read Dune but none of the sequels. The review I read long ago said something like what follows is darker and depressing. I guess once you get to the top you really have to work to stay there and eventually the whole thing slides down into corruption and chaos. Ah, yes, the rise and fall of great empires.
I did see two versions of the movie. The older one, in black and white if I recall, seemed more mystical in nature than the newer (made for TV?) version. The newer one I believe incorporated all or most of the books rather than just the first. I missed several of the segments.
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The Dune stories are an interesting mix of politics, ecology, feudalism, and religion. Each political faction was out for itself. Genetic manipulators could not control their creations. Terraforming was a religion with cult -like followers. The original series did get more grim and the last ones were really esoteric. I read them all many years back.
I saw the movies, too. The original one would have been hard to follow for anyone who had not read the books. The mini-series was more coherent and it did go into the first 3 books, if I remember correctly.
Herbert's son has been adding prequels to explain how the great houses arose, the reason they do not use computers or AI, how the guilds, IX, and the Bene G.'s began. I have read some of them and they fill in a lot of blanks, but they are dark and disturbing. I would like to know what happened, but with a synopsis format, instead of having to wade through all the evil deeds.
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Dune is an interesting book and some of the later ones are not bad, but after a while, they got way too complicated. When I have to take notes to figure out who is who,, it is time to give it up.
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I'm enjoying Elizabeth Moon's "Engaging the Enemy". It's full of strong,
highly capable and intelligent women. Unfortunately, it's the third book in a
series, but I can't always find the books I want to read in chronological order.
I prefer to read a series in order, but I can make the mental adjustment if
I must take them as I find them.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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As I am retired and have lots of time, and I adore researching the net, I like to scroll through the new books each month on Fantastic Fiction. They also list the books which are scheduled for release in the future. There are several ways to sort these databases and I always choose author's last name so that I can spot my favorites. Of course the odd title here and there attracts me. There is a list of new authors to scroll through as well. When I recognize a name I switch to a window open to my library's search function. If the book is there, it immediately goes on my request list. Takes time but I like the anticipation.
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Sounds like a neat way not to lose, or forget, the books that you're interested
in, JACKIE. I don't have as much time to explore as you do, as my daughter
uses this computer for her job, but I like the idea.
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I'm glad you mentioned Fantastic Fiction at this point, Jackie, because that reminds me to point it out to our new friend. Flyergrad, you probably know about this site already, but if not, check it out--the link is in the heading at the top of this page. It does indeed have a huge number of authors: sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery, with lists of all their works, and which ones are in which series, brief biographies, and very brief descriptions of the books.
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I li ke and have read some Elizabeth Moon, but not that one. Another writer who does strong independent women.. Lynne Abbey did a two book series about a Horse clan that I loved.
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Did a quick check. Apparently no Lynne Abbey books at my library. (sigh)
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Babi" Try "Lynn Abbey". It worked for me. ;)
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Aha, dropping an 'e' produced "Planeswalker" in the catalog, but with a
notation of '0' availibility. This usually means the book is now lost. So I'm
still out of luck. Ah well, "Planeswalker" was probably right in the middle of
a series, anyway. (This is the archetypical 'sour grapes' syndrome. :()
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Yes, not sure hot old she is or when she wrote the books, but have had the two horse clan books for a long long time.
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Charles De Lint is one heckuva storyteller. Alice Hoffman, from the jacket of his latest, The Mystery of Grace, says
Charles De Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktales, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend, all of it adds upt to pure magic. . . No one does it better.
His characters are very real and i am quickly drawn into the world he creates as they struggle with forces they can only barely understand. Grace is a girl who grew up with her abuelo, sticking her head under the hood of the various cars he restored, his third hand. She, too, becomes a master mechanic, lucky to have shared so much of his life. When he dies she carries on. Read more here: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/charles-de-lint/mystery-of-grace.htm
BYW my book's cover is shown here: http://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Grace-Charles-Lint/dp/0765317567/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253473105&sr=8-1
I don't know how it ends yet but De Lint won't disappoint me, I'm sure.
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There's going to be a vote sometime soon for titles for upcoming book discussions. Does anyone have any suggestions for titles that they would like to discuss in depth? We would need a quorum of about 6 people to start, but they don't all have to be regular sci-fi readers.
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Scored a new Pratchett just recently. Another story about the Wee Men, who I love.. and their favorite witch in training.
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Charles de Lint is a new name to me, JACKIE. I'll have to check my library
and see if they have him. You've certainly aroused my interest.
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I read De Lint some years ago, Have to find some new ones.
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My library does have some DeLint, and I was intrigued to note that they include not only SciFi, but also F and YA. A man of diverse merits. 8)
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Babi: You are going to have so much fun!
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Still having fun with the Terry Pratchett.. His Wee small men are banding together to make one normal man.. The description is truly funny.
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Steph, what's the title of your Pratchett?
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Stepg: Thank you for telling us about Califia's Daughter written by Laurie R King under the name of Leigh Richards. It is a great tale about the world after bombs and biological weapons destroy most of humankind. A side effect is deadly to the Y chromosome and rezsulting in a ratio of one male to every ten or twelve females. Little is left of the world Before and small clusters of women guard and protect their males and their children from ravenous women raiders who want to steal their men.
Athis seems to ba a stnd alone but I for one would dearly love to read its sequel.
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I want to know the title on that Pratchett, too. He is a favorite of mine.
I've made a note of Laurie Kings 'alter ego', too. I always enjoy her Mary
Russell/Holmes books.
I am presently reading another Elizabeth Moon paperback, and once more
I notice a seeming trend I don't understand. The artist's depiction of the
heroine on the cover is most unattractive. I never cared for covers depicting
improbably gorgeous females either, but lately there seems to be a trend in
the opposite direction. It's as though some artists are sniping back at the whole female-in -command scenario.
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Cover art seems sometimes to be about a totally different story than the one which is inside it. Especially on PBs which are marketed more for the impulse buyer than HBs. Since my reading is rarely PBs these days (I"m not paying for these books so can take advantage of the earlier publication of the HBs) and the book has already been taken from my reserve list, covers are less frequently a factor in choosing what to read. I'll try to pay more attention.
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The Pratchett is A Hat Full of Sky. The earlier one was The Wee Free Men. I am delighted with this one.. He makes you laugh with the Wee Free Men and laugh at Tiffany and then suddenly stop and think when Tiffany is suddenly engulfed. Such a good writer.
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I agree...at least I thought...PB covers were aimed at the impulse buyer,
JACKIE, Which makes these covers even more problematic. If I hadn't read
the prequel to this book, I would never have picked it up because the cover
appealed.
Thanks for the Pratchett title, STEPH. I'll be checking my library for it
asap.
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I have a lot of older paperbacks and the covers from the 70's are lurid. All the heroines are rather bosomy and usually have nothing to do with the plot.
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It is usually rather obvious that the artist didn't open the book before
drawing the heros/heroines. Hardly work an artist could be proud of, but it
no doubt pays the bills.
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Steph: Your comment reminded me of those days when purchasing SF PBs was almost shameful. After all I was a mature woman, a mother, why should I be interested in reading those sleazy books which were intended for 17-year-old males who suffered from an excess of hormones? I had forgotten.
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Ed Fisher, a cartoonist for the New Yorker decades ago, once did a series of spoof paperback covers for classics. Thorstein Veblen's "Theory of the Leisure Class" was subtitled "an orgy of conspicuous consumption" and pictured a drunken orgy. "Oliver Twist" showed Oliver's hands reaching for a bowl of porridge held by an extremely bosomy woman with a very low-cut dress, and the subtitle "He was insatiable. More! he cried!" Unfortunately I can't remember the rest.
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Pat, oh me, I did laugh.. Book covers are truly funny. I just read a mystery about a woman who was a training PI.. Electric Blue.. anway on the cover, we have a long legged sexy lady with a smoking gun.. And in the book, the heroine is terrified of guns and would not consider having one.. Oh me.. you would think that someone would at least tell them what is in the book.
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You can't judge a book . . . ;D
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I always wondered if the sci fi covers were to attract the teen boys who were supposedly the biggest readers. It took a long long time before sci fi realized that a lot of females love the genre.
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Sounds reasonable to me, STEPH. Reminds me of a line in a show I saw
recently, where a young man is denying he has had sex. The father says, "I trust you, Son, ...as well as I can trust any teenage boy." He then insists the
boy accept examination. A wise man.
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Having raised two sons,, I understand the father exactly..
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Stargate Universe is a new program on the SF Channel, now named SYFY. An MIT nerd, playing a game, is transported to a Stargate base. Seems the game was a ruse and his solution to the game provided information necessary to encode the Stargate to its 9th setting, potentially the location of the Stargate providers. Ah, but someone or something didn't read the script.
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I watched most of Stargate Universe in several installments. I thought the opener a little drawn out, but it is likely that I wasn't in the mood to sit a lengthy program this week. It looks like something I might like to watch. Never did get interested in Stargate Atlantis.
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Think I will try the Stargate. I had been told you couldnt just jump in and figure out, but with this one, maybe I can.
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A Special Announcement -
We've just opened a poll to assess interest in a number of titles for upcoming Book Discussions.
IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, the titles in the header of the Suggestion Box (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=309.msg41589#msg41589) are links to reviews.
PLEASE MARK AS MANY TITLES THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO DISCUSS in depth in the coming months. (We're looking for a number of titles)
WHEN YOU ARE READY, THE POLL IS HERE
(http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=GY5huAKPlhGJzIlGtuN3wQ_3d_3d)
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Dug up a Spider Robinson out of my old but good pile.. Callahans Lady and it is fun.. He always had such a great sense of different in fantasy..
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Spider Robinson's Callahan's books have delightful puns. One series uses flower names; for example, "I thought this was an Iris bar".
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Sounds like my kind of book. I love dreadful puns.
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Pat: His books are a hoot. In fact, it's time for me to reread them. See here: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/spider-robinson/
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Yes, Spider has always been a favorite and I dont even like puns.. but his are sooo clever.
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yep I like some fantasy and some sci fi when I'm not reading as I am now detective/spy stories as in Christopher Reich's six books on the subject.
just finished LA Requiem and find there is a sequel which is nice since I've become attached to the characters. Vanished, I think. terrible with names.
I read the southern sookie vampire series which surprised me since vampires are not m thing but charlain Harris is a good writer and has other books too.The onl trouble with series is that I spend too much at kindle reading them all.
claire
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I love Charlaine Harris. She has at least four series going. All good, although I am not that fond of Aurora.. I loved the one that had only four books.. The protagonist had had some horrible things happen to her and had turned to being a maid to keep life and people away. A wonderful series.
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Steph: That is Lily Bard who lives in Shakespeare Arkansas.
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The Lily Bard books are the only ones of Charlaine Harris that I've read. I enjoyed those, but I'm not really interested in the others. My daughter Val loves them, tho', and reads every one that comes along.
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I do wish she had continued with Lily. I found her fascinating.. But I love Sookie and I like the one with the girl who hears the dead.. or finds the bodies.. etc. Charlaine is an interesting writer.
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As mentioned elsewhere here The Prisoner is being reinvented as a 6 part mini-series on AMC http://www.amctv.com/originals/the-prisoner/
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thanks, Mrs. Sherlock. I probably should have posted the information here. Some of the people in the Mystery discussion are talking about The Prisoner series at http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=807.msg44318#msg44318
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Just finished reading another of Patricia Briggs.. This one is another in the Alpha and Omega series. She is truly a good writer with an interesting slant on things. I like both her and of course Charlaine Harris. Used to read Laurell Hamilton as well, but she decided to use sex as her theme and I sort of gave her up.. Just too graphic for me.
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Steph: The Alpha and Omega series is well done. Briggs has a deft touch with her descriptions of how to live were wolf style, incorporating the stereotypes so logically they seem almost intuitive. Good characterization and she can really story!
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I am reading a recommendation from someone here. It is about rejuvination .. A couple has it done because a very wealthy man needs her to help translate something from the stars. I gather that she will fail and the husband who was not the object will not.. Not sure How I am going to like this.
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Has anyone here noticed the discussion of "LOst in Austen" we've been having in the PBS discussion? It's a TV series about a woman who manages to transport herself into the pages of "Pride and Prejudice". She knows how the book is supposed to go, but somehow makes things go wrong, so that everythng happens differently. As I understand it, it's due to be broadcast on PBS, but can be seen on Youtube.
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Some people love Alternate history and the Lost in Austen seems a bit like that.
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I couldn't find any listing for "Lost in Austen" in my local pbs schedule,
so I ordered it from Netflix. More than one way to get where you want
to go.
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I don't usually read the "alternate history" types of fiction but I am enjoying very much the episodes of "Lost in Austen."
I just found that there is a book with a similar title but it's not related to the film. It's called "Lost in Austen, Create Your Own Jane Austen Adventure." See http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594482586/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001PJRAUS&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=03GMC4X2RH5P7VYC8W3G
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Babi: Brilliant! Never thought of Netflix.
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Michael Chrichton's Timeline is a suspenseful tale of the academia/high tech business world interface with a unique twist. At a dig in the Dordogne region the crew is astounded when they break into an empty room and find one bifocal lens. Later, in a stack of parchment documents redcovered in conjunction with the lens, they discover a message written in English, in handwriting identical to their leader's, which says: "Help Me". Analysis of the ink, consistent with that on the other documents, dates it to 1369! This may remind us of other stories about high tech and historical investigation. Doomsday Book comes to mind. How very different the approach is. Chrichton has a reputation as an adventure writer and his books are full of action and its actors. Willis' feminine viewpoint creates a broader, character based vehicle to advance the story. Timeline would make a good movie. Doomsday is too rich, too complex to be reduced to the screen, it requires the infinite immensity of one's imagination to bring it to life.
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Jackie, good call! Timeline was made into a movie. See info at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0300556/
I've put Doomsday Book on my to read list.
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Marcie: Thanks. It's now on my queue
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Was never a Crichton fan.. Saw the first dinosaur movie they did, but that was it.
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Oh, STEPH, you've got to give Crichton another chance! Forget the
movies, though I think "The Andromeda Strain" was great. Some of
the books are real grippers, and the scientific basis is always good.
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The Andromeda is a classic. No doubt. Timeline is a page-turner. Good characters and the plot is full of twists and turns.
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Speaking of The Andromeda Strain, which version of the movie did you like best? I prefer the original with Arthur Hill.
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To me that is the one true version
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I didn't even know there had been a remake of 'Andromeda Strain',
FRYBABE. It's the original that I saw and loved.
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I think that Andromeda was his first book and I did read that one. It was later that I grew tired of the science involved.. His characters like John Grisham are so wooden.
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The Story of Civilization has been active as a discussion group for eight years. We are now talking and reading about Italy during the Renaissance years.
Things happen in this period of history that change the way of the world forever. They are happening again in our discussion.
Come share with us this discussion of one of the most significant periods in the history of the world. You'll be glad you came and you will gain in understanding why we are where we are today.
On Sunday, we will have a celebration of eight years of discussion, and of making our way in only eight years from living in caves to the glories of the Renaissance.
For Seniorlearn members, go to http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=64.360
If you’re not a member, go to http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?action=help
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mark
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I liked the first film version of the Andromeda Strain best but I enjoyed the miniseries made for TV in 2008 too. I read the following interesting tidbit in wikipedia:
"The "Odd-Man Hypothesis" is a fictional hypothesis articulated in the novel's story and named in the film. In the novel, the Odd-Man explanation is a page in a RAND Corporation report of the results of test series wherein different people (married, unmarried men and women) were to make command decisions in nuclear and biological wars and chemical crises. This is in the film:
' Results of special testing confirm the Odd-Man Hypothesis, that an unmarried male should carry out command decisions involving thermonuclear or chem-biol destruct contexts.'
The Odd-Man Hypothesis states that unmarried men are better able to execute the best, most dispassionate decisions in crises — in this case, to disarm the nuclear weapon intended to prevent the escape of organisms from the laboratory in the event the automatic destruct sequence is triggered."
I really like things like that in science fiction. Another example is Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics. And Star Trek's "prime directive."
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Star Treks "Prime Directive" is something I always loved. I wish the US would adapt it.
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That is exactly what I like about Michael Crichton, MARCIE. I also like,
besides learning something about modern science, to think that the science fiction of today will most likely be the true science of the future.
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I enjoyed Timeline though it had the usual testosterone slant.
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Jackie, There are any number of science fictions authors who are women and do not slant toward male supremacy.. But mostly the women writers explore humanity and its infinite ways of living. That is why I always loved Anne McCaffrey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, etc. Their worlds are so very different.
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And Connie Willis who doesn't get the appreciation she merits. her messages are subtle, her scientists can be seduced by their forests never dreaming of the rich variety of the trees they can't "see". Bellwether concerns the origin and diffusion of fads, i.e., the bellwether sheep which leads the flock. It is hilarious in a wry, quiet way but such fun pricking balloons of social theory and hypotheses being altered to fit the data.
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Bellwether is a real hoot. I inflicted it on my daughters, my sister, and her daughter, and they all loved it. I first learned of Connie Willis here, and have read many of her books.
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Did you and your female family members read her short story "To Say Nothing of the Queen"? Check it out.
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I liked the points y'all were making about women writers, and
I think you're right. My favorite series have mostly been by women or by a husband/wife combo. Thanks for mentioning 'Bellwether'; I haven't read that one. Willis is a lot of fun.
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I like Connie Willis. Will look for Bellweather..
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Did you and your female family members read her short story "To Say Nothing of the Queen"? Check it out.
No, glad you reminded me of it; I looked for it when you mentioned it earlier, but didn't find it.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Even a dedicated non-science-fiction reader like me loved "Bellweather".
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That short story is "Even the Queen" http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/connie-willis/even-queen.htm
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Short Story?? in a collection or magazine??
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She wrote SSs and there is at least one collection. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/connie-willis/ Firewatch is a novella about that university history department from Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog. This time they travel back to WWII London during the Blitz.
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I just finished "Starplex" by Robert J. Sawyer. It was the first book I've read by this author, whose writing is sometimes compared with Isaac Asimov's type of "hard science"-based fiction. I enjoyed it and will look for more of his books. I'm actually on the library waiting list for his "Flashforward" which I requested after I starting watching the TV series by the same name.
"Starplex" has a setting similar to the Star Trek series--a research space ship made up of different races exploring the universe and looking for new species. The book offers explanations and extrapolations from physics and astrophysics but you don't have to understand that to enjoy the book ... believe me :-)
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Marcie, glad to get your thumbs up on Sawyer--I had just ordered "Flash Forward", based on comments about the TV series.
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Great, Pat. I'm watching the series but understand that the book is different. How different, I don't know yet.
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I have a Sawyer I am trying to read, but must confess his characters strike me as wooden and I am not sure I will keep on. I am not a science fan, more of an alternate universe or fantasy
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Flashforward the novel shares very little with the tv program. There is way too much physics for most of us. Luckily those parts can be scanned or skipped altogether without interfering with the characters' events. Still, it was a satisfying read.
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I watched the opening episode of the much touted "V" and was greatly disappointed. Very much
of the 'same old same old'. You immediately distrust the charming
'visitors'. And of course, an underground resistance movement is underway from the start. I was hoping for a different approach.
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They have sure packed in a lot in the first couple of episodes of "V." I understand that they are only going to broadcast four episodes and then go on hiatus.
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If that's correct, MARCIE, I'm glad I didn't get involved with the show.
I find it very irritating to have a show I've started watching chopped off
after four episodes.
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Yes, that seems very weird to show four episodes in November and then wait until next March to continue with the rest of the 13 episodes. I wonder if they will run the first four again as a "preview"?
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The Stardoc series by SL Viehl is on my TBR list for the second time. Having read the latest one it seemed time to go back to thwe beginning again and it's almost like reading it for the first time. Physician Cherijo Grey Veil is a genius in the operating room, the product of her father's life long mentoring. While he's away at a conference she literally runs to the end of the universe, taking on the job of trauma doctor in a multi-species frontier world. She has discovered something about her father and his parenting that she's attempting to escape. Her introduction to non-Terran species medicine is trial by fire.. Stay tuned. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/v/s-l-viehl/stardoc.htm
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mrssherlock, Thanks for the recommendation of the Stardoc series. One of my nieces has just applied to medical school so that might be an interesting one for her.
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Sounds interesting MrsSherlock. I'll will keep Stardoc in mind for the future. It is going on my latest list.
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Yes, that seems very weird to show four episodes in November and then wait until next March to continue with the rest of the 13 episodes. I wonder if they will run the first four again as a "preview"?
Maybe the first four are a trial balloon, and if the audience is poor we'll never see the rest.
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The Viehl series sounds like one i would like, JACKIE. Unfortunately, my library doesn't have it.
Sounds good to me, Pat. They can drop it, for my part.
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Has anyone been watching the new "The Prisoner" series? I finally sat down to watch the first two episodes (combined on OnDemand). I couldn't watch all at once; I am not sure why. I just got too restless to watch it all at one time. Don't know if I want to watch any more, but I am curious about the boy, number 12. So far, he has had very few lines, but he always seems to be there, watching.
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Oh shoot. I completely forgot the new miniseries of "The Prisoner" was showing this week. Thanks for reminding me, Frybabe. I'm glad to know that it is on cable "On Demand."
Over the past few weeks I had watched all 17 episodes of the original series in preparation for the new one. Those original episodes are available On Demand and online too. I enjoyed the original series although the last episode was even more bizarre than the previous 16.
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Marcie: Watching the first Prisoner may not be the best way to "see" the new one. Separating the two works best for me, not judging the one by its predecessor but viewing it as a separate entity.
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I think you're right, mrssherlock. They are separate entities with some things in common.
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Time Travelers Never Die opens with a funeral the flashes back to introduce the players in Jack McDevitt's new book. This one has some terrific scenes and conflict resolution is quite imaginative. A-
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/jack-mcdevitt/time-travelers-never-die.htm
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The author must be pretty good, JACKIE, if he can come up with an
imaginative conflict resolution. The options seem so limited. ;)
PS: I almost forgot. Anyone here familiar with Sharon Shinn? I am
reading "Fortune and Fate" and thoroughly enjoying it. Unfortunately, it is not a single novel as I thought, but the fifth in a series. It's also the
only one my library has, darn it. They have two books of her short
stories, but this is the only novel. Now I have to go hunting for the
earlier books in the series, but I really want to read them.
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I never heard of her, but Fantastic Fiction makes her sound good.
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Mystic and Rider is #1 in the series and it's on my library list now.
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Lucky you! I'm having trouble finding the earlier books locally. I may be
forced to resort to the on-line book stores. (I keep a couple in my
favorites list, of course.)
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Well, I watched NCIS tonite. This episode reminded me of Ender's Game because it involved a group of genius children who were playing war games for a government think tank. Other than that, the story did not in the least resemble Ender's Game.
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FYI:
There is no easy way to do this... Tim and I were in a traffic accident on he 11th of November. He died on the 20th.. I was injured and am now home with home nursing etc. I am sure I will eventually be ready to deal with things, but just now the world is a bit more than I can deal with.. So. I love you all and will certainly come back, but not yet. Steph
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Anyone here a Robert Jordan fan? Or an ex-Robert Jordan fan, wearied by the floundering in books 7, 8 and 9 (that's a lot of floundering!). Well, if you are (or were) you probably know that RJ died but left a partially written manuscript of his last book and lots of notes for his editor/ wife, who hired Brandon Sanderson to finish the series and that the first of the three final books was published in October.
I quite liked the last two written by Jordan (mostly because there was lots of Mat, my favorite character and because things actually began to happen again), but this new one by Jordan/ Sanderson just blew me away. I couldn't put the damn thing down. I think it's fully as good as the first 5 or 6 books and a lot happens to move the story along to its conclusion. On top of that, the book's ending is satisfying in and of itself.
I've been lurking, but just realized this hasn't been discussed so I thought I'd delurk, poke my nose in and see if anyone else is interested.
Oh, and I love Connie Willis!
Cathy
I just saw the quote from Steph after I posted this and have to say, having lost my husband a little over three years ago, that my heart is with you, Steph.
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Sorry CatBrown, I am not familiar with Robert Jordan. What is the series about?
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So glad you delurked, CATHY. I loved the early Jordan books, but I gave up on them eventually,..probably about the time the floundering set in. I'll look for this new one.
Robert Jordan would be hard to miss, FRYBABE. It's been a while since
he started his series, so you may have read some of them and forgotten who wrote them. The rather long list of his books should be available in Fantastic Fiction. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/
I'll let Cathy tell you what they'r about..other than fantasy, of course.
It's been so long since I read them.
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Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses series was mentioned so I reserved the first one, Mystic and Rider and it's captivating to say the least. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/sharon-shinn/mystic-and-rider.htm Shinn is a story-teller first class with a fertile imagination, much to the reader's delight. There are four more in this series and she has two other series so lots and lots of reading here, just what we all need, more books TBR. Enjoy!
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Nope, Babi, don't recognize any of Jordan's books. I did see two of the Conan movies, though.
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What's Robert Jordan about... hmmm ... well, he's writing what at first seems the standard high fantasy savior of the world story. Boy from small town in a medieval-level world finds himself the prophesied savior of a world destined otherwise to fall into darkness.
Except, not as usual, not everyone accepts him as savior, and, in fact due to a complicated set of historical factors, he seems destined for madness and destruction just as much as he is destined as savior. Or both.
Jordan has created a very, very complicated world with a complicated history and geography. There are many cultures, all convincingly rendered and a great deal of politics. There is also a group of women with special powers who think they can control the world, supposedly for good, but who have a secret faction within them that is working against that public goal.
The first five books are wonderful, each better than the one before. The sixth book drops off a bit and then books 7-9 seriously drift, with too many minor characters introduced, characterizations (particularly of the women) sometimes becoming caricature, and the underlying story moving too slowly. Books 9-10 are much better with events beginning to seriously move toward conclusion and some longstanding prophecies being fulfilled.
As I wrote above, I think that book 11 is fantastic. I couldn't put it down and it's been a while since I found any book that worked that magic for me. There will be two more books to finish the story.
So, if high fantasy is your cup of tea, give the first book a try and see what you think: "The Eye of the World."
Cathy
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My library doesn't have the first three Shinn books, but my elder daughter's does. I'm asking her to check them out for me.
By all means, FRYBABE, try Robert Jordan. I loved the first five or six
books.
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December 1 - 20
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welll, thanks to you people I have two new samples for my kindle, the sharon shinn book and another to see i I want to go on with them. I Currently have ten books going. Living alone gives me time to read and I'm being obsessive about it. over seventy books since mid march when I received the Kindle. My own life is very simmple so I've been hopping into that of others, all kinds but mosty fiction.
claire :)
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Thank goodness for eyesight and books as we grow older. If the good
Lord will just preserve my eyesight- and my mind-I won't complain too
much. ;)
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Thank goodness for eyesight and books as we grow older. If the good
Lord will just preserve my eyesight- and my mind-I won't complain too
much. ;)
Amen, Babi.
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I agree, Claire and Babi. Isn't it wonderful to experience so many lives and worlds by reading books.
I just finished "Flashforward" by Robert J. Sawyer. I enjoyed it. It's different in many ways from the TV version, which I've been watching.
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We have been watching the "Flashforward" TV series, also. It's pretty
good, tho' I do find following all the different characters a bit much at
times. I'm glad they are beginning to show instances that prove the
glimpses of the future are not 'set in stone'.
My own view of such visions is that, if valid, they would still be only
what would occur if one continued on one's present road with no major
change. IMO, there are many possible futures, depending on which fork
in the road one takes at a given point. The farther ahead the 'vision', the
more tenuous it is.
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I've also been watching and enjoying the show ... but can't understand why there won't be any new episodes until March.
Anyway, I keep thinking of how prophecies work in ancient Greek stories, where whatever one does to avoid fate is exactly what causes that particular fate to occur. It'll be interesting to see how "Flash Forward" goes about unraveling all this, particularly since the date of the flash forwards is, if I remember correctly, some time in March 2010? or April?
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According to the last episode I watched, the flash-forward event occurred on Oct. 6. I don't know what year it was supposed to be.The classic 'oracles' were very good at giving answers that were truthful,
but easily...and frequently...misinterpreted.
I am reading "The Gathering Storm", the first book of the closing trilogy
of "The Wheel of Time". Brian Sanderson is working from outlines left
by Robert Jordan and doing a great job. It's been so long since I dropped that series I've forgotten what many of the words mean. Thankfully, I have a glossary to help me out. I'm deep into the book
now, despite having so many characters to follow. It does get confusing at times.
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The Greek Oracles are mentioned briefly in the book version of FLASHFORWARD. One of the main figures was born in Greece.
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Well, I just had to know so I looked up the date for the events seen in the flashforwards : April 29, 2010. But in the course of checking this, I saw a teaser that suggested there will (maybe) be another worldwide blackout in the first one or two episodes when the show returns in March. Yikes!
Babi, I'm glad you're reading "Gathering Storm," but really feel for you if you haven't read the series lately. Since I knew it was coming out and that I would definitely read it, I reread the last two books by Jordan (which were quite good, particularly the last one) and then the first 3 in the series in preparation so I wouldn't be floundering about in the complicated plot lines.
If you've skipped all the middle books, there must be quite a few characters whom you've never met before and, of course, prior plot developments ... . That you're enjoying "Gathering Storm" anyway says a lot about what a fantastic job Sanderson has done. I can't wait for the next installment!
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I am enjoying the book, CAT. Surprisingly, tho', I don't care for the main
character. No doubt if I had met him earlier I would have more sympathy for him. As it is, I just find myself hoping that his increasing
coldness and hardness are necessary for what he has to do as the 'Dragon Reborn'.
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Babi, I can't discuss that hardness with you now, because it would be a spoiler, but there's a lot of back story there we can talk about after you've finished the book.
Cat
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I'd like that, CAT. Also, I hope to find more explanation as I read on.
The author(s) are definitely giving me an ample choice of characters to
like and dislike. :) My favorite is definitely Egwene.
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I just finished up Jack McDevitt's A Talent for War which I enjoyed very much. His next in the series will be on my shopping list. The gift card for B&N will start me off on another book buying binge. ;D
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I can definitely recommend Sharon Shinn, an author I'm reading for the
first time. I've been reading her "Twelve Houses" series and thoroughly
enjoying them. I do find her 'shiftlings'...shape changers...a bit annoying
as I can't see being able to assume shapes smaller than one's body
mass. That is a standard premise in most fantasy/science fiction. But
I can forgive that for the sake of the characters.
The first book in the series is "Riders and Mystics" if you want to give
her a try. The books I've read so far all center on one woman in a group
of friends. Since there are men in the group as well, I'm curious to see
if one of them will take front and center in future books.
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Babi: I've just finished book 4 in Shinn's series and can't wait for #5. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/sharon-shinn/
Netflix sent me the new Startrek movie which is full of action. The story is engrossing and the introduction of the characters is well done, particularly Leonard Nimoy IMHO. However, for me, there were too many fights. It's a guy thing; my son didnt see it that way at alll. Still, it is one DVD I will add to my personal library.
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Thanks for the nudge, Jackie, I've been meaning to watch the new Star Trek for some time. I should get to it.
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How to I identify the new Star Trek from the old one? What is it
called? I'd like to see it, too.
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Babi: See here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796366/
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Thank you kindly, JACKIE. I'll get on to my Netflix.
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Tonite at 10pm EST the TMC channel is running Fahrenheit 451. This is my favorite Ray Bradbury story.
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Frybabe, I watched Fahrenheit 451 with Oskar Werner and Julie Christie and enjoyed it. I was wondering how the fireman knew how to read since books were banned. The newspaper he was "reading" early on in the film just had pictures (sort of like a comic book).
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You have a point Marcie. Never thought about it. What strikes me is the interactive TV which we seem to be capable of doing now especially with computers. Reading picture newspapers reminds me of the fast food cash registers with the pictures on them. I've run across one or two who can't even seem to get that right. :o
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Yes, the interactive TV was interesting. It seemed that it wasn't actually personally interactive. The people in the TV episode ask a question and just wait a few seconds for the home viewer to respond. As her husband says to his wife, every one of the viewers is probably responding to the same questions. LOL. His wife, being part of the brainwashed, book-banned citizenry, didn't get it.
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lots of possibilities here. I copied this page and saved it for reference.
claire :)
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Jim Butcher's series about
Alera, where people bond with the furies-elementals of earth, air, fire, water, and metal
has reached number six, First Lord's Fury and it is keeping me awake since I read in bed at night. This series must be read in order. Here is book one: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/jim-butcher/furies-of-calderon.htm
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thankyou ms. sherlock. I just ordered the smple for my Kindle. Currently involved with SINS OF THE FATHER Patricia SPRINKLE geneology series. she had me looking at GEANEOLOGY.COM with it's free seven days/fourteen days??? serivce I declined becuase of the cost. It is interesting if you can afford it.
There is a book written about my mothers period back to the seventeen hundreds here in the USA. She told me that she was "fifth generation American" so I might look for the book. I asked Amazon to KINDLE IT fro me.
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Sturying your ancestors is fun, imagining what their lives were like, wondering why the left one place for another. A distant cousin was an analyst for Naval Intelligence during WWII. She's gone now but I wish I could have heard her tales about tht period. there is al movie about how crowded Washington was during that war: The More the Merrier one of thopse screwball comedies. http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_More_the_Merrier/60011261?strackid=42aeffbb1c4cd546_0_srl&strkid=994851660_0_0&trkid=438381
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I've finally read all of the Sharon Lee-Steve Miller Liaden Universe stories. They write very good space opera with a lot of sociology and interpersonal relations. The books totally suck me in and don’t spit me out until I’ve finished, and they stand up to rereading.
I first learned of them from you, and probably most of you know all this, but I thought a summary might be useful. Lee and Miller have been unlucky in their publishers, and their novels are harder to get hold of than many books of lesser quality. It took some work to get one or two of these.
The basic series is 5 books, which should be read in order, and before the others:
Conflict of Honors
Agent of Change
Carpe Diem
Plan B
I Dare
The first 3 are now available as an omnibus, Partners in Necessity.
Two more, Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon, deal with the past history of this universe, when Cantra and Jela, ancestors of the clan, saved a large number of people from a decrystallizing universe. They are quite good, although Crystal Dragon has a lot of tiresome stuff about the origins of wizards.
Balance of Trade, very good, deals with an intermediate part of the history.
Local Custom is the least of them. It tells of the romance between Er Thom Yos Galan and Anne Davis, parents of Shan.
Scout's Progress is about the meeting of Aelliana Caylon and Daav Yos Phelium, parents of Val Con, the major figure.
Fledgling tells something of what Daav did when he disappeared to achieve Balance, and is mostly the story of Theo Waitly, who appears on the last page of I Dare.
The continuation of her story, Saltation, is due soon.
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I'm glad to hear #6 of the Alera series is out, JACKIE. I've enjoyed
every one of them.
PATH, I loved the Lee-Miller series and read every one. I couldn't
understand why I had so much trouble finding some of them. That is one
series I would like to own and re-read. I hadn't heard of 'Fledgling'
before and I'm delighted to hear another one is due soon. I hope to find
'Fledgling' and look forward to "Saltation".
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Pat: Thanks for reminding me about this series, there are titles there I haven't read. Hope my library has them all.
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PAT, I checked with my library, and they have two books entitled "The
Fledgling", but neither is by Lee & Miller. There's one by a Jane Langton and another by Robert Blake. You were still referring to a Lee/Miller book, weren't you?
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Right, Babi, Lee and Miller.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/sharon-lee/fledgling.htm (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/sharon-lee/fledgling.htm)
The paperback is allegedly not out yet, but my copy is a paperback and I bought it a month ago.
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I see Douglas Preston has another solo novel out called Impact. It looks interesting.
http://www.amazon.com/Impact-Douglas-Preston/dp/0765317680/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1/178-7522845-9844209
BTW, most of the bad review ratings are actually about Kindle and the wait of four months before downloading the book. One did stop reading the book because of "low tolerance for profanity and vulgarity". So be forwarned. At any rate, it is going on my ToBuy list.
As for now, I have his Tyrannosaur Canyon to read.
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Thanks, PAT. I'll ask my library if they will get it for me.
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Thanks for the alert about the new Douglas Preston book, Frybabe. I see that it features Wyman Ford, the ex monk. I'm looking forward to reading it.
Thank you, too, PatH, for the detailed information about the Liaden Universe stories.
The mention of "Fledgling" reminds me of the science fiction "vampire" novel by the same name by Octavia Butler. I love all of her stories (not all are about vampires). She was such an original writer.
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As you can imagine, Marcie, the two Fledglings are very different. Many of Butler's characters, like the heroine of Fledgling, are dealing with strange differences. Kindred is enjoyed by non-sci-fi fans too--a harrowing book.
She passed from the scene far too soon. Fledgling was her last book.
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PATH:"Kindred is enjoyed by non-sci-fi fans too".
She means me. She's always trying to turn me into a Sci-Fi fan, with few successes. Kindred is one of them. (The other is connie Willis).
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I'm currently reading an L. E. Modesitt, Jr. book entitled "Haze". He's beginning to annoy me. So many lines dedicated to detailed descriptions
of exactly what route they took walking from place to place...as though
it mattered! "....a small establishment off a walkway running north and
south two blocks east of the central square." In case we wanted to
visit there, I suppose. :(
He also thinks we want to know what our hero and the people he meets
are wearing. Since the clothing is rather simple, there's a lot of repetition.
Our hero has only three 'singlesuits', unless he's in uniform, so there's
quite a bit of repetition there, too. Seems to me he is really working hard
to get this story (two stories alternating, actually) over 300 pages. He
made it 301.
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I just picked up a real oldie.. The Man from Mondavia.. Fun and light. Piers Anthony wrote a bunch of books about xanth.. I believe that the area was supposed to be like here in Florida.. Not quite sure. Must check my sci fi book on authors.
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Piers Anthony wrote a bunch of books about xanth.. I believe that the area was supposed to be like here in Florida.. Not quite sure. Must check my sci fi book on authors.
You're probably right, Steph. Anthony lives in the woods in central Florida, and loves the area. I haven't read any Xanth stories, but some of his others are set there. I see that the 33rd Xanth book is out.
Good to see you here.
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I'm currently reading an L. E. Modesitt, Jr. book entitled "Haze". He's beginning to annoy me.......He also thinks we want to know what our hero and the people he meets
are wearing. Since the clothing is rather simple, there's a lot of repetition.
Thanks for the warning, Babi.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
-
Yes, directions to various spots and clothing displays seem a bit on the padding side.
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A pity, really. The story itself is good, if one could just clear
away all the detritus. A shorter novel would have been a better novel.
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I think the old science fiction magazines used to pay by the word. At least I am pretty sure.
Mundania is dragging. I am not a xanth fan.
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I am now into book four of the Sharon Shinn series I mentioned before.
I'm so glad I found her; I've enjoyed each of these books so much.
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Babi: Me, too. I'm looking forward to more of Shinn's works. Looks like she has another series: http://www.sharonshinn.net/index_flash.html
My library has the first, Archangel
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Will look up Shinn the next time I hit the bookstore.
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Thanks about the info. on a new Shinn series, JACKIE. I'll want to follow
up on that.
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I've just started S.L. Viehl's Stardoc and liking it already. I love the slang (and translations) and the phrase playing like "emitting some condensation" = blowing off steam and "chilled appendages" = cold feet.
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Stardoc is a favorite here.
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Another author to put on my look up list.
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Yep. ;D
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daemon was a good read. there is a sequel fREEDOM I think. but even on the Kindle it is exprensive and sounds repetitious. sometimes a series has to do that so the STAND ALONE books which follow the first can see logical.
APOD is interesting to me since some of my art is about such things. Hubble contest thought my computer image was a photo and gave me a fourth place win in their space photo contest. I used it here as at atavar for a while.
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How neat. I am not an artist and am always wistful when faced with that sort of talent. Must be interesting to create like that.
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space and art. I tried to put some in the gallery here. this should be a slide show SPACE SCAPES.
http://www.seniorsandfriends.org/v/winsum/space+art/bluinvert4+.jpg.html
some work and some . . . .well I'm still learning how to use this. right now working on space scapes. I like to show em alhtough I think I've gotten past the "showing off" look Ma no hands . . . stage.
enjoy, claire
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I am happily reading the most recent book in Jim Butcher's Alera series.
My only complaint is the long waiting time between the last book and
this one; one has to recall so much. I wonder if "First Lord's Fury" will
be the last of this series. After all, our hero can't go any higher than
'First Lord'.
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Claire, they are beautiful
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Claire, those are wonderful pieces. I especially am drawn to http://www.seniorsandfriends.org/v/winsum/space+art/bigbangx1.jpg.html.
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I agree. Big Bang is really quite spectacular.
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babi: Jim Butcher needs to write faster! First Lord may be top 'o the hill but wait til you see what's on the other side. It's a thrilling ride and I hope he's not at the finish yet.
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Kindle land and he publishers have you seen this in SALON.
http://www.salon.com/books/laura_miller/index.html
claire
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I finished S.L. Viehl's Stardoc. The book certainly packed a lot of action into it. I am interested to see if the Dr. Grey Veil stays on the Starship (the ending left an opening for other options IMO). But most of all, I'd like to know what happens to Duncan Reever in future. So now the second book in the series is on my to buy list.
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Got to catch up with you all. You are so far ahead of me.
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I certainly deplore each long wait for the next Alera book, JACKIE. But
when I consider what he puts into each book, I must acknowledge he is
worth the wait. All those fascinating characters, not a single one of them
one-dimensional. He weaves depth, richness, and human relationships into his stories without a bit of boring padding.
Obviously, I am a fan. And you're right. I'm seeing clues of where he
might be able to take the series next.
Yeah, STEPH, but won't it be fun catching up. 8)
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Steph: I wish, in a way, that I was just starting to read the Alera series, it is so good.
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We can always wait a while, JACKIE, then go back and read them again.
The second time around there won't be the long wait between books.
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Babi: :-*
Apropos of Babi's suggestion, one of Sharon Shinn's earlier series, Samaria, is starting off with me firmly in its clutches. In Archangel the soon to be appointed archangel Gabriel is searching for his bride-to-be. Jovah, through His oracle, Josiah, relates the location and parentage, as well as the name, of the dedication ceremony at her birth. Gabriel has six months to locate her and train her in the role of his angelica, his deputy for the next twenty years. His quest, the suitability of the woman Jovah has chosen for him, and the resistance of the present Archangel, Raphael, to surrender his office. There is a hint of the hidden story of the genesis of the Samarians when Josiah, supplicant to Jovah, worships at a square of glass mounted on the wall of his cave by making mysterious gestures on the shelf located below. When he touches the glass, it glows with colors and symbols no one else can comprehend. The angels sing.
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i just started the jim lynch alera series and I think the first book will be enough. magic isn't really my thing
claire
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JACKIE, I have no doubt I'll be looking for more of Sharon Shinn. Thanks
for telling me about Samaria.
CLAIRE, aside from the 'magic', I hope you are enjoying the characters.
There are some exceptionally good ones in Butcher's 'Alera'.
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Thanks to you guys, I just ordered the first Alera book. Character driven fantasy sounds just right to me!
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so far I find the alera book magic driven. it is too easy for characters to call upon their furys to solve problems. Tavi calls upon his brain which makes him the super hero after al so that is the theme and probably continues to be. he is a freak . . .but a superior being in spite of it.
the doves have come back to my covered patio for the fourth season and are bringing things to the pot where they have nested before only it is a different pot each time. location location location. . . ::)
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Winsum, isn't it nifty when these visitors return. Nobody's nesting around here at the moment; we're in the process of getting 2 feet of snow, but later perhaps.
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Sharon Shinn sounds wonderful. I will look for her..
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Finished Archangel. Next one is 150 years later.
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PatH's internet service is down, due to the snowstorm. Other than that, everything is fine. She says they have about 20 inches so far.
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Claire: I had no idea doves nested in February. Are they rock doves (the pigeons in the park) or another kind?
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There's a new Connie Willis!!!
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/connie-willis/blackout.htm
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hi joan. this is the west coast and relatively warm all year round. I think they nest twice during the spring or maybe that only happened one year whenn only one of the two eggs hatched. right now they are calling and bringing in dried things. a couple of days ago they were dancing on the fence railing pecking and fluttering at each other so I guess she is WITH EGGS. 8)
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Great! In the midst of Winter, the new life is starting! That is the theme behind Groundhog Day, which we just celebrated. In other countries, it's celebrated as the day the cows start geting ready for the new calves of Spring.
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well someone was sitting in there this morning so maybe now that the eggs are fertilized they need to be kept warm. when they talk it is in several different sounds. if I listened long enough I could pick up on their language. it is emotional too as in when I first heard them I found it I 'v found it here it is I've found it" nothing that excited sounding since.
back to my kindle. it froze earlier because I had left the wireless feed on and the battery was low. a phone call fixed that. they reset it from amazon and it powered up and recharged in about an hour.
claire
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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PatH: you're back.
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Sort of. It sometimes fades out on me.
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Claire, I totally believe that story. I remember a very young cardinal
that I 'met' because she kept tapping on my window. I think she decided
I was her mother, because she would come tapping on my window every morning until the season changed. She showed up again the next year. Then one morning she returned with a mate in tow, and tapped on my window. When I appeared, she became very excited and turned to her mate chattering madly. It was so clear what she was saying. "See, I told you so!"
Welcome back, PAT. Even somewhat faded, you're appreciated. ;)
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BABI: I'm glad to hear you have "it" for cardinals.
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Love the cardinal story. We have a cardinal family on the trail in front of me.. They fuss in the spring with the bikers and walkers.. Lots of broken wing dragging and fussing for you to move away from their new family.
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Don't know about all cardinals, JOANK. The male cardinal edged away
eyeing his mate as though she was daft. For whatever reason, that was
her last visit to me. It is a very pleasant memory, tho'.
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Babi, I think she was bringing her proposed mate to you for approval. Once she got it, she felt free to go off with him.
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Babi: You should be very proud she chose you. ;)
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we don't have cardinals here in southern ca. mocking birds, blue jays robins towhees sea gulls oriels orange/gold and black two kinds and only occasionally. hawks ravens crows. haven't seen much of the doves . .mourning doves and pigeons . it has been raining which is needed.
the Jim lynch weather has a life of its own. you are right about the characters. everything has character. I'm on book two. guess I'm hooked.
I can hear the pickup trash trucks. the one in the morning for garbage the one in the afternoon for recyclables. Even they have character when you think about it.
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We don't have cardinals in So California, but I've seen 86 species of birds in the three years I've been here, many of them gorgeous. If I could get around more, I could probably see twice as many. There's a lovely bird guide for the region, "Birds of the Los Angeles Region" to help me.
(Never get a fanatic bird watcher talking about birds. I'll go away, and let you get back to science fiction).
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Don't go away, Joan, birds are somewhat alien, so you can squeak in that way.
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In the "Kim" discussion JudeS led us to a link of sci-fi books based in some way on Kipling's book.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_(novel) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_(novel))
One book was Poul Anderson's "The Game of Empire", inspired by "Kim", with opening and closing scenes that are direct pastiches. How could I resist? Abebooks obliged for $3.79.
If you haven't read "Kim", it's good space opera, warring factions, human and non, trying to take over the human Empire. It makes a lot of demands sorting out different worlds, species, and characters, but this gets more or less sorted out.
If you have read the Kipling, yes the plot is loosely based on "Kim" and the first and last chapters are pastiches. It's fun looking for references. Both Mahbub Ali and the lama are alien species, Ali tiger-like, the lama dragon or dinosaur-like, but with a pair of spectacles hung around his neck. The Kim character is female, very Kim-like.
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My library has it! Hooray!!
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Sounds like fun, PAT. Mahbub Ali as a lion made me smile; so appropriate. My library has Poul Anderson books, but not that one.
Still, I can take a look at some of the others.
I also find two Jim Lynch books there, WIN, but neither of them are
science fiction. If he's good with characters, tho', that should be true
of his other fiction as well.
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Lynch is my married name; I am not aware of a SF writer whose name is Lynch. Jim Lynch I know well having read his two novels, laid in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He was formerly a reporter on the Portland Oregonian and has published many short stories. His voice is unique; his characters are strong and the influence of their geographic location is well delineated. Even the "bad guys" deserve our empathy. I will never forget the gentle giant border guard who is a rabid birder, Brandon Vanderkool, and the incredible antics featured in Border Songs[/b.]
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/jim-lynch/
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/jim-lynch/border-songs.htm
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Jackie youo are right it is JIM BUTCHER and it is fantasy. interesting series. At least i've gotten interested in the rolitical aspects of it as well as the imaginary characters.
claire
http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Butcher/e/B001H6U718
at amazon.
Furies of Calderon the first one that got me started. I'm on the second one. . .more political. the first very bloody. I skipped a lot. this about Academ or academy for Tavi the young protagonist.
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Ah, okay. Glad we got that cleared up. I wondered if possibly you were
thinking of Jim Butcher. I've read all of the Alera series to date and loved
them all.
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Jim Butcher books automatically go on my list. Very inventive mind.
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Aleara series has great plot but horrible graphic violence. I skip most of that.
claire
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PatH is without internet again. But I'll report to her regularly.
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poor patH does she have a Mac??? they are notoriously pain free. at least mine is.
claire
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She does have a Mac. It's not her computer, it's her internet and phone provider. The almost three feet of snow has thrown everything topsy-turvy.
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wow joan where is she? we are so lucky right now here in CA
the doves made out on the top of the fence this afternoon. she did most of the work. so cute
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I use a Mac at work and a PC at home. I have always been impressed by the Mac's ability to recover the rare freeze or crash as opposed to the Windows operating system on the PC.
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I've been a MAC fanatic for 25 years but have a Windows laptop for school, travel, games, etc. There are 3 of us in the household and both puters are usually engaged. Hate Windows!
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My problem is the phone line, not the Mac, which has never given me trouble. Phone cuts in and out, repair promised the 26th!
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PATh where are you located? sounds like rural service or a cell phone arrangement, wireless for a computer?
just wondering. Of course I have cable here for my phone a well as TV and INTERNET so am not used to being DROPPED any more.. .time marches on. my tv cuts out now and then even though their fiibur optic lines are under ground. all three digital services are on one provider . . .phone, tv, computer.
claire
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I have been on an orgy of reading Sharon Shinn's Samaria series. Samarians have lived on this planet for hundreds of years, being brought hither by their god, Jovah, in his hands. They have a tradition of angels, humans with wings, interceding with Jovah through song in times of need: plague, drought, flood, famine. Oracles are the only direct contact with Jovah who direct the principal angel, known as the Archangel, to his/her ordained mate. Every twenty years a new Archangel is chosen by Jovah. Shinn has created a land rich in variety of terrain, climate and peoples. Angels' lives are filled with vocal music. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/sharon-shinn/
Connie Willis' new book, Blackout, takes us once again to the Oxford History Department in 2060 and the time-traveling historians. The nitty-gritty of time travel is exhausting; there are costume fittings, language and accent implants, skills to learn, for example, if you are to be a reporter observing the arrival of the troops from Dunkirk, you need to know how to put paper into your typewriter, how to us the telephone system of that time, etc. etc. Imagine the pressure on the lab where the actual transfers and retrievals take place. Strict adherence to schedules in vital. Then, when the head adminisstrator starts to arbitrarily alter those schedules, chaos ensues.
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I found the second book in the Sharon Shinn series, but am still looking for the first one.. May have to break down and actually buy it.
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My older daughter's library has that Sharon Shinn series. She is reading
the first and will pass it on to me when she finishes. Ditto with the others.
I'm hoping she reads fast. ;)
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I got "Blackout" immediately upon publication, but have decided to let it rest awhile in the to-be-read pile when I realized it's the first of two volumes (the 2nd supposed due Fall 2010). Since I adored "Doomsday Book," I'm really looking forward to it.
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PatH is in and out of internet service. It is not exactly "rural " service, since she lives around ten miles from the White House.
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Ah, but our nations capitol loves to believe they are a totally southern city and simply does not handle snow of any type and this time, they got clobbered
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So sadly true. At the first sign of snow, we Washingtonians go into a complete panic, as if we've never seen it before, even though it snows every Winter.
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I grew up in Delaware and it has the same problem. No idea why the Eastern shore is convinced that it doesnt snow there. It certainly does..
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Connie Willis' latest, Blackout, concerns the Oxford History Time Travel Project in 2060. Where the time travel was in its early stages in Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog. There are several travelers in various stages in their prep for and travel to some of the key points in WWII such as Dunkirk. Others are researching the ancillary effects of Britain's war such as the evacuation of children out of London and to the countryside. Complicating the smooth transitions between Oxford and WWII London is the arbitrary changes to the tight schedules the administrator imposes resulting in chaotic conditions for the graduate students who are traveling. Willis has a deft touch with comic aspects of daily life which can make us cry or laugh hysterically. She can also slyly slip menace in to otherwise mundane domesticity. Warning: This story is continued; next chapter, All Clear, is scheduled for September this year.
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Since I love continuing, will put Connie Willis on my list to try.
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I'm reading Connie Willis' "Doomsday Book" right now. I am a devoted
fan. The current book is described as a 'tour de force' for Miss Willis, but
I have enjoyed everyone of hers I've read, and she ranges from light,
humorous mysteries to the sci/fi of time travel. I'm confident you'll
enjoy her, STEPH.
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I agree with Babi, Steph, Willis is easy to like.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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I found "Too Say Nothing of the dog" in my paperback book swap, so have ordered it.
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That's a lighthearted book, very funny. If you have ever read Jerome K. Jerome's "Three Men in a Boat", you'll recognize some references, but you don't need that background.
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I got two Sharon Shinn.. Started reading the first one "Archangel". I love it.. Love the skewed biblical references. The Angels and mortals and Jehovah, who sure sounds like a computer to me.. And the singing. Thank you for whoever recommended her. I do love the book thus far.
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Steph: Glad you like Sharon Shinn. Sadly I've just finished the last of the Samaria tales.
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I am enjoying the book so much.. But I want to shake Rachel every once in a while.. Magdalena is wonderful and Gabriel needs to think a little better about Rachel and her life before him. Oh me.. I must love it to give it instructions. I have the first two and am told she has another series just as good.. Back to the paperback swap club.
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James Schmitz' Witches of Karres" series has been revived with Eric Flint and David Freer with Mercedes Lackey named as co-author for one book, The Wizard of Karees. I've read that and the second book, The Sorceress of Karees and they hold up well. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/eric-flint/wizard-of-karres.htm
ttp://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/eric-flint/sorceress-of-karres.htm
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Some of you have enjoyed Jack Campbell's "Lost Fleet" series, which is essentially a string of superb sea battles (but in spaceships at 0.1 light speed). In the first five, I fought my way across the galaxy to home with his hero, and was ready to fight my way back again to meet the aliens on the outer edge. It looks like I'll get my chance; he's got a new one coming out in April, "Victorious". I'll be there, hell-lances at the ready.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/jack-campbell/victorious.htm (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/jack-campbell/victorious.htm)
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The Witches.. Oh I did love them so much.. A book series that unfailingly made me laugh.
I am reading Doomsday from recommendations from here and starting to enjoy it.. Too many characters at once and I am just beginning to sort out the quarreling males.. Sounds like a college to me..
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I've just started Lackey's "Ghostlight", and was surprised to find that it is set in modern
times. I pick up a Lackey and just assume it's going to be elsewhere and other times.
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A new Jack Campbell? Wonderful.
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Mercedes ( Mercy) writes in many styles. I generally like her stuff and will look for Ghostlight.
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Your comments on Mercedes Lackey reminded me of how much I used to like her. For some reasons, I got off on my scifi/fantasy phase and never went back to it. I always preferred the fantasy type scifi (loved Anne McCaffrey-dragon rider series and crystal singers). Maybe it's time for me to start, again.
Thinking about this reminded me of a couple of books and I am hoping that someone out there can help me. I thought the name of the book was "When Pigs Fly" and I thought the author was Lackey. However, when I went to look in my bookshelf, the book has evidently been visiting some other household for years. Now, I can't find it on the web. Do any of you remember this book. Maybe I have the wrong title/author???
Sally
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I am replying to myself (I have talked to myself for years, but replying???--should I worry?). I found the book I was asking about. It is "Pigs Don't Fly" by Mary Brown. I ordered a used copy from Amazon and plan to re-read it to see if I still like it. If so, I will order the sequels.
Sally
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OK. Sally, you've got my attention. Tell me about Pigs Don't Fly.
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I had not thought of Mary Brown for a few years. As I remember she is quite a good author and I loved Pigs..
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I don't know this Mary Brown at all. I'll be waiting to learn more. I love sci/fi fantasy. I do
mix it up with lots of other genres, so hopefully I'll never tire of it. It does add a spice for rme
to realize that much of the fiction will one day be fact. In fact, much of the older science fiction
is already fact!
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Reading the Connie Willis "Doomsday book" Not to far yet, but it is odd in that we have too many characters at this moment.. Hopefully that will settle down, so I can keep better track.
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Jackie and Babi and others interested in Mary Brown:
Here is what Amazon says about "Pigs Don't Fly":
"I was a huge lump of grease, wobbling from foot to foot like ill-set aspic,"" confesses Summerdai, the heroine of the improbable charmer with the equally improbable title. Because of her girth, the 17 yr old Summer was passed over to replace her mother as the town prostitute. Equipped with a few supplies, a small dowry and a rather ugly ring left by herr mysterious father, she sets out. But the ring is actually a bit of unicorn horn that warns her of danger and, most importantly, allows her to communicate with animals. In quick succesion she picks up a ratty dog; a badly used horse; a starved turtle, a wounde pigeon, a man who lost bothe sight and memory after a bump on the head; and a rather curious little pig with tiny bat wings."
If you love fantasy, you will be charmed by this book. I know that I was.
Sally
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Steph, I had trouble keeping track of the characters too. In fact I didn't get it all straight until I reread it. Warning--the book is grim in part, though it's also uplifting.
My library has an estimated wait time of 112 days for her latest, "Blackout".
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"Pigs Don't Fly" sounds like something I'd love to read. Unfortunately my library doesn't have
it, nor does my elder daughter's. I was going to look at other possible Mary Brown books,
only find there are about 103 entries for 'Mary Brown'. Be quicker to go browse.
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Babi-my library didn't have it, either; so I ordered it used from amazon one penny plus 3.99 for shipping.
Sally
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Sally: That sounds like a winner! Babi, FF had "Pigs" in the title search which led me to
Mary Brown http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/mary-brown/
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I get the feeling that Doomsday is going to be gritty in parts and may end up putting it aside if it does. I am still not ready for too much gloom and doom.. It is easier some days, but others I desperately need books to make me laugh.
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Thank you, JACKIE. I jotted down a couple more Mary Smith titles to look for.
"Doomsday" was a good book, STEPH, but it does take place in the midst of a plague.
Yes, it definitely does get "gritty" and you might prefer to come back to it further on
down the road. Not many laughs in this one.
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Connie Willis writes very well a variety of styles. If you want comic, To Say Nothing of the Dog is a farce-like introduction to her University History Department Time Travel Program. She has published short story collections, too, which range widely in subject. In Fire Watch the title story is another TT tale, back to WWII London. Even the Queen is a wryly comic take on the female theme a la Kipling's "The Colonel's Lady and Rosie O'Grady". But Doomsday is a tale which is not good to read when your feelings are raw and you are vulnerable to melancholy.
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Yes, the further I go , the more I realize I had better put Doomsday away for a while and maybe dive into " To Say Nothing of theDog" It looks a bit lighter.
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"To Say Nothing of the Dog" is light and funny throughout.
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Just started To Say Nothing of the Dog.. It is funny already.. Thanks for the warning.
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I just wanted to mention in a couple of places that I will be away for the weekend. My son
is getting married and we will be leaving for Baton Rouge early in the morning. Do keep your
fingers crossed that both the weather and I stay in good fettle. (There's an expression I'd
be interested in exploring. What, exactly, is 'fettle'?)
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Babi: Best wishes, congratulations, I'm wishing you a very fine fettle.
fettle
"condition, state, trim," c.1750, from v. sense "to make ready, arrange" (14c.), from O.E. fetel "a girdle, belt," from P.Gmc. *fatiloz (cf. Ger. fessel, O.N. fetill), from *fat- "to hold."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harp
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Babi,, go and have a really good time. I am reading To Say Nothing of the dog and laughing.. I thought I had been tired, but I believe that at the beginning, she gives new meaning to tired and time lag.. Very clever indeed.
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Had a great time, STEPH, and thank you for 'fettle', JACKIE. ;)
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Getting close to the end of " To say nothing of the dog" and hate to end it. Really good books affect me that way. I want the story to go on and on.. Probably why so many authors do series.
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Oh, yes, STEPH. I would be so disappointed to lose characters I've enjoyed meeting so much,
after just one story. My one great annoyance with my local library is that they often buy only
one or two books of a series, and those may be book #3 and #5! >:(
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Iknow that some of the characters that are in To say nothing of the dog are in the doomsday book.. But I have put that aside until I am feeling up to doom and gloom..
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The main characters will recur throughout the series, if I'm not mistaken. There are others
you can read before you get to the Doomsday book. No need to push it. When you are ready
for it, you'll find it does give you an excellent picture of that period.
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H mm. need to check Amazon.. Went to Barnes and Noble yesterday and all they had was the Doomsday book.. My swap club does not have any either.. Darn.
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Pigs Don't Fly was mentioned here and my library had it. Thank you for mentioning it. It is great fun to read. Summerdai, daughter of the village whore, abruptly loses her home and everything in it when her mother dies in her sleep. She takes to the road seeking her father's people she knows only by some strange gold coins he leaves behind when he disappeared. As Summer flees, having given her mother a fiery send-off by burning their cabin and its contents, she begins to accumulate some strange traveling companions, including the flying pig. Adventures abound and great fin is had by the reader.
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Jackie, I was the one who mentioned "Pigs Don't Fly". If you liked it, you will enjoy all of the other Mary Brown books, especially the sequels. I ordered them again, since I apparently loaned by first copies out and they have not been returned.
I have since made a rule for myself--either give the book away or loan it only to those you know will return it!
Enjoy your reading. I don't know why Mary Brown is not better known.
Sally
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Sally: I'm eager to see what happens next.
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I dont either. I love Mary Brown, but she is hard to find even in bookstores.
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For Jack Campbell (The Lost Fleet) fans, publication date of book 6, "Victorious", was yesterday. Thanks to an Amazon pre-order, the book landed on my doorstep yesterday. I fought my way across the universe with him in books 1-5, and expressed my willingness to fight my way back again if necessary. I have now fought my way through book 6, but if you want to find out where that left me, you'll have to read the book. Fans will definitely want to read it.
For anyone who hasn't followed previous conversations, this is a series of extremely good 3-dimensional sea battles fought in space, with a good enough story line to hang them on. They have to be read in order, though.
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Sounds like a series I would like, PATH. Unfortunately, my library has
nothing by Jack Campbell. I'll check out my daughter's library, too.
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My library doesn't have him either, Babi. The first one is "Dauntless". If you find them, read them in order.
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You know, the name "Jack Campbell" and the title "Dauntless" do sound somewhat familiar.
I'm wondering if perhaps I did read some of his books back when. How far back to they date,
I wonder? I'm going to have to start checking the library's listing of books I've checked out.
Lately I seem to be starting books, only to realize I've already read it. :(
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My library has the old Jack Campbells but not the new one. Such an exciting space opera is a real treat. Speaking of space opera, John Scalzi's The God Engines is very disturbing intellectually but worth the time.
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Dauntless was published in 2006.
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I am in love with Patricia Briggs. She writes fantasy.. mostly werewolves with the vampires as the enemy and the fairy empire as deceitful.. Very interesting indeed.
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Oh, BOO! I love to read about fairies and elves as they are depicted in books like 'Lord of the Rings'. Especially elves. I do admit fairies can be somewhat flighty. 8)
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The Fey( fairies) in Briggs series are dangerous creatures.. She uses them for showing deceit and lies.. Interesting portrayal.. Of course the Cane... follows Mercy around and intrigues me.
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The Cane? Obviously we are not talking about a walking stick as it couldn't follow anyone
around. So, what/who is the 'Cane'? Really, STEPH, you shouldn't dangle such things in front
of me like that and walk away. :P
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Hah,, but it is in fact a walking stick that seems to follow Mercy into her situations. She does not understand why. It does not seem to interfere, it is just there when she least expects it.. I love it..
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Hmmm. The walking stick reminds me of Terry Pratchett's Luggage.
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Ah, but the luggage does things.. I love the Luggage . Terry Pratchett is a favorite writer of mine.. The Cane thus far is simply there. Mercy can pick it up if she wants.. It is from an irish folk tale or at least that is what the Fey tell Mercy.
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My thought, too, PATH. But, as STEPH says, Pratchetts' luggage did get involved; very
protective of it's owner. I'm intrigued by the independent walking stick. I'm hoping my library
will have some of Patricia Briggs.
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Mary Brown books are so delightful. Thank you, whoever you are, for telling us about them. Pigs Don't Fly was my first, a fantasy tale that was over the top, didn't skip one cliche, hardly able to put it down. Dragonne's Eg is, loosely, the next in the series that my library stocks and it's starting out as well as the previous one. Wait, wait, I found the in-between book. Master of Many Disguises listed separately so it's on my request list. So is the first, The Unlikely Ones. In fact, I'm putting Eg aside until I can catch up. I highly recommend this author if you like fun with your swords and dragons. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/mary-brown/
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Glad you like Mary. She is hard to find in bookstores.
I am reading Charlaine Harris latest.. Sooky is a favorite of mine. Just now she is involved with Eric, who always struck me as one of the more interesting characters, although like many others, I think she should give Sam a shot.
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Jackie, I recommended the Mary Brown books and am so glad that you are enjoying them. I ordered 3 used from Amazon. It's been a while since I read them and plan to re-read them sometime. The library here is small and they usually get rid of older books to make way for new. Therefore, I try to order used older books from Amazon. Some I keep, and some get passed on and on and on. My family are all avid readers and we like to share books.
Sally
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I am happy to report my library does have some Patricia Briggs books. I went right down and
picked up three books that are each first in their series. I am even happier to report that I am
into the first one and enjoying it very much. Just what I needed!
I am now more determined to find Mary Brown books, thanks to all the praise here. I'll
find some used copies on-line if need be. Thanks for the reminder, SALLY.
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Oh me.. Sooky seems to have been pushed into yet a horrible situation. I am a bit worried that Charlaine Harris is going to fall for the worse and worse theory on her characters. Keep up the lightness of being.. oh please Charlaine.
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I hope not, STEPH, but I've seen it happen before. After a couple of upbeat books in a series,
the author seems to feel he/she should do something different. The next generation produces
some unpleasant characters that you really don't like, or something of that sort. Maybe you
should let the author, or the publisher, know that would be a turn-off for a lot of their readers.
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Charlaine writes about a variety of characters and has for years. I think the HBO series may have influenced her. I tried to watch it, but it was way violent and not much humor at all. It was Sookies laid back southern attitude that attracted me at the beginning.
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I've started reading an author new to me,...Patricia Briggs... and find it hard to put the books
down. She does keep the story moving. Anything is possible in her books, apparently, and
she takes it all in stride. She has about five different series; I'm starting with #1 in three of
them to see if I enjoy all three. I'll take it from there.
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Babi: Welcome to the club of her fans. I read all her series, so far, and have a new one (Silver Borne)on my library list.
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I love Briggs. Very vivid characters, all of them have both good and bad. Love the mix.
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I seem to see a theme, or direction, building up in the Briggs book "Moon Called", featuring
Mercedes (Mercy) Thompson. She knows 'people' in all the supernatural groups, understands
how to act around them, has at least one friend/supporter among each. I think I can see where she will become the intermediary between these groups when trouble arises. Now let's
see if I'm right. 8)
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Babi :-X
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Oh Babi.. yes and no is the answer to that one.. Mercy is also a coyote.. And that is Kokopelli, the joker in their pantheon of gods.
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Would you look at my posts! I don't know why they have all those uneven lines. I don't type them that way.
I know a little about 'coyote', STEPH. Also known as 'trickster'. Not
a very nice fellow; practical jokers often are not. He's vulgar, but clever,
and he has uses. Mercy Thompson seems to be more on the useful side.
Her 'tricks' seem to be harmless....like the rusty van placed in
her backyard just to annoy that particular neighbor.
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Mercy has many small tricks up her sleeve, but the neighbor is a big big part of her life..She is not mean, but I meant in that she is unexpected, which is how she manages to survive.
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Indeed, yes. She really knows and understands these different groups of 'supernaturals'....and of course, she is fast on her feet!
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Her Alpha and Omega series is great. Only read two and love that one as well. The wolves in this one are fully realized as a community. Interesting.
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Book I of the Alpha and Omega series is in the other room now, waiting for me to finish another
book that I need to return. This makes the third of her series I've begun, since my library had book I of all three. They also, thankfully, have book II of at least two of them and I plant to hunt down all the others.
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Nothing like finding a new author who you like and who has written for a while..
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Amen!
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GOOD NEWS! Nothing like finding an old author you love who hasn't written for a while, too.
It's been so long, I forgot I'd put in a request at my library for any new works by Sharon Lee
and Steve Miller. Yesterday I returned a couple of books and there was one, waiting for me!
A new Liaden Universe book, called "Fledgling". I know those of you who loved the Liaden novels as I did will be glad to hear. I do hope it is the first of a new series.
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A new Liaden Universe book, called "Fledgling". I know those of you who loved the Liaden novels as I did will be glad to hear. I do hope it is the first of a new series.
Probably not a whole series, but it does have a sequel, Saltation, coming out about now. Here's what I said about Fledgling in January (post 506, page 13) when I had finally read all the then-published Liaden novels.
"Fledgling tells something of what Daav did when he disappeared to achieve Balance, and is mostly the story of Theo Waitly, who appears on the last page of I Dare.
The continuation of her story, Saltation, is due soon."
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Lee and Miller seem to be coming out of the shadows a bit. When I was reading their books, I had a lot of trouble getting hold of some of them, but now you can get to an author page on Amazon, and most of the books seem to be available there. I'm glad. I never understood why books of that quality didn't catch on.
Unfortunately, they have also started putting out anthologies, which are various combinations of the single books, so you see a title and think "great, I haven't read that", and then you see it's just a reshuffling.
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Anthologies. l.. Another not particularly nice trick is an author who reissues a really old book and you dont catch it.. I just got fooled by a J.D. Robb book that was really a rehash of one of Nora's older romance books.. Darn..
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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It has been so long since I read the original series. I don't remember
Theo Waitly at all. I don't know how I missed PatH's post about Flegling;
I would have been eager to get my hands on a new Lee/Miller book.
Thanks for alerting me to 'Saltation', PAT.
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I am still on the trail of some of Mary Browns older books. Hard to find.
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If no one on your paperback swap club has Mary Brown books, they must be scarce. Oh, well, it's not as though we don't have enough names on our list to last us a very long time.
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Attracted by the names of Mercedes Lackey and David Weber I was curious to see what their collaboration could produce. Add Eric Flint to the brew, he wrote 1632, an alternate history story about a small town in present-day West Virginia which is plucked up, land and all, and deposited in the middle of Europe in, yep, 1632 with the 100 Year War raging all around them. David Weber writes the Honor Harrington stories and Lackey writes fantasy - several of her series I have enjoyed, especially those tales of Valdemar. Well, The Shadow of the Lion starts strong. political and religious skulduggery in 16th century Venice with magic, good and bad, a Viking from Vinland, lost heirs, etc. But it lost me somehow so its gone. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/eric-flint/shadow-of-lion.htm
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Steph, I ordered the Mary Brown books from Amazon (used). I used to have them, but must have loaned them out because they are no longer on my bookshelves. Most of the books were $5.00, including shipping---not bad.
Jackie, I haven't read Mercedes Lackey in several years, but really enjoyed her books.
Sally
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I like some of Mercy's books, but not all.. They are having some sort of fantasy-sci fi convention here in a few weeks and the couple that you have been discussing with a new book will be the guest speakers... Small world. I dont do the conventions.. Way too many storm troopers, etc to suit me.. I love sci fi, but see no need for costumes.
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I agree, STEPH. That does seem to be carrying escapism a bit too far. I have noted, tho', that
many 'sci/fi' imaginings have become reality in my own lifetime. Now, that's exciting!
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Babi: Yes, it is thrilling to hear a returning astronaut reveal that he was an avid Trekker, read Isaac Asimov, just like us! My daughter was "into" that scene; one of her GFs went on to become PA to Gene Roddenberry, at least according to the rumor mill.
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Got home from a picnic.. Was looking for some sort of no brain escape.. Found a Star Trek. Next Generation on and swooned over Jean Luc.. It was the episode where Worf reclaims his girlfriend. discovers he has a son and loses the woman to death.. Nicely done. Had forgotten it.. I loved Next Generation and need to start watching it again.
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Jean Luc is definitely a hard act to follow. The captain in the next series was a real disappointment for a long time, until he quit being silly and got serious.
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I loved most of the different star trek series, but Jean Luc is hands down my favorite
Captain..
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Oh, me, too. His "Make it so" is very sexy.
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Yes, definitely Jean Luc. So intelligent, compassionate, thoughtful, decisive and more! A couple of my favorite STTNG episodes are THE PERFECT MATE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Perfect_Mate) and Darmok (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darmok)
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Aha.. the series seems to be on BBC here in the late afternoon. Saw one yesterday that Councilor Troy lost her empath ability.. Scared her to death. Interesting premise.
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I can understand how it would. If one is accustomed to that kind of
closeness to people, having it suddenly cut off must be like suddenly
becoming nearly deaf and blind. And of course, it is the basis of her professional skills.
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Three of the Mary Brown novels are off my TBR list and it has become clear that the novels should be read in chronological order. There is an important thread which connects the individual stories over the centuries. i believe that she would have written more of this saga had she lived longer.
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Darmok was my very favorite Star Trek: Next Generation episode. It introduced me to Gilgamesh. I had heard of Gilgamesh before, but didn't know anything about it.
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Me too, Frybabe. How cultured, Jean Luc was. Who better to understand an alien culture that spoke in metaphors? The episode made me want to learn more about myths.
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I must look up Darmok.. Myths are interesting.
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Gilgamesh was an epic poem, possibly the earliest ever written. I've never read it, and if it used metaphors as common language, I would think it would be hard
to understand. I need to see "Darmok" and find out a bit more about it.
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The Barbara Cleverly series begins with The Last Kashmiri Rose. It is the 1920s and Scotland Yard has sent Joe Sandilands, former WWI hero, to bring local British authorities of the advances in what we now call Forensics. On the very day he is to return to his beloved London coolness, the fog and the rain, he learns that he has been assigned to investigate what seems to be a series of accidental deaths among the wives of the officers of the Bengal Greys at Panikhat. An interesting mystery/puzzle, profound sense of place, engaging characters plus, for those who read Kim, deja vu all over again. It is disappointing to read that you were not enchanted by your book, BABI. I had high hopes that this series would be entertaining. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/barbara-cleverly/last-kashmiri-rose.htm
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Patricia Briggs has a totally different set of books, that are more magic, etc. Has anyone read them. I saw them at B and N and did not really like the book blurb. Are they as good as the current books.
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Found it! 'Darmok' was presented in Season 5, 1991. My daughter knows a way to 'browse' the Netflix DVD's and was able to inform me
that Darmok was in the very first DVD for the season.
"The Palace Tiger" was reminiscent of Kim, JACKIE. And I admit that I didn't
figure out who the culprits were before the end.
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I watched a movie on TV last night called Princess of Mars from an Edgar Rice Burroughs story. Well, remember the BabbleFish in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? I was surprised to find that it wasn't exactly original. Burrough's used a worm looking thing that was swallowed as a universal language translator rather than the fish in the ear that Douglas Adams devised for the same purpose.
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Hi everyone.
I thought I might drop in my two cents worth here.
Have any of you heard of Sara Douglass? She is an Australian writer, currently living in Tasmania. Beautiful place, but too cold for me.
If I had to place her work in one particular category it would probably be historical science fantasy. Some of her series are better than other. My favourite series is "The Troy Game" which consists of four books:
Hades' Daughter - c1100 BCE Crete. After the big bang at Thera, modern day Santorini. Look out for the Minotaur!
God's Concubine - Power struggle between Harold (Harald?) Godwinson and William the Conqueror to control the Game.
Darkwitch Rising - Early to mid 17th century. Mostly London about kings and their follies, esp Charles II. This was my favourite. I think that often it is important where you read books. If it cold and miserable it all seems an effort, unless the book is exceptional. I was lucky with Darkwitch. I took the book on holiday to Cairns and the Barrier Reef. If you read the books you will probably not be able to imagine two more different settings than 17 century London and 21 st century Barrier Reef.
Druids' Sword - I havent' finished this one yet. The setting is not as interesting to me as the others are. Set in the London Blitz 1939 - 1941.
www.saradouglass.com
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If you are wondering why I don't enjoy reading when it is cold and miserable. Here's why. In Australia central heating is very rare, particularly Queensland, euphemistically called "The Sunshine State". I have a wee heater which I can sit on :) Not happy now as I have a horrid head cold. In general, Australian houses are not built to suit the weather. We are supposed to be very tough, didn't you know. TIC.
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Rose: I had no idea! Glad now that I dedn't move to Oz when I wanted to in the 60s. Thanks for Sara Douglass' name, lots to read there.
Found another new-to-me author, Stephen Baxter. In Flood the world of 2016 begins with the release of four hostages arranged by a mega-billionaire. It is a vastly different world than the one Lily Brooke left behind when she was captured by extremists in 2011. her neice learns, through texting with a network of other kids world-wide, that the average sea level has risen by one meter, information not officially acknowledged, and it is still rising. As more and more of the world's coastlines disappear Lily and her three former captive-comrades find themselves searching for answers. This is an old-fashioned SF story with characters in second place to the science and technology, but they are not cardboard cutouts. The descriptions of the devastation is powerful and the menace of the water blindly creeping over the land, drowning everything in its path, is no quite middle-of-the-night creepy. The scientists and technolgists are i telligenyt, competent and seeking answers, not overwhelmed by Nature's vast put-down of man's attempt to conquer her.
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Sara Douglas sounds interesting. Will check my swap club and then Amazon. Amazing about Australia.. We were recruited in the late 50's and wanted to move there, but my husbands mother was a widow and he was the only child left, so she howled and wailed and generally made sure we did not go. Always wondered what my life would have been if we had gone.. Sounded fascinating and at that time they really wanted white immigrants.
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Mrssherlock, I see my high school girlfriend and I weren't the only ones who wanted to move to Australia in the 60s. We went a far as contacting the Australian Embassy about emigration but never followed through. Don't remember why.
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I read several of Sara Douglass books in that series, ROSE, and enjoyed
them very much. But then it got to the point where it seemed to be dragging on and on, with no end in sight. When I realized it was going to carry through to modern times, I dropped it. Just not the same.
From what Rose says of the weather and the housing, STEPH, perhaps it's fortunate that you didn't move there. ROSE, you really need to do something about heating your place. Phoeey on tough! Being sick and cold is no fun.
"Flood" sounds good, JACKIE. Makes me think of the strong scientific character of "Andromeda Strain".
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It's probably because I am sick that I was so grumpy about the cold. My ex is American and we went to the States for a "rellie rally". I stayed in NYC while he went to Maryland, Chevy Chase or wherever the heck it was. I adored NYC - the culmination of a dream for me. When he returned he wanted to visit friends in Canada so we made our way up there. Guelph I think the place is called. I was impressed by the central heating and the comfort of their house. It was snowing outside but people were walking around in short sleeves inside. I was very impressed. Before we reached Guelph (spelling) we stopped off at Buffalo. I couldn't fathom why people were wearing those silly fluffy things to cover their ears. We walked along the Lake there and the next day my poor ears were red and scaly, and sore. The silly fluffy ear things made sense!
Why did those of you who wanted come to live here in the 60s feel thus compelled? Don't get me wrong, Australia is incredibly beautiful in many places. I could list a litany of complaints, but won't. Suffice to say my heart lies elsewhere.
I wouldn't sit down and read "The Troy Game" series in a row, but I agree that the last one seems out of place. I just can't visualise Asterion in the Blitz.
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Australia in the late 50's and 60's was touted to be more like the older US.. An adventure.. A place at the end of the world to begin a new life. It is now more settled.. But we wanted the feel of an adventure. It appealed to young ones at that point. Plus of course for us, we went to an expo in NYC on it.. They asked us to fill out forms and then within a month the embassy offered us a contract. They would pay our way, pay so much for shipping belongings,, and guarantee both of us jobs in our fields if we would stay three years.. Seemed like a good deal to us.. Tim was a disc jockey and they loved the american accent.
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Steph, you got farther that Linda and I did. I think at the time we heard that Australia was looking for people to emigrate because they needed workers (skilled?). We were just out of high school by a few years and not in college at the time. Canberra appealed to me because of the satellite installations (I was reading about radio astronomy at the time). Also, we had heard they needed more women ;) In the end, I think we didn't want to be so far away from family.
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I remember that, STEPH! People were saying that Australia was like our
old West. Australia would feel like home to Texans. Things like that. I
never realized it was part of a drive to encourage immigration.
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If I had lived my life plan I'd probably be there now, but instead of finishing school and then traveling, I married and had two children. By the 60s being mommie was paling so the idea of moving to a new world/frontier but with mod convs, was almost irresistible. In stead we bought a larger house relieving some of my restlessness and volunteering at the elementary school (library was staffed and managed by parents) and PTA and scouts, boy and girl in their time, oz faded away into the distance.
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Australia and New Zealand are still on my bucket list. I do so want to go, but I hate the long long plane ride.. Maybe someday, but I am beginning to doubt my ability to travel that far by myself.
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I'm already at that point, STEPH. I would love to see gorgeous New Zealand, tho'. Shucks,
there are a lot of places I would love to see, but I'll have to see them through travelogues, I
guess. There is something to be said for seeing the sights from the comfort of your recliner, with a snack and a drink in reach.
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Finished Baxter's The Flood and can heartily recommend it. Baxter can create powerful mental images, it isn't giving anything away to say the final image is so powerful it will be with me for a long time. In the lead up to that final scene the characters become more animated through the accumulation of their interactions and the sharing their inner thoughts as readers do.
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Ladies - I agree that it is a very long trip. My last long trip was to Greece in 2004. The first leg to Singapore was fine on a smaller more comfortable aircraft; then a changeover to a Jumbo 747 for the long haul from Singapore to Frankfurt; and then, BLISS, the rest of the journey from Frankfurt to Athens was on a new Airbus with a much alcohol and food as you wanted for free, that was with Lufthansa who treated us like royalty, and that was in Economy! The complete antithesis of the 747: a plane which has really had its days in terms of comfort for long leggedie beasties like me. The return journey was all 747 and I seemed to be cramped into a 24" space for 24 hours. So - Yes, I know what you mean. Choose your airline carefully is my opinion and then the aircraft. QANTAS is fine, but Singapore Airlines is fantastic. Oh! Don't forget the location of the seat. Check www.seatguru.com for the best and worst seats. In other words do lots of research.
Then there is the season when it is best to visit. I have a very dear friend who lives in Cambridge, MA. She so badly wanted to come to Australia. She told us she would be coming for Christmas and staying for two months with my in-laws. December and January are months in which visiting the northern parts of Australia should be actively discouraged. We told our friend this but she insisted on coming. Australia does not have a gentle, mild summer. It is bloody hot and the heat unrelenting. I remember it being so hot one day that my glasses, which were metal, burned the sides of my face. Our friend had a terrible time with the heat and couldn't get back to Boston quickly enough. The best months imho, in Queensland, at least, are April/May and August/September.
A visit to NZ is an absolute must. It is quite magical, particulary the north island. Right up the top at the Bay of Islands, there is a small town called Waitangi, which is just beautiful. I loved the thermal activity of the North Island and the fabulous trout fishing on Lake Taupo which fronts three volcanoes. You just have to go there. If you visit the South Island go to Queenstown, much of the Lord of the Rings was filmed there.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Since I live in Florida, the heat would not be as oppressive as it would to Boston.. But the distances.. alas.. You make it sound so very very nice.
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Ah, ROSE, what an enticing description. If only!
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I am glad you liked the description. Just don't get me started on Greece!
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Now you sound like me.. Went to the Netherlands several years ago and dida river cruise. It was so wonderful. It was tulip time and they are literally everywhere in such colors and styles.. Teeny little river villages, the morning mist.. Ah.. I must go back sometime., although alone will be hard since we both adored the country.
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Yes, Steph, it's a challenge to figure out solo travel. I was lucky at first--my daughter and SIL thought it was cool to invite me along, and we went to Paris twice and Hawaii once, where they taught me to snorkel, and I met a large number of colorful fishes. Any SIL who thinks it's cool to add me to a Paris vacation is OK in my books. But they're busier now, and I should do other stuff before I get too stiff to hobble around. I'm not being very good at figuring out what, though.
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Some people claim that Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is the first science fiction novel. I'm not sure I buy that, but we're going to discuss it in July, so you have a chance to debate it if you want. The book is very different from most of the movies made of it, and is surprisingly subtle in it's psychology. You can check out the prediscussion here:
http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=1482.0 (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=1482.0)
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Frankenstein.. Hmm. not sure I am up for that, but may check the prediscussioin.
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One of my cable stations is showing Mary Shelley's Frankenstein this morning. To bad I don't like watching TV in the morning except for news and weather. I'd probably turn it off after a half hour. I need to do a little yard work this morning before it gets too hot.
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Wikipedia's entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein only tantalizes me more. Mention of a new edition, with the original text and Percy Bysse Shelley's additions is available:
On 1 October 2008, the Bodleian published a new edition of Frankenstein which contains comparisons of Mary Shelley's original text with Percy Shelley's additions and interventions alongside. The new edition is edited by Charles E. Robinson: The Original Frankenstein
see at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/originalfrankenstein
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Poor Mary.. Never realized that her husband decided to improve things. I remember reading somewhere, they were having a contest of some sort about books.. and she won..Beating out her husband and his buddies.
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I do hope Shelley wasn't too patronizing. That does set one's teeth on edge, doesn't it. I'm pleased to learn the book is quite different from the Hollywood film version. I'm looking forward to reading it.
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I've completed the fourth Mary Brown book which I did not read in order. Now I'll go back and read them as she meant them to be read, such a chore, but I'll struggle through it somehow. ;)
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I read the first two of the Mary Brown series, but never the last two..Willhave to go for them..
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Was this where I heard about Graceling, Kristin Cashore's first book in The Seven Kingdom's trilogy? Book 2 is out and book 3 is due in September, that's not long to wait. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/kristin-cashore/
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Finally, I have Mary Brown's "Pigs Can't Fly...." on it's way via Paperback Swap. I don't know if it's the first book or not, but it's the
one I could find.
I need to check and see if my library has any Kristin Cashore books.
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The Mary Brown Pigs book is the first in that series. She has written stand alones as well. The Swap is always short on Science fiction and fantasy and anything by Charlaine Harris or Vampire stuff. No Terry Pratchett either, mostly. I always post that sort of stuff and it gets snapped up in 24 hours.
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Actually, Steph, Pigs isn't the first one but the second. In The Unlikely Ones we meet the unicorn, among others, whose horn ring figures so prominently in all the next books. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/mary-brown/unlikely-ones.htm
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Ihad just found The Unlikely Ones on my swap club and ordered it.. Had no idea it was the first one.. I had read Pigs years ago and it felt like the beginning. Oh well. I will delve into the background.
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Do me a favor, STEPH. When you finish "The Unlikely Ones", can I have it? We can save the time sending it back through the swap club. ;D
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Babi, OK.. It is on the way and I will try to get to it fast. Then email you privately for your home address.. OK>>
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Fantastic! :) Thank you kindly, ma'am.
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Am Now reading The Unlikely Ones by Mary Brown and am mostly sure that I did in fact read this one years ago. Still I am rereading..Good book, gentle and kind about so many things. The witch was a real horror.
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Witch, huh? I see there is more to Mary Brown than I thought. It
occurred to me, with a grin, that while we don't really believe in witches anymore, some of the '-itches' can be real horrors. ;)
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Babi, send me your address via private email.. I am almost done with the book.
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STEPH, your e-mail address is hidden on your profile. However, my profile has my e-mail address. Contact me, and I can send you my address by return post.
Speaking of 'horror', I've started reading 'Frankenstein' and it promises to be doom of
the hopeless variety. Not at all like the movies. I'm off-setting the heaviness by reading
an old favorite, "The Blue Hills" of Elizabeth Goudge. That is always a pleasure and a
perfect read aloud book for the younger generation.
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In Genesis, bernard Beckett postulates a post-apocalyptic world where coming-of-age consists of an examinatiuon by a panel of three who question the applicant for four hours on their area of study.http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/bernard-beckett/genesis.htm A slight book of 160 pages this examination panel closely questions Anax about a pivotal person in the history of this remote island-nation. her questions will stretch her memory, her imagination, and her very soul. 5 out of 5
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That sounds like a really good book, Jackie, and I've never heard of Bernard Beckett. Guess I'd better read it.
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I've already mentioned this on Mystery Corner, but I'm so excited about my brand-new iPod that I must repeat it here. That's because now I can reread the whole Harry Potter series (which I've already read multiple times) via audio book. Jim Dale is a brilliant reader, and I love to listen to him! Started Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone this morning during my walk, and am up to Chapter 3 already. I won't be surprised if I start taking longer walks now!
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Graceland, Kristin Cashore's first book in the seven Kingdoms trilogy, was a great read and the YA label didn't deter me and the second, Fire, was equally engrossing. Fire is labeled a "companion" to Graceling and the stories are nearly independent. Though there is a thread connecting the two it is not deoendent on the prior kniowledge imparted in Graceling. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/kristin-cashore/
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So Harry Potter is good for your health! I'm not a big fan of audiobooks, as my visual attention span is worlds better than my hearing attention span, but I certainly agree with you about Jim Dale, joegreyfan.
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Jackie, I never let the YA label put me off. I've read some mighty good YA books.
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joegreyfan, that's a great pitch to sell ipods (congratulations!!) and other listening devices. Listening to books makes you walk more.
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Marcie, I'm also hoping that listening to the iPod will inspire me to get more housework done!
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joegreyfan, it sounds like I definitely need an iPod!! :)
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I want an iTouch: http://tinyurl.com/33hh4mq
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oh, that one looks good, mrssherlock!
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I love Harry and have listened to all of the tapes as well as read the books of course. The man is a genius who reads them. He has such different voices for everyone. Amazing..
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Earlier I described Stephen Baxter's Flood that tells the story of the flooding of the entire globe. The scientists fight over causes, millions are uprooted as the lowland fill with water, but the rise of the water is inevitable, implacably everything is drowned, people franticqallymigrate higher and higher into the mountains. The scene where survvivors on their rafts gather to see the waves wash over Everest until nothing breaks the surface is very moving. Baxter's second book is Ark wherein a bunch of billionaires combine resources to plan and build a spaceship for some few of the survivors to attempt to establish Earth II; the US government, from its headquarters in Denver, are throwing resources into plans for when the waters reverse and begin to drain away. Baxter's forte is the science, covering meteorology, oceanography, sociology and psychology. His characters are not warm and fuzzy but I did grow to care deeply about the ones whic feature large in the various threads. A very thought-provoking book about the power of Mother Nature, the earth itself, and its attempts to regulate its systems.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/stephen-m-baxter/
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Not by fire, but flood.. Hmm. may have to read that.
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JACKIE, in "Ark", did the builders have any idea where they were
going in their spaceship? So far, I don't think we've found any other
habitable planets. Or has Baxter created one?
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Bab: Baxter's story is well founded in up-o-the minute research; he lists the sources in an Afterword. There is a destination and the process for determining it are recounted, no "magical" leaps, not much intuition, but sound science, facts derived from research and then extrapolated. I was impressed by the way Baxter developed his hypotheses, converting disparate journal and conference reports into plausible conclusions. The most recent sources he references are in 2008 and 2009. I believe that this is one of the most important SF book(s) I have read in a long, long time.
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Bab: Baxter's story is well founded in up-o-the minute research; he lists the sources in an Afterword. There is a destination and the process for determining it are recounted, no "magical" leaps, not much intuition, but sound science, facts derived from research and then extrapolated. I was impressed by the way Baxter developed his hypotheses, converting disparate journal and conference reports into plausible conclusions. The most recent sources he references are in 2008 and 2009. I believe that this is one of the most important SF book(s) I have read in a long, long time.
Wow, Jackie, it sounds like something I really have to read--just my kind of thing.
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Last night I tried a local f2f sci-fi discussion group; it's sponsored by Politics and Prose, the holdout good independent bookstore around here. The book discussed was a classic, Alfred Bester's "The Stars My Destination" aka "Tiger, Tiger", 1956. It shows its age--the first page tells you it's 50s--but it holds up very well. It's regarded as preliminary cyberpunk, and in plot is sort of a retelling of "The Count of Monte Cristo".
The discussion was good--the sort of thing I've been spoiled by finding here--with all sorts of attention to detail, reference to other books, background, etc. I'll continue unless I either find I don't like their selections (they're all over the map, but look pretty good) or feel that I'm out of place. I'm definitely the oldest, but there is a wide range, and I feel comfortable there. I avoided freaking anyone out by pointing out that it's possible that I read the book in Galaxy when it first came out in '56.
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It sounds like you found a good group, Pat. LOL re not freaking out the younger ones with mention of Galaxy Science Fiction.
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Could be like James Blish.. Cities in Flight. I did love th ose books.
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Thanks, JACKIE. That one sounds like real sci/fi. Reminds me more of the sort of thing we used
to find in Crichton. So much of what I read now is really fantasy....though I like that, too.
Sounds like you found a good book club, PAT. So many of them I've heard mentioned seem
to be more of "I liked it", "I didn't like it.", 'Pass the nibbles, please'.
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Pat: What a find! Too bad we've never had a discussion of SF except The Road, not exactly mainstream SF. I'd love to discuss either Flood or Ark or even both together. but the theme(s) would not be palatable to most. Even my son won't read either, he dismisses the science out-of-hand, though we know most SF is extrapolating from what we know to "what if". I'd stick with the group even if they wander. Such a forum is a rare gem, to be treasured.
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I've just read Mercedes Lackey's delightful The Sleeping Beauty, and loved it! The "Sleeping Beauty" tale is only a small part of it. She mixes in elements from other fairy tales (Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, Rapunzel, Puss-in-Boots, Cinderella) and Norse myth (Siegfried, Brunnhilde, Wotan). If you've ever heard Anna Russell's hilarious "The Ring of the Nibelungs (An Analysis)," Lackey's version is a variation on it. And she provides a much happier ending for the Ring saga than Wagner does in Gotterdammerung. This is a really fun, lighthearted fantasy, very enjoyable.
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I like Mercys work very much. Will look for that one.
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Thanks for reminding me about Mercedes Lackey. I really liked other books I have read by her and will look for this one. Is it new? Is she still alive and publishing?
Sally
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The Lackey book sounds like it would be a great companion read to the upcoming discussion on fairy tales. The title eludes me; I can only think of 'Blondes and Beasts'. Too early in the morning. (That's my excuse, anyway.)
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Since it's sitting right here, I don't have to turn my brain on. It's "From the Beast to the Blonde"
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I believe that Lackey did a small series on The Godmother? Will have to check my library out.. Think I might even still have it.
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Spending so much time in Stephen Baxter's Flood and Ark I was struck by the review of the non-fiction book,The Flooded Earth: Our Future in a World Without Ice Caps by Peter Ward. Ward reviews the impact of several cataclysmic events in Earth's 4 billion year history, events precipitated by vast climate changes earth created on her own. The brief history of Life on earth as victim instead of instigator is overwhelming leading one to wonder at how little we matter in the entire scheme of things. Baxter's earth is flooded by the earth adjusting her systems with little correlation to the damage Man has inflicted and our efforts to recover, cope, adapt are puny in the light of nature's implacable pragmatism. This conjunction of powerful fiction and non-fiction dealing with the same dilemma is too compelling to resist so Ward's book has joined my TBR stack. http://www.oregonlive.com/books/index.ssf/2010/07/nonfiction_review_the_flooded.html
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Oh, joy! I have found a Bujold book I haven't already read. It's the "Hallowed Hunt", and anything else I've bee reading has simply had to wait. Bujold is one of my prime favorites.
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Yes, Mercedes Lackey is still very much alive and writing. In fact, I've just started another new book by her, co-authored with Rosemary Edghill. It's Legacies, the first in the Shadow Grail series. It's a YA mystery/thriller with magical elements. I'm not far into it yet, but it's already proving to be a real page-turner!
All of the books in Lackey's "500 Kingdoms" series, including The Sleeping Beauty, feature fairy godmothers. The first book in the series is titled The Fairy Godmother.
There's also a really fun trilogy by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough that mixes up all sorts of fairy tales and folk tales. The first book in the series is The Godmother.
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Aha.. It was the Scarborough books that I loved.. She is a good writer and has done a lot of odd and interesting things. I believe she was also a nurse in VietNam..
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Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill's new YA fantasy/mystery, Legacies, which I mentioned in my above post, started out well, but proved to be something of a disappointment. It's a fairly entertaining story, but the characters are flat, and it doesn't have the lightness and humor I'd expect from these authors. It's set at a school of magic located in the middle of Montana, but it's very different from Hogwarts and not nearly as much fun. This book falls way below the standard set by the authors' previous collaboration, the series of urban fantasies featuring elves, which I loved and have kept on my shelves for rereading.
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I am reading my second Mary Brown book (thanks to STEPH), called
"The Unlikely Ones". I'm enjoying it, but am surprised to find the plot is
the same as in the first book. You have an unattactive young girl, with
an assortment of animals she can talk to, on a difficult journey in which
they meet a knight in distress. Lots of magic, of course.
I do hope she doesn't use the same plot in all her books. Only the names changed. Oh, and some interesting instruction in mushrooms.
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Babi: The Unlikely Ones is the first book and the thread is about quests so there is a girl and a band of companions each time, but that is not the story. Instead it is the mystery with ties throughout the series which covers many generations. The Unicorn in Unlikely is one of the continuing threads. Pigs Don't Fly picks up the story after some years and the events occur closer in time than the interval between Unlikely and Pigs. It all makes more sense when you start with Unlikely but reading it after one of the others is confusing because of the threads in Unlikely which resonate in the others and tie it all together. I read them out of order, too, and intend to go back and start at the beginning.
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Thanks for that explanation, JACKIE. I'm curious now to find that thread of mystery that ties
the books together. The two books are so similar, though. If they continue to be this
identical in plot and characters, it will really need to find that thread in order to enjoy them.
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There is a clear thread in Unlikely and Pigs, but I need to find the later ones. The ones I found in the bookstore were not in that series..
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Steph: Master of Many Disguises and Dragon's Eg do continue the story begun in Unlikely. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/mary-brown/
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Thanks for the Mary Brown continuation. Will put them on my find list.
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Sorry to interrupt, but I need to make sure everyone sees this -
We've just now opened the vote for fall book discussions. You can vote for your top choice in Part I of the poll and then in Part II click on ALL of those you would be interested in discussing at some time. Some great choices - note that there are reviews linked to the book titles in the header in the Suggestion Box (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=309.msg78842#msg78842) if you are not familiar with some of them.
Are you ready? -
Click Here to Cast your Vote! (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3GVFW3V) -
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Somewhere (here?) a reference to Guy Gavriel Kay's Under Heaven caught my eye. For an unique reading experience I'm forever grateful to that person for the world Kay has created in this historical fantasy novel has become so rich in detail it feels almost like biography. The Tang Dynasty (618-907) is the setting for Kay's story of the second son of General Shen, in honor of his father's memory, has spent the last two years alone at the site of his father's last battlefield, burying the bones of the 40,000 dead. As Shen Tai says, who can pick the bones of the Kitai warriors (Chinese) from the enemies (Tibetan), so he treats all bones with reverence and respect. His labors gain him respect and an
extraordinary gift (that) threatens to engulf Shen Tai in the political and dynastic struggles that surround the throne of the Kitan Emperor, but also permits Shen Tai to form friendships and gain access to the most powerful figures in Kitai.
An extraordinary look into the intricacies of China's convoluted society is compelling with the result that I literally couldn't put the book down until the last page.
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You're not the only one who likes it, Jackie. My library system has a lot of copies, but when I tried to reserve it, I'm #41 in the queue. It sounds like it's worth waiting for, though.
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I have read only one of Kay's books so far - Ysabel. My enjoyment of it was augmented by Google maps from which I printed out maps of Aix-en-Provence and surrounding area to follow along with the story. I also found pictures of the Saint-Sauveur Cathedral where some of the action takes place.
Under Heaven sounds like a book that should go on my reading list.
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Found the next two of Mary Browns books on my swap club.. Hooray.
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Guy Kay sounds like an author I want to know, JACKIE. Thanks for
introducing him.
STEPH, I'm having so much trouble getting my bookshelf in the swap club straightened out, I'm about to give up. I've asked people there what to do, but nothing seems to be working right. Or I'm not understanding the instructions correctly. I'm going to give it one more try before I call it quits. The site does seem very complicated.
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Babi, what it is is completely automated, so trying to figure out what is what is hard. Dont quite understand.. are you having problems listing books... finding books... or the wish section..
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STEPH, the books I received were on the list with red symbols blocking
them. I tried unsuccessfully to remove the blocks, winding up with a list of just those books, still blocked. I couldn't find the rest of my list.
I re-posted the books that I'd had on the original booklist, but the posting was apparently unsuccessful. No idea why.
I'm going to try again, but with the turmoil last week...(my daughter's MI)...I haven't really been in there at all recently. I'll tackle the problem when I feel up to it; I only hope I will be successful next time.
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Sorry.. are you talking of the book list.. that lists what you have received or ordered or wished for. If so look at the top of the page. I think the red simply means that you have that book..
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No, I mean the list of books I have offered to swap. The only thing on the list now is three 'blocked' books that I received. All the others have
disappeared. I tried to re-list them once, but they're still not there.
One of these days, when I'm feeling clear-headed and energetic again,
I'll try once more.
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Amazing. I checked my book list and ther are different categories in it. Do you suppose there are for you. Check the top and see if it tells you. If not , go to Help and wail..
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I did ask for help, and a friendly lady responded. I was trying to follow her instructions when my list disappeared. She had told me to click on a
button at the bottom of the page. I didn't find such a button there, but
I did find it at the top of the page. Nothing has gone right since.
Don't worry about it. I'll either work it out or I won't.
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Hi! I am new to this site and I am looking for recommendations for recent (within past year or two or three) science fiction and/or fantasy books with thoughtful characters, good world building, interesting plots. To give you some idea of what I like - in fantasy I recently read and loved RobinHobb's duology Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven - also The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. In science fiction I recently read and liked Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress.
Thanks for your thoughts. I look forward to being part of this ongoing discussion.
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We have recently been reading Mary Brown and her series on fantasy quests.. I read very little hard sci fi, so no help there.
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Glad to meet you, ADICHIE. I love a number of sci/fi authors, but I
can't say whether the books are within the past year or so. Mary Brown is a lot of fun, but I don't think her books are recent.
May I suggest you look up the "Fantastic Fiction" site. There is a
link to it at the top of this page. They have all the authors and
you can easily find their latest books.
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Welcome, Adichie, hope you enjoy our site. I'm not familiar with Nancy Kress. I'll look her up and see what that suggests to me.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Hello, Adichie, we are always happy to greet new posters and discuss their favorite authors. FF has an update the first of the month with the new books (I look for them by author.) I haven't read the Kress novel you mention but will check it out
Here is a link to Kress' site on FF; She has an impressive list of awards. scrool down to the end of the page where she has listed some of her favorite books. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/nancy-kress/
Under Heaven, by Guy Gavriel Kay was an enchanting experience combining history of the Tang Dynasty, fantasy, strong characters and a true sense of place in the china of the 7th century. Kay's previous book. Ysabel, takes place in modern day Provence where world famous photographer Edward Marriner, his 15-yr-old son Ned and his three assistants have begun his latest project, a book combining his photos with a narrative by an ex-pat British novelist who has made his home in Provence for 30 years. All Kay's strengths are evident here, one can almost smell the lavendar, taste the dust on the mistral. His lead character, Ned, is vividly portrayed in all his splendor, warts, iPod, and all. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/guy-gavriel-kay/ysabel.htm Now I'll have to read his other books though Yasbel is not as compelling as was Heaven/
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Thank you everyone for the welcome and for the information.
The "Fantastic Fiction" site is just, well, fantastic!. That should keep me busy for a long time.
Mrs. Sherlock - Thanks for the recommendation of "Under Heaven" - I am not familiar with Guy Gavriel Kay but look forward to finding out about his work. Looks like the kind of writing I like.
Have a good day all!
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My library has a few Guy Kay books but neither of the two you mention, Jackie. I picked up a couple and looked at them. I hesitate to check them out, as one is large and heavy while the other has very small print. I don't know if I'm up to the challenge.
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Guy Kay is a heckova story teller. Provence, I learned reading Ysabel, is one of history's turning points where Celts and Romans faced off, the Roman triumph leading to the foundation of the Roman Empire. As a nexus there are many influential points where Ned, the 15-yr-old becomes aware of the personalities from the past swirling around and repeating that confrontation. A remarkable blend of fantasy and fiction with strong characters; the travelogue of Provence historical sites is seductive.
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The Results are just in - you all have selected quite an interesting group of THREE for the Fall line-up:
ZEITOUN (Eggers)- An American epic. Fifty years from now, when people want to know what happened to the once great city of New Orleans during a shameful episode of our history, they will still be talking about a family named Zeitoun
We will read and discuss David Egger's Zeitoun in September with Ella and JoanK. This is a true story, but as gripping as Fiction. Just opened today - Zeitoun (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=1585.0) . Please drop in now and let them know whether you will be part of the discussion.
LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS (Le Guin) - Story of a lone human emissary's mission to an alien world. Groundbreaking science fiction hat leaves you thinking about gender issues, "nature vs nurture," nationalism and more. Proposed for October
EXCELLENT WOMEN (Pym) - High comedy about a never-married woman in her 30s, which in 1950s England makes her a nearly confirmed spinster.Often compared to Jane Austen Proposed for November
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Yay! Another science fiction selection (after Frankenstein) has made it into the monthly featured book selections! I love Ursula LeGuin. "The Left Hand of Darkness" made a big impact on me when I first read it. It will be interesting to read it again and talk about it with others.
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I am excited about dipping into another LeGuin. I've read several of her works, all of which were interesting. The one that stands out the most is the first one I read, The Lathe of Heaven. I first came across this as a made for TV movie. It left an impression.
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I think "The Lathe of Heaven" is my favorite, but "Left Hand of Darkness" is pretty high on the list. One I like that you don't see much is "The Word for World is Forest".
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Ursula Le Guin has penned some highly unique stories. I have read many of her books more than once. One book I can't find that I thought was Le Guin's is about a young woman who has grown up in a political system where people are literally only tools. Her mother, a physician, is so numbed by the system that she has little empathy for her daughter's yearnings for love as she moves from one assignment to the next. The story is so bleak it is almost overwhelming but it is a powerful paean to mother love by its absence.
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I haven't heard of that one PatH. It's a good thing I checked my LeGuin collection. I just discovered that I never finished her short stories from The Wind's Twelve Quarters.
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I read the Left Hand many years ago. Will look for it..
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You've got a while, Steph, the discussion is proposed for October.
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No,I was referring to I think I have the darned book somewhere. Not sure.
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I think I have the darned book somewhere.
Boy does that sound familiar.
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We have just lost Patricia Neal. In addition to being a good actress, she did a heroic job of recovering from a massive stroke and resuming her career. I've got to admit that (sci-fi fan that I am) I think of her mostly for her role in "The Day the Earth Stood Still". I think she thought of it as slumming, but she did a good job, and it's classic sci-fi. Maybe I'll re-watch it (I own it) in memoriam.
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She was married to Rouald Dahl when she had the stroke. After that at some point, one of her children was gravely injured in a car accident or fall. Forget which. A brave woman and talented actress..Saw Witness for the Prosecution last night as part of the Law and Order class for Elderhostel.. Great fun.. Charles Laughton chewed up that scenery..
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Her voice enchanted me. Recently I watched "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and she was magnificent.
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NOw to find a sci fi elderhostel.. Do you suppose?? Must look in my catalog.
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Steph, if you find one, let me know.
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I am home from the Law and Order and did ask some of the people who have been to tons of elderhostel, They insist there have been quite a few sci fi, so I will resort to the catalogues..
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Keep us posted, Steph.
I just finished "Space Viking" by H. Beam Piper. I've forgotten what led me to it, but it's just about what you would expect from a book with a title like that written in 1963. Decent quality space opera, but the plot doesn't go much of anywhere, and I don't think I agree with the author's politics. Still, I finished it and enjoyed.
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David Weber's Honor Harrington series continues in Mission of Honor. Some of these writers must get paid by the word; he can spend pages in ruminations between one comment and the response. So I skip a lot. BUT it is still good stuff about wicked Solarian League and our guys of the Kingdom of Manticore. Meanwhile Haven is lurking in the background waiting to see what's next. The Mesa group is keeping a low profile but are they really as tame as they appear? Stay tuned.
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I have read either one or two of the Honor Harrington series, but oh me, I agree the person writes like he gets paid by the word.
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As far as I know, I've read all the Honor Harrington books. Loved them. I didn't know there
was a new one. A quick check of Fantastic Fiction and I see there are two new ones I've missed.
Thanks so much for the update, JACKIE.
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I have been reading online reviews about "The Passage" by Justine Cronin and swear if I read the words "dystopia" and "post-apocalyptic" one more time I shall scream so loudly you will hear me. And that's a loud scream!
I guess my favourite "starter" book was "Brave New World", but Huxley was well before his time. By "starter" I mean the book that helped to develop my impressionable mind into becoming ever so slightly less impressionable.
Has anyone read "The Passage"?
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Zenna Henderson who wrote very little, but what she wrote was Choice.. Oh me, she made me think about perception and difference..Woke me up to a different type of world.
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mrssherlock and steph, thanks for the recommendation of Sharon Shinn books earlier this year. I just found a few at a local thrift store and have added them to my TBR stack.
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How I devoured the Zenna Henderson books. Wish she was still around and still writing. http://www.adherents.com/lit/bk_Zenna.html
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Steph, and Jackie, I reread some of Zenna Henderson a year or two ago, and although the stories show their age, they are still a good read, with the good qualities we remember.
I.....swear if I read the words "dystopia" and "post-apocalyptic" one more time I shall scream so loudly you will hear me. And that's a loud scream!
Has anyone read "The Passage"?
roshanarose, I have limited tolerance for post-apocalyptic dystopias, best taken in small doses and not too often. Probably my next post-apocalyptic book will be Mary Shelley's "The Last Man". I meant to read it during the "Frankenstein" discussion, but didn't have time. I think it's not a dystopia though, just the end of the world.
No, I haven't read "The Passage". But I did recently read Connie Willis' "Passage". It's about near-death experiences, and although very good, is kind of a downer. Sort of like "Doomsday Book" without the cheery bits.
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There has always been a certain type of science fiction writer, who specializes in very very strange books. I have a list of men, mostly that I simply dont even look at.
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The fantasy worlds some of the old guard created reveal much about their own needs. A E Van Vogt had a society in which high IQs lead to success. L Ron Hubbard's views fostered the Dianetics movement, and Robert Heinlein, one of the Big Three of 50s SF (Isaac Asimov and Arthur C Clark are the other two) was enamored of the military, graduate of Annapolis, that his worlds were highly organized with emphasis on extrapolations of science/engineering. They were writing for adolescent boys, for the most part, and there were few women in their stories. Mostly the women appeared as a story element similar to the proverbial spear-carriers on the opera stage. Without the advent of women SF writers and the female persona they write of, I doubt that I would read SF today. Henderson's advent filled the void and I'm guided the way for all the women who followed her.
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A fantasy write who I loved.. Marion Zimmer Bradley had quite a complete world. She is dead, but in her heyday, the fans wrote in her world and published as a fanzine. I have every single one of her Darkover books. She also did a small Arthur series on Guinivere and Morgan le Fey. But I did love darkover and of course Anne McCaffrey is an old favorite. I love her dragon books, although now writing with her son, he tends to love to have battles.. darn.
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For those of you who are interested in discussing "The Left Hand of Darkness", the pre-discussion is now open:
http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=1645.0 (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=1645.0)
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Pat: Knock, knock, I can't open the door. Error message says I'm not permitted entry. Now, really, Pat, what did I say? Whatever it was, I apologize. Can't we be friends again? (Glad I can type , this would be so hard to say with my tongue so firmly in my cheek!)
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Jackie, it should work now. Please stay friends ;). There can be glitches in opening a new site.
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Cant find the darned book, but will go over to the site anyway.
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Step, I too was sure I owned a copy of THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS but can't find it. I've gotten a copy from my public library for now.
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Found it on my paperback swap, so it should be here in the next week or so.. Hooray.
I hate it when I know I had the book, but over the years, it has slipped away.
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I've been reading the David Weber War God series, and liking it very much. It is different from
the Honor Harrington series; that one was more sci/fi. This one is less sci/fi and more fantasy,
but Weber still spends a wee bit too much time giving you technical details. It you don't care for
that, you can just skim a page or two and get back to the 7 & 1/2 foot tall hero and gods that
actually do appear when they want to make a point. :)
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Babi: David Weber's War God series? I didn't know. Library, here I come. Fate has handed me three books in a row about reincarnation, each unique and very moving. A YA book about Provence and its pivotal role in the history of the Celts vs. the Romans; A story about a man who remembers bits and pieces of various lives and who meets people from those lives; finally a man who survives a terrorist bomb blast but is haunted by memories of his being an outlaw priest in a Rome which has become Christian by edict. Three exciting stories with a crisis in each one spurring the recognition of strange dreams and feelings in each one's life. In order:
1. Ysabel, by Guy Gavriel Kay: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/guy-gavriel-kay/ysabel.htm
2. My Name Is Memory, by Ann Brashares: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/ann-brashares/my-name-is-memory.htm
3. The Reincarnationist, by M J Rose: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/m-j-rose/reincarnationist.htm
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Will have to try one.. I am not overfond of the technical type writers.
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Thanks for those titles, JACKIE. They sound really interesting, esp. the outlaw
priest. "Ysabel" has been mentioned before somewhere, but my library doesn't have
it. I need to expand my search.
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Thanks for those Jackie. My TBR pile has finally toppled and I now have a second pile :)
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Good thing I make baskets. I now have two of tbr..
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The floor is the safest place for mine.
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I am always afraid on the floor, that one of the two dogs will decide they like the taste of paper. I used to have a corgi that loved to chew the corners.
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I don't have dogs, but when my 18 month grandson came to visit me for the first time last week, I had to move the piles out of reach.
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Steph and PatH :D
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Ah yes,, some small people just love to teeth on hard covers.
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Steph, he doesn't teeth, he just tears the pages out (even worse).
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Aha.. a dedicated reader that does not want anyone to read his books after him..
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He'll have to get over that, STEPH, or they'll never let him into the swap
clubs. ::)
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Babi,, you are so right. I just got a notice that somehow the post office managed to rip a book I sent off into almost two pieces.. Whew.. the amazing things the P.O. does with mail.
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That's it! My grandson can have a promising career in the Postal Service.
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:D
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Most of you are already in the prediscussion of "The Left Hand of Darkness", but for anyone who isn't, here is my movie review from there of a 1979 TV production of "The Lathe of Heaven", also by Le Guin. Marcie called it to our attention (thanks, Marcie).
"Marcie, thank you so much for calling my attention to the 1979 PBS version of "The Lathe of Heaven" I watched it tonight, and I think it's about as good as it can get translating that complicated book to film. Sure, it shows its age and the visual effects are simplistic, but they really get the spirit of the book. A lot of detail had to be left out, though. I'm not sure how it would feel or how much you wouldn't understand if you hadn't already read the book. If you have read it, the film is a wonderful illustration of it. "
Le Guin worked with them on the production, and was pleased with it.
It's my favorite of her books.
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The f2f Sci-Fi book discussion group at Politics and Prose met this last week. The book was "Little Brother" by Cory Doctorow. It's a young adult book. A San Francisco high school student and his friends, skipping school to follow the next clue in an internet treasure search, are caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Terrorists have just blown up the Bay Bridge, and they are scooped up in a Homeland Security dragnet, held and interrogated. On release, the protagonist finds that a semi-police state has taken over. He vows to fight this by means of his computer skills.
It's a good job, suspenseful, and with lots to say about personal freedom and privacy and the idiocy of collecting too much data about people to analyze properly.
It amuses me to see how I fit into this group. Most of them are totally wired, reading a lot of their stuff online. Some of them are quite young, capable of laughing about the details Doctorow got wrong about teenagers in SF in 2008. There are some older people, and a few middle-aged and even grey-haired, but I'm by far the oldest. But they treat me as an equal, and take me seriously. They're pretty thoughtful people, too, and widely read.
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You are so lucky. A ftf sci fi club. I would love that.
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Politics and Prose has added me to their mailing list for each month's events. It was daunting to see that they have 16 active f2f book clubs! Wish I lived close enough to visit once in a while. You're lucky, PatH, to have such a vital forum in your town.
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May look in on Politics and Prose.. Where is the actual store..
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It's in Washington. DC, a mile from the boundary with Maryland--5015 Connecticut Avenue, NW to be exact. It takes me about 20 min. to get there.
http://politics-prose.com/ (http://politics-prose.com/)
If you look at the events calendar, you see you could go to something almost every day. William Gibson is speaking on the 26th; I'll try to get to that one.
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If you have read The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger you will enjoy the movie. To me the script worked marvels in converting this complex story from words to pictures. Good acting, great location shots, very engrossing.
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Aha.. will have to visit the bookstore on line then. I do love a good bookstore and the independents are harder and harder to find.
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In other discussions Molly Gloss has been mentioned for her award winning fiction such as The Hearts of Horses about a young woman who tames horses during WWI. and The Jump Off Creek, again women pioneering ranching in Eastern Oregon. I really like her writing and was eager to read more but I was unprepared for The Dazzle of Day
The Dazzle of Day was named a New York Times Notable Book and was awarded the PEN Center West Fiction Prize.
In this one Gloss takes a leap into the future when the Earth is no longer livable and people are gathering into groups for their voyage among the stars to a New World, Gloss' story is of a shipload of Friends who speak Esperanto (which is easy to decipher within its context). Gloss reveals details about the minutia of their life aboard ship matter-of-factly as her narrative centers on one then another as they go about their daily tasks. Somewhat bleak, after 175 years they have seen the extinction of some of their fauna and flora, too many birth defects and epidemics. When the research vessel is sent to their world of choice, disaster strikes it is low-key (and therefore more chilling). Hard to put down. Five stars
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hmm. Did not like the Molly Gloss.. horse thing, but may try this one. I love books on closed societies..
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I've started the new book in the Honor Harrington series, "Mission of Honor". So far it's been a tour through the different star nations where various individuals or groups as discussing the
current breaking crisis. I suppose it's a convenient way to establish the background of what's
happening, but I'm ready for the action to start.
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Setting the story.. I know the feeling. I guess they need it for people who have not read the series, but it does always slow you down.
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My son told me of a new Foundation book. Stories in Honor of Isaac Asimov: Foundation's Friends edited by Martin Greenberg (who else?) All the old names with some of the new. Connie Willis with a gentle poke at The Three Laws of Robotics titled "Dilemma". Harry Harrison, Orson Scott Card, Ben Bova, Ray Bradbury and Janet Jeppson Asimov. Plus more. 21 entries on the TOC.
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Thanks very much, mrssherlock, for mentioning that book. I loved the Foundation series, the prequels and the Second Foundation series
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Iloved Foundation. Will look for the new additions.
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Well, I did get to the author event for William Gibson at Politics and Prose. It was fun; a large crowd, many standees. The book he was reading from and signing, Zero History, is the third of a trilogy. 1 and 2 (Pattern Recognition and Spook Country) are still in my TBR pile, and he read Chapter 12 from the new book, so I could have been at sea, but he made it work OK. And fans are fun to chat with.
He said he always likes to come to P & P because he gets such intelligent questions. Maybe he says that to all the girls,but the questions were good, enabling him to bring out something of his philosophy of writing as well as what he was up to in this book. I got him to sign my battered copy of Neuromancer as well as the new book.
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Wow, PatH. I am envious. When I first read William Gibson's Neuromancer, the experience for me was out of this world. I had never read anyone who wrote as he did. His metaphors are amazing, as is the detailed technology-based future that he creates.
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Gibson is an author that I struggle with. Tend to like fantasy more than the hard wire stuff.
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I was absolutely astonished when the David Weber book, "Mission of Honor", ended like a
"Perils of Pauline" cliffhanger! No conclusion to the story. A massive fleet is headed toward
the badly wounded Star Empire....and there it ends. To be continued, Heaven only knows when.
I'm going to Fantastic Fiction, hoping to see the the next book will be available very soon. I
can't believe it! >:(
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Babi, I haven't read anything by David Weber but it's interesting (frustrating?) that Mission of Honor ends that way.
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Babi: It's especially galling that Weber padded his book with so much drivel, pages of people talking round and round. He must have been paid by the word!
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This was the most aggravating Weber book I've ever read, JACKIE. When he got back to
the characters I love so much he was as good as ever, but.....
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I hope that's not a sign of what he's going to be like from now on.
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Why do authors sometimes change their styles. I adored Anne McCaffrey, but do not really care for her books cowritten with her son. Too much war.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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The books by McCaffery's son got better, captured his mother's style better, as they went on.
But I agree there was more war. I suppose it's a 'man' thing; action is more interesting than
personalities.
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Charles Stross' first caught my fancy with his Merchants series, about families who live in both our world and a parallel universe where they collect wealth from their manipulations here, Lots of fun, lots of action, some violence. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/charles-stross/family-trade.htm
His first book, The Atrocity Archives is quite a horse of a different color. Our hero is Bob Howard who belongs to an ultra-secret spy organization of the British government called The Laundry. He is an adept at managing IT (Information Technology) as well as possessing some skills at magick. An example: he is meeting a Brit who wants to come home but the US gov't won't let her go. When they go to her apartment to speak in private, a multi-tentacled being grabs her and tries to pull her through the wall. Bob whips out his handy-dandy Palm (remember those?) and zaps the monster. Told with more than a touch of farce and slapstick. Bob stumbles from one near disaster to another. I'm glad to see that Stross has more adventures of Bob Howard for me to read, many happy hours of fun.
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Now that sounds like a fun book to read. Made note.
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Indeed, that sounds like fun.
My recent sci-fi reading hasn't been much to my usual taste. The assigned book for my f2f club (meeting yesterday) was Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress". I'm not a Heinlein fan, but this was a reasonably good read. It describes the 2076 revolt of the lunar populace against the oppressive Earth, masterminded by a sentient computer, a professor, a woman agitator, and the narrator, the computer repairman who first recognized the sentience and befriended the computer. There's lots of interesting sociology, and unfortunately lots of Heinlein's political theory, Libertarianism. I'm not too clear about it, but I don't seem to agree with it.
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That pretty much expressed my reaction to Heinlein, too, PAT. I never did like him. A friend of
mine who did like him got very hot on the subject, demanding I explain to her why I didn't like him. I declined, insisting on my right to my likes and dislikes.
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I looked up a list of Heinlein's creations. While I must have read one or two of his short stories (assuming there were some), I do not recall ever reading his books. Starship Troopers I am familiar with only through the movie. I only ever watched about a half hour of it. It didn't appeal to me at all. I probably should give him some leeway as he was one of the SciFi Founding Fathers. I've heard of Stranger in a Strange Land, and was surprised to discover that it was a favorite of Charles Manson. Maybe I should take back that leeway.
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Some while back, someone mentioned Stranger in an Strange Land here, and it turned out that people were divided: some loved it, others hated it. I was one of the haters. It's pretty far out.
I lucked out in the discussion, though. It turned out that the man across from me me was a Heinlein worshiper, and I found it out in time to be tactful. Nobody pulled any punches in a very thorough analysis of the book, though.
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I liked most of Heinlein, but I was young when I read him.. Too too macho.
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I liked most of Heinlein, but I was young when I read him.. Too too macho.
I think that's the key, Steph. In that previous conversation, the people who liked Stranger had read it when they were young.
Nobody likes everything. I'm often surprised at the wide-ranging tastes here.
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Actually Heinlin was only writing what worked in that period. Science Fiction in the 50's, when I was starting out was very very science oriented and very macho.. The lone male sort of stuff.
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Joe Abercrombie is a new name and his books have some violence BUT I like his stories and characters. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/joe-abercrombie/
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He looks interesting, Jackie, which one do you recommend reading first?
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I've finally begun the third book in David Weber's 'Oath" (my term) series, "Wind Rider's Oath".
Absolutely teeming with characters, but he identifies them up front for us. Quick reference if I
get lost, and he does manage to make most of them distinctive enough to be remembered.
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An old author I loved.. James Blish. I have his Cities in Flight series and loved it. The idea of Pittsburgh flying off into the sky is such a lovely mental picture.
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Now that summons up an image, STEPH. I can think most cities would profit if certain parts of
them would simply fly off into the sky. :)
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Maybe someone really will invent Spindizzies and off we would go..
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Of course we will, STEPH. :D We've seen it again and again. Once mankind can envision
something, sooner or later he can bring it to pass. And the science fiction writers were up
front.
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The number of small things from science fiction that end up real has always interested me.. But then a good number of science lovers probably read science fiction and keep that in their minds later in life and say What If..
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Patricia Wrede has written a trilogy with Caroline Stevermer, telling a Jane Austen-like story through letters between two young women as they come-of-age in a magical England (pun intended) http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/patricia-c-wrede/sorcery-and-cecelia.htm I enjoyed this so much I'm reading other Wrede books, especially The Thirteenth Child, a girl whose twin brother, the youngest child, is the seventh son of a seventh son making him very powerful in the magic department. this is an America called Columbia with trains but still dependent on the horse for basic transport. We share intimately in the daily life of this family of 16
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A thunder storm interrupted my post. to sum up, "Child" was a fun read and looks like book #1.
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I like Patricia Wrede and will look for the child..Sounds good.
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At the end of July, several of you recommended Guy Gavriel Kay's Under Heaven to me. Starting at position 41 on my library's queue, I have just now gotten the book. It's a particularly bad time, since I'm reading 2 other books for discussions and will be traveling, but I'm looking forward to reading it.
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PatH: Hope your "bad time" has a short duration.
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Jackie, fortunately the "bad time" only refers to not having enough time for an additional book, so one way or another, I'll be fine.
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I still haven't gotten to the Kay. The current impediment was rereading Octavia Butler's "Kindred" for my f2f sci-fi discussion group tomorrow. I think we talked about it when Butler died 4 years ago, and many of you have read it. It's very powerful, certainly stands up well to rereading. A black woman writer in 1976 keeps getting shifted back to a slave-owning farm in Maryland in 1810 and following years. She soon figures out that each time she saves the life of the son of the white owner, who is her ancestor via a slave on the property.
It's a great example of using sci-fi techniques to say things that are hard to say conventionally. We not only get the searing picture of slave life at that time, we get the analysis of the modern woman, stuck there, seeing what you have to do to survive, and what it does to you as a person. We also get a lot of analysis of how people control each other, through love, hate, and power. Strong stuff--I'll be interested to see what anyone has to say tomorrow.
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Pat, I hope that you'll report on your f2f discussion. Octavia Butler is one of my favorite authors. She was so imaginative.
There is an interesting short biography of her at http://www.answers.com/topic/octavia-butler
An excerpt from an interview on site above:
"I don't write utopian science fiction because I don't believe that imperfect humans can form a perfect society," Butler confessed in Black Scholar. "Nobody is perfect," she insisted to Vibe. "One of the things I've discovered even with teachers using my books is that people tend to look for 'good guys' and 'bad guys,' which always annoys the hell out of me. I'd be bored to death writing that way. But because that's the only pattern they have, they try to fit my work into it."
Most importantly, she tried, in her later writings, including the Parable tales, to explore issues of nation building and community building without some of the fantastic ingredients she and other science fiction writers had relied upon in the past. She asserted to Vibe, "Part of what I wanted to do in the new book was to begin a new society that might actually get somewhere, even though nobody has any special abilities, no aliens intervene, and no supernatural beings intervene. The people just have to do it themselves." Sutton seconded this in LA Weekly: "In Butler's bible, the meek don't inherit the earth: they refuse both the earth and the idea of meekness."
Though much of Butler's work confronts the sort of bedrock difficulties of co-existence that many of her fellow science fiction authors tend to avoid, Butler has repeatedly emphasized that she finds the genre intensely liberating. When asked by Black Scholar what drew her to the form, she replied "The freedom of it; it's potentially the freest genre in existence." "
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Iliked her writing, but oh my, she is so dark in outlook.
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That's why I never cared for Butler's writing,...the darkness. While I understand her viewpoint
about nobody being perfect, that's not why I read sci/fi. As I've said before, with 'darkness' so
often apparently winning in real life, I really need to escape to a battle where the good side is
winning.
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Good Morning everyone!
I've just started Martian Chronicles.
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Frybabe, I think that Ray Bradbury was the first science fiction writer who I read and he hooked me for life.
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I remember reading bits of "The Martian Chronicles" when they first appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, at an age too young to appreciate them. But sci-fi was always hanging around, since my father was a fan, subscribed to the good magazines--Astounding (later Analog), Fantasy and Science Fiction, Galaxy, etc, plus bought some books. So I'm not sure what hooked me--it was just hanging in the air. It didn't work with JoanK, though, she still mostly doesn't like sci-fi.
Frybabe, I wait eagerly to learn what you think of the Bradbury. I did reread it, with pleasure, as an adult, but it's been so long ago that I don't know what I'd think of it now.
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Ray Bradbury is one of my favorites. In fact, if I had to rank them, I would probably put him at the top. His is the first name that pops into my head when anyone mentions SciFi. My favorite Bradbury is Fahrenheit 451 - and, of course, it is about books ;D
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The first name that pops into my head is Isaac Asimov. That man was astonishing! It's
incredible how much he was able to accomplish, and not just in writing sci/fi.
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Babi, yes, Asimov was a genius. From a wikipedia article: "His works have been published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal System (The sole exception being the 100s: philosophy and psychology, although he did write a foreword for The Humanist way, which is published in the 100s)."
It's difficult to pick one favorite. Many science fiction writers I enjoy write very differently. I thought that Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 was based on such an imaginative idea. As well, I thought that Asimov's three Laws of Robotics and all of their implications were fascinating.
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I loved the Three rules of robotics.
but my favorite writer of this genre.. Marion Zimmer Bradley. I loved Darkover.. Wished I lived there.
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I never got around to reporting on my last f2f sci-fi discussion group meeting, discussing "Kindred". (Modern black woman writer Dana keeps getting pulled back through time to rescue her ancestor Rufus, white slave owner in the early 1800s, from death, so the next generation can be conceived.) Many of you have read it, but some interesting points were made. People who had already read some first hand accounts of freed slaves said that this did a much better job of telling them what being a slave was really like, because it shows slavery through the eyes of a modern woman, with her reactions and expectations, so the contrast is glaring. Also, the freed slaves were writing with the literary and moral conventions of the time--stilted language, being apologetic about being raped, etc, which made it seem less real.
The conversation also brought out something that I now see is a recurring theme in Butler's books--the ways that men and women exercise power over each other. Rufus does a sort of gaming with his slaves, and once he really takes in what is going on with Dana's mysterious appearances, he does it with her too, as she does with him. they both need each other, and use the need to get what they want. I realize that Butler's "Wild Seed", which I read a long time ago, had this theme too. It seems to me that mostly Butler's women get the worse deal, though Dana comes out ahead in the end.
Many were horrified at the compromises slaves had to make to survive, and some couldn't finish the book. Most of them are pretty tough, too.
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"Kindred" was the last book on the list, so there was some hurried voting for the next 4 titles. Next time: "Altered Carbon", by Richard Morgan (never heard of either, but it looks worth trying).
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/richard-morgan/altered-carbon.htm (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/richard-morgan/altered-carbon.htm)
During the discussion for titles, someone said: "name some hard science fiction". Dunno if they meant science-based or difficult, but it was taken as difficult, and one answer given was "Left Hand of Darkness", which we have recently managed to analyze very well.
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Pat, I agree that power over others, and specifically the power men and women exercise, is one of the recurring themes in Butler's books, as well as how people organize themselves to meet their needs and fulfill their hopes. It sounds like you had a very productive discussion with your f2f group. Thanks for the report.
The book, "Altered Carbon," has an interesting premise. Please let us know what you think of it.
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I just started Meredith Lackey's "Sleeping Beauty" and am thoroughly enjoying it. Definitely a
fantasy, with a fairy tale setting but with ingenious twists. It would take someone with Lackey's
skills to bring it off, but she does it handily.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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I wont be able to see it, but today is Harry day.. I can hardly wait until I have some time to go to see it.
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That's great, Steph. I'm looking forward to seeing the new Harry Potter also. The three stars sure have grown up! http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/chronstyle/detail?entry_id=77224
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Babi, do you mean Mercedes Lackey. If so, I love her books and recently ordered 2 of her older ones that I missed. Our library doesn't have them and I was able to order them used from Amazon. They are now on my rapidly growing tbr pile!
Sally
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My older son and wife are here for the weekend. We did confirm that the weekend of the 10th, they will come up on Friday. We all have December birthdays and I am treating them and myself to the Harry Potter at Universal show.. We can hardly wait.
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Of course, SALLY, it was Mercedes Lackey. A mental slip of the tongue. :-X
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Rummaged in my tbr pile.. Came up with Lords and Ladies by Pratchett. Need a laugh and he generally does the job for me and this one has the witches.. Oh be still my heart.
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Steph, I have that one, haven't read it yet. Tell mewhat it's like when you're done. At the moment, I'm working through a 500 page hard-boiled sci-fi detective story for my f2f.
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I was putting some older books away and ran on "Young Miles", by Lois McMster Bujold.. Definitely a space opera and I am deep into that instead of th Pratchett. Miles is quite the fun type of hero Short crippled rich and protected..What a man.. Funny.
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I love Bujold!! How did I miss that one? Thanks so much, STEPH. I'm going hunting for it now!
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I am having so much fun with the Bujold.. They are now in the middle of taking over the whole planet etc with possibly 12 people involved.. The writing is pure space opera and so much fun.
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You're so right, STEPH. 'Space opera' and all, the entire Miles Verkosigan
series is simply great.
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Now on another part of the book. In this MIles has just graduated and will soon be off to a disapointing first assignment. Bet this one proceeds rapidly to more mayhem.
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I have a feeling that this month's f2f book club selection isn't going on anyone's TBR list--it certainly wouldn't have been on mine. It's Altered Carbon, by Richard K. Morgan. It's essentially a tough guy private eye detective/adventure story, but set in a future where people's consciousness has been digitized, and you can transfer yourself from one body to another. (That's the fast way to travel from one star system to another--instantaneous transmission of the data set, which is then "resleeved" into a body.) This could lead to some interesting speculation about what makes a person, etc, and this is touched on a little, including a scene in which the protagonist has been illegally duplicated and is talking with himself about how they will decide which one survives when they have to recombine.
However, the book is mostly very angry, brutal, and violent, and also has some sex scenes described in exhaustive detail. The plot is complex enough and the cast large enough that you have to work hard to keep things straight. It's well written, though, and fortunately the puzzle was good enough to keep me going to finish it.
We had a good discussion, though, analyzing the situation and the implications of Morgan's universe. I'm told that the two sequels are even more violent, so I'll give them a miss.
Next month we get an anthology of short pieces of speculative fiction by Black writers that looks interesting, and then Connie Willis' Blackout, so the future looks good.
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I found lots of further adventures of Miles in Amazon in the used category and sent for four of them.. I intend to track down all of MIles adventures. Such fun.
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Thanks for the alert, PAT. That sounds like a book I defintely want to avoid.
I envy you, STEPH, with that whole series awaiting you! I'd love to
find a treasure like that. As it is, I definitely plan on stocking up on
several authors I enjoy before the Christmas holiday. I wouldn't want
to run out while the library is closed!
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Sounds like something I wouldn't like either. I stopped watching Stargate Universe after about five episodes. They did something similar by having people switch bodies using some kind of "communication stone". How would you like some stranger come up to you and say, "Gee, hun, it's me wrapped up in a different package. Let's hope in bed. I've only borrowed this guy's body for a little while. Then he gets it back until the next time I visit." Yuck!
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Yuck is right. This problem is a factor in the book. Another problem is treated rather poignantly in a flashback. The protagonist's father, a rather unsavory type, is being released from prison. Prison here consists of being stored bodiless for the duration of your sentence. You aren't resleeved in the same body unless someone can pay for storage. So the family is waiting for the father to come out, and he, knowing that no one will recognize him, just walks by them and disappears, and they never see him again.
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When preparing to travel by plane from Australia to Europe, Richard K. Morgan's notion of "instantaneous transmission", preferably remaining in your own sleeve, would be an absolute winner for tourists. In our case, when travelling in smelly 747s to distant destinations, the adage "It is not the destination that is important, but the trip" is in the reverse. Sorry - probably incorrect paraphrase.
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Oh yes, I want so much to go to Australia and New Zealand and simply cannot face the long long plane trip.
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STEPH, just think about what such a trip was like when the only means
of transportation was by ship and train. :(
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My paternal grandparents arrived in Sydney by boat. My father was just four but remembered going through the Suez Canal. The family came out on what they called "Assisted Passage" from England. I think the scheme was called 20 pound Poms or something like that and they only had to pay 20 pounds for the trip.
My maternal grandparents arrived from Italy or Austria (not sure of origin)on a boat too. My grandfather and his brother were offered work on a very large, and now famous, farm called "Camden Park". Convicts has previously been the main source of labour on the farm, but most of them were now "free men and women".
I think the folks who had the toughest time on the boats were the convicts. Conditions were apalling and the mortality rate high. Those who survived helped build Australia into what it is today.
If you have time do a search for Camden Park, New South Wales. It is an interesting story.
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I started a new Miles. In this one he and cousin Ivan are delegates on a funeral detail to Cartegena( spelling is off, book is downstairs). I can see that Ivan is going to be the henchman in this one. Such a foil,, tall, dark , handsome and loves the ladies. Poor Miles.
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You'll see Ivan from time to time through the series, STEPH,...esp. when
Miles is at home. Mile's parents are truly remarkable, too. Have you met
them yet?
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Y es, I am looking for the earliest of the books that are about his parents. Just now he is involved with a woman who appears as a bubble in public. How wild.
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Well, not as a bubble, but in a bubble. Or am I not remembering that
correctly? I do recall she couldn't get around without it.
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Yes, a certain class of women in the book never appear in public. They use the bubble to go out. Miles is in love, but she sounds like a jerk to me.
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It was a good Christmas for Science Fiction; my children gave me two books and a movie. I'm half way through one of the books--Vernor Vinge's "The Peace War". It's a well-done example of a common plot--the future where rulers have suppressed technology to control everyone, and the underground scientific revolt.
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Miles and I are still keeping company. I have been reading all over the place with him, rather than in sequence. But oh my, he is a fun guy.
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I stayed up until midnight last night finishing the third book of Fiona McIntosh's trilogy, "TheQuickening". Could not put it down until I knew all
that happened. The basic premise of this magical 'gift' of 'quickening' is
hard to swallow and leads to many unhappy deaths, but the story and
the characters do hold your attention.
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It's funny how some magical devices work in a story and some, no less likely, don't.
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Most of the books I received for Christmas are mysteries and thrillers, but I also got Terry Pratchett's I Shall Wear Midnight and Charles de Lint's new YA fantasy, The Painted Boy. Plus Dean Koontz's latest, What the Night Knows, which seems to be a supernatural thriller. And I guess Susan Wittig Albert's Beatrix Potter mystery The Tale of Briar Bank qualifies as fantasy too, as it has talking animals in it.
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joegreyfan, although I'm a Pratchett fan, I don't know that one. Let us know what it's like when you read it.
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Ilove Pratchett and dont know that one. Since he had announced his Alzeimers, was not sure there would be any more books.
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I'm nearing the end of Terry Pratchett's I Shall Wear Midnight, and it's very good indeed. It's the fourth and final book in his YA Tiffany Aching series, about a young witch. Yes, he is still writing, and his recent books are as good as ever. He has a kind of early-onset Alzheimer's that is unusual in that it doesn't affect the intellect until late in its progress. He has trouble with coordination and things like remembering where the letters on a keyboard are, and now does his writing by dictating to a computer that's programmed to recognize the special Discworld words, names, etc.
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It must take a special kind of fortitude to go on with that hanging over your head. I'm glad he's still as good as ever.
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Rooted around and boom.. found a Terry Pratchett in my tbr pile..Called Lords and Ladies and has my favorite witches..Hooray. Glad to hear that he is still up to par.
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I, too, love Terry Pratchett. I do hope my library has "I Shall Wear Midnight". Actually, since it is part of a series, I'd want to read them all.
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Finished off Lords and Ladies. What fun.. Must look for the new book though.
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I have Lords and Ladies in my unread pile. Looks like I should try it.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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L ords and Ladies gives you a new slant on elves and fairies.. Made me laugh so hard at times.
I am now back to Miles..He is in a prisoner of war camp just now. No idea why yet.
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It's definitely best to read Terry Pratchett's four-book Tiffany Aching series in order, starting with The Wee Free Men.
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I have read Wee Free Men.. One of the bellylaugh ones.. Pratchett has such a wild view of normal items.
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There's a series of stories, the haunted ballad mysteries, about a charming duo; he's a British folk musician and she's head of Tamburlaine Players repertory troupe. The author uses a folk song as theme for each book as the pair and their rellow performers struggle with hauntings.
I've read two and can't wait to get #3 from the library. The Weaver and the Factory Maid takes us back to the days when factory mills were replacing hand weavers. The title characters fall in love but tragedy strikes, think Romeo and Juliet.
The torment of the two lovers infests the cottage trouabador and architectual restorer Ringlan accepts in part payment from his latest the owner of his latest restoration project. When he arrives at his new home he is subject to the desperate agonies of the lovers. Penny, his significant other, feels the turmoil as well whe3n she visits. To bring release to the tormented souls they must discover the true story of the lovers and invent an appropriate ceremony for their relief. The dialogue is witty and intelligent, the characters are crisply drawn and the story is compelling. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/deborah-grabien/weaver-and-factory-maid.htm *****
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Sounds interesting. Will put it on my list, but am staggering through Miles and his adventures.
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JACKIE!!! You're back!!! We've missed you! Where have you been?
Oh, never mind that...just WELCOME! I'll check out Grabien. The
name is new to me. If she's very new, my library may not have her
yet.
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Jackie aka Mrs Sherlock - I join with Babi's joy at seeing you back. You have been gone too long and we have missed you so much.
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Jackie, it's great to see you back! Thanks for the good information about the Haunted Ballad Mystery series.
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It's good to have you back, Jackie. I never heard of that series. It sounds good.
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Jackie,, I realize now that you are back.. Sorry you went away and am glad to see you back. You always have such interesting selections.
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I'm interested, too, but my library has no listings under the name Grabien. I'll see what I can find at the paperback swap site.
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Thanks for the hearty welcomes. There have been some health issues, minor but the first soul-deep touch of the awareness of my mortality. I have developed disequilibrium, that is, my sense of balance is faulty. So I lurch from place to place, holding on to walls and chairs, thinking it was a temporary aberration Wrong!. If you start falling, falling often, have your MD check it out. There are so many common daily actions which require balance. If you drop something, forget it. Aggravating in the extreme. Without books I don't know how I would have fared. I now use a cane, the one with four feet. and I'm getting a walker. Now I'll catch up on past posts. Stay tuned.
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I'm so sorry for the balance problems, Jackie. More than a nuisance! I'm glad you can still read and that you're back with us.
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Iwent through a short siege when young of no balance and it is no fun.. Hope you can overcome to some extent.. I believe that we on SeniorLearn and before that Seniornet are brave and strong humans who overcome many obstacles.
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I can empathize with the poor balance, JACKIE. Mine varies, but there
have been many times I would have fallen at home if there were not
always something nearby to grab. I have a cane to use when I'm
feeling tottery, but I probably don't use it as often as good sense would
dictate. Kind of stubborn that way; I think I got it from my Dad. ;)
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Any way Jackie, I am so glad to see your postings. You always read a lot of the same thing that I do and so I love it when you find a new author since I always feel I should try them as well.
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I am reading Douglas Preston's "Impact". It was slow at the start, as
we followed three different lines of development, but once they merged
things really began to move. It's wholly improbable, but good sci/fi/
action.
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Babi, I enjoyed IMPACT. I like the character of Wyman Ford.
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I always think of Preston and his partner as Horror..
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Preston and Childs together do turn out some horrific 'science' fantasy.
"Impact", though, is closer to the action genre. Abbey Straw is simply
incredible. She is a character that you really expect to see again...and
again. As is Wyman Ford, for that matter.
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This last book with Miles, he found he had a clone. The rules governing them sound interesting.. Miles seems to feel responsibility to the clone. No idea why..But I know we will run into the clone again.
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PatH is computerless. She has been snowed in for the last couple of days, which delayed her planned purchase of a Mac. Hopefully, she'll be back next week.
great to see you back, Jackie. I think you'll like the walker when you get it. I know how much more secure I felt when I got mine.
At Pat's suggestion,I'm reading "To Say Nothing of the Dog" by Connie Willis, and loving it. First I read the Victorian novel it's based on, "Three Men in a Boat" (available for pennies on kindle).
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I loved To say Nothing of the Dog, but could not read The Doomsday Book by Connie. Just too hard and violent at this point in my life.
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Last week I read a new YA fantasy by Cornelia Funke titled Reckless. It's a twisty, hard-to-stop-reading story in which Jacob, Will and Clara, all in their early 20s, go through a mirror and find themselves in Mirrorworld, a perilous land of fairy tales, with emphasis on the darker side. The translation is so good that I'd never have guessed it was originally written in German. There are some loose ends at the conclusion, and I understand that there will be sequels (yay!).
Jackie, welcome back! I've really missed your posts.
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My current read is Blackout by Connie Willis, this month's selection for my f2f sci-fi book club. It's been on my TBR list for a while, but I'm glad I didn't read it too soon, because it's the first half of the story, second half being All Clear, which is now out. We are left with the time traveling historians stuck in London during the WWII blitz, with no understanding of why they can't get back. It's like The Perils of Pauline, leaving her stuck at the bottom of the well. It's a good job, well worth reading.
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I will have t o put her back on my tbr list. I loved To say Nothing of the Dog, but the Domesday book was too violent for me.
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If you want Willis in her cheerful mood, try Bellwether. Anyone who has ever worked in a toxic office finds it pretty funny.
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I'm currently reading, avidly, "The Lions of Al-Rasoon". I'm thoroughly
enjoying it, but I'm puzzled as to why it's classified sci/fi. There's no
'science' to it and no 'fantasy', either. It's fiction, of course, but nothing
'fantastic' about it. Unless you consider a son with some psychic
ability to qualify.
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I think that sometimes when editors are not quite sure about a book, they put it in fantasy.
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And sometimes it's the librarians who make that choice, perhaps not
having actually read the book. A 'blurb' can be misleading.
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A 'blurb' can be misleading.
Yes, Babi, and sometimes a terrific book can be marginalized by being misclassified. (Grumble)
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Last night's f2f discussion of Blackout was quite vigorous. Unfortunately, a small contingent who had read the second, concluding, book couldn't grasp the idea of "no spoilers" and eventually started talking about it. I was saved by the person next to me, who pointed out that if we talked to each other, we wouldn't hear the others, so we had a good conversation about "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency", and the only spoiler I heard was one you could guess from already read clues. We won't discuss the second book, but I put it on reserve at the library.
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Oh, dear, PAT. I hope that part of your group doesn't make a habit of
spoiling books for others. That would really put me off...IF I
was a 'joiner' to begin with and could still hear. ;D
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Babi, they're not usually going to have the chance to spoil things, since we mostly read complete books. I'm not a joiner either, and was timid about starting in this group, but they are totally friendly and accepting, varied enough that even us oddballs don't stand out and I'm quite comfortable with them, even though I'm the oldest by 1-2 decades. Hearing is starting to be a problem, but isn't too unworkable yet.
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I'm glad you're enjoying your group, PAT, and I do hope your hearing
will stay with you for a good while yet.
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Found a series by Mercy Lackey, that I love. Elemental Masters. I read the fourth one just now and have been trying to pick up the first three.. Excellent division of magic, psychic, masters,,, Interesting, but then she writes very well indeed.
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Is this an old series, STEPH? I don't even know for sure if Lackey is still writing. Or still alive,
for that matter. It seems to me I started reading her books a very long time ago.
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Hmm. you are right about Mercy, but I honestly dont know. I think that some of the books are quite new. Science fiction and fantasy writers tend to write for a long long time.
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According to the Fantastic Fiction website, Mercedes Lackey (born 1950, a mere youth) is alive and well, and book 7 of Elemental Masters, Unnatural Issue, is due to come out in June. Good. We need all the good writers we can get.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Since I like Mercys writing, I am glad to hear she is going strong. She also does some cowritting with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough.
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My goodness! I had no idea when I first started reading Lackey that
she was so much younger than I was. Good to hear she's alive and
lively! Thanks, PAT.
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I found several of the elemental series on my swap club, so am waiting for them..Also ordered some Gamache books since I loved the first one, but Amazon is very very slow in sending them..No idea why.
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I bought my very first Kindle e-book the other day. It is the second in the StarDoc series by S. L. Viehl called, Beyond Varallan. What a difficult book to get a hold of - all the online book stores that I checked either didn't list it or had (and still have) it marked Backorder. I ordered the paperback copy at the end of December, but decided not to wait any longer. I wanted to read it before reading the rest of the series. Anyhow, I am enjoying this one even more than the first.
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Enjoy your kindle! I'm finding books I never would have gotten otherwise.
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Me Too on my IPAD.. 3.99 for so many and .99 and even free.. I just keep putting them on, but I did one one, that said mystery, but it is a badly written romance type. ugh.. will just leave that one alone.. Dont think you can delete.
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Can't delete? I don't think I'd care for that, especially with a book I
didn't like.
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Picked up an old Alan Dean Foster..Glory Road. I thought I had read all of his, but must have missed this one. We are off on a road trek, which I have always enjoyed..
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I remember reading a book titled "Glory Road", but it wasnt by Foster.
Wasn't the Heinlein book, either. The one I read was by a woman
author whose name I can't remember just now, and was about the
pioneering journey to California, as I recall, and the life there.
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Obviously a good title, since everyone uses it. Don't think I've read any of them.
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Well, I am now starting my fourth StarDoc book. The heroine is infuriating! She is strong-willed, stubborn, and driven. She doesn't listen very well, and smarts off before giving anyone a chance to explain or inform her. Her mouth and her too quick emotional reactions get her and everyone around her in big trouble, but they get them out again - those that survive, that is. The action is over the top sometimes, and some of the alien characters seem a bit implausible. Never-the-less, I find the books hard to put down. A trained surgeon, she grew up believing she was the daughter of a renown scientist only to discover she was his prime experiment, a genetically enhanced clone and is considered property, not human. She escapes and must constantly be moving to keep from being captured. Her Creator (aka Dad) has a bounty on her for her return.
The author, S.L. Viehl, is ex-Air Force with a medical background.
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I love Space Opera types and will look her up.
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Fybabe - I confess that I am completely ignorant of what "StarDoc" means. ??? From what you have outlined it sounds like my kind of book. I am now going to look up S.L. Viehl.
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Roshanarose, here's the link, if you haven's already gone there.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/v/s-l-viehl/ (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/v/s-l-viehl/)
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Thanks a lot Pat. A virtual feast :)
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Hmm, well, I can see, FRYBABE, where learning one was Daddy's cloned
property instead of his darling daughter might make one touchy. Do
you think she shows any signs of adjusting as time goes by?
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I am near the end of Shockball (book 4) now Babi, and no, not yet. The dastardly Dr. Daddy's twisted reasoning comes out in this book. The title refers to a rather brutal sports arena game. For those of us reading Empire of the Summer Moon, the author features Navajo Indians.
By the way, if you really want to read this series, it is best to read in sequence as the story is progressive. Also, Beyond Varallan (book 2) is very difficult to get new unless you do e-books. Used books are up on the net for sale, but with the postage as well as book price, I ended up getting it via my Kindle. I am unhappy with the shoddy proofreading done for these books; there are a lot more typo errors than I am used to seeing. I really felt like going in and re-editing my kindle book. So far Shockball is the worst in that department.
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I found the first one in the series.. Space Doc and have sent for it.. My swap club had it.
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The shoddy proofreading in paperbacks has annoyed me for some time, FRYBABE. The more you tell me about this space doc series, the more I'm inclined to give it a pass.
I'm currently reading a Charles deLint book that is beautifully
written, but is taking far too long to get anywhere. We seem to be
covering the same basic points over and over again. I've had enough
and am skipping to the point where things finally begin to come to
the point and resolution is in sight. I'm getting too old to waste
my reading time. :-\
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Yes, Babi, it is beyond me why I like reading the series what with all the inconsistencies, logic gaps, dangling threads, etc. It must be a fascination with "what is this brilliant idiot going to get herself into next". It is hard to believe that the author managed to write ten series books so far.
A program that was recommended to me a few years back, but I never say, is FireFly. I see the Science Channel is beginning the series shortly. I am not sure what channel showed it before. So now the Science Channel is running SciFi? Oh, and did anyone notice the programming changes on the Green Channel?
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YES, Frybabe. Watch Firefly if you possibly can. It's very good. The story continues with the movie Serenity, which came out about 2003. Unlike some TV productions, it has the feel and assumptions of sci-fi right. And the characters are people you care about, and the stories are good. They string together in an overall story, but stand alone too.
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We had a fair amount of sci fi books in the book sale, but mostly the vampire stuff and for some reason Robert Jordan. No Anne McCaffrey, no Lois Bujold,or MarionZimmer Bradley or Terry Pratchett or Robert Asprin.. Science fiction readers never seem to donate their books. Even on my swap club, they are hard to find
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Science Channel? Got it. Thank goodness for recordings.
(Do you ever stop in the midst of all this fast growing technology
and remember "Brave New World"?)
I got three A.J. Salvatore pb's from the swap club, STEPH, but so
far I'm not too happy. The first book seems far too glib and shallow.
But maybe that's just to get things started. I'll see how the second
book holds up to decide whether to continue.
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The only Salvatore that I liked was " Tea with the Black Dragon" It was fun.
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I am still ambivalent about this Salvatore trilogy. I do intend to proceed to book two before deciding. What bothered me most was the
main character's idea that he should promote the idea of peace over
war by allowing the bad guy to beat hell out of him without fighting back. If someone else hadn't killed the villain, Salvatore's hero would
have been dead. Not exactly an encouraging example.
This, however, was background. I believe the next book is going to feature the protagonist's daughter.
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Hello,Everyone,
Just found this section. I love science fiction and fantasy books. Terry Pratchett is my all-time favourite author with his Disc world series though my favourite book is "Good Omens", co-written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Anyone else read it? If not, do try and get hold of a copy. You won't regret it. (famous last words!)
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Welcome, Maryemm! This is a good place for you. Most of us are Pratchett enthusiasts here. "Good Omens" is on my TBR list--I can't imagine regretting anything he had a hand in. Tell us what else you like, and we'll try to think of likely authors. I've learned a lot from everyone here, and found new authors to like.
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I love Pratchett and yes, I did read Good Omens, but my favorites are always the witches. Such a wonderful skewed look at witches. Great fun..
I also just now am in love with Miles in the Lois Bujold McMasters series..Sort of a space opera, but quite a different type of hero.
Just found Mercedes Lackey,, Elemental Magic series and am enjoying that as well.
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Lackey is always good. I'm hoping my library will have that "Elemental
Magic" series. All too often they will have only part of a series, leaving
an unbridgeable gap. I have complained about that....one of my rare
complaints with our library.
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I got the first three from the swap club..I bought the fourth one ( and the first I read) when sorting books for the book sale. Finished Glory Road last night.. A sort of road trip type sci fi,, funny mostly, but shallow
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I always enjoyed the David Edding Trilogy, the Belgariad.
There seem to be LOTS of authors new to me mentioned in this section. Will have to print off a list and visit the local Library.
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I picked up a Lynn Abbey at the book sale. The authors little note, says she lives in Leesburgh,Fl.. That is 20 minutes from my house.. Hmm.. I do like her. I wonder if she ever does readings..
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Not every one who writes..prose or poetry...can read it aloud and do
a good job of it. I was once very disappointed to hear a favored poet
reading one of my favorite poems and really, to my mind at least,
making a hash of it. :-\
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I'm enjoying the audiobook of Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games trilogy--Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. It's marketed as a young adult fiction because the heroine is a young girl, but it's a pretty decent dystopian series.
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I am more into "realistic" science fiction, but I must admit my favorite all time trilogy is C. S. Lewis's Space Trilogy. Since he was a theologian, he has included a great deal of Christain imagery in the books, but they are still magical without probing the underlying religious themes. It is sort of an adult version of the Narnia Chronicles.
I am also an avid fan of both Clarke and Asimov. Has anyone read anything by Jillian May?
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Never heard of Jillian May.
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I loved C.S Lew is trilogy.. Magical. I read it first as a young adult and had no idea he was into religion. It was simply a good story..Reread, I saw it all, but first,it was just a wonderful place to be.
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I find a number of the YA sci/fi books are quite well written,
ROXANIA. A number of sci/fi writers write for that age group,
including the fabulous Pratchett.
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And Orson Scott Card--though "Ender's Game" was, I think, originally published as SF and then as YA. I suspect Collins did write the "Hunger Games" trilogy as YA--it has the feel of something deliberately pitched to the young-- whereas Card and J. K. Rowling wrote their stories as they thought of them, and the publishers decided how to market them later.
I used to read a fair amount of science fiction and fantasy, but I fell off the wagon in the 1980's or so. I'm getting back into it because I like things with plots.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Welcome to our newcomers, Maryemm, yvonne miller, and Roxania. (Roxania and I are currently sailing around the Mediterranean together in Odyssey.)
If any of you don't know about the Fantastic Fiction website, it's a superb resource--15000 sci-fi and mystery writers listed, with brief bio, all their books listed in order, often arranged by series, and a brief description of each book.
One of the good things about our sci-fi site is finding new authors that other people know about, but a problem when you first come here is that we've already talked ourselves out about some of our favorites, so you won't see anything about them unless you go way back. I'll try to think of my favorites. Hey, everyone, what are yours?
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Yvonne, I, too am a Clarke and Asimov fan, have read a large fraction of their considerable output. I once saw Asimov at a sci-fi convention (sometime in the 50s, I think). He had just won an award and was being rather pompous about it, but I suspect that wasn't typical. Jillian May--is this (Julian) who you mean?
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/julian-may/ (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/julian-may/)
I'm a little surprised I hadn't heard of her, since she's been around a while--looks promising.
Roxanne, I have an interesting reaction to Orson Scott Card. When I'm reading one of his books I keep objecting to myself "yes, but...." but I'll still read the book straight through nonstop, can't put it down.
Maryemm, David Edding is one of those authors I keep not getting around to reading. Usually, when I finally do get to it, I kick myself for not having dived in sooner.
Steph and yvonne, I had the same feeling that C. S. Lewis really knew how to tell a story magically. When my children read the Narnia series, they completely didn't notice the religious side, so obvious to an adult.
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I love Space Opera..You can tell my age, since that was enormously popular in the 50's. Read all of the Gray Lensman series.. Possibly author was Doc Smith??? I loved them.. Strictly written like an old fashioned western in space.. Fun.
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PatH: Thank you for the kind welcome.
I really enjoyed the Belgariad series. (David Eddings).
Asimov was quite the ladies' man, so I was told! He could certainly write though.
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Asimov.. My older son got to attend a lecture by him at college and loved him.. He was a math freak and so is my son.. He makes his living as an engineer, but numbers and math have always fascinated him.
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I just picked up from the library a new Anne McCaffrey/Elizabeth Scarborough book, "Catacombs". McCaffrey and cats! How could I resist? It may be a bit hard to swallow
the notion of cats in charge, with human slaves, but really it's just an extension of things as
they are. ;D
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There are two favorite lines I like about cats:
Cats were once treated like Gods. They have never forgotten this.
Dogs have masters, cats have staff.
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Tee, hee, Frybabe :)
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I found a really new book at the book sale by McCaffrey and Scarborough and I think that is the name.Will dig around in my TBR file.
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So far, I'm finding the new book (Catacombs) more in the Scarborough style than the McCaffrey. A bit silly, but a fun relief from heavier stuff.
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Scarborough is younger than McCaffrey. It could be that she thought up the world. I think they have collaborated before.
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They have collaborated before. I was thinking Scarborough wrote some 'cat' books, but I had
her confused with some other author.
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I f my life will just calm down, I can look up the book.. I cant seem to quite catch up nowadays..Daylight Saving makes me confused for about a week..
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I take the days as they come, STEPH. It takes me a couple of days to get used to getting up
at what is actually an hour earlier, but that's the only difference it makes for me.
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Tomorrow I have to catch a 4 AM airport van to to fly to the west coast, 3hour change. That should make me forget daylight savings.
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The nicest part of flying to the west coast is the flying back east.. Much easier than the back stuff.
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Amazing, isn't it, how the same trip can take three hours going one way and only two hours
going back. ;)
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I have stopped on the cat story. It is simply not holding my interest and I did finally find the copy of The Help, that I picked up at the book sale..
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I finished the 'cat' book, but do not plan to read any of the other 'barque cat' books. I just
think there are better books waiting to be read.
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I think I will let it rest until I am in the mood for very very light stuff.
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Aha I see there are cat lovers amongst us! We have two black and white moggies. I always wanted a Maine coone but ours have more than made up for it as they are BIG! In a brotherly (!) fight last year one of them pulled me over/ I crashed my face against the corner of a picnic table and I not only had to attend hospital I acquired a real shiner and straightened my previously-bent nose. As the cats pointed out later they saved me a lot of money with DIY cosmetic surgery.
I have nothing to read. I've looked through seven bookcases and can't find anything I haven't read dozens of times. So it will be a Kindle search after this.
(Does time travel/re-incarnation count in this section?
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Maryemm : Ah. I love Maine Coon cats, do you take yours for walks? The closest cat I have had of that size was an Abby X. He had this big body and the small head of an Abby. We jokingly called him Godzilla, but his real name was Fengari. Modern Greek for Moon.
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(Does time travel/re-incarnation count in this section?
Certainly. And anything even remotely connected with sci-fi or fantasy is fair game, and sometimes we get pretty far afield.
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I l iked Robert Heinlins cats.. He had a gift for making them believable and fun.
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Love cats. Didn't care at all for Robert Heinlein. We have two cats now that are polar opposites, but they do get along just fine.
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I have always had both dogs and cats, but when we started rving, when those cats went to the bridge, I did not get others. Cats are not good travelers in an rv. Now with no RV, I may consider a kitten. Just not yet.
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Lots of sci-fi writers see the importance of cats. They are often major characters in Judith Merrill's books. All of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden series have cats in them, sometimes as background, but often playing an important role in the plot.
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Never thought of it, but yes cats are in so many science fiction books.
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Hmm, yes, I think cats probably would be able to adapt well to space travel. Nimble, quick
to react, cautious. Surivors!
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Miaow to that ! See "Red Dwarf" for the ultimate Cat in Space.
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I'll take a look at it, ROSE. Thanks.
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Iam still working on Miles. Finally decided to try the one about his courtship of Ekatarina.. Starts well.
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Years ago I read, and loved,"Thomasina" and "Jennie" by Paul Gallico. Must get hold of copies again.
Re-incarnation: "Green Darkness" by Anya Seton.
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Did Gallico write science fiction??
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I don't think so, STEPH. Unless you would consider "The Poseidon Adventure" sci/fi. That seems to me a bit of a departure from his usual style, but still not sci/fi. I like many of his books,
but they were all on the light side, to me.
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I never like Gallico, but thought maybe I had missed some sci fi or fantasy that he wrote.
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I finally came to the top of the library reserve list for "All Clear", the concluding half of Connie Willis' "Blackout", which my f2f sci-fi book group read in February. The books shouldn't have been split; Blackout ends in the middle of the action, not even really at a stopping point. It was a publisher's decision. The two together are over 1200 pages.
The time-traveling historians are traveling back to WWII, but they are having trouble, because the drops aren't operating properly, and they don't seem to be able to get back. Several of them are stuck in London during the Blitz, and we get a good picture of life then. Complaints: there are far too many scenes in which people are rushing around trying to find each other, too many times when the characters are hiding some bit of information from someone because it will upset them, even though the person involved needs to know whatever it is, and the suspense-building trick of cutting back and forth from one set of events to another is overused to the point of confusion, especially since we are not only moving in space, but also seeing the same characters at different points of time.
It's still a good read, though. WWII conditions are memorably described, we care about the characters, present and past, and the explanation for the problem with the drops is convincing and important.
So I recommend the two books, but you will have to work at them a bit.
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Did Gallico write science fiction??
Steph
Apologies, Steph and Babi, I got side-tracked by the cats. ::)
I always loved the John Wyndham books and short stories. Here are some of them:
The Day of the Triffids,
The Kraken Wakes,
The Chrysalids,
The Midwich Cuckoos
The Seeds of Time.
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I think I need to go back and reread some of the older authors like Wyndham, see what I think of them now.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Wyndam.. Hmm. I know I read some of the books, but actually cannot remember the plots.
On the other hand, I am still tracking Miles. In this book, he is courting.. Very fun..
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Just started, happily, Marilyn Zimmer Bradley's 'prequel', "The Forest House". Of course,
she has me snared right from page one!
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I am in the middle of yet another of the S.L. Viehl Stardoc series. I don't see as many of the problems I pointed out earlier regarding holes in the plot, logic gaps and proofing errors. Either her writing improved, or she finally got a got a good editor. I now have all the books in the series but one. Rebel Ice, like some of the other early ones, is very hard to find. Oddly, most of the books are on kindle, except for this one. It is also the one that previous readers don't much like. Apparently the author switched from first person narrative. The premise of the Rebel Ice story is that she lost her memory. In that context, I can see how the author may have wanted someone else narrate. It was an experiment that didn't go over with the fans very well. I'd love to get my hands on a copy just to make my own judgment. Most of the used copied offered on the net cost more than a new book after shipping is added to the price.
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I liked The Forest House better than the next one.. Found two older Pratchetts in a used book store in St. Augustine. Hooray.
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I thought "The Forest House" was the prequel to a series I've already read. Is there a 'sequel
to the prequel', STEPH? Other than the original series, I mean.
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No, Ijust meant that I liked the
Forest House better than the original story.
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Ah, okay. Actually, it's been so long I don't even remember the original series. No doubt if
I picked one up and scanned through it a bit, I'd remember some of it. But I've always
enjoyed every book of hers that I read.
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Iloved the Darkover series much more than this one.
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This Sunday HBO is airing the first episode of a new series, Game of Thrones. It's based on A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of epic fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin. You can see a preview of the series and learn more at http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html#/index.html (the page takes a while to load).
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Ok, that was a bit gory.
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Hah.. Found the latest Sookie in the store. I do love all of the Charlaine Harris series. Good writer in quite different styles.
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Game of Thrones: Starting on UK TV this Monday! Am off now to see if I can get the books on Kindle.
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Space
Doc which was recommended here is my bed book.. A space opera for sure with a true villain or actually at this point, several villains and a hero who is blue?? What fun.
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I'm glad you like it Steph. The author sure keeps the action going, and she seems to hit on all kinds of social issues along the way throughout the series. I have all the books in the series now except for Rebel Ice. I am going to have to resort to buying it used online. Neither of the libraries I have access to have it in their catalog, and none of the bookstores seem to have it in stock any more and are unable to get it. It is the one least liked by the series followers because the author switches from a first person narrative for that book alone. I think the author was trying something different because in Rebel Ice our heroine gets amnesia.
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The first book of the Stardoc series is available at my elder daughter's branch
library. She has promised to get it for me. I am consoling myself meanwhile
with another Reginald Hill and another Miss Potter story. Neither sci-fi, tho' one
could consider the Miss Potter stories as fantasy. Or at least definitely whimsy.
Reginald Hill keeps coming up with odd, multisyllabic words that I never heard
of and can't find in the dictionary. I think he's making them up.
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I watched the first episode of Game of Thrones. I am not a prude; but there was too much nudity and explicit sex for me. I don't know why they had to do that. It did not add anything to the story line. I don't plan to watch another episode. Too bad, because I love Sean Bean--especially in the Sharpe's series.
Sally
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Too much violence. Dont like it in my Sci Fi books.. Love the fantasy...
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Oh Salan. I planned to watch this tomorrow night and I've downloaded the book to my Kindle!
Agree about the Sharpe series, and about Sean Bean!!
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Marcie's preview would have daunted me (even if I could get HBO). It wasn't beyond my tolerance level, but was at the level of "there has to be a really good reason for putting up with this".
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Almost finished the first Space Doc.. Boy turning her into a non sentient being makes no sense.. Her creator must be enormously powerful.
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"turning her into a non sentient being makes no sense.. "
Oh, dear, that doesn't sound very promising. I asked my elder daughter to bring me that first
book of the series. I hope I'm not going to be disappointed; I'd looked forward to finding a good
new series. I do like my protagonists not to be machines, tho'.
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CherieJo is not a machine, Babi, but she was bio-engineered from the womb. Her "Dad", with political connections, had her declared nonsentient in a move that would strip her of rights that a sentient would have. He had several motives for doing this. Not all is revealed in the first book. You will have to read into the next books to see how desperate and obsessed this guy is.
So, one of the first social issues this series touches on is cloning and/or prenatal engineering. Are we not doing the latter to some small extent now with prenatal operations to correct birth defects? Another issue that comes up early on is slavery; this will be a continuing theme.
Steph, what did you think of Duncan?
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I just got this month's f2f sci-fi book club selection from the library--Alfred Bester's "the Demolished Man", written in 1951. It seems to be a detective story in a world of telepaths; I'll probably like it--we read his other major book "The Stars My Destination", and that was good.
I didn't report on the last book--"Palimpsest", by Catherynne Valente. It was mostly a combination of wildly florid and imaginative descriptions of an imaginary place which, to me, didn't seem to add up or catch my imagination, and numerous descriptions of the most joyless sex I've ever run across. Not much to like. It was a small crowd, and I was the only person there over early thirties; I suspect most of the others got bogged down. What I like about this group is that they don't treat me as an older person, or watch their language because I look like someone's mother or grandmother; I'm just one more person who's read the book and whose opinion will be listened to and argued with.
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I liked the first Space Doc and have the second and third coming from my swap club. I was disturbed by the mind and sex scenes and dont trust Duncan.. Her first love sounded wonderful however.
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Yes, I found Duncan rather creepy too. I think Beyond Varallan is even better than the first, but this is definitely a series that should be read in order.
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Thanks for the explanation, FRYBABE. Already, I'm incensed with 'Dad'. His
motives had better be pretty d...ed good!
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Iam not being patient, but am waiting for the second in the series. I got the third, but wont open it until I have gotten and read the second.
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My daughter Valerie is the same way, STEPH. In fact, if it's been a long time between books,
she will go back and re-read the last one before picking up the new one, so she will have the
continuity straight in her mind.
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Yes, just now I am reading the 3rd Louise Penny, and have somehow already read the 4th.. Makes for confusing reading..
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In fact, if it's been a long time between books,
she will go back and re-read the last one before picking up the new one, so she will have the
continuity straight in her mind.
I do that all the time, Babi, it's too easy to forget things and mess them up in your mind.
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I found another book by John Scalzi ("Old Men's War" and sequels). It's "Agent to the Stars". Scalzi wrote it for practice when he was starting out, with no intention of publishing, to see if he could actually write books. It led a subterranean life on the internet for a long time, got published in a limited edition, and now is out in mass market paperback.
It's a light-hearted, funny thing: benevolent aliens have come to our solar system, and, after spending a number of years studying us through television broadcasts, etc, want to make contact. The problem is, that they look like disgusting blobs of goo and communicate by means of smells that humans find nauseating. How not to scare humans off? They decide that Hollywood sets the stage for the whole world, so they hire a Hollywood agent to find a way to present them to humanity.
You can pick a lot of holes in the details, but it's not the sort of thing where this matters. It's a good story, well told, with lots of plot twists, and an amusing satire of the Hollywood scene.
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Started with Pyramid.. by Terry Pratchett. Just at the beginning, but is is starting with promise. I am fond of the assassin school.
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I know I read at least one Pratchett book about the Assassin School...or rather
about one of its gradates. I can't remember whether it was "Pyramid". It sounds familiary, but then there have been numberless books with 'pyramid' in
the title.
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Pratchett uses the Assasin school in several of the Disc world books..
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My f2f sci-fi discussion group met last Thursday. Our book was Alfred Bester's "The Demolished Man". Winner of the first ever Hugo award in 1953, it's a detective/chase story. In 2301, there hasn't been a murder in 87 years, because telepathic police stop crime before it occurs, and no one dares to kill because they would be found out.
Rich industrialist Ben Reich decides he has to kill his enemy, and works out a plan. He is pitted against telepathic cop Lincoln Powell (only a small fraction of people are telepathic; Powell is, Reich isn't). It's a good story on the chase/detection level. You are torn in your sympathies between Reich and Powell. It also has a lot of Freudian baggage which seems old-fashioned now.
My fellow discussers mostly picked up on the psychology and differences between then and now, but it was a really good discussion. I refrained from pointing out that it's quite possible that I read it when it first came out as a serial in Galaxy in 1952. I don't remember it, but I was reading Galaxy then. I'm the oldest one by decades, but thank goodness they don't pay any attention to that, but just treat me as one of them.
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Oh me, I read the Bester and tried to do a book report on it, but the teacher did not consider Science Fiction as proper for book reports. Darn.
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It's too bad, Steph, I'm sure it would have been a good report, and your teacher would have learned something. Not proper for book reports indeed.
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For a very very long time, Science Fiction was considered a childhood thing or a male thing. A good many females who wrote in the field used initials.
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Then there's James Tiptree, Jr. It was years before anyone learned she was a woman.
You're right, Steph, a lot of it was directed at teen-age boys.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Yes, I did love some of the old authors and some of them turned out to be female..
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The other day a neighbor told me that Newt Gingrich was a sci-fi writer!!! It turns out that, in collaboration with William Forschten (never heard of him) he has written some alternative histories. One is about the Civil War, and the summary in Fantastic Fiction stops just short of the ending, but makes it look like a close call who will win. Another is about WWII. Goodness.
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Gingrich is a strange combination. Very very bright, but not a steady human and the last wife is sort of glossy.. All bleach and jewels.. Ah well. he tends to shed them at the slightest hint of another in the future.
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I am back to reading some SciFi. I finished S.L. Viehl's Plague of Memory which was pretty good. I decided not to pursue trying to find Rebel Ice. Maybe later. The book is hard to find, and not many liked it because it was written in third person rather than first person. In Rebel Ice, the heroine lost her memory due to a brain injury. The only thing she knows is her life on an ice planet until she was rescued. She did, however, keep her abilities as a surgeon. In Plague of Memory she struggles to be accepted in her new persona, Jarn, by people who knew her as Cherijo. Some interesting developments in this one include an old enemy turning up, former enemies are becoming friends and allies, and she encounters a crossbreed who looks like her first husband, and in fact, was created from his DNA. I like the new personality better. It is a blend of the old and new personalities without being radically different. Maggie shows up again and tells us more of who she is, her role in Cherijo's creation, and why Cherijo was created more or less immortal. Now on to Omega Games.
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I have the second two books on the Space Doc.. but have not gotten to them yet. I also quite on the Anne McCaffrey cat books.. Put it away.. Maybe later, but thus far, it is just flat out silly.
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Alas, the McCaffrey cat book...I've read one..was something of a disappointment. I think that one was predominantly the co-author, with very little, if anything, of McCaffrey in it. I was
interested in reading some of the space doc books, but have been unable to lay hands on one.
I don't want to buy one and find I don't care that much for them.
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I got mine used for .99 each, so did not mind.
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Hmm.. Where was that, STEPH? Amazon?
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yes
Amazon is a good source for me of used books..
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I'll take a look. Surely I can afford a couple of bucks, right? ;D
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Babi - What a lovely coincidence. You and I have the same mantra! ;)
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Is that what it is, ROSE? ;) :D
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I love the Plato quote, but since mdh death from a traffic accident, know I have to be awake, because in my dreams, he is will with me.
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Babi, this mantra - "I'll take a look. Surely I can afford a couple of bucks, right?" :)
Steph - I can never experience your experience. I did not lose my beloved husband to a dreadful accident as you did. I lost mine to a divorce that I instigated. I too dream of him just about every night. I told someone about this and she told me to change my mattress, as the one I was sleeping on at the time was the mattress my ex and I shared. I tried that, but it didn't work. He is stuck there, in my subconscious. It haunts me. When people say "Oh. You will get over this." They are comforting themselves, not me. I think you know what I mean. let it flow.
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I try each and every day and night to put my past aside.. I did get a new mattess as well, but it did not change anything. I hate the flashbacks and the nightmares, but I guess until my mind calls it quits, I have to live with them.
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I understood what you were referring to, ROSE. I was just amused to think of it as a
mantra. Another mantra of mine is, "I'm fine!" :)
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Babi - You wear it well, too. Being fine, that is.
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I think it is time to bring out another Miles book. I had two that I was hoarding for the right moment. Think this week has been horrid and I need Miles to cheer me up.
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That's a lot of self control to keep them unread, Steph. Now it's paid off.
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I hoard the very best of sci fi.. I have two Terry Pratchett as well They are like good medicine for me..
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I have finally finished the Stardoc series and found that I did not need to worry about not reading Rebel Ice; there were plenty of back-flashes to explain the "present". The whole series is action packed, but I thought the last half of the last book a bit over the top in that department. The last chapter was a bit anti-climactic, but it did provide those who want to know, what happened to the characters in the new future.
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When were those books published, FRYBABE? I have had no luck finding
the series in the libraries, and only a couple, somewhere in the middle,
in my pb swap club. Same in the one on-line site I've tried so far. How did
you manage to find all of them?
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Babi, I got most of mine from Amazon. BUT some of them are out of stock and have been for quite some time. Only a few are on Kindle. I had to resort to buying three for Kindle. I had the same problem with my library, they only listed one or two. The Philadelphia Library only listed one. You would have to hunt around for used ones on places like Alibris or Amazon Marketplace.
The problem of having some of my series books in print and some on Kindle is that if my sisters want to read them, I will have to lend them my Kindle (not going to happen) for the ones that are on it because they are not marked as available to lend. When investigating this feature, I discovered that they my only be lent once. I also saw several people complaining that some or all of the books they had on Kindle that were marked available to lend are no longer. Apparently the publishers, who are the ones controlling whether a book can be lent or not, are pulling away from that feature for individuals.
I see that there are two new Thursday Next series books I "need" to pick up. Sigh!
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Never thought of lending on the readers, but then I have an IPAD and I suspect that it does not do lending.. No idea.
I like Star Doc, but it is hard to find. I have read the first, have the next two in paperback, but have been reading some others just now.
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Babi, here is the publication listing for the series from Fantastic Fiction.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/v/s-l-viehl/
I took a look at the synopsis of Bio Rescue, Afterburn and Blade Dancer which are not part of the StarDoc series. They appear to be set in the same "universe" with similar types of characters so they may be of interest too. I think my library has at least two of these.
A space medical type of TV series might be interesting. I wonder why, with all the medical shows on TV over the years, no one has tried that.
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Sci fi on TV has to be sort of violent to fit in.
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To all SF and Fantasy aficionados. Writing that is a bit superfluous, I think. You wouldn't be visiting this page if you weren't.
Anyway, I have been doing a bit of searching for good, cheap and interesting ebook sites to top-up my collection of ebooks on my Sony Ereader.
I have been wanting to get more into the SF & F genre and have found a site, which is full of romances (urgh), but appears to have some good Fantasy. I checked out the Fantasy (History) section and it looked interresting. An added bonus is that the ebooks are very inexpensive. My Sony is not suitable for Amazon, but is fine for EPUB versions.
Would someone mind checking the site out for me and giving me their opinion, please?
www.booksonboard.com
Thanks!
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Check out this one too, Roshanarose. It includes epub versions. http://www.manybooks.net/
This bunch even has those little code boxes (forget what they are calles, Q something or other) to scan with you mobile phone if you have the video camera feature.
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Frybabe - manybooks is just exactly my cup of tea. There is so much there. I liked the occult, gothic and history genres. As you say, so much to read and so little time.
If you do know a good SCI/F site that is better than the one I listed. I am sure there must be many.
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Project Gutenberg has tons of books too, but it isn't laid out as nicely as Many Books (many of MB's books are originally from Gutenberg). I also like the reader comments feature on MB.
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I have many books as an app, but have not found anything current that I enjoy.
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Hi to all you Sci-Fi folks! We are discussing Book Towns and some bookstores over in "Talking Heads" and I left this link to a favorite old "used books" store where I used to go. "Acres of Books" is visited by Sci-Fi author, Ray Bradbury speaking of the lack of good bookstores in L.A. I thought you all might enjoy what he has to say. Do take a peek here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD3IeBqRc0w&NR=1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD3IeBqRc0w&NR=1)
Come say hello in Talking Heads on our last day of "Book Towns" and then rejoin us for a discusson on the traveling we do enjoy. Pedl'n will be in charge for July. Starts on July 3rd. See you all there, I hope!
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I am part way into Elizabeth Moon's Remnant Population and enjoying it. It is about an over 70 year old woman is refused to leave with the rest of her colony to be relocated. She is free to do as she pleases, takes care of the gardens, livestock, the powerplant and the recycler on her own and still has time to make beads and sew --achy bones and muscles and all. Seems a bit much for one person to have enough time for, but hey, this is scifi. I am just to the part where she discovers she may not be alone on the planet at all.
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Off to a good start.
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I like Elizabeth Moon.Will have to look that one up.
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Steph, I am enjoying the book. It is not nearly as technology heavy as most of the space type scifi I've read.
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Some authors really do carry the tech much too far. Some insist on giving you
blueprints and diagrams. Others have made a pet hobby of something, and insist
on identifying,..say...every type of aircraft flown since their invention and how you
can tell a Sopwith Camel from a whatsis. Do a lot of skipping on those.
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Yes, I skip some of the tech type sci fi.. I am more prone to alternate universes or fantasy about different worlds.
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I've finally started the "Stardoc" that I got through the paperback swap club.
Thanks again, STEPH, for introducing me to that site. Viehl does have a vivid
imagination when it comes to inventing really weird looking aliens. :o
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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I have several of the Star Doc.. One of which have read.. and two waiting..But I was in a used book store the other day and they had six books in the series, but you think I could remember which ones I have.. NOOOOO... Darn it all.
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Have any of you been watching the new series "Alpha" on the scifi channel? How about Haven? Alpha is starting out pretty good with a good cast. Haven may be a little too strange for me. We'll see........
Sally
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Salan, I've been watching Alphas and Falling Skies (on TNT). They are both strange but I usually like science fiction and there doesn't seem to be much else on during the Summer.
The Alpha team members' powers complement one another. Some are pretty imaginative.
There are some interesting characters on Falling Skies.
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I had my doubts about 'Alphas' after seeing the first show, SALLY. It seemed to
me there was very little acting at all. The characters mostly stood around looking
vacant while special effects went on all around them. After watching a couple
more, I think it's getting better. 'Haven' has introduced some weird 'gifts', but
I can accept more of that in a 'sci fi'. Not that there's a great deal of 'sci' to it. :-\
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I watched part of the first episode of Alphas and didn't care for it. I haven't watched Falling Skies yet.
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I am, at the moment, in the middle of a very funny, free e-book novel called Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi. In the forward Mr. Scalzi explains that this was his first novel, one he wrote just to see if he could. After numerous publisher rejections (they weren't interested in humorous SciFi) he decided to offer it as a free e-book. Both Project Gutenberg and ManyBooks has it. I highly recommend it if you are looking for something light, flip, funny, and free. BTW, it has since been published to print, hopefully with errors corrected (the ebook version looks like an uncorrected galley proof).
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Frybabe, I have the paperback of "Agent to the Stars". You're right, it's pretty funny. A Hollywood agent has been hired to figure out how to present friendly aliens to the world so they will be accepted, even though they look like disgusting blobs of grey glop and smell bad.
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If anybody could do it, a Hollywood agent could. It wouldn't be the first time they've made
someone in bad odor smell good. :D
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Babi, I've just had my laugh for the day. Thank you for that.
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My pleasure. :)
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Sounds like a neat funny book.Will look for the ebook.
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I've found another S. L. Viehl, "Eternity Row". It's fifth in the series I believe, but
they are hard to find and I'm happy to take what I can get. Found this one is
a local second-hand book store. It's hard to put down. Always something
happening, whether personal, professional, or action. The practice of medicine
is something else when most of your patients are alien species.
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The only one I couldn't find was Rebel Ice. What with reading several customer reviews and what came up in later books, I didn't really need it anyway. I ended up getting three of the books on my Kindle because is was less expensive than ordering used online and paying shipping. I do hate splitting my series books that way. My guess is that the publisher hasn't picked up a contract to reprint. Wonder why? Amazon is very low on stock on their remaining volumes.
Steph, Lynn Viehl in all her pseudonym incarnations lives somewhere in South Florida.
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I live in central Florida.. but what are some of the other names she uses..
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Shiela Lynn (S.L.) Viehl also writes under the names of Lynn Viehl, Jessica Hall, and Gena Hale. Her SciFi books are written under S. L. Viehl. The Jessica Hale books look like they are a combo of Romance and Intrigue/Adventure. Gena Hale books appear to be more straight forward romance. I am not into the romance genre so haven't bothered to look into them, but I may give one of the Jessica Hale books a try. The Steel Blades sounds interesting (as long as the romance bit is not overdone, that is). Lynn Viehl books look kind of spooky. I am not sure where they go in the genre department. Horror/Thrillers maybe?
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I had no idea Viehl was so versatile. I know what you mean about ordering books, FRYBABE. I can find one book at one location, another book elsewhere,
etc., but I'd wind up paying more on the postage than I do on the books.
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I've been reading plenty of sci-fi, but been lazy about talking about it.
I read another Liaden Universe book by Lee and Miller--Saltation. I Dare (the last of the five books dealing with Shan, Patricia, Val Con, Nova, Miri, and Pat Rin and their fight against the Department of the Interior) ended with the arrival of Theo Waitley, daughter of Daav, announcing that she is in trouble, and "it's complicated". Fledgling told us the beginning of her story, up to the point where she is about to go to pilot school. Saltation describes her pilot training and a bit after, and all the complicated troubles she gets into, ending up with the same scene that closed I Dare. The next one, Ghost Ship, has recently come out, but only in hardback. Saltation is a good read, definitely up to standard, but Fledgling should be read first.
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Oh, goody! Thanks so much,PAT. I had begun to think Lee and Miller had quit writing. I will
definitely want to find 'Ghost Ship'.
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Last week's f2f sci-fi discussion group was a golden oldie: Isaac Asimov's Caves of Steel. It's the first of three detective stories involving the collaboration of a human and a robot. It's a fairly played detective story, but it also involves a lot of social issues. The earth has become grossly overpopulated (at 8 million!) and is existing in enclosed underground cities, where the size of your small quarters depends on your job standing, everyone uses community bathroom facilities, and you are mostly eating processed yeast. The thought of going outside these enclosed spaces (the caves of steel) is scary for everyone. People have emigrated to other planets where there is plenty of room, but further emigration has been banned. Robots are taking over some human jobs, and are much hated for this.
With this background, the policeman Elijah Bailey has been detailed to solve the murder of a diplomat from one of the outer worlds, with all sorts of touchy political implications, and he has been given a "spacer" sidekick who turns out to be a robot. Bailey has to come to terms with his feelings about the robot and solve the murder, while avoiding a galactic incident.
There are two sequels. In The Naked Sun, Bailey travels to a sparcely inhabited world, where people only interact by video, personal contact being regarded as disgusting. Marriages are arranged by genetic suitability, and the mandated once a week personal interaction is endured stoically. (Since they're so scientifically advanced, I don't know why they don't just grow artificially produced embryos in bottles, but they don't.)
The third one, Robots of Dawn (which I haven't reread because I can't find it) somewhat resolves these issues, and holds out some hope for man's future. They all can stand on their own as detective stories.
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Next month we get another golden oldie, Ursula K. LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness. I really hope I can work around the birth of my next grandchild to be there. Since I co-led, with Marcie, a discussion of the book here, I feel like I know it pretty well, and really want to compare points of view.
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PatH, It must be a lot of fun for you to belong to a sci-fi discussion group. I love Asimov's Robot stories. Your synopsis of the Caves of Steel and sequels brings the experience of reading those books vividly back.
And Ursula Le Guin has been one of my favorite writers.
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I loved Asimov's robot series.. Such fun.. Thanks for reminding me.
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I remember that trio, PAT. I always felt the books were influential in making people think
twice about how they assessed those who were different from themselves. Asimov was an
incredibly prolific genius. Thank God we always seem to have a few around to make the rest
of us think.
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CONGRATULATIONS
PatH
ON
YOUR NEW
GRANDDAUGHTER!
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Congratulations, Pat. Welcome to your new granddaughter!
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Grandchildren are so much fun. Enjoy..
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Ah, I do wish I had been able to see more of my grands while they were growing up. I know
now how lucky I was that my grandmother lived close enough that I could spend frequent
weekends with her. The grands are all grown up now, living far away, and showing no sign
of presenting me with great-grands. Pets are wondrful, but not quite the same. ;)
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Oh, a new granddaughter. How wonderful, PatH. Congratulations to you and the family.
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Was just reading one of those mystery short stories, all from women.. Most mundane, but there was a wonderful Dana Stabenow.. It was a mystery and a fantasy all at once.. She had a world in just one short story. She is a talented woman indeed.
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My daughter was visiting across town and found some of the elusive Viehl books in a shop over
there. Serendipity!
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Ihave several of the StarDoc on hand. Probably should start on the second. I did like the first, but the blurb on the second has been putting me off.. Too much betrayal.
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I think betrayal is a recurring theme in the series, Steph. Beyond Varallon is one of my favorites in the series. You may notice, as you read through the series, that Viehl touches on many different cultures and societal problems as she travels. Slavery is also a recurrent issue in the series as are issues having to do with genetic manipulation. Shockball includes some Native American cultural behaviors. Another book is primarily set in a fundamentalist religious society. One of the later books brings up the issue of homosexuality. I haven't gotten my hand on it yet, but Rebel Ice appears to include an Eskimo type society.
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The lady at 'Paperback Swap' who sent me the first Stardoc book said she thought the next
two or three were not as good, but that it picked up again after that. I now have "Beyond
Varallon", thanks to Valerie, so I'm glad to see that FRYBABE really liked it.
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I think I will give it a shot.. I liked the first StarDoc mostly, although the deep dark villains are not my cup of tea. I am a great believer in moderated villains..
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"Moderated villains", huh? :D I guess I know what you mean. Actually, many of Viehl's
characters/species are a mixture of good and bad traits...from our point of view. What we
might consider bad would have been acceptable in their culture. It can be a bit jarring.
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Steph, what kept me going with the series was to see what she got herself into next. I found CheriJo very annoying with her pigheadedness and habit of diving into things pretty much without considering the consequences to anyone else, including her friends and family. The action is fast paced throughout the whole series. I can't say that I truly liked CheriJo (or Duncan for that matter), but I just couldn't put the books down. I had to know what came next. Some of the characters physical features seemed a bit improbable, but Viehl made it work.
Just saw your post Babi, good point.
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Viehl seems to live in south Florida and I just picked up a Lynn
Abbey and she is listed as Leesburgh, Florida, which is about 20 minutes from where I live. She maintains a very very low profile if she lives here. I had never heard a whisper from any of the book community.
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Someone on this site (I'm sorry I forget who, but it's been a while) alerted me to the "Lost Fleet" series by Jack Campbell. IMHO, what it really is is a large number of wonderful sea battles fought in space at speeds of 0.1 x the speed of light. Battles are strung together by a reasonable plot, involving lots of twists and turns. There's too much repetition of basic details, and a bunch of other flaws, but I happily fought my way across the universe and back with Captain Jack Geary through 6 books.
He's back. The first volume of the next series, Beyond the Frontier, is out. The paperback must not be out here yet, since when I ordered it from Amazon I got a British copy, from a British seller.
Alas, I dassn't start it yet, because I'm deep in the wars of the late Roman Republic for the Plutarch discussion, and if I start I'll read straight through.
Anyone who hasn't read these, they absolutely have to be read in order.
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Still struggling with the second StarDoc.. Boy if you are her friend, you can count on being dead or badly injured. She hs so many issues..If I make it through this second one, I think I will lay off for a while. I really dont like books that go from battle to battle..
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I'm glad to hear that, PAT. I wanted to try the books when they were first mentioned
here, but couldn't find them. Old..out of print. I'll look again now that they're
back.
The Stardoc series does seem to be constant action, doesn't it, STEPH. It keeps
one riveted, tho'. The lady who sent me the first book said that the following
one or two books were not as good, and reading one now I think I know what she
meant. Viehl was overdoing it. She had the brilliant doctor blithely doing things, for ex.,
that only a senior aeronautics engineer could do. She did say, tho', that the later
books improved, and I found that to be so.
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I do hope so.. This second book in the series is silly in parts. StarDoc is being extremely, my way or nothing. She complains about her scientist father a lot, but sounds a good deal like him in life.
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There is one major distinction between Doc Cherijo and her 'father'. He is perfectly willing to
inflict all kinds of torment on his 'child' for his experiments, while Cherijo will suffer most anything
rather than inflict harm on anyone. She is compassionate to a degree that sometimes borders
on foolish. But really, she should learn there are times to keep her smart mouth shut.
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I agree that she is self sacrificing, but she is also incredibly, my way or no way in this second book. She seems to feel she is the only one who knows anything..
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In that, she does seem to have borrowed a page from her, uh, progenitor. Hopefully, she will
learn a bit more humility from repeatedly finding that mouthing off isn't smart.
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Picked up a Patricia Briggs.."When Demons Walk".. and fell in.. Loved it. I had only read her most current books on werewolves, etc. This is an older one, but choice.. Her world is fascinating and I think that there are two prior books in the series. Must go and look.
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I've been enjoying that Patricia Briggs series, too. I'll have to see if I can find the earlier book.
Thanks for mentioning it, STEPH.
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Briggs has a real gift for women with some spice..Shamera became quite real in a fantasy world, but still real.
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I finally got a chance to read the new Jack Campbell: Lost Fleet; Beyond the Frontier; Dreadnaught. You may recall that each book has the name of one of the ships of the fleet; Dreadnaught is Jane Geary's battleship, so that's a clue about the action.
The burning question is: can Campbell find a good enough plot to string the battles together. The answer so far is yes. Geary is back to the rank of Fleet Admiral, off on a new mission, and there are all sorts of new issues. This is the set-up for a new series, so many issues and puzzles are raised, but none answered. They are all good enough to make us want more. It ends with one of the fiercest cliff-hangers I've seen in a long time; I don't see how they can possibly get out of that fix, but surely they will, no doubt by some brilliant insight of looking at things differently.
I await the next one eagerly.
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Thanks for the review, PatH. Adding them to my list.
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I've just started a short story by Alfred Coppel called The Peacemaker (23pgs) which was published in 1953. It is off to a good start. Here is some info about Mt. Coppel: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/alfred-coppel/
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Frybabe, I've never heard of Coppel, but he looks promising. Let us know how your story shapes up.
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Yeah, FRYBABE. I'm always on the lookout for another good Sci.Fi/fantasy writer. I'll see if
my library has any Coppel/Gilman books.
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I finished the Coppel short story last night. The Peacemaker reads like something I would have seen on an early 50's TV show. Interesting plot: a space pirate who ended up being hailed as a hero and a legend. Well, I suppose a lot of scoundrels ended up inadvertently becoming heroes.
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My f2f Sci-Fi group last week discussed Ursula K. LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness. We discussed it here on SL, so I felt well-primed. My fellows tend to get hung up on gender issues, of which there are plenty here, so we skipped over some of the other points, especially the incredible mood of the journey over the ice, and the religious philosophy. But it was a very good, lively discussion all the same.
Next month is Dune, which I've never gotten around to reading, though my economist daughter is very admiring of that aspect. There is a back to back fantasy discussion, and next month it's Tolkien's Children of Hurin, which I've sort of been meaning to read for a while. That means picking up two sets of characters, political problems, factions, religions, etc. We'll see if I can hack it.
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PatH, I hope you enjoy Dune. I've read it and seen both movies. The earlier movie picked up on the more mystical aspects of the book, while the later movie concentrated more on the political aspects. I prefer the mystical interpretation. I never read the rest because the reviews said the following books got "darker". I did see the sequel movie which covered the other books. That was enough for me. I guess I just like the rise to power better than reading about corrupting power and degeneration.
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Frybabe, I probably will enjoy Dune. The thing that stopped me before was you have to learn a whole cast of characters, a whole political system and set of warring factions, a whole religious setup, etc, and I didn't have the energy at the time. I could see it was good, though. With luck, the spur of a discussion will carry me through. My daughter said the same thing you say, that the books go downhill from the first one.
Don't know if I'll have enough strength to mug up another set of characters in The Children of Hurin or not.
Kudos to you for getting Doris Lessing in Author, Author. I was nowhere close.
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I agree, FRYBABE, 'Dune' was really great. I did read the sequels, but found them less satisfying.
As the critics said, 'darker', and with less attractive characters.
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I haven't read Dune and its sequels for quite a while. I got caught up in the world of Dune and the amazing sand worms and conservation of water. I love the creation of new detailed worlds with interesting cultures and customs. I tend to gloss over all of the political intrigue. One of the sequels in particular (I can't recall which one) had some torture scenes which were awful.
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I loved Dune and maybe two of the sequels. It is such a complete world and has so many interesting points of view.. Have not reread in years..
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Maybe we could recommend DUNE for a future read in the Suggestion Box to see if people are interested in reading/re-reading and discussing it for a month?
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I still have my copy.
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Great, Frybabe. Me too :-)
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Dune is a tough read.. There are so many characters and the planet itself is a character. Still it was a great book.
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That's true, Steph. It might be difficult for people who are reading it for the first time.
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Guess I'd better get busy, then. My f2f meeting is only 2 weeks away. I don't like to read the books too far ahead, because I want all the details fresh in my mind.
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I would love to read it again. I don't recall getting too bogged down keeping track of characters,
though of course it became a bit more difficult as more kept appearing. It was a wonderfully
in-depth picture, as someone has already said, of people, cultures, heritage, religion, ....whole
worlds.
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BBC America is running DUNE, an expanded version of the 1985 edition, as I type - a whole four hours long. Repeat at Midnight I believe. The expansion makes the whole thing more understandable. Also, when I first saw this movie it was in B&W. This one is colorized.
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I will have to see when BBC is doing that. I dont use a tv guide much, just dont watch that much tv except for news..I never saw the movie. I guess I had too clear a picture in my mind and knew they could never do justice to the worms.
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Really, FRYBABE? I do hope I can find it. I would love to record it and watch at my leisure. I
have seen a film version, but it was anot a b&w. I wonder if it is the same movie?
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I may try netflix to see what they have to say.
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The one I found seemed to be the one I've already seen. Mixed review, which fits what I remember. It doesn't, ..can't, I suppose...have the depth
of the book that made that so fascinating.
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I think there were two Dune movies. One was made for film in 1984. See http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087182/
The other was the 2000 TV miniseries. See http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0142032/
I don't remember the TV miniseries but I thought that the 1984 film looked dark and sort of grainy like a "B" movie.
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Marcie, yes it did look grainy, didn't it. I've seen the 1986 version several times in B&W, so I was surprised to see it in color. I checked the IMDB and it is listed as a color production. hmmmmm!
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Think I will skip it. I like my mental version of the planet and the worms..
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I found another book by John Scalzi in the library the other day. It's "Fuzzy Nation". This is a reworking of a 1962 book by H. Beam Piper, "Little Fuzzy". Both books deal with this problem: Your company is exploiting an uninhabited planet for its resources. If it turns out there is a sentient, (meaning capable of thought, etc at human rather than animal levels) population on the planet, intergalactic law says you have to get out, and the resources belong to the local population. There are local creatures, small, cute, fuzzy, who seem to be intelligent. Who will get the planet?
It's been a while since I read the Piper, so I don't recognize all the changes Scalzi made, but they are all to the better, and fairly substantial. It's a really good read, lighthearted, amusing, with lots of plot turns. Unlike the "Old Men's War" series, there is very little gore and bad language.
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I tried reading Little Fuzzy a while back but got bored, never finished it.
Try John Scalzi's Agent to the Stars. It is a freebie on ManyBooks.net Funny!
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I've read Agent to the Stars, thought it was hilarious. If you liked it you would probably like Fuzzy Nation. It starts slow, but has his sarcastic wit, and the last half is kind of nonstop courtroom drama, with many twists, turns, and surprises.
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Having just completed the Stardoc series, a light-hearted scifi writer
sounds appealing. Ms. Viehl' series was great, but definitely action
filled, mind-bending stuff.
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I am in a laughing mode.. I know I have some Pratchetts in my tbr pile for this sort of emergency. Must find them. if not today then tomorrow.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Laughing modes are definitely good! Enjoy. :D
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This isn't JoanK, it's PatH using Joan's computer. Any giggles you may hear coming from the west ar the two of us laughing together.
Babi, I forget whether you have read any Scalzi. The Old Men's War series is very good, but, especially the first one, have a lot of profanity, violence, and gory scenes of aliens and humans being splatted to bits. They get less and less violent as they go on, but should be read in order.
Agent to the Stars and Fuzzy Nation are lighthearted, funny, have very little gore, and a low profanity level.
Scalzi also wrote Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded, which is a collection of letters and his answers, bits from his blog, and other such miscellany. It's quite funny at times, but pretty miscellaneous.
One of his pieces of advice to young people wanting to become writers: "marry someone with a steady income". I'm guessing he doesn't need his wife's income now, but he's very grateful to her for her earlier support.
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"Agent to the Stars" and "Fuzzy Nation" are the two I was interested in trying. The county
library has "Fuzzy Nation", so I'll ask my older daughter to bring me that one when she can.
"Agent to the Stars" I haven't found so far. The Paperback Swap Club has a lot of Scalzi books,
but only for sale; none available from swap members. I'm perfectly willing to skip the bloody
old men. 8)
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Babi, Agent to the Stars was originally a free e-book, because as the author stated, he wanted to see if he could actually write. It has since been printed and is available for sale in print, but the original e-book is still free. http://www.manybooks.net/titles/scalzijother06agent_to_the_stars.html There are typos, etc. in the original e-book that may or may not have been corrected in the print version. Have fun reading it.
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This is PatH, using JoanK's computer. The paperback agent still has some typos, but I'm guessing they got most of them.
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I may give him a try. I read the original of the science fiction novel..Many many years ago.
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I'll definitely need to find a print copy, FRYBABE. I don't have any of the
e-book gadgets. I take pleasure in the books themselves; we have such a long and rewarding relationship. :)
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I am trying to get into a Mercedes Lackey..Some of them I love, others..not so much.. I need a new science fiction writer.. The writers nowadays seems to specialize in war types and I am not into that.
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Have you tried Elizabeth Moon's Remnant Population? It is about an old colonist who manages to escape being moved off her world when the rest of the colony is relocated. Mostly the book is about how free she feels from colony regulations and how she and the native population (newly discovered and the reason for the colony moving as a matter of policy) begin to interact and learn from each other.
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I like Elizabeth Moon and have not read anything of hers in quite a while.. Will look for it.
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I stopped into the local used bookstore and came away with Jack McDevitt's Infinity Beach. Don't laugh. I am not a video game fan, but I really must get my hands on the Halo books which came out of the video game of the same name. after seeing trailers for the last version of the game. I loved the graphics. The original book was written by Eric Nylund as a promotional for the game. There was supposed to be a movie in the making, but it fell through. It seems that Microsoft wanted a big chunk of the profit from the movie without taking on any of risk to produce it. Too bad they were so greedy up front. They would have been better off being more reasonable and then making huge bucks off the movie royalties, and the toy deals that seem to accompany many movies these days. Aside from what games they sell these days, they are probably only getting royalties off the use of the Halo name in the book spin-offs.
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Idownloaded the first Star book by Dana Stabenow. She wrote the sci fi some years ago and I had read them, but since it was free and I had liked it, I decided to see it.. Still a compelling story.. She is such a good writer in so many genres..
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I discovered I like A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Borroughs, so I've downloaded four more of the John (Jack) Carter series. Freebies all. The rest have a charge, so I'll wait on those a while.
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Burroughs is so much more of a adventure writer than sci fi..
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True, STEPH, but he was so good at it!
So annoying! My library carries the Stabenow mysteries, but none of the
'Star' series. Of course, they are older books; perhaps that's why.
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Libraries are indeed annoying.
I'm back to real life after a wonderful Christmas vacation in Portland, OR. Of course part of my Christmas shopping was in Powell's book store, and while there I picked up Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Mouse and Dragon for myself. This is one of their fill-in novels, and deals with what happens to Aelliana Caylon and Daav yos'Phelium after Scout's Progress. There can't be any major surprises, since we have later info from I Dare, Fledgeling and Saltation, but it's still worth reading for fans.
It's hard to be sure, since Lee and Miller keep reshuffling their books and putting them out in combos, but I think I've now read all of their Liaden books except Ghost Ship, which isn't out in paperback yet (sigh).
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Babi, the free Star Svensdaghter is because the whole series ( I think only three) is being reissued for paper and ebook..So maybe your library will pick it up.
Our library insists on only keeping books on the shelves that are very very new.. they discard the older stuff. Makes no sense to me, since when I read a new ( to me) author, I want to go back and read everything they wrote.. Libraries are weird sometimes.
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I loved the Liaden series, and have been unhappy that I couldn't find any
more "Lee/Miller' books. Hadn't heard of "Muse and Dragon". I certainly read
"I Dare", and I think I remember the title "Saltation", but not certain.
Same with "Fledgeling" I'll have to go on the search again. Thanks so much,
PatH, for letting me know they're still out there!
Sometimes is space restrictions, STEPH. Sometimes it's budgetary limitations. And sometimes it's just a ruthless mindset for a clientele that's
partial to the 'latest' and has no interest in last years...or last century...great books.
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Our library has tons of space, but devotes the majority to computers, dvd's,cd's, a huge childrens section and another huge space for the teens.. It is affiliated with the adjoining community college, so they have another large space specifically for them.. Another large room for genealogy.. But general fiction suffers.
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I suppose every good library adapts itself to its community. Probably is the
best and most useful approach. You can still ask them to find some of the
authors you want. I'm sure they'll be glad to accommodate you. My small
library is always very helpful and obliging.
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I just peeked into this group this morning which I haven't done before. I'd never heard of the Lee/Miller Liaden series, Babi, but I don't read much Sci-Fi. I put I DARE on my TBR list. Their books get very good reviews at Amazon, I see.
I did just finish HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins with another book group. It was kind of a YA Sci-Fi book, not bad, but not good enough that I'll read the others in the trilogy.
Am currently reading Stephen King's 11/22/63 which I'm enjoying. Have only read one other by him, The Stand, which was also very good.
That's too bad, Steph, that your library puts general fiction low on their list. Makes me realize how lucky I am to be so near to great libraries from Los Angeles and Orange Counties, as well as several city libraries. I would hope your library would order from other libraries or purchase books you request.
Marj
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Marjifay, I hope you will come to love Lee and Miller's books as a lot of us do, but don't start with I Dare. It's the fifth of a series that sort of has to be read in order, and it won't make much sense if you read it first.
The five are:
Conflict of Honors
Agent of Change
Carpe Diem
Plan B
I Dare
The first three were, maybe are still, available in one volume called Partners in Necessity. But they keep reshuffling, so I don't know what you will find now.
I liked The Stand too, kind of read it non-stop. I'm guessing that you would like Lee and Miller. Although they are definitely sci-fi, the main point of the stories is human problems and relationships, which are well done.
You are lucky to be part of the LA library system. My sister, JoanK, lives in Torrance, and has nothing but praise for the libraries.
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I just learned that we have lost Anne McCaffrey. She died November 21 of a stroke at her home in Ireland, at age 85. Alas.
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Y es, we lost a truly great fantasy writer in McCaffrey. I have all of hers that was written by her and not many of the ones written by her and her son..He was too into war and conflilct..
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MARJ, if you can it is really most enjoyable to read the Liaden series by
Lee/Mill in sequence. Actually, there are a couple of 'prequels' that were
written later, but those can be enjoyed later with no problems.
Oh, good, I see PatH has listed the books in sequence. I don't need to go
find that. Were there only five, Pat? I seem to remember more. They didn't
all take place on Liaden, but they were about members of the same remarkable
family.
I am sorry to hear about Anne McCaffrey. She was a terrific writer. I have
to agree that her son's books tend to be very similar in their absorption with
conflict. He doesn't have his mother's sympathetic knack for warm characters and dragon/flyer relationships.
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I just borrowed my very first digital library book. It is the first six books of the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. It was the only one I was moderately interested in from what I saw on the list before I got tired of browsing. I don't read much fantasy. This may be the first Urban Fantasy for me. I did like the short-lived TV show. The library setup worked fine except for the message that the library system isn't set up for Wifi downloads. I am okay with that being used to downloading to my computer and then copying into the Kindle folder.
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Good start, Frybabe. Let me know what you think of the Butcher--I haven't read any of him.
My current assignment, due on the 12th for the fantasy side of my f2f sci-fi/fantasy book group, is Neil Gaiman's American Gods. I started it a few years ago. It was an interesting idea, the old gods getting stuck in modern America and trying to find a place, but I got bogged down when the shabby protagonist kept going from one sleazy motel to another, meeting up with more and more gods from various religions. My daughter assures me that eventually it comes to a worthwhile point, so maybe I can plow through it.
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Babi, you are quite right that there more than 5 Liaden books. I think I may have listed them all a year back, but it's easier to do it again than to find it.
The 5 I already listed are the core, and were written first. They deal with one generation of Clan Korval (and the mates they find) and their battle against an evil organization. There are a lot of prequels: Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon go back hundreds of years to the founding of the clan by the pirate-smuggler Cantra and her mate, the soldier Jela.
Scout's Progress and Mouse and Dragon tell the story of Daav and Aelliana, parents of Val Con, a major character in the basic 5. Local Custom tells of the meeting of the parents of Shan, another major character.
Balance of Trade takes place in between Cantra's story and the time of the rest of the books; the characters are mostly unrelated.
Fledgling and Saltation deal with the next generation, Daav's daughter after he has left the clan. The final scene of Saltation is the same as the final scene of I Dare. Ghost Ship, which I haven't yet read, will take this story on, and there is another one in the works.
Publishers keep re-packaging these books in pairs, with new titles, so it's very frustrating to figure out where you are. I think I've got all the original titles here, but if anyone can add something, please do.
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Sounds like a series I might like. Have to look for the early ones.
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PatH, I greatly enjoyed the first several Jim Butcher books. But after a
while they seemed to be too similar, based too much on 'how much pain can our
hero stand?" I stopped reading them at that point.
Thanks so much for that expanded list of the Miller/Lee books. I haven't
read the two books about Val Con's parents, and looked in vain for new books
after Daav left started his own 'world'. I can now happily start searching
for all of these!
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I finished the first Dresden Files book, then returned it to the library. While I liked the Wizard's attitude, and flip style, overall the genre is not my cup of tea. So, now I am back to Edgar Rice Burroughs and his John Carter series.
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I will try the Miller -Lee series. Just need to have time to find some.
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FRYBABE, Jim Butcher has another series that you might like. Codex Alera
series, which I followed avidly to the end. I did not tire of it, as I did the Dresden books. You can find the complete list on Fantastic Fiction.
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Thanks Babi. I'll look into it.
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It dawned on me that Edgar Rice Borroughs' John Carter series is an indictment against superstition and prejudice. I am reading the second book, The Gods of Mars, now. He has added two more races to the original red and green men - black and white. Both of these consider themselves holy of holies. The black race calls itself "First Born", which brings to mind the out of Africa theory of human progression. Also in it are flying machines and submarines. Marvelous! I am thoroughly enjoying Mr. Borroughs almost as much as Jules Verne.
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Edgar Rice Burroughs almost got lost, I think, in the changing generations. He is,
IMO, well worth preserving. As FRYBABE observes, there is more to the man and
his work than most realize.
I have finished re-reading the Miller/Lee book, "Fledgling" and am about to start
"Patriot Games". It has been long enough since I read them that I can enjoy them
as though they were new. I believe someone mentioned them as new books, which
is what sent me hunting them up. Unfortunately, they're not new; but fortunately,
I still love them. I would happily re-read the entire series, and wish I owned them.
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I dont like Edgar R. Burroughs, but I know when I owned the bookstore, that people came in asking for him all the time. He is just too wordy for me.
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Perhaps, STEPH, but if I recall correctly, I found what he said worth thinking about
if I stopped to consider it. I am thinking, I believe, of his 'Silent Worlds' trilogy.
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My perfect fantasy reading tends to be.. Anne McCaffrey... and Marion Zimmer Bradley, both of course are dead, but I like their worlds.
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Oh, yes, STEPH. And there is also another woman author that I dearly loved, and cannot at
the moment recall her name. I don't think she is deceased, but I haven't seen any new books
by her, sad to say. Her books always featured a strong, gifted woman.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
There is also a Canadian woman.. " The gate to Womans Country" I love her books as well.. and of course Miles. who is my hero..ON the other hand, I got bogged down in the Space Doc series and put it away..
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Have you seen that Disney is coming out in March with a movie based on the John Carter series by Edgar Rice Burroughs?
There is a trailer http://www.ign.com/videos/2011/11/30/john-carter-trailer. The trailer doesn't captivate me but I was interested in the books enough to read the whole John Carter series after I found a couple of the books in a thrift store a couple of years ago.
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Interesting. No big names except maybe Willem Defoe. I recall Ciaran Hinds from other movies, too. The movie ought to have enough action for the kiddies. Too fast, but then the action is nonstop in the book too. Not enough color (too many browns). I thought the green men would have had a bit more bulk to their warriors. Interesting artists rendition of the characters and creature of the books. Too bad they didn't stay still long enough in the trailer to get a good look.
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Sounds as though much of your criticism was due to the illustrator, FRYBABE.
I often have a problem with book illustrations that don't at all match the
author's description of the characters. When is comes to Disney, tho', I've
never known his artists to fail in producing delightful charactizations.
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Yes, Frybabe, those green men in the trailer are are weirdly thin. The trailer zips by. I tried to put it on pause to see the creatures. I can't remember now how they were described in the books. It's interesting that the woman calls him "John Carter of Earth." The books refer to him as John Carter of Mars. I guess it depends on who is doing the naming (an earth person or Martian).
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Thanks for the trailer, marcie. If some of the characters weren't green, it could be a Tarzan movie. :) I know I've read at least one of the Mars series, but it was at least 60 years ago, and I don't remember anything about it. Maybe I should reread some. I'll wait for reviews to decide on the movie.
Ciaran Hinds is a favorite of mine. I didn't spot him in the trailer, but from the name of his character maybe he's green too.
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PatH, Tardos Mors is one of the Red Men of Mars. I forget just now if he is the father or grandfather of John Carter's Martian wife, Dejah Thoris.
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Hmm--I think I really had better read some Burroughs. Anyway, I could really use an indictment against prejudice after slogging through "Ship of Fools", where everyone despises anyone who is even a little different and racial and religious prejudice and persecution are described in exquisite detail. (Porter isn't condoning prejudice, but her descriptions are overwhelming.)
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You are giving the best explanation why I did not participate in Ship of Fools.. I tried it and could not get through it..So much hate and snobbery.
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I may just have to go back and re-read the John Carter series. It's simply
been too long ago.
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Wrong spot, but I just saw a clip.. Janet Evanovichs firs novel was premiered as a movie last night. All they talked about was Kathryn Heigls dresss. Does not sound good for the movie.
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Oh, my. That's all they had to say? You're right,...it doesn't sound good.
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That's a bad omen, Steph. JoanK, the hard-core Evanovich fan, thinks Heigl is all wrong for the part.
I dug up my Burroughs Mars books. I haven't ever read them; they're left over from a daughter. I have books 4 through 9, and I suspect I ought to read them in order, so I'll have to search further.
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A lot of used book stores have the Mars series in paper.. Hopefully they are not in the rare category though.
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Just finished Warlord of Mars. I got a little impatience with all the warring and fighting going on towards the end. A little over the top. Also, I got a little miffed at the hero for not recognizing a danger staring him right in the face, and his impulsive move that caused him more grief and fighting. Time to take a break from John Carter and read something else.
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Were there that many John Carter books?!! I had vaguely thought it was
about four; I don't remember nine! Hmm.. I'm not at all sure I want to start
that.
JOY! My daughter Sally brought me a new Bujold book I haven't read! I've
been longing for something of hers. It was published in 2010, so maybe it's
not new to some of you. STEPH, it's a Miles Vorkosigan! Have you read
"Cryoburn"? I've got to finish a library book before I start it, but you can bet
I'll finish that one asap. (Well, the library book is good, too, but...BUJOLD!!)
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Book 4 already seems to deal with John Carter's son. It's got a wonderfully lurid cover (old 50 cent paperback). I hope I can find a book 1 to match.
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I have the five of them downloaded. Next up, I think, is Thuvia of Mars. The last one I have is Chessmen of Mars, but I don't think it is the last. When I am done with Chessmen I'll be checking for others.
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A Princess of Mars is the first book, PatH. The second book is The Gods of Mars, and third is Warlords of Mars.
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According to the following site, there are 11 John Carter novels! The first five are available for reading online there.
http://www.johncarterofmars.ca/books.html
Oh yes, PatH. Those covers are something else!! See http://www.johncarterofmars.ca/
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Covers for paperbacks in science fiction had so little to do with the book and so much to do with lurid type females.etc. There is a whole subculture in the used book world of people who collect certain types of covers.
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For those lurid covers, I often suspect the artist has not so much as read the author's descripton of the characters. The cover may look nothing whatsoever like them; all that matters
is the torn dress, the heaving bosom and the big, macho muscles! ::)
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Ed Fisher, a cartoonist one used to see in the New Yorker, once did a series of lurid cover designs for classics. Thorstein Veblen's "The Theory of the Leisure Class" had the subtitle "an orgy of conspicuous consumption", and showed a decadent-looking orgy. "Oliver Twist" has the subtitle "He was insatiable. 'More' he cried." The picture showed two arms stretched out toward the torso of a very well endowed woman in a low cut dress. You almost don't notice the bowl of porridge in her hands.
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I'm so relieved to see that he was a cartoonist, PAT. I can assume it was all tongue-in-cheek.
:P ;D
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Yes, it was very much tongue-in-cheek. I'm sorry I don't remember the others; they were all pretty funny.
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The historical romance novels are the funniest covers..All those heaving bosoms and long haired males..
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By a happy chance, I picked up a new book by Brian Herbert and Kevin
J. Anderson. It is "Sisterhood of Dune" It is about the formation of
'Dune' universe and particularly of the fascinating Bene Gesserit Sisterhood. I am fervently hoping it comes at least close to being as
good as "Dune".
Brian Herbert is the son of Frank Herbert, author of "Dune".
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I doubt it will be as good as Dune, but it could be pretty interesting. I'd love to know more about what went before.
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Yes, I think I found the parts about the Bene Gesserit the most
fascinating thing about Dune. I can't really expect this book to be as
good as Dune, I'm just hoping it won't disappoint.
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Just picked up a new Patricia Briggs.. Riverbourne... I love this series.
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I heard there was a new one out. Val and I both read the Patricia
Briggs books. If my library doesn't get it, I'll nudge them a bit.
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Oh Joy, I found a Terry Pratchett at the book sale, that I had not read. He is my treasure .. I love him and save him for depressed days..
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Congratulations, STEPH.
I brought home a book, "Sisterhood of Dune", from the library. It is
supposed to be the story of the origin of the Gene Besserit, a group that I found most fascinating
in the original "Dune". My reaction so far is mixed. Parts of it seem to move very slowly, as
though still preparing for the main events. My favorite character, appropriately enough,
is an Atreides. That remarkable family was the center of "Dune". I'm hoping the pace will pick
up shortly.
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I loved the original Dune and still reread it upon occasion, but most of the others just got more and more complicated.But like you I did like the sisterhood and may try that one.
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STEPH, I can't help asking... Why would you re-read a book, even a good one, when you have
6+ boxes of books tbr? :) ???
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BABI!!!!!!!!!!
I have books I've read a half dozen times, and I have books waiting (not 6 boxes of books, I admit)
my daughter says never buy a book that's not worth rereading!!
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Re read... I keep a certain amount of books in a small bookcase in my office.These are books that I treasure for one reason or another..I reread them all periodically. Some of them have valuable lessons for me and I tend to drift away from the core of what I want to be. The books remind me.
I have the six books tbr because I sort donated books for the library and a thrift place.. I simply cannot resist a bargain while sorting. Sigh..
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I, too, have bookcases full of books I'm reluctant to part with, and I do re-read one from time
to time. But then, I rarely acquire new ones. I am entirely dependent on the libraries within
my reach.
Sadly, I did not realize that "Sisterhood of Dune" is book three of a trilogy. It constantly
refers to past events, and I am sorely tempted to return it until I can find and read the first two.
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Babi.. if you have thrift shops in your area, they are a good source for books. Very reasonable indeed.. Also of course our library has a small area where the friends put books.. you simple donate whatever you can when you take a book from there.
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Our library has a small 'sale' table also, STEPH, and I've bought some books there. The local
thrift store also has some books, but as you said about many of the book sale donations, they
rarely have anything I want.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
GoodWill in Sarasota, Fl. has so many book donations, they now have a used book store of their own. Very nicely done.. Its a closed bank.. My d-i-l took me to show me when I was down visiting them..
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"Very nicely done"--you should know, Steph, you're the expert.
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I never reported on this month's f2f sci-fi/fantasy book club. the sci-fi was John Scalzi's Old Man's War, which we've talked about here, and those of us who can stand the gore and profanity have enjoyed. The fantasy selection was Barry Hughart's The Bridge of Birds, which I'd never heard of. It's a tale of an imaginary medieval China, combining real and imaginary Chinese mythology, legends, philosophy and theology to tell its story--the quest of a villager, Number Ten Ox, and a philosopher, Li Kao, who has a character flaw, to find the cure for the sickness of the village children. It's got a lot of charm, but after a while you feel he is piling on just too many demons, magics, and weird characters. However, they all come together into a point at the end.
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Riverbourne is a bit slow and strange at this point.. Granted she is on her honeymoon, normally she pays a bit more attention to what is happening.
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By the way, I decided to go ahead and finish "Sisterhood of Dune". Who knows when, or if, I'd
find the first two books. Glad I did; it's gotten fully into the 'Dune' pace and I'm greatly enjoying
it. Can't wait to see the more obnoxious villains get their just deserts!
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As I remember the Sisterhood was not exactly kind loving ladies.
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No, but they were the epitome of the strong, powerful, incredibly intelligent and self-controlled woman. Awesome!
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Poison was their weapon as I recall.. About half through River touched.. Good one, although the Indians are throwing me.. Different type of otherness..
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I decided to forgo the two serious book discussions due to very limited time to devote to it just now. However, I did pick the John Carter series back up with Thuvia of Mars to read a bit at a time. What an interesting philosophical question about what is reality. Are things actually real or is everything a manifestation of the mind (or collective mind). But, of course, that episode passed and now the scene is changing and setting up for a mega-war in the next chapters.
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Did I mention that one of the local tv stations showed the last Star Trek movie a few weeks ago. I had already seen it, but watched it again.. Mostly because I had just read somewhere that the man who played the young Spock has been signed for another Star Trek movie. He was really good and looked remarkably like Nemoy.
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I have not yet seen that Star Trek, Steph.
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It is roughly three years old, since my husband and I saw it when we were out on the west coast in Portland.
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I enjoyed the latest Star Trek movie.
In the "Movies/TV" discussion, Frybabe mentioned a series that is on the Science station, Prophets of Science Fiction. I'll repeat a post that I made in that discussion in case any of you are interested in the series.
I recently found Prophets of Science Fiction on my cable "on demand." The series is interesting and thought provoking. One that I watched recently on Isaac Asimov showed how he grew up reading about dangerous robot-like creatures taking over the world but they he reinterpreted robots benignly, helping mankind. The episode said that John Campbell, the editor of Astounding Science Fiction (the magazine to which Asimov submitted stories) was the person who recognized that Asimov had included in his early robot stories three laws of robotics which all robots must obey. John Campbell helped Asimov to make them explicit.
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Did you see the one on Heinlein, Marcie? I thought that was good too. I skipped H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and George Lucas. I hope they continue with a new season that includes more of the newer SciFi writers like Orson Scott Card, Ursula La Guin, and Ray Bradbury. I'd like to see what they say about the advanced communications, medical tech, and off world mining and colonization. If they did George Lucas, I expect to see Gene Roddenberry in the mix somewhere too.
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Frybabe, yes, I thought the episode on Heinlein was very good. I enjoyed the one on Mary Shelley too.
I too hope that they will have a second season. The list of season one episodes is at http://science.discovery.com/tv/prophets-of-science-fiction/episodes/
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Things like this series almost make me get cable. The blurbs make it sound like they are doing a good job.
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Hmm. Will check our where this is on my cable. I dont pay enough attention to what is going on on TV. The reality shows put me off.
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I'm with you, STEPH. The only 'reality' I can see is that people will do most anything if there is
a chance of making a good chunk of money doing it. The whole psychology of 'Survivor', for
instance, is skewed. In the kind of situations they present, survival would depend on mutual
cooperation, NOT competition!
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Our newspaper no longer prints a little tv guide..only whats on after 7pm and that is not always right. Ah the days of newspapers that actually did stuff. I love my IPAD because I have CNN and the New York Times and the Washington Post and Slate.. Lots of news..
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Just started the fifth of the John Carter series. This one, Chessmen of Mars, is starting out with Carter's very spoiled and self-centered daughter. She is just getting herself into a pickle and finding out that there are forces of nature that exist outside of her control and don't heel to her beck and call. She is just into her teen or pre-teen years where her emotional response to the attentions of the opposites are beginning to emerge and are a puzzlement to her.
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Oh, my. I really must get back into the Jack Carter series. It's been so long, I don't remember
much of anything. I remember how it all started, but after that.... ???
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The Chessmen of Mars is the last of the free e-books in that series, so far. I'm going to have to find inexpensive versions of the rest. Just this morning I downloaded Burrough's The Outlaw of Torn which, from the little bit I read, appears to be an historical fiction during the reign of Henry III.
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I had a lot of Burroughs in the book store, but I could never get into him at all.
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PatH, thanks for the link to this discussion. Lots of interesting stuff. I have read about 3 Dune books, hadn't heard of Sisterhood of Dune. I don't think I've seen a Science Fiction series on cable.
I dislike the so called reality shows too. I posted in the Library that I liked scifi, I think I lean more toward the fantasy, big favorites are the Ann McCaffrey dragon books, her son does a good job of writing stories of Pern. Jean Auel's books were fascinating to me too, what category would they be in? I've been looking for something to read in this genre, i just finished some really good novels about a real person from the 12 century,, and two murder mysteries. Time for a good scifi/fantasy.
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Welcome, HallieMae. I don't know if you went back that far in the discussion, but you might like the Liaden Universe series by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Anne McCaffrey loved it. There are a lot of books, but it makes sense best if you read the core 5 in order. They are:
Conflict of Honors
Agent of Change
Carpe Diem
Plan B
I Dare
The first three were, maybe are still, available in one paperback volume called Partners in Necessity. Lately they have been re-issuing the books in paperback in various new combinations, so it takes a lot of work to figure out what you are getting.
If you don't know the website Fantastic Fiction, there's a link to it in our heading. You can look up any author of mystery, fantasy, or sci-fi and find a complete list of their works, with dates and often brief descriptions.
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Fantasy.. How about Terry Pratchett.. Very english, very funny.. Makes me laugh out loud.. I am reading The Sourcerers by him just now.. He has written a lot of books.. I love any of them, that have The Witches, or Death, or Luggage.. Or his world.. which floats on the back of four giant turtles..
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Pratchett is the funniest author I know, though you mustn't mind some vulgarity. Steph, which books would you recommend starting with?
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I don't remember reading a Pratchett titled "The Sourcerers", STEPH. Actually, I hope I haven't;
it would be great to find another one of his I haven't read.
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I think it's Sourcery.
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PatH, thanks for the tip about Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, as i said i now read everything on my Nook. Unless it's a large print book, i can't seem to read regular print very well and I can read my Nook very easily.
Steph, thanks for the tip about Terry Prachett, the name sounds familiar, possibly I have already read some of his books, I'll be looking them up.
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It is Sourcery... and it is an old one that I missed. copyright.. 1988.. But oh my, a belly laugh type.. Whenever the luggage is involved and Rincewind..Things get extremely strange and the Librarian is a big part of the book.. I loved it, gobbled it up in day and a half and was sorry it was over..
You can really start anywhere with Pratchett.. They loosely join, but I would guess you might enjoy the witches.. I personally would love to be one.. They are very very funny.
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PatH, the books you listed as Liaden Universe books, aren't in Nook, they do have the paperbacks of them though. There are other books by these authors that i can get on Nook which I will do.
Steph, Terry Prachett has a TON of books listed in B&N, he definitely looks like an author I'd like to explore.
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HallieMae, some of Lee and Miller's other books are not very good, and some of them have a lot of not very appealing sex in them.
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I am not a Lee and Miller fan, but I think it was because I read some of the other books.. They were very involved sexually, and I am not fond of fantasy that does that.
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The Liaden books are not like that. In fact, they key family in the series take a most honorable
approach to personal relationships.
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Occasionally there is sex in some of the Liaden books, but it's appropriate, and understated, and not a big part of things.
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PatH and Steph, what a disappointment, I do not like books that are laced with sex scenes. i have mistakenly bought some books that I had to skip about 4 pages of descriptive sex, why did i finish them, i needed to know how the story came out! My "bookstore" has been the Salvation Army, they have tons of books but it is catch as catch can to find something worth reading. I have found some gems there but also, as stated above, some trash. I haven't been there since getting my Nook since the Nook is so much easier for me to read. There are pretty good bargains in Nook as well as a "Free Friday" book.
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I have made a note of the Liaden books and will try one if I run across it. I did find at a book sale the precourser book to a series that I loved..Since I am having a seriousl senior moment just now,, cannot remember the main character or the author..Sigh.. It will come..
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Again, HALLIE, as PatH and I have been saying, this is not an issue in the Liaden books. You won't find them 'laced with sex scenes', and no 'pages of descriptive sex'. I dislike that type
of book, also, but I loved the Liaden series.
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Babi, I will try to find the Liaden series books, I can't order online since I can't tell if I can read the type. So many paperbacks have really small type, wish me luck!
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Good luck, HALLIE. You would think the sales descriptions would specify whether a book
was large print, wouldn't you? Have you checked to see if any of the options enable you to
specify large print? Maybe some of our bookies here would know how to identify the lp books.
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Thanks, Babi, I don't remember seeing any designation of the books being available in large print but I shall take another look. I didn't check Amazon for paperbacks, that's next.
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Sookie and I are at the end of the latest book.. Harris does a fine job of the supernatural world. Some are good, some evil, no race left out.. INteresting.
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Found one of the first Miles books.. This is Barrayar.. The story of Miles Mother and father and how she adjusted to living in the culture. Interesting..She is quite an interesting character in her own right.
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She is indeed. In fact, those books are full of highly individualized characters. The author has
written other books as well, which I dearly loved.
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I was going to check out the Sisterhood of Dune and was amazed at the amount of books I've missed that were written about Dune. The last Dune book Frank Herbert wrote is what I purchased. I did read one of Brian Herbert's books, don't now remember which one. There are a lot more Dune books than I realized, any recommendations?
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HallieMae, I would suggest that you read the books written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson in order of publication. I think that I stopped after The Battle of Corrin. I'll probably read the rest when I get some time.
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Iloved the ones that Frank wrote, but stopped with Brian. Just got too toocomplicated.
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Thanks Marcie, that's a good suggestion. i think I'll stretch out my "Dune" book reading for a while.
Steph, it's been a while since i read one of the Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson books, i don't think i liked it as much as Frank Herbert's books.
At any rate I'm getting into the complicated world of Chapterhouse: Dune.
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Alas, HALLIEMAE, I found the Dune books deteriorated the further they went.
The first was, to me, a masterpiece. The last one I read I actually disliked.
Too bad.
Thanks for mentioning the Herbert/Anderson books, MARCIE. I don't believe
I've read any of those.
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Babi, I agree the first book was the best. I can't imagine anyone who saw the Dune movie without having read the book would be able to make heads or tails of it, but I liked it.
So far Chapterhouse is lots of talk, mentat, reverend mothers, etc but very little action, still don't know who the good guys are yet.
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Even the good guys can be pretty tough, HALLIE. 8)
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Babi, I'll let you know if I ever get to the point of figuring out what the heck is going on ???
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You two aren't selling me on reading the book.
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A good example of why I gave up on the Dune books..
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PATH, "DUNE" you can read with every expectation of a rich erxperrience. It was/is great! The
whole scene simply got carried too far in the later books. In 'Dune' even the chapter headings
were intriguing and contributed greatly to the background.
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Babi, I read Dune recently, and you're right. Sometime I will probably continue on, reading more until they start getting too overdone.
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OK, I'm puzzled, I did read the first two Dune books by Frank Herbert. True, that was several years ago, so maybe I have a faulty memory. This third book by Frank Herbert which I understand was his last, Chapterhouse:Dune, I'm reading now doesn't seem to have any connection to the second book. To me it seems as if there is a gap of information between the #2 and #3 books.. Either that or I'm really going around the bend and forgetting way too much ::)
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HallieMae
You'll find a list of Dune books in the order they were published here:
http://dunepedia.wetpaint.com/page/Category%3A+Dune+Universe+Books
Here is a list of the books in the chronological order of the "Dune universe"
http://dunepedia.wetpaint.com/page/List+of+Books+in+Chronological+Order
In both lists there are three books by Frank Herbert that you've missed in between DUNE MESSIAH and CHAPTERHOUSE DUNE:
CHILDREN OF DUNE
GOD EMPEROR OF DUNE
HERETICS OF DUNE
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I'm glad you straightened out the Dune chronology, marcie, because I wasn't doing to well at trying to figure it out. I did come across something interesting, though. After Dune was serialized in Analog, Herbert had trouble getting it published as a book. One of the 20 rejections started off "I might be making the mistake of the decade, but...." The eventual publisher was a small house best known for its auto repair manuals.
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"I might be making the mistake of the decade, but...." Oh my gosh, Pat. What a mistake it was!!
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Thats like all of the publishing houses that passed on Harry Potter.
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Marcie, thanks, that's just what I needed a chronological list. No wonder I was lost :)
I do believe I read "Children of Dune" and I vaguely recall that I didn't like it so never looked for more Dune books. And there certainly are plenty of them! I'm beginning to enjoy this one it's starting to come together for me. I may backtrack and pick up on the two after "Children"
My all time favorite sci/fi books are the dragon books by Anne McCaffrey, her son is carrying on stories of Pern very well.
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Well, you landed in a nest of McCaffrey fans, HallieMae, though opinions are divided about her son.
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I loved Anne, but am not really that fond of the sons stuff. Too much war, not enough dragons and girls.
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Steph, you may be right, I get Pern withdrawal now and then so I'll read her son's stuff, she seems to think he's OK. I've re-read all the books at least twice. I've read her other books, but have to say I'm totally enamored with Pern and the idea of having my very own dragon ::)
How about Jean Auel's books, the first I actually never read "The Clan of the Cave Bear" but have read the rest of them.
2. The Valley of Horses, 1982
3. The Mammoth Hunters, 1985
4. The Plains of Passage, 1990
5. The Shelters of Stone, 2002
6. The Land of Painted Caves, 2011
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I liked all of Anne McCaffrey.. She lived for a brief period in my home state of Delaware.. not close to where I was, but the only city at that time.. Wilmington. She died last year as I recall.
The Catch Trap was an early novel of hers and I loved it. But like you < I really want my own dragon and the ability to talk with it by minds..
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Steph, I just looked her up in Wikopedia.. O my gosh, the books I haven'tread!!
She died in November 2011 of a stroke at age 85 in ireland where she had lived for many years.
I really thought i had read all or at least most of her books. Wrong, I couldn't believe how many she wrote, I've got a lot of catching up to do :)
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HallieMae, don't forget the link to Fantastic Fiction in the heading. It gives basic information and complete bibliographies for more authors than you can imagine. It did give misleading information about Chapterhouse Dune, though.
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Thanks so much, PatH, for directing me to that fabulous link - could get lost in there :D
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McCaffrey had a gift. I will never forget The Ship Who Sang. Made me cry and think at the same time. She always said, she wrote it when her Father died as a tribute..
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Steph, I might have read that a long time ago, I'd get it again but it's not in Nook. I'm going crazy trying to figure out which book to read next. I sort of have to stick with Nook books because most paperbacks are in small print, and I can't find any notation about it being in large print. i would dearly love to read "The Ship Who Sang' and the others in the series. One book I think I'll get is "Restoree" which is apparently a very early book of hers and is in Nook form. I'll see if I can get to a book store and check out "Ship" paperbacks.
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I'm going crazy trying to figure out which book to read next.
That's not a bad problem to have.
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Restoree is darned close to the first sci fi book she wrote.She had written several novels before that and someshort stories. The Ship would be a novella or short story really..
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Valerie read all of Jean Auel's books, HALLIE. I don't think I quite made it
through, but I did enjoy those I read.
I've tried to read every one of McCaffrey's books, but would be happy to learn
there was one I had missed. That would be one more to look forward to.
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McCaffrey wrote a lot of short stories as well and they are hard to find.. No collections that I know of. She wrote for the Sci fi magazines a lot at the beginning of her career.
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Babi, some of the Jean Auel books were heavy going but I don't read a book to take a test on it, if I can't quite get something I sail on and usually "get it" later on. My favorite was "Valley of the Horses", second favorite "Mammoth Hunters". Glad you were able to get back online, did you have "withdrawal" symptoms ;)
Steph, I know, lucky for me, according to that list in Fantastic Fiction, I have a lot of McCaffrey books to look forward to reading. I'm starting with the earliest one I found "Restoree".
Today's "free" Friday in B&N, I usually get whatever is free, so far they have been a fairly diverse lot of books, mysteries, spy novels, etc. so I'm not totally stuck in fantasy world :)
I finally finished Chapterhouse:Dune, think I'll lay that series to rest for now, talk about complicated!
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Oh, you know I did, HALLIE. I was reduced to playing JT's block and solitaire on the TV, and
spending a lot of my time with my crossword book. And worrying about my on-line duties at
"Bleak House". And missing my friends. :( But all is well again. :)
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Babi, I think I've seen some scenes of "Bleak House" on PBS, the name Inspector Bucket called to mind the comedy where the grand lady said it was pronouced "Bouquet". :D There are so many fine offerings on PBS it's hard to keep up with them. I saw snatches of "Great Expectations", I had seen the original movie, which was totally scarifying~ I saw a good chunk of "the Mystery of Edwin Drood" mainly because the lead actor looked so familiar. Finally the dawn broke when it was mentioned he was in "Brothers & Sisters." Hard to keep up with everything.
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HallieMae, we had a really good discussion of Edwin Drood here a few years ago, and we're now 2/3 through another really good discussion of Bleak House. It's been going on for over two months already, so it would be hard to catch up, but if you want to try, you would be very welcome. There is some talk of doing Great Expectations later, so you could get in on the start on that one.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
One of my favorite younger writers in Sci fi is Patricia Briggs. She has quite a touch with fantasy..
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Val and I both enjoy Patricia Briggs. Whenever a new one turns up at the library, I bring it home
for both of us.
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PatH, thanks for the invitation to participate in those discussions. I saw quite a bit of "Drood", I'd be interested in reading comments on it. I saw the 1946 version of "Great Expectations" , a really scary movie. John Mills played "Pip", my mother screamed at the scene where the convict came up on young Pip, I still can see it, brrr!
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I can still see it too. Brrr is right.
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Steph and Babi, please give me a suggestion of which Patricia Briggs book to read for starters, I looked her up and she has a ton of them!
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Briggs has a lot of small series. I love the werwolf sagas..Look her up and see what the first one was.. There is also at least one series that has a young girl as a magician.. Excellent.
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Hey, Steph, you got your picture up. Nice!
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HALLIE, my favorite Briggs series features Mercedes Thompson. The first book is "Moon Bound". You should be aware, tho', Mercedes is an exceptionally strong character, and all the
books have at least one rather awful incident demonstrating just how tough she is. Still, I find
her fascinating, complete with a touch of humor.
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Steph and Babi, thanks for the suggestions.
Babi, it couldn't be any worse than what happened in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo".
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OK, I bought "Moon Called" Mercy Thompson #1. One of the reviewers said that the cover was very misleading, good, because i never would buy a book with that awful cover.
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Let us know how you like it, HallieMae.
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There are two intertwined series , one with Mercedes and the other the senior wolf pack..Both are good.
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I have studiously avoided "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo". It doesn't at all sound like the kind
of thing I like. But then, it seems to me I find all the Scandinavian writers depressing. It must be
from living where it's dark so much of the year; it influences their writing.
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Babi, i read it because everyone was raving about it at the time. i liked it well enough to read the next two books, i wanted to see what happened to the leading characters, he did make them interesting. Apparently he was going to continue the series but died before he could.
I also saw the movie on DVD made in Sweden, very good, I skipped through the part about what was done to her but I'm ashamed to say, i relished the part where she retaliated. One of the things that was fascinating to me was the difference in how things are done there.
The Russian and Polish writers are the ones that i find hard to read. Leo Tolstoy, Isaac Bashov Singer for example, too depressing. Tolstoy, in War & Peace, must have had 12 names for each character, i got lost trying to figure out who he was writing about!
I'll let you and Steph know what I think of "Moon Called".
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I am always surprised , every time I put up a Terry Pratchett book on my swap club, it goes in seconds.. Whew..There must always be a waiting list.
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HALLIE, I read the Russian writers when I was young and dauntless. Great books, but
definitely not light reading.
STEPH, I need to check into PB BOOK SWAP more often. I would have been happy to
snatch up some of those Pratchetts. Actually, I've been thinking about dropping out.
It seems most books I go looking for I can buy, but very few turn up available for a
swap.
I am now reading Modisett's (?) "Scholar". I haven't read his 'scholar' series, but this book
predates the events of the earlier books. If I get really involved, I can continue with the series.
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What's Modisitt like, Babi? I'm not familiar with him.
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Babi, I too was young when I read Tolstoy, wonder if I'd understand it a lot better now . . . .Uh uh, I don't think so.
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HallieMae, I had never managed to get through any Russian novel until about 4 years ago, when we discussed War and Peace here under the able leadership of Babi and JoanK. It was a lot of work, but very rewarding, and I did finish both the book and the discussion. You have to be willing to put a lot into it, though.
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Idislike Russian writers except for Nabokov...Just too many nicknames, turgid themese and depressions.. Never wanted to visit Russia either.
I never read Modisett. Let us know what they are like. I am a fantasy fan mostly.
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PAT & STEPH, I don't think I'm familiar enough just yet to classify Modesitt. I'm enjoying
the book and I'll probably want to read more of this 'scholar' series. (Actually, they call it the 'Imager' series. An imager can bring things into existence by visualizing them, though of course it is a drain on them. Like most fantasy, far-fetched, but since when did that keep us from enjoying them? He has some very likable characters, and some detestable characters. A bit of polarization there, maybe.
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PatH, that would be the best way to read "War and Peace", you would get so much more out of it that way. I was only about 22 when I tackled it, lucky I got through it
It reminds me of the time in high school English class, the nun taking us through "Tale of Two Cities" chapter by chapter. He made so many references that would have been Greek to us if she didn't explain who was who and what was what, I vaguely recall reading "horse faced queen" who??? Also remember the movie with Ronald Colman saying in his beautiful voice "It is a far, far better thing that I do . . . . sigh
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Like most fantasy, far-fetched, but since when did that keep us from enjoying them?
Nothing wrong with far-fetched.
I would never have been able to get through War and Peace at 22.
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I got through War and Peace, but hated it.. Sorry.. just not that interesting. I loved Dickens and read most of his stuff in my 30's. Now I find him a bit on the long winded side. I tend to like shorter books.. Probably because I am 74.. ah time..
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I've noticed the same, STEPH. I find really long books tend to make me impatient. I guess
getting older makes us tend to want final resolutions on more and more things. Or maybe
we're thinking we could have read two books in the time it takes to read the biggie. Still, a really good author can still be worth it.
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I just finished "Moon Called" by Patricia Briggs. I liked it a lot and intend to get more of her books. I probably will continue with the "Mercy" books for now. I thought it was a complicated story line, plenty interesting. In addition I had to learn all about werewolves and other strange beings. I also don't want to forget to get a Terry Pratchett book.
I have the free Friday book this week which is an historical novel about the time of the War of the Roses, so that's my next book for now. So far the free Friday books have run the gamut of detective novels, sweet family stories, historical novels, etc. so even though I'm a fantasyland addict i feel as though I'm getting enough of a mix of books not to get stuck in one genre,
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Hallie, Briggs has written a sister series to this about the rest of the werewolf family who live far from people and closer to Indians.. Interesting and goes into more detail on how they arrange their lives.
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Steph, that sounds interesting, i love stuff involving Indians. i read several of Tony Hillerman's books with the Navajo police chief and his deputy solving crimes. Lots of fascinating information about Navajo beliefs. Can you give me the name one of her books about werewolves and Indians?
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Google her.. I dont have a single one of her books here to look it up and my memory is the original goes in, never seen again just now..
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HALLIE, I believe that series is called 'Alpha and Omega', and the first book in
the series is "Cry Wolf".
(I didn't remember all that, STEPH. I quick-checked on FF. ;))
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Babi, yes it is somewhat later and I am now up to thinking.. The series is Alpha and Omega and I like it very much.
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I think I'll try the "Cry Wolf" the next time I get a Nook book. Right now, looking at my credit card, I see I've been adding up quite a total buying Barnes & Noble books! Think I'll investigate my two sources of paperbacks, Salvation Army and Amvets, 99 cents a book ;D and see what they have to offer. In the meantime I'm re-reading an old McCaffrey Pern book
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McCaffrey can stand a fair bit of rereading.
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I have most of Mccaffrey in paperback and have kept them.They are like Marion Zimmer Bradleys books. I reread them. The fantasy is so well done..
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Speaking of 'Nook', I read that Microsoft has bought into that. Sounds promising for the Nook
users, doesn't it?
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The McCaffrey book I'm reading the one about Menolly, I haven't read for a long time. I have kept all my McCaffrey books, all Tony Hillerman Indian books, many Agatha Christie books, Ngaio Marsh books, several Maeve Binchey books, there are just some writers i can't part with. Over the years i read "Lord of the Rings" about 4 times.
I did break down and buy an inexpensive (2.99) book called "The Dig" , a sci/fi, so far I like it.
I think that if I were given the choice I would have picked Kindle because Amazon offers so much more. Also it seems to have a bigger library. Maybe if Microsoft buys Nook it will improve the choices available.
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I am currently in the middle of Blindsight by Peter Watts. What a truly bizarre book it is. I was beginning to think I got dropped into the middle of some kind of insane asylum, to tell the truth. Here is what Wikipedia says about it, without mentioning the strange afflictions of the crew.
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I had an IPAD, so I have access to Kindle, Nook, Ebooks, Kobo.. The best of all worlds from my point of view.
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Stephi lucky you, my son keeps after me to have an IPad but I'm so technically challenged that I hesitate to get something that does everything but dance :D
I'm feeling "Greek" maybe a Mary Renault book would be in order.
Anybody else a fan of the Merlin books by Mary Stewart? I've read several of those.
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Hallie Mae.. All the IPAD requires is fingers... touch does everything and apps are soooo easy. You just click on them, establish a credit card with Apple and boom the world is your oyster. My sons have IPAD that do eveything, but I dont worry, mine does games, books and newspapers and I am happy as a clam.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I have finished Blindsight. This book will require a second read, I think. There are a lot of info and references to brain function, visual functions, bio-chemistry, etc. At the end of the book, the author goes into Vampire (yes, one of the crew members is a vampire) biology and gives more information about the various functions/features included in his book. I wish I had read them first.
While looking up "blindsight" for a definition I came across this webpage from Bryn Mawr College. It includes a test that I have not yet tried, but have bookmarked it for when I reread the book.
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/blindsight.html
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I think I read all of the Mary Stewart 'Merlin' books, HALLIE, but it's been a long
time ago so I won't swear to it. I very much enjoyed both Stewart and Renault.
STEPH, and HALLIE, I knew if I just sat back long enough, listening to comments
and awaiting developments, I would identify the best electronic gadget. Over time,
IPAD has emerged as the one that gets the most praise and the least complaints. I stil
don't plan on getting one anytime soon, but when the time comes when it's 'close at
hand' or 'do without', I'll hint to my son that it would be the perfect Christmas
present.
Fascinating, FRYBABE. I made a brief trial of the test, but did now see a second image at all.
I have long been convinced, however, of the strong role the subconscious plays in our lives. I
also believe that our minds are capable of far more than is generally accepted now. I have had
enough evidence of that in my own life. Hopefully, those capacities will become more evident
and available in the course of time.
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Steph, that'll be my next step, but when I don't know.
Frybabe, fascinating subject, could get very complicated too.
Babi, guess we do have the same tastes in books, Stewart and Renault. i couldn't find an old "greek" book I liked so switched over to a"Roman" one. "Nemisis" by Lindsay Davis, in old Rome a "detective" Falco solves mysteries. There are a lot of books with Falco, I know I read one before but the title escapes me as usual!
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I loved both Renault and Stewart and read most of them..Falco.. is funny, has many adventures and is a favorite of mine.
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Steph
There are a ton of Falco books! So many books by interesting writers suggested in here , I'll never catch up!
Think I'll go for the Cry Wolf next, I like to mix them up. Unlike some folks I don't think I can read 2 or 3 books at the same time.
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I always read several books at once, just in different places, day books, bed books, and a book for the car.. Sometimes if I am reading a complicated biography or non fiction of some type, I only read a chaper or two a day to make it sink in better.
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Steph, I think I'm one track minded and would lose the thread or impact of one of the books. Nowadays i read for entertainment only, I'm not necessarily trying to improve my mind or knowledge. Dick read several McCullough books and I was tempted by "John Adams" but never got around to it, I don't like biographies anymore. Hopeless. . . .just want to live in fantasyland I guess.
What do you mean "car" I assume your not driving ::) My son, a voracious reader, has an hour long commute to work and listens to books, he does not like fiction, he reads all kinds of serious stuff that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole :)
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Two, maybe, HALLIE, not three. I find it I try to read three books, one of them
gets neglected. Come to think of it, that occasionally happens with two books,also. :)
STEPH, it was discovering all those books on technical stuff that finally convinced me, as
a youngster, that I not only couldn't read every book in the library, I really didn't want to.
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I have to amend what I said about not wanting to learn anything. An example, I recently finished a wonderful book "The Greatest Knight" by Elizabeth Chadwick, fictional but about a real person William Marshal. it takes place in the late 12th and early13th century, lots of interesting information about that period of time. I'm now reading a Lindsay Davis, "detective" Falco book, another fund of info about Rome. The Navajo policeman books by Tony Hillerman, lots of fascinating stuff about the Navajo. So while I just want to entertain myself, i guess I'm still learning interesting things.
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My car book.. on trips I listen to cd's of books, but my car book is something,, generally short stories for when I get caught out, and have to wait.. doctors office, etc. More and more however I try to remember to take my IPAD and have tons of books on it to read..
I am still working on polygamy books on the IPAD and have finished a great variety of them. Interesting the way it is defined by current day standards and by far ago times. NOw the President of South Africa is a polygamist.. Whew.. Does he get to take them all to state events??
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"The Greatest Knight" sounds interesting, HALLIE. I'll see if it's available in either of
the libraries I use.
Of countries that still practice polygamy, I have the impression that some don't bring any of their wives to public affairs, while others bring the head wife (#1) and some the current favorite
one (or three). Of course, I only have this idea from various books, movies or news films. No
hard facts.
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Steph, that's a great idea, a book with short stories for those long waits at labs, doctors offices etc.
Babi, I hope you find it and will like it as much as I did, there is a follow up book too. I admit I fell for him :D
Last night i saw "Sister Wives" latest show. I don't know if you've seen any of it but one man has 4 wives, 17 children altogeher. They lived in Utah each having their own house close by, now they had to move to Las Vegas where their houses are farther apart. #3 wife was funny, she said she was happy to only be with him part time and not have to cater to a man full time!
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Sister Wives.. Its sort of funny. They are not members of any particular mormon off shoot, I think he just likes having a lot of wives.. They are sort of famous though, since it was discovered that they get all sorts of benefits for being unmarried mothers, etc. He seems to be some sort of scam artist.
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Steph, they claim they belonged to a church in Utah and some of them grew up in the same situation. I think after they moved to Las Vegas they lost a church connection. I also think they go back to visit, could be wrong. I also briefly saw some of the teen age children not happy with so many children needing attention. If I happen to "click" on it again I know I'll watch, it's the curiosity factor :)
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Igot a DVD of ( I think) the first year. I also have watched the DVD's of Big Love.. That is what prompted my interest in seeing what is really going on.. There is a lot of literature out there. I still cannot believe that way back in the church, the women did not see what is happening..Strange the manipulations to bring Polygamy to them.. Greedy old men will do anything to bring in new young talent. Ugh.
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It is truly disgusting when some of these "cults" show old men who are in power take young teen age girls as wives. the impression I get with "Sister Wives" it was their own choice, it was not forced on them. Where's the gal with several husbands :D One's enough i think!
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;D
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Sister Wives. Yes the women seem to love their life style.. Big Love showed a different side of polygamy.. and not a nice one. Most of the books I have read trend to the Big love side of the arguement. Many of the young girls born into the life style and isolated from regular life have no choice..
There was a science fiction book that I read years ago , that had a really unusual marriage style. I am trying to remember, but I think it was something of a group, each with a different slant on life..They were dumbfounded when discovered by earth.. How could you possibly maintain a two person marriage?? It was fun as I recall.
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Steph, that sounds like a fun book, I hope something jogs your memory about the name!
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It was not a famous author as I recall, but the book had an excellent premise.
I found a Marion Zimmer Bradley that I had not read.. Oh joy, I have been reading away for two days when I had time and it is almost done.. I suspect she wrote it just before she died, since she seems to be trying to clean up several story lines at once.
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After reading the prequel to the Imager series, I have just started on book one of the series, titled, most appropriately, "Imager". :) I think I'm really going to enjoy these books.
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I've started "Cry Wolf", is this the first book of a second series? They make reference to Mercy, I have read one of the Mercy series books. I'm liking it so far (: I got some gift certificates for Barnes & Noble and after reading Ginny's post in the Library about the Exotic Marigold Hotel decided to get it, so that'll be next.
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I want to read the Marigold book, just have not gotten around to looking around for it..
Alpha and Omega.. I am not sure, but I think that is the first one..Cry Wolf, that is..
I finished the very last Marion Zimmer Bradley with great regret. I know she died around that time and this book seems to have been her swan song..
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Steph, I like both the Alpha and Omega and Mercy books I don't know which one I'll read next. I like to mix up the genre of books I read.. Marigold so far is interesting, no real opinion until I'm done except for what I said in Library. the next book I chose after Marigold is a P.D. james book, Adam Dagleish (sp?) So sci/fi to best seller to detective sound diverse enough?
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I switch around like crazy.. Mystery,SciFi, fantasy, general fiction.. memoirs and good biographies.. a little history.. No romance and I am not overfond of Russian books.. So yes, I love mixing up what I read.
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Did you know that Wiliam Morris,...the multi-talented guy who designed the Morris
chair, wallpaper and fabric designs, stained glass windows....is also credited with being
one of the most influential early fantasy writers? Mostly short stories. I had no
idea.
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Steph, I'm with you, I like diversity in my reading material. Like you also, no Russians or "bodice ripper" historical fiction either. Although I'd like to see what I'd think of "Forever Amber' these days, it must seem pretty tame!
Babi, That's an interesting little tidbit.
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Has anyone here read a Sci-Fi book REVELATION SPACE by Alastair Reynolds? Someone whose book recommendations I usually like, said she found it "mind blowing."
Marj
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Gee, Marj, another author to add to my list. He was an astrophysicist at the ESA for about 16 years. And Welsh to boot. According to what I read, Revelation Space is "hardcore" SciFi. The synopsis sounds intense. Lots of Cyborg, AI stuff - very high tech. Some interesting reader comments on Amazon.
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My SIL likes Reynolds a lot, but says the series goes downhill as it goes on. It's been on my "must get around to" list for a while. I'm good with hard-core sci-fi.
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I like some hard core, but not a lot.. If it gets too technical, I just get lost.
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I'm with you Steph, I like some hard core but if it gets too complicated I do a lot of "skipping"
The last Dune book was so darn convoluted I couldn't untwist it. of course that wasn't so much hard core technology as it was the metaphysical stuff (:
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How about an author who is so in love with tech that he insists on giving you the blueprints and technical explanation of the fictional ships, space or sea, that he dreamed up? Having skipped
those, however, his books were quite good. Sorry, name eludes me for the moment.
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Give me some more clues, Babi. He sounds like someone I'd like to read, though I might skip the blueprints too.
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I too remember an author who really was into explaining all of these strange inventions. Wast Heinlin, but it was golden age..
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PATH, all I can say definitely at this point is that he has written a fair number of books. When I run across him again, I'll hurry back here and let you know. Sorry
my 'rememberer' is so rusty.
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Hey, PatH, after fishing about a bit, I think David Weber may be the author I'm
trying to remember. He did the 'Honorverse' series, as you may know. I'm not
certain he is the one who got into all the detail on the construction and armament
of the ships, tho'.
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Weber is a bit technical, but dont think he is the worst..
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Who do you think are the worst, STEPH? Maybe one of them is the guy I was trying to recall.
I am enjoying the Modesitt, Jr. 'Imager' series. Certainly not a fast-paced action thriller, but a
thoughtful development of the characters and a sharing of the educating and training of an 'imager'.
I've learned a bit about government and politics, painlessly, and Modesitt also shares a good deal
of his philosophy and religious views. That could be a downside, but I'm finding he gives me much
food for thought. And of course, there is action enough to keep the reader turning the pages.
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I have started reading Android's Dream by John Scalzi. I was surprised to discover that it isn't about an android at all. So far I am enjoying it. Not as outrageously funny as Agent to the Stars but it does have humorous bits in it.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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What a coincidence, Frybabe. I just finished reading The Android's Dream. It's a good read, but there are an awful lot of characters, divided up into factions, to keep straight, and I had a hard time with that. The title is a salute to Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?--the book which became the movie Blade Runner. The book also pokes some fun at L. Ron Hubbard, and his founding of Dianetics.
You're right, it's not as funny as Agent, but there's plenty to like.
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I haven't gotten to the L. Ron Hubbard digs, but I did see his sly remarks about Microsoft and Bill Gates. There are others as well.
So Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was the source for Blade Runner? I didn't know that. I caught some of Blade Runner several times, at about the same place each time, and couldn't get into it. For some reason I found it somewhat, shall we say, "distasteful".
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I am now settled in the mountains, but dont have my paperback long ago reads with me, but will sit and think.. No book store of any size here. A nice small one that is used and new..
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I am reading David McCullough's book "The Greater Journey" it's pretty long and since I'm a one book at a time reader it will be a while before I get back to my sci/fi stuff. I'm not fond of non-fiction books but this is easy to read.
Several books have been mentioned in here that look interesting. What'll I do, catch up with Mercy? No Dunes anymore for me. Imager?? Androids??
Steph, what mountains? My favorite fairly local place is the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
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Hallie Mae, if you're going to start in on Scalzi, I would recommenD either Agent to the Stars or Fuzzy Nation over The Android's Dream. Would you agree, Frybabe?
Frybabe, I both read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and saw Blade Runner. Don't really recommend either. I found world of the book very depressing. The movie is quite different; you saw what it's like.
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Hallie Mae, if you're going to start in on Scalzi, I would recommenD either Agent to the Stars or Fuzzy Nation over The Android's Dream. Would you agree, Frybabe?
Agent to the Stars is a riot if you want to start with humor - something not seen often in scifi. I didn't take to Fuzzy Nation so can't comment on it. Agent & Fuzzy are freebies, which makes them all that much better for a starters. I really liked Old Man's War, not humorous, but a good read.
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I liked Old men's War a lot too, also the three sequels. However, it's pretty gory and profane, so you have to be able to take that sort of thing.
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If you like comedy,,Terry Pratchett is the very very best.. but I also remember an old series by James Schmitz... The Witches of Karres.. Made me just howl.. Three little girls who were not at all what they looked like..Very very funny sci fi
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I read one "Witches of Karres" book, is I'm remembering correctly. I didn't know if there were
others; my library had only the one. I'll look again, it was different and fun. If I have the right
book, tho', it wasn't shelved with the adult books. Understandable, since it fetures the little
girls.
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PatH, thanks for the suggestion, the Agent to the Stars sounds interesting. I will definitely be in the mood for fantasy if I ever finish "The Greater Journey, I just may turn into a 2 book reader. For a break, i have been rereading a Tony Hillerman book off and on with Joe Leapthorn and Jim Chee, love them.
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There are actually several Witches books by Schmitz.. Did not think of them as youth books, but maybe the library did.. Schmitz wrote a lot of books actuall.
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HALLIE, I often like a break when I'm reading a long, 'heavy', book. I like to have
a 'lightweight' to rest my brain or get drowsy at bedtime. And then, when I'm
reading in preparation for an upcoming discussion, I may actually be working on
three at once. Mostly, tho', if I have a book that's a really engrossing page-turner,
I stick with it to the end.
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Babi, that's just what I'm doing. Even though"The Greater Journey" isn't really "heavy", descriptions of Paris, quotes from various Americans in Paris etc tend to get monotonous at times. I'll be finishing the Hillerman book soon and have already ordered the Nook "Agent to the Stars" by John Scalzi, that'll be next. Two I can do :)
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Finished Android's Dream last night. The beginning sentence was a real grabber. I liked the scene where they were at court. Too bad about Archie; he's the only "bad guy" I would have liked to see have a better ending. Book ending nicely wrapped up.
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As I get finished up with the summer house, I am slowly getting back into my book reading habits.. Still working on various projects that need clearing up. Iam getting a little acclimated to the vertical life.. Whew.. I climbed al the way up to the top of my road this AM with the dogs.. mile and a half.. But not so puffy today.. Hooray
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Congratulations, STEPH. Wish I could claim as much, even on a level! 8)
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Alas, my knees would not take kindly to all that up and down.
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Good for you Steph. I do some of that "puff puff" walking with my dog Daisy up a fairly long hill, not as long as yours though, in our local park every other day. If it wasn't for Daisy I'd never do it!
In "The Greater Journey," McCullough describes several bloody "sieges" of Paris in the 1800s, many changes of government too. Only remember reading about the French Revolution thanks to Charles Dickens' "Tale of Two Cities" in the previous century.
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The mile and a half is round trip, so Iam not quite as in shape as I seem. Today I will be trying aquatics at the gym.. See how that goes. I have never tried them before. Generally do classes and weight lifting..
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I have several Richard Simmons videos that I do every day along with my dog walk. I know people laugh at him but I credit one of his tapes with helping me get the full range of motion in the arm that I fractured several years ago.
Right now I'm trying to clean the d.... pool, even though it was covered, leaves still managed to get in there. It's really an aggravation to have one since here in New England we have such a short summer season and I don't go in unless it's hot, hot, hot outside. All grandkids are adults so not interested in coming to Grandma's pool :D
I think I'd prefer going to a gym with a pool!
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I had fun in the aquatics class and will probably continue during the summer. It is an indoor pool..and salt water, which I gather is the latest thing.
We had pools in several houses, but once our sons grew up, we stopped considering houses with pools. Just too much work.. My older son and wife have a nice pool. but he keeps it child gated, no children, but one of his dogs drowned a few years ago and since then the pool is only opened when there is a party and the dogs are securely gated instead.
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HALLIE, it's no fun maintaining something you don't really use. Maybe it would
be worth the trouble to just fill it in and do something else with the space. A
patio, or a vegetable garden (tho' that's a lot of work, too).
Makes sense, STEPH. As aquatics become more popular, more and more gyms
are going for the greater buoyancy of the salt water.
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Babi, I'd love to fill it in but it is almost 20' by 40' and would cost a fortune to fill. I do use it and have a couple of cookouts during the summer so it isn't a complete waste. Right now the market is so bad that selling the house right now isn't a good idea but that is my future goal!!
Steph, our yard is fenced in but twice i had to rescue our black lab from the pool in the dead of winter before we got a cover. One time I came home from work and she was desperately trying to get up the side of the cement pool, her paws were all bloody, another time I was in my nightgown and ran out in the snow in bare feet to grab her out, big dog too.
I just started "Agent to the Stars", no more non fiction books for me for a long time after reading "The Greater Journey". :)
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Just finished Plague Ship by Andrew North (pseudonym of Alice Mary Norton, also known as Andre Norton). It turns out that this is the second of the Solar Queen series about "Free Traders", as opposed to "Company" ships. It was okay enough for me to check out some of her other works. She wrote mostly for the young set. Easy reading, not too complicated. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/n/andre-norton/
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She lived inWinter Park, Fl. I have read some of her books and loved them.. They are fun and a quick read. Sort of the wi fi equivilent of cozies..
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Many of the Nortons I've read could be summed up as coming of age stories about young men who can talk to cats. I don't mean that in a bad way--I like Norton's books a lot too.
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I am happy to hear that cats are featured in more than one of her books.
Hallie Mae, let us know how you liked "Agent to the Stars."
I am in the middle of my own "alien invasion". I've been battling flies last evening and this morning. They are ignoring the fly paper I put up out on the enclosed porch and in the kitchen so I have been swatting them. Odd bunch they are. Not very fast and easy to squish without really whacking them. Insecticide is getting quite a few in the porch window, but I won't spray in the kitchen.
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I may have discovered the source of my version of THE FLY. I found two dead starlings up in the attic and tons of flies all over the windows. Sprayed all the windows and vents in the attic. Hopefully that will take care of most of it. I suspect, however, that since I didn't have any flies upstairs until today, that there is something dead in my wall too. I had a couple of starlings find their way into the attic a few years ago. I found them before they died, though. They were pretty weak when I found them.
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Ooh, most unpleasant for you, FRYBABE. I wonder why the starlings could get in, but not out?
If you could discover their entry point, you might be able to prevent it from happening again.
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How do the birds get in. That would spook me a bit, I am afraid.
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I had one of those invasions 6 or 7 years ago. Same thing--very sudden, rather lethargic flies, all appearing in one room. I assumed they must have hatched from something, but never figured out what. It was especially creepy because I discovered them when I got up from watching a Frankenstein movie. :o
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Frybabe, I enjoyed "Agent to the Stars" very much. It was an easy read, very funny, loved the "alien". I'm of an age that a certain word still makes me cringe, in today's world it is used A LOT!
Now I'm on to the historical novel, hope there isn't too much graphic sex stuff, just the romance part :)
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Talk about being prepped for creepy, PatH...
My flies are "lethargic" too. Most odd, since I usually have a lot of trouble cornering them. The population seems to be down since I spray the attic.
Babi, Steph, I have know idea how they got in. The last time I had birds trapped in the attic I looked, but couldn't find any holes. George thinks there must be a hole somewhere under the eaves, but I haven't seen any daylight, nor have I seen anything obvious from the outside. I think there might be a hold behind a gutter somewhere where I can't see it. If the birds get in I worry about squirrels getting in or rainwater rotting the fascia behind the gutter. I am going to try to find the hole again in a few days, after I am sure the invasion has dissipated.
Time to go - my semiannual trip to the dentist.
PS: Thanks for the report HallieMae
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Pat, you said about your fly infestation, "It was especially creepy because I discovered them when I got up from watching a Frankenstein movie."
That cracked me up! I guess that was better than having watched THE FLY. I saw the version with Jeff Goldblum -- very creepy!
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I was flipping through channels yesterday, and happened upon a SCI channel series called
"Prophets of Science Fiction". It was featuring Arthur C. Clarke and I watched it with great
interest. I had not idea Clarke was responsible for so many space innovations. He was the
first to postulate a satellite synchronous with earth that could act as a communications relay
around the world. The 'mission' searching for planets with potential for colonization was his
idea. The rockets we launched from Canaveral looked eerily like the ones he sketched. The idea
of an artificual intelligence that could reason, talk, and develop neuroses began with his 'Hal',
in 2001 Odyssey.
Oh, and his idea of an elevator into space is currently being developed by teams in a competition
sponsored by NASA. Some have been working on it for ten years and are making progress.
The primary idea is that people and equipment could be sent into space via the elevator, and
spacecraft launched from there much cheaper, and much farther.
Oh, yeah... There is also the world's first spaceport now in New Mexico, with special small
spacecraft designed to take a crew of two and four passengers into space, just for a look-see.
Interested? I don't know if they are officially open yet, but jeepers!
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Does anyone watch "Eureka", its a town where all the genius geeks live and they have all kinds of remarkable inventions, the "sheriff" is a non geek but seems to be able to solve various "crimes" that happen there. It's quirky and light entertainment. It's on our sci/fi channel
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I must look for Eureka. Sounds neat.
Arthur Clarke as a serious scientist as well as writer. My environmental engineer son adored them as a teen.
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I watch both Eureka and Prophets of Science Fiction. This is Eureka's last season. It wasn't canceled; they apparently planned to do only five seasons.
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I didn't even know about the 'Prophets of Science Fiction' series until I stumbled across it.
I definitely want to see more.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I cant find the Prophets, may have to netflix it.
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I see we lost Ray Bradbury last night. He was 91.
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Oh Bummer! I like Ray Bradbury's stories.
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I haven't found "Prophets of Science yet. Darn it, I didn't know "Eureka" was not going to continue, it was a fun watch. I'm trying to remember the title of another odd little show "Warehouse 13" I believe, it's another one that comes and goes. Although I did watch it, "Battlestar Galactica", I really didn't like it too much.
Remember all the fuss made about "2001: A Space Odyssy" (sp?) that was Arthur C. Clarke's. I read the book and it didn't seem as complicated as the movie with two sequels written.
My introduction to sci/fi many years ago was Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" at least I think that was the one, I've read so many of his books.
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I had read that Eureka was only going to run for five years a while back, but that can't be right. IMDB lists the first season as 2006, so at the end of this season it will have run for seven years.
I don't remember the first scifi book I read, but Ray Bradbury's short stories and Fahrenheit 451 had to be among the first.
My introduction to Arthur C. Clarke was also a short story from about the same time period. It was printed in an issue of Playboy magazine, believe it or not. Did you ever read his Rendezvous with Rama? It is really good.
I never got into Battlestar Galactica. I much preferred Babylon 5.
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I loved the original Battlestar. Never watched the later one at all.
I am not a huge fan of most Sci fi on tv or movies.. Except for Star Trek, that is..and Star Wars..
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My introduction to science fiction was reading Ray Bradbury. At 91, he lived a long and productive life. An article in the LA Times says, "The author also was known across the city as a beloved and familiar figure: supportive of the local literary and theater communities, a regular at bookstore readings and speaking engagements, a haunter of libraries and bookshops, and an enthusiastic promoter of the culture of reading." http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-bradbury-local-20120607,0,7302192.story
His website says: "In 2005, Bradbury published a book of essays titled Bradbury Speaks, in which he wrote: In my later years I have looked in the mirror each day and found a happy person staring back. Occasionally I wonder why I can be so happy. The answer is that every day of my life I've worked only for myself and for the joy that comes from writing and creating. The image in my mirror is not optimistic, but the result of optimal behavior." http://www.raybradbury.com/
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There's another interesting article at http://www.boston.com/business/news/2012/06/07/digital-copy-the-martian-chronicles-mars/IEnXzDTNvlbPf1Pvj8AMCI/story.html
"Near the north pole of Mars, a piece of Ray Bradbury lives on, waiting to be discovered by someone in the future.
A digital copy of Bradbury’s ‘‘The Martian Chronicles’’ along with works by other science fiction legends was flown into space in 2007 by NASA’s Phoenix spacecraft, which touched down on the Martian arctic plains.
The Planetary Society wanted to put a time capsule on the red planet for future human explorers and sought permission from Bradbury to include his futuristic novel on a mini-DVD containing Mars-themed literature, art and music, and the names of 250,000 Earthlings."
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Frybabe, I read "Rendevous With Rama" and I believe there was a sequel to it too. For the life of me I can't remember a darn thing about it, blush!
I read "The Martian Chronicles" and saw the TV adaptation, several of those I do remember (:
Yes, I watched "Babylon 5" too. I remember seeing the first "Star Wars", what an exciting movie that was!
I'm trying to remember the TV show where there was a big ring that exploded and you traveled to another planet. I loved that show, the actor who played the lead always made amusing remarks which made the show so much fun to watch.
Egads, this memory of mine is getting awful!!!
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The Martian Chronicles is composed of several short stories, and at least one of them was published in the Saturday Evening Post; I remember reading it there when it came out.
I went through an Arthur C. Clarke phase, and read most of his books, but Rendezvous with Rama escaped me until last year, when my f2f sci-fi book club read it. It's a good "earthlings meet the artifacts of an alien culture they don't understand" book. But already I don't remember much about it. So you're not alone, HallieMae.
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Hallie Mae, are you talking about StarGate?
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I lked Clarke and read most of his stuff. He was a scientist also, so he was interesting in many ways..
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Frybabe, yes, that's it. Stargate and it's follow up show with the daring young pilot :D
PatH, ::)
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I am into my third Andre Norton novel. I've noticed a pattern to her stories. They start out rather dull, to my mind, but after a few chapters I get more interested. The stories always have some interesting, unexpected twists. The one I am reading now, The Time Traders, seems to be a time travel (to the past only) and cold war combo.
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My brain does not recall, but I know that she had long running series that I adored.. Possibly witches???
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Yes, Steph, she did a series on witches too.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/n/andre-norton/
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I visited the Andre Norton link, FRYBABE. Amazing! I had no idea 'Andre' Norton was
so prolific a writer. Looked to me like there were two 'witch' series, as well as a
great many others. I know our library doesn't carry that many; I'm curious now to
know which series they might have.
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I would bet that a lot of the books are out of print..I remember reading her many years ago.
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Some of Norton's books are now in public domain and listed in ManyBooks and Gutenberg. It appears that there was an estate fight regarding her copyrights spanning four years at least. Here is a comment on her official site, which does not appear to be updated for quite a while. http://www.andre-norton.org/news/copyrightssettled.html Stewart was apparently a companion/caregiver. I don't know Mr. Horadam's relation to Norton.
There have been a few "Ominbus" and Collection books published since her death. Here is another bibliography which includes her short stories published in various other books and magazines. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliography_of_Andre_Norton It looks slightly more extensive than the FF site listing.
I just ordered two of the really old novels from my library. The first Solar Queen novel and the second Time Trader novel, neither of which are on the free ebook sites - yet. I was surprised to see the library had them.
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I posted this earlier in The Library, but decided it was appropriate for here too.
Okay, this is truly creepy (to say the least). "Insight: Intel's plans for virtual TV come into focus" http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/08/us-intel-tv-idUSBRE85706Q20120608 It reminds me of 1984, Fahrenheit 451 (with it's interactive wall TV where you can become part of the on air story), The Prisoner, and other Scifi of the same ilk.
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I've been reading Halo: The Fall of Reach written by Eric Nylund. Since it was conceived as part of a promotional for the video game Halo (trademark of Microsoft), I wasn't expecting much. I am pleasantly surprised though, and expect to pick up more later. I forget how many books there are in the series so far, but Nylund wrote several, Greg Bear wrote several, and there are other writers (who are unfamiliar to me) too. It will be interesting to see if the different writing styles are pronounced among the different writers. Too bad the movie deal fell through some years back, I just love the graphics. No, I don't play the video game, nor have I seen it in action.
My two Andre Norton books came into the library today, so I have started one of those also. I am on a real scifi kick these days.
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I want to pick up an Andre Norton, too, but since I'm presently reading three different books due
to upcoming dicussions, and need to find and start a fourth, that's going to have to wait.
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Things tend to bunch up, don't they. I had to finish up 2 books by yesterday for my f2f sci-fi/fantasy club. One was Sheri Tepper's The Gate to Women's Country. I hadn't read any of her stuff before. This one is quite good, though a type of book I find depressing--a post-apocalyptic world, with a society trying to survive, recover, and grow back with what resources and technology they have left. In this one, the women live in small cities, doing the agriculture, medicine and technology, and the men live in army camps outside the gates. A ritual play, Iphigenia at Ilium, is performed every year, and as more of it is revealed throughout the book, it contains keys as to what is really going on. Since I'm full of Greek plays at the moment, I was well-primed for this, and noticed a definite mood of ancient Greece in the society. So, good but definitely not cheery.
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Babi, I can guess three, but what's the fourth?
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I love Tepper and have read The Guide to Womens country several times. It says interesing things in a different sort of way.
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Oh, good, Steph. You can tell me which book to read next.
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I just love Tepper and have read most of her stuff. She is a very strong feminist.
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I'm still stuck in "London", not having the capability of reading more than one book at a time :) I also got two "free Friday" books, one about the Amish and one a detective story. When I'm finally done with all that I will be looking for a good sci/fi book!
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Darn, I always forget about the Free Book Friday.
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Pat, I was referring to the Dickens and Patchett books, plus one I was already reading
for my own entertainment, The 'fourth' I needed to start was 'Iphigenia..'. By the way,
had you noticed that "Run" takes place over a 24-hr period, just like the ancient Grecian
tragedies? Unusual, for a modern book.
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Amreading a new Sharon Shinn ( new to me), it is another in the Alleluia series. Interesting, but long.
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I am reading what must be Terry Pratchett's last book, "The Long Earth", co-authored with Stephen Baxter. Sadly, it appears to me that most of the writing is Baxter's. Not that he isn't a good writer, but his writing is different from T.P.'s. I am pleased when I come across bits that I recognize at once, exclaiming with considerable delight, "Now that's Terry! That's pure Pratchett!"
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The Long Earth, I will try and remember the title..I dolove Terry's writing so much.
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This month's f2f sci-fi selection was Ernest Cline's Ready Player One. It takes place in a dreary future, everyone poor, and escaping their reality by spending every spare moment in a virtual world. Many of them are absorbed in an elaborate game to try to win the immense fortune of the man who invented the world. Clues are all from pop culture of the '80s, mostly the early computer games, but also movies, music, comic book characters, etc. It's essentially one long trivia game, and we know from the start that the narrator has gotten the prize, but Cline makes a suspenseful tale of it, and it's a quick read. I'm not quite sure whether he's writing for young adults or people who remember that stuff first hand, but somebody's reading it; it's quite popular, and has been snapped up for a movie.
The fantasy selection was Marian Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon, which somehow I've never read. I didn't this time either--it's almost 900 pages, and I knew I would never have time to finish it. But now I own the book, and will get to it when I can. I suspect I have a treat in store for me.
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Next month's selection is Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle, an alternative history in which the other side won WWII. I've tried to read that book four times, and never gotten very far in it. At least I own it, so won't have to spend any money to give it another try. The fantasy book is a new one, available only as an ebook, hence inaccessible to me. I might end up skipping next month.
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The whole Avalon series by Bradley is good..Quite different though. I dislike Philip K. Dick. He writesthe kind of sci fi that I never read..So no go for him.I saw a book the other day that was authored by Bradley and some one I never heard of. Since she died sometime ago, this is possibly a book she did not finish..
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I believe that Dick was a paranoid schizophrenic, and that probably reflected in his works. I can't remember if I read any of his stuff. There is one downloaded to my Kindle, TBR. Alternative histories don't generally appeal to me, except Jasper Fford's Thursday Next series. Those are fun if I space out the books a bit. Otherwise, they get a bit much.
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You do, PatH. I greatly enjoyed "The Mists of AValon". Of course, that's been many years
ago, so I might possibly be less enthralled with it now. If it's as good as I remember, I
suspect the pages will fly by quicker than you might think.
Depressing 'future worlds' never did appeal to me. I decline to read them now. I don't
even like the 'post-apocalyptic' TV series.
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Whatever his clinical diagnosis, the books of Dick's I've read seem as though he was stoned when he wrote them, which I believe was the case.
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Dick is classic for a certain type of sci fi writer. He is beloved by certain humans.. But not all.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I recently read a free excerpt (first four chapters) of John Scalzi's Redshirts. As usual, it was very funny. I do not know why he called the book Redshirts unless I missed a description of the ship's uniform. I am looking forward to reading the rest when I can get my hands on a copy.
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Oh, good, a new John Scalzi. I like all his stuff. I see it won't be out in paperback until next January, and my library doesn't have it, so it'll be a wait for me.
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PatH, Amazon has is now, including the free four chapters on Kindle.
I found an interesting wiki article about redshirts. It explains a lot about the book title. ;D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redshirt_%28character%29
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I just ran across this SciFi short story written by E.M. Forster. Take a look at the reader's comments. A must read. http://manybooks.net/titles/forstereother07machine_stops.html#reviews
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Thanks very much, Frybabe, for the link to the E.M. Forster story. I've read and enjoyed other works by him. This one sounds good!
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D :Did not know he did sci fi.. Will check it out.
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Neither did I, Steph, so naturally I had do download it. I haven't copied it to my Kindle yet.
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The E.M. Forster story sounds like one I remember reading. It is that dependence on
at-a-distance contact that worries me today. The number of young people who count
their 'friends' as people on facebook and other such sites raises red flags for me. How
much contact are they having with f-to-f friends? Other than mass mobs on the dance
floor, that is.
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Yes, I watched this week as my son and grandson were here in the mountains with me. He texted his wife every day and his daughter, but never once talked to them in person..
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Finished Redshirts. What an interesting mix of lunacy. SciFi TV show spoof with a mix of Quantam Theory, existential philosophy, and debate about Free Will (which get me thinking about my college class on same).
The dedication is in part to Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) of Star Trek: Next Generation. Which brought up a whole other revelation. Wil Wheaton was Louis' friend in The Last Starfighter (pre-Star Trek) and was Dr. Isaac Parrish in Eureka. Just about bowled me over. I love The Last Starfighter, but certainly didn't realize Wheaton was in it. If you put Crusher and Parrish side-by-side, I doubt I would recognize them as the same person.
In the acknowledgments at the back of the book, Scalzi mentioned he was a creative consultant for the Stargate: Universe series. I watched the first few of them. Didn't care for it. Didn't know about Scalzi or his books back then.
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We were watching a show the other day, don't remember what it was, when Valerie
excitedly pointed out to me that one of the characters was 'Wesley' from Star Trek.
Didn't believe it at first, but on closer examination I realized she was right. Amazing
how differently one's features can be presented by those creative make-up artists.
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Will
Wheaton is also a semi continuing character on the Big Bang Series, that I adore.A sworn enemy of Sheldon.
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Here is Wil Wheaton's blog. http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/ I skimmed through it and can see a similarity between Scalzi's humor and WW's. Apparently Wheaton likes board games and has something going called Tabletop on his blog.
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Fantastic Fiction has its quirks. Yesterday, while looking for something else, I noticed they had Dante's Divine Comedy. I looked at it to see what they said: there was a nice accurate summary, but the category was listed as Western!! They're on the ball, though. I wrote the webmaster asking how come, and it's already been changed.
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That's nice to know, PAT. So good to find a company that's responsive to our input.
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Blogs.. not sure I would read many of them. I used to love the one about living on a farm in the north with a mans dogs, but he got tedious after a while.
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My neither Steph. Blogs are not my thing, but I got curious and followed a link. The only thing that might be interesting is that Wheaton posted a shot of his living room and several shots of his dogs.
Okay, so now I am back to reading the next in the Halo series (Contact Harvest). Also, I am a few paragraphs into the EM Forster piece.
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I still have one in the alleluia series to read and a
Terry Pratchett. I keep them for when I am not in the mood for anything, they are always good for me. Pratchett makes me laugh every single time.
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I got lucky yesterday and snagged a fairly recent Terry Pratchett from the library--Snuff. His recent books have been uneven, but I think this is a good one. Anyway, it has Sam Vimes in it--always a plus.
Steph, Pratchett makes me laugh even when it's some old joke he's used many times before. :)
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Terry Pratchett reversed the more common course of things, and took the ridiculous to the
sublime. ;)
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I like Sam so much.. A sensible man in the middle of chaos.
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I finished Terry Pratchett's Snuff. It's kind of slow starting, but then it's pretty good, though less funny than many. Sam Jr. is now 6, and has developed an all-absorbing interest in books about poo.
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Oh I have to find the book. I had forgotten there was a
Sam Jr.
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In an earlier book, Sam has made it an inflexible rule to interrupt everything to get home at 6 pm to read little Sam his bedtime story, "Where's my Cow?", with animal noises, and this saves his life in a very odd way.
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I've found a sci-fi/fantasy author new to me, Mark Chadbourn. I'm sure some of you know him;
he's written a dozen books or so. I picked up "Jack of Ravens", apparently book one of a new
series. This opens on the 'switch in time' theme with the hero suddenly finding himself in the
distant past. This one was at least an archaeologist who had worked on the site in which he now
finds himself, so he has at least that going for him. Not a new theme, by any means, but Mr.
Chadbourn is holding my interest so far.
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Babi, since you and I seem to share various authors, will look him up..
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He's new to me too. Keep us posted.
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Well, I have just finished the last of the six Halo (inspired by Microsoft's Halo games) series books. They were a lot better than I expected. My nephews may enjoy reading them. Must ask.
The next in the several books in the Halo venue deal with the Forerunner Saga. The Forerunners left artifacts that became part of a religion and were highly sought after by the alien Covenant races of the first series. From what I read of the Forerunner Saga, it looks like a take off of the mythology of the Titans and Olympians, complete with its own version of Pandora's Box (in this case the malevolence let loose is called the Flood). It appears that there is a further series after Forerunners, but I don't know anything about it. BTW, Microsoft is coming out with a completely revamped Halo game called Halo 4. They are redoing the game from the ground up to make it look more cinematic. I'm not a game player, but I am looking forward to seeing what new books this one generates.
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Speaking of Pratchett, went hunting.. I know I have a couple I save for emergencies. So.. Soul Music, not new, but I had not read it. We not only have Death, we have Death of Rats,, three idiots who are going to invent rock and roll and a magic guitar.Wow... Laughing all the way.
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"..three idiots who are going to invent rock and roll and a magic guitar."
Ah! That explains it! ::)
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I am loving this Pratchett. Susan explaining her name is worth the book alone.. But the three loons and of course the magicians have managed to get into the act.. The Librarian is the keyboard players.. Sigh..
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I'm sorry to say I became annoyed and bored with Mark Chadbourn's "Jack of Ravens". Perhaps
I was too impatient, but the story did not seem to progress. Over the first 100 pages, it just
became more and more confusing, to where I was asking, "What is the point of all this?". I
finally decided I didn't want to spend any more time on it.
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Am going to the large used book store today.. Hope for the Pratchett and will look for the other..
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Good luck! :)
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No Pratchett or anything else interesting in the science fiction line. They have a lot that they call science fiction, but are realy vampire books.. Sigh.
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Alas, vampires are the latest fad. We'll just have to sigh and wait for something else to take
their place. The 'undead' are making a strong play, and I don't see them as an improvement. :-X
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I tried the big flea market yesterday.but noooo more vampire and no Pratchett or any of the other authors.
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I received this message in my inbox from a new member, Lorac625, the other day. I'd like to say Welcome
to her and hope she checks back in to post in the discussion groups.
I laughed a lot when reading this book,and as I always watched Star Trek,(my Dad got me into SF at 5 when he gave me Heinlein's The Rolling Stones)knew exactly what it was about. I leant my Kindle to my husband on his last fencing trip(the sword kind,not the chainlink) so he could read it. He loved it,too. What a great way to tie all those things together. I will have to read more Scalzi.
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Lorac sounds like an interesting lady, FRYBABE. I hope she does visit our discussions.
I don't think I've read anything by Scalzi. What is "Fuzzy Nation" about? That's apparently
the first of one of is series.
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Scalzi.. I am checking that out on my swap club.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I started the original Fuzzy Nation by H. Beam Piper, but couldn't get into it. Scalzi did a "remake" with the Piper estate's permission, which is the one everyone is probably talking about. If it is anything like Scalzi's other books, it should be funny. As far as I know, it is not a part of a series.
If you have not read any Scalzi, may I recommend his Agent to the Stars? You can get the ebook free through ManyBooks.net or Project Gutenberg. Scalzi wrote that one and posted it free just to see if he had what it took to be a writer according to the preface. It can also now be bought in print and as an ebook. I am curious to know if there is any real difference between the original freebie and the newer for sale version.
His newest book, Redshirts, is another very funny read. The term "redshirts" refers to all those bit part actors assigned to wear red shirts on Star Trek who invariably end up being killed off or maimed in some way. Sometime in the future crew members of the Intrepid, a ship assigned to scientific exploration, discover a very old TV series and begin to notice parallels between what happens to away teams on their ship and those on the old TV show.
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I read Piper's Little Fuzzy eons ago. IMO, Scalzi's remake is much better. It is indeed very funny, and full of plot twists and turns and legalistic cleverness. It's not part of a series, although Piper went on to write more books about the fuzzies, and no doubt Scalzi could too if he felt like it.
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I'm definitely going to try Scalzi. I know my library has the "Fuzzy Nation", at least.
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Hmm.. Redshirts sounds great. Will look for it.
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All this talk about "Fuzzy Nation" got me to dig out my old copy of Little Fuzzy and reread it. It's better than I remembered; I was probably remembering one of the sequels. It's not nearly as good as the Scalzi, though. Scalzi is more carefully worked out, more amusing, the science is better, and the twists are more ingenious.
I have a prejudice against H. Beam Piper since reading a book of his called Space Vikings, which isn't any better than you would expect from the title, and is full of very elitist politics and an archaic attitude toward women. There's none of that in Little Fuzzy, though, and the one female character is treated reasonably.
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I read the Pipe version.. but have never read Scalzi.. I found that used book stores and my paperback swap do not have anything by him, except for a waiting list. So on to ebooks to see what is there.
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I know Agent to the Stars is there, and since Scalzi himself is a pretty online person, maybe others are too. He has a long-running blog that's very popular; random musings from it have been published under the title Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded.
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Hmm. a blog?? maybe I will try and find it.
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Here it is Seph. http://whatever.scalzi.com/
I am not familiar with the name, but I did see Soylent Green. Harry Harrison http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19270109
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Thanks Will look it up. Harry Harrison was fun. I read a lot of his stuff , many many years ago..
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Started a Dr. Who book, The Sands of Time. Pretty good. Haven't watched any of the Dr. Who TV series in years.
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Readinganother Alleluia book.This one is Obadiah and who and why he falls in love. Interesting. I do love her Alleluia world.
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Is this an open discussion of any SF/fantasy books?
If so, has anyone eles read the Iron Elf series by Dennis Mckiernan (sp?)?
Oh,just saw the discussion of Forrester's short story. I need to read that. Loved Hornblower.
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I haven't heard of that series, Lorac, but then I prefer the SF side of things. Right now I am not reading any SciFi. Since I finished the Dr. Who book, I've been skipping around a little. Latin classes have started, and I'm reading a nonfiction at the moment.
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Well,then, we will have to translate SF into Latin and take care of both at once! I read almost anything, as I can't work due to illness and I have lots of time. I recently read the newest book in the continuation of the Hari Seldon (Federation and Empire?) series. I think they are good,and continue the series in a logical and very readable way.
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Lorac, I love Asimov's Foundation series. Here is some information I found on the "chronological" order and publication order.
The chronological order authored by Asimov is:
* Prelude to Foundation
* Forward the Foundation
* Foundation
* Foundation and Empire
* Second Foundation
* Foundation's Edge
* Foundation and Earth
The publication order is:
* Foundation (1951)
* Foundation and Empire (1952)
* Second Foundation (1953)
* Foundation's Edge (1982)
* Foundation and Earth (1986)
* Prelude to Foundation (1988)
* Forward the Foundation (1993)
http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/2335/what-order-should-asimovs-foundation-series-be-read-in
The Second Foundation series, not written by Asimov, but "officially approved" which continues the story (started in Prelude to Foundation) of Hari Seldon's career before the original trilogy's events, is:
1997 Foundation's Fear by Gregory Benford.
1998 Foundation and Chaos by Greg Bear.
1999 Foundation's Triumph by David Brin.
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Oh my. So many Foundations. I read the original trilogy eons ago. I had no idea he went back and wrote more, or that the there were two he wrote that went unpublished until later. Didn't know about the other three either, and Greg Bear wrote one of them. I like his writing. David Brin is a familiar name, but I don't think I've read any of his bookis. He also wrote The Postman (made into film of same name). Gregory Benford is a physics professor cum novelist. He's written quite a few books, but oddly, I've never heard of him. I'm afraid to add anything else to my TBR pile. Sigh!
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Anything by Jim Butcher is a good read,though some are better than others. I started with The Dresden Files,then read the Codex series. Liked them both. Would The Emperor's Edge series by Lindsay Burroker fit here? I guess it's fantasy,it's steampunk and magic,but the characters are wonderful. I liked Books especially. Read these books one after another,and just devoured them
Greg Bear is good. I just read The Mogoliad,which had several authors,one of whom was Greg Bear's son,Mark Bear.
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I read the original trilogy, but did not like the others..
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Whoops,sorry,that it the MoNgoliad; it is about the Mongols conquering everything.
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Is this an open discussion of any SF/fantasy books?
Yes, anything goes.
Frybabe mentioned Gregory Benford. As you might expect from a physics professor, he tends to write "hard" sci-fi, with lots of science. I like some of his stuff. My favorite is Artifact, in which an archaeologist discovers a very strange item in a Greek tomb, with odd and dangerous properties. There is ingenious physics in what the object really is, archaeology in its history, a love interest, suspense and danger from the actions of the Greek general who is after the scientists, a bit of everything.
Timescape is good too, though rather technical. Scientists from the future are trying to send messages, via tachyons, to a scientist in the 60s, warning him of a potential disaster. Again, it has some ingenious physics.
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I like Sci fi, but leaning toward alternate worlds and fantasy types.. Not hard science. Although Dune was a form of science and Heinlin did some as well.
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"Artifact" sounds good. On the whole, I'm also not a fan of sci/fi that gets bogged down in esoteric technical language.
I loved Dune, but thoroughly disliked Heinlein. I think that some highly scientific writers tend to forget that they are
writing fiction for entertainment, and not a text. Or maybe they consider the plot to be a sweetener to get some science
into more reluctant brains. ;)
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Just like Tom Clancy, who seems to only be happy when he is including complete plans for subs,etc.. Cannot finish a book by him because of the technical stuff.
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I, on the other-hand, like the technical stuff. I've always liked stories with some detail which prompted my Dad to say once that I should like Victor Hugo because he wrote pages of description. Oddly, I never got around to reading him. The Hunchback of Notre Dame has been in my TBR pile for years (and years).
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Well, description isn't confined to technical, obviously. "Hunchback of Notre Dame" is a classic, of course, but I
don't recall any technical descriptions. Certainly not any modern science. For that period, I would think the guillotine
was about as 'technical' as you could get.
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For my money, technical and description are quite different. Technical is just that mechanical or some such. Description,, lots of writers specialize in this, but it all depends on how much and how long they go on as to whether I like them.
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I would think that technical detail, in part at least, a form of description. You are describing how something works, how it is put together, what it looks like, how it is used, etc. Technical manuals and user's guides are full of descriptions in words and diagrams/photos on what something looks like, how to put it together, how to use, and precautions among other things.
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I don't think anyone can beat Thomas Mann at trivial description. He spent an entire pg (in a lg hardbound edition of The Magic Mountain) describing a bureau someone was putting his clothes in!
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Talk about overboard!
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True,if I had been on a boat while reading it I probably would have been overboard too!
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But Marion Zimmer Bradley had wonderful descriptions of her world in the Darkover series. I felt like I could walk and hikethe world and know exactly where I was..
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Nah, LORAC. Just toss the book overboard.
I do agree with STEPH here. The kind of description that makes a place real to the reader, that's craftsmanship
I really appreciate.
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Some Science fiction writers are excellent at creating worlds or situations.. I think the old ones that were titled Cities in Flight were marvelous. A spin dizzy sounds like a great way to travel.
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I just finished re-reading Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistresss for the bazillionth time. I never considered Heinlein a really science oriented author, but I kept that in mind while reading it. Just one book of many, but I certainly didn't find it overfull of science. It was there,but nothing really outside of the science I studied in school, except for the orbital types. And they were familiar,because I was in school during the Apollo missions, and spent a lot of time as a kid studying about them. There are many SF writers who go a lot further into science. I think David Brin is who comes to mind immediately, but I'm not sure that he is actually the author I am thinking of. I'll have to go look at some books and report back.
I would have loved living on the Moon Heinlein wrote about. Sounded like a really good life. And his politcal theories are spot on,in my opinion. TANSTAAFL!
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One of my daughters is an economist, and she really enjoyed the economic system Heinlein set up for his moon society. I read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress with my f2f sci-fi/fantasy discussion group, and it made for a really good discussion.
Do tell me more about David Brin. He's an author I keep meaning to try, but haven't gotten around to yet.
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Brin has written a lot of books. It is a wonder that I haven't read him either. I did discover recently that he wrote The Postman. I've seen the movie.
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I like the Postman and read another one by Brin that I was not fond of.. He writes a lot of survivalists stuff.
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i'm not a survivalist fan, either. Speaking of which, I read on Huffington this morning that there are Mayan scholars
who believe the Mayans predicted some kind of major event...like the end of the world, maybe...due on Dec. 21 of this
year. I can't say that I'm too worried about it. :)
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Hmmm day after my birthday.. The Mayans were odd, but I suspect this is more rumor than fact.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I don't know about predicting a catastrophic event, but that is as far as their calendar went. Did they actually predict and event or just stop calculating at that date? Could be that people just assumed a catastrophe because they didn't calculate any further.
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Could be that people just assumed a catastrophe because they didn't calculate any further.
I think it's something like that, Frybabe, the calendar goes so far and then resets like the odometer on a car. I have a clipping from the New York Times about it that I haven't read yet. When I find it I'll let you know what it says.
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Yes, I too think it is the end of their calendar.. Possibly this is when they disappeared and did not get a chance to redo the calendar or some such nonsense.
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All very good and logical suggestions. As I said, I'm certainly not worrying about it. ;D
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Don't you think it could figure in a great story? What really caused the Mayan calendar to end on this date was... Aliens? Time travel? Attack of the killer Lovebugs? :)
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Hmm. there may well have been some sort of archeology book written on why.. The Mayans were considered an interesting civilization.
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This has been a rich stretch as far as sci-fi is concerned, some good, some bad.
My f2f group read Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower. This is a post-catastrophe novel--catastrophe not specified, presumably environmental, with some social breakdown. It's extremely well-written, good characterization of the narrator, etc., and just the sort of thing I find almost too depressing to stand. The protagonist is trying to find a safe way to survive what's happening, and at the end of the book has a bolthole that looks good for the short range. My fellows tell me that things get worse in the next book, Parable of the Talents, and Butler died before she could write the third, so that's it for me, I'm not going to wallow in misery.
I was in Portland, OR recently visiting children, and Powell's Books supplied me with lots of good stuff. I got a used copy of Redshirts. It's not quite as funny as some of Scalzi, but it's very good. What do you do when you realize that not only are you stuck in a Sci-fi television program, but it's a badly written show?
Next month our group will read Charles Stross' The Atrocity Archives, which my SIL describes as James Bond meets H. P. Lovecraft, but Bond is working for the Postal Service. He lent me some of them. The fantasy group, which meets right before the s-f group, will fit in by discussing Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness. I got that used at Powell's too, and have already read it--it's short. It seems very old-fashioned (copyright 1936) and I have a lot of quibbles about the archaeology, and the horror is mostly saying something is awful rather than making you feel it, but it definitely has something. I read it eagerly.
I also got my hands on the next Sharon Lee-Steve Miller paperback--Ghost Ship. Theo Waitley is coming to terms with being the proposed Captain of the mysterious ship Bechimo, plus being part of the hunted Korval clan. It moves things on nicely, but doesn't settle anything. I think the next book, Dragon Ship, is out, but not in paperback yet.
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Just finished a short novel called Zero Option by Lindsay H. F. Bramble. It was a good story but with limitations. The most glaring is that the narrator of the story, an intelligence officer, isn't as knowledgeable as you would think he should be. There are a minimum of characters, none of which are really fleshed out much, but given that the story is so short (about 118 pages), that should be expected. I took a look at Brambles' webpage. She (?) wrote this back in the 80's. Apparently she has big issues with her various editors/publishers.
Just started A Fighting Man of Mars continuing the Barsoom series by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
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I'm with you, PAT. If I want misery, I can always read the world news. And thank you
so much for alerting me to the new Lee-Miller book. I love them!
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Oops! I meant I started reading A Master Mind of Mars. Kind of Frankensteiny so far what with brain swapping and all.
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Attention all Fantasy fans! The November book discussion (starting the 12th) is going to be The Hobbit.
The Hobbit (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=3566.0) November Book Club Online discussion. Join us today! HERE (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=3566.0)
If a few people are interested, afterwards we could have a short discussion of Pat Murphy's There and Back Again, The Hobbit turned into a Space Opera.
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Well, I've now finished A Fighting Man of Mars which I liked better than Mastermind. Now I am just starting Swords of Mars. It looks like with this one, I have only four books to finish the Barsoom Series.
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I'm impressed.
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Better you than me.. I do have another Terry Pratchett and a Sharon Shinn that I found in the old used book store that has mostly older stuff. I am saving them for a down day.
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Hi, I don't think I have ever posted in this discussion. Sci Fi is not my normal genre although I have read some of the classics. Lately I've decided to look into other books beside Mystery which is my normal read. When I look up Sci-Fi reading lists I come up with a lot, I mean a lot, of Vampire fiction. Not my cup of tea. So, can you recommend something good to start with?
MaryH
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Maeve, I'm with you I don't care for vampire either, nor horror or fantasy for the most part. If you do like fantasy type scifi I am sure Steph and a few of the others can help you out.
I like space type SciFi. If you like funny, try some of John Scalzi's books. Agent to the Stars is hilarious and free on Project Gutenberg or Manybooks.
Elizabeth Moon wrote a good book about an older colonist who stayed behind when the rest of the colonists were removed from their planet. It is called Remnant Population. Moon also wrote the Vatta's War series which essentially was a trade war/corporate war complete with assassinations, sabotage, espionage and the like. I especially liked the very high tech communications used.
Dune, by Frank Herbert, is another trade war/rivalry type book which is long but good. I opted not to read the sequels which I hear get darker.
S.L. Viehl wrote a space medical series which was interesting and irritating at the same time. Her heroine ticked me off some because, for someone so smart, she sure got herself and others into predicaments by being stubborn and acting before thinking things through. But, oh, I had to keep reading to see what she got into next. I didn't think too much of how the series ended.
Urusla La Guin wrote several very good books including The Left Hand of Darkness which we read as a discussion group a while back. If I remember correctly, it was about an emissary from another planet trying to open trade negotiations with the native population. She also wrote a fantasy series, EarthSea, that is very popular.
I am currently reading Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series which features John Carter on Mars. The first five are good, the last five were written later and have some science experiments that remind me of Frankensteinish experimentation.
Jack Campbell and John McDevitt both write good space military/war type SciFi. Which reminds me to include Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game which is about children recruited and raised for a space war. Surprise ending.
I don't care for Species or Alien type SciFi, so I can't recommend any.
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Maeve, if you tell us what kind of thing you like, one or another of us could give you better info. As Frybabe points out, Ursula K. LeGuin is very good. The Left Hand of Darkness deals with assumptions about gender roles, questions of trust, and a zen-like philosophy. She is very good, but makes a lot of demands on the reader. She also wrote the Earthsea trilogy (plus followup) which is legendary and magical.
If you like sea battles, Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet series is a splendid series of sea battles, fought in 3D in space, strung together with enough story to stick it together. You have to read them in order; the first is Dauntless. The protagonist wakes up to discover that he has survived 100 years in cold sleep, and is now in charge of the fleet. I've fought my way across the galaxy and back with the hero, and am now going on a new adventure with him. Some of Campbell's other series, like Stark's War, aren"t so good.
Terry Pratchett is very funny, with his Discworld universe, magical and fantastical, a bit vulgar. He has a wonderful sense of timing for his jokes; I find myself reading jokes he's made before and laughing my head off.
More later.
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PatH, so far I have collected Dauntless, Fearless and Relentless. I haven't started reading yet.
I wasn't paying attention. I didn't connect Terry Pratchett with Discworld. It is fantasy, but maybe I should look into it.
I really liked the Halo series. Halo, as in the Microsoft game Halo. I don't intend on reading the newer Forerunner section of the Halo series as it is more mythological, and includes something similar to the Pandora's Box myth. There is another segment which is dealing with the aftermath of the Covenant Wars that I may read eventually. I hear there is a new Halo game coming out for the Christmas season. I'm not a gamer, but I do like the story line that has evolved with the game, and I like the artwork.
Also on my SciFi TBR pile are several Greg Bear books, more McDevitt, two William Gibsons, and Daniel Suarez's, Daemon. And then there are all the freebie e-SciFi-books on my Kindle (somewhere around 40, as I recall).
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I am fond of other worlds and fantasy and adore Terry Practchet...for his craziness.
Anne McCaffrey had a very interesting and complete world in her Dragon series and wrote about several other worlds over a long career. Marion Zimmer Bradley had a complete world in her Darkover series and some of them are stupendous.
Sharon Shinn has a very different world in Archangel series.
On vampires.. Charlaine Harris has a wonderful vampire series.. She is quite a good writer and has always done a lot of mysteries.
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FRYBABE, you'll never be able to read all those books, esp. if you keep adding
to them. Feel free to leave any of them to me in your will. ;D
Oh,yes, STEPH. No listing of sci/fi greats would be complete without McCaffrey and
Bradley.
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Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going try some of them. The humorous ones sound fun. Other worlds appeal to me also. Anyway, I'll give them a try and see what I think. Thanks again.
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I am still reading Nimishas Ship by Anne McCaffrey.. Was surprised to find it in a used book store and Ihad honestly never even heard of it.. Not bad.. not the greatest, but not bad.
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I got a book of Hal Clement's short stories from the library, some new, some I'd already read. These are close to the hard s-f end of the spectrum. The physics is the main point. The protagonist is in a fix somewhere in space and gets out of it by figuring out the physics of a solution, or overcomes the bad guys by a clever application of physics, or the characters are extraterrestrials with totally different properties from ours (but all the characters talk like scientists). The science is well explained, though not so simply. It's the logical product of an astronomer who has been teaching in a boy's school most of his life (which Clement was).
If you like that sort of thing (I do) they're pretty good; if you don't they are pretty stodgy.
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Considering how I felt about Physics in high school, I believe I will skip them.
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That would be a clever way to teach physics to a group of boys, PatH. Set them problems that can be solved by a
clever use of whatever physics principle he is teaching at the moment. I would think he was a very popular teacher.
Like STEPH, tho', I'd probably not enjoy them. We moved around so much when I was growing up, I seemed to have
missed some class in basic science. When I got to physics, I was totally at sea. I suspect I only passed because I was
so dutiful about my homework. :(
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I got a B.. which floored me at the time.. I did not understand a word out of the teachers mouth.. I have a son who loves all science..He is an engineer, but a total math and science nut.. He says Physics is not nearly as much fun as chemistry, but then again,, he loves that stuff.
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Changed my mind. I've just started Halo: Cryptum by Greg Bear. This is the first of the Forerunner Saga. In it I was delighted to find that one of the greatest of the Forerunner ancestors was called The Librarian. Couldn't help but :).
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Let me know what you think of it, FRYBABE. I haven't read any of Greg Bear's books, but
I'm always hoping for another really good series.
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Babi, the Halo series started out as a promotional for Microsoft's game series. They stand alone, so whether or not you play the game does not matter. The Forerunner Saga is the second section of the series consisting of three books. Although the series came later, the Forerunners are a prequel to the main series. The Forerunners, who themselves were preceded by the Precursors, came before The Covenant which is at war with humans in the main series. The Covenant is seeking Forerunner relics, which it considers holy, that have been scattered across the universe. The Covenant is a religion based empire which includes several different alien races. I can't tell you much about the Forerunners yet except that they had fought humans and won, and that they (or one of them) let loose The Flood on the Universe. Sounds kind of like Pandora's Box. A Forerunner, interesting in the past and lost treasure, is looking for Precursor relics.
The only book that was iffy was the second of the first set called The Flood. The description of the creature called The Flood reminds me of a viral invasion. It was a bit tedious because the author of that one pretty much mimicked the game itself as far as action was concerned. However, it does add a certain progression to the story. The others diverged from the game enough to develop the characters more and give them a background not included in the game. The first several books are mostly not stop military type action. As far as I am concerned, Greg Bear and Eric Nylund are the best of the collaborative writers in the series (there are others).
I have, but have not yet read, Bear's Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children as well as Moving Mars and Vitals. The first Greg Bear book I ever read was years ago, called Heads. I liked it very much. One of these days I'll get around to reading them, and hopefully, pick up one or two of Nylund's non game related books. (at this point, I should live so long, HAH)
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Greg Bear. He was very popular when I owned the store. I got a lot of call for his series.. He writes quite a lot.
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I've read Darwin's Radio and one or two others, but not his series--good quality. Maybe I'll try the series.
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My booboo. Greg Bear did not write any of the original Halo series. However, he is the author of the Forerunner saga trilogy. Halo: Cryptum, Halo: Primordium and Halo: Silentium (to be released in 2013). So far Cryptum is about a Forerunner youth who is interested in looking into past history and is on something of a treasure hunt. What he finds are protected artifacts from a 10,000 year old war. What he learns from what I have read so far is that he was guided there on purpose. Now it really should get interesting.
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(at this point, I should live so long, HAH)
I can relate, FRYBABE.
Your description of Halo:Cryptum sounds good. I'll see is my library has it...when they
reopen...in about two weeks! Fortunately, my daughter picked up four books for me in
the nick of time.
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marking
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hmm, way way weird.. shoes in the sci fi..whoa.
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He's a spammer. I reported him, it should be gone soon. When you see something dubious like that, you can report it too. Just click on the "report to moderator" in the bottom right of his post. Jane and Marcie get rid of dozens of them every day before anyone sees them.
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I figured spammer, but shoes.. Oh well.
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The shoes aren't as bad as the time someone posted ads for dresses, with pictures. They were all skimpy, tight little black numbers that only came down about half-way to the knees. The man didn't research his target for appropriateness. ;D
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Very funny indeed. And to think they get paid for doing such stupid stuff. It only made me sure I would never buy the shoes..
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I finished Halo: Cryptum over the weekend and am now waiting for Halo: Primordium. The story is simply told, nothing too technical or complex. I became more engrossed the further I read.
In the meantime, I am reading Andre Norton's Key Out of Time, another of her Time Traders series with Ross Murdock. There are three after this one that were co-written and published over 30 years later.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Andre Norton lived to be quite old.. That is not her name of course. When she started writing, men were favored. so she made up an ambiguous name.
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I just finished Halo: Primordim. Rather mediocre for Greg Bear. It was very ho-hum until near the end.
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I finished another Terry Pratchett a few days ago. It was a lovely one all about Rincewind and actually China in disguise. He is so very very funny.
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I remember the China one. Very funny indeed. I have to read Small Gods for my f2f group. I'll report on it when read.
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Small Gods is very good indeed, although I still love the ones on Death and /or the witches the most.
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Just started Jack McDevitt's Polaris, the second of his Alex Benedict novels. Alex is an antiquities dealer who comes into possession of artifacts of a derelict space ship. Many of the artifacts are destroyed in an act of sabotage designed to keep anyone from finding out what really happened to the ship. That, of course, sets Alex off on a quest to discover just that, and who wanted it hushed up.
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Those of you in the discussion of The Hobbit already know this, but for the rest of you, when we started that discussion, we mentioned the possibility of afterward reading Pat Murphy’s There and Back Again. This is a light-hearted Space Opera which closely follows the plot of The Hobbit, only with spaceships and the whole galaxy to journey in. It’s good sci-fi even if you haven’t read the Tolkien, but if you have, it’s really fun to see how clever she is. If you're interested, not a full-fledged discussion, more a chat, come on over to the Hobbit discussion and say hi at
http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=3623.msg178162#new (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=3623.msg178162#new)
But even if you don't want to talk about it, it’s fun to read. It’s out of print, but some libraries have it (mine does) and Amazon has a few cheap used copies
Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=pat+murphy+there+and+back+again&sprefix=pat+mu%2Cstripbooks%2C452/)
and alibris has lots
alibris (http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?wauth=pat+murphy&browse=2&qsort=&narrow=1&wtit=there+and+back+again&wauth=&fiction=&wquery=&binding=&wpub=/)
That strange character on the cover is Gandalf.
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I am one of the few science fiction readers who started The Hobbit over and over and not got over 100 pages, Just did not like it or any of the Tolkien series, so dont think I will take on the other book either.
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I guess now that Ray Bradbury has passed away, we will start seeing some of his works on Project Gutenberg. They have just released four volumes of Futura Fantasia, two for each year 1939 and 1940, which he edited. Self published, it only lasted those four issues, and apparently, were mostly his own writings.
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Am reading Remnant Population that someone here recommended. Very very odd book, but I am enjoying it. The concept of being the only person by choice left on a planet is interesting as she is an older woman.
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That was an odd book, STEPH. I also enjoyed it well enough; I simply never did
quite see what the author's point was in all this. Unless it was simply a crotchety
dislike for people and society in general. ;)
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I finished Jack McDevitt's Seeker last night. As usual, very interesting and good. There were a few small things in this one that didn't seem to add up but overall it was good. What a surprise to discover that there are three more in the Alex Benedict series. I don't know if McDevitt can top Seeker for sheer magnitude of the discovery of a 9000 year old lost colony.
I am into a short story (I think) by Philip K. Dick called The Defenders now. It is not really my cup of tea, but I'll finish it anyway. Then I am on to something other that Scifi for a while.
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Philip K.Dick..oh me, have not heard that name for years. I never liked his stuff..
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I liked some of Dick's stuff, but I tried to read the much-admired The Man in the High Castle four times and always got stuck not very far in. The last time was for my f2f book club. I went to the meeting anyway, and the conversation convinced me that I wasn't missing anything.
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He is incredibly popular still with young males..
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I just started Jack Campbell's (real name, John G. Henry), The Lost Fleet: Dauntless. I am impressed by how well he portrayed the main character's survivor's guilt and the pressure of living up the expectations heaped on him as an unwitting/unwilling hero.
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If you like Dauntless, you're in luck, Frybabe, the series has six books. Hemry is a retired naval officer, and it shows in his concern for keeping up standards. The books are full of magnificent sea battles (they're sea battles even though they are fought in 3 dimensions) and I've fought my way across the universe with Black Jack Geary. He tends to repeat background stuff too much in later books, but they are still good.
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Yes, I am not overfond of battlesof any type and dislike the sci fi that seems to be that, so avoid that particular author.
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I turned on my computer this morning, STEPH, and was delighted to see that Val
had found a new background that you would love. A Terry Pratchett illustration...
A merry looking giant turtle with scenes, people, and places piled on his back.
I'm just waiting for her to wake up to ask her if this is a single or one of a set.
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Ah Babi, that sounds like such fun.. I do love the turtles..and Pratchett of course.
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Valerie couldn't tell me the name of this series of backgrounds (they rotate) but
they all seem to be illustrations of favorite children's books/characters. Very colorful and cheerful.
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With the new windows 8,.not quite sure if I can have a screen saver thing.. Got a book of simplified, so will look it up.
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I've been too long without a scifi book. Val brought me two from the library
yesterday, both authors I have not read before, but have been recommended
here. Greg Bear and Jack McDevitt. I do hope I like them; they have written quite
a few.
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I am fond of both authors. In fact, I am waiting on my next Jack McDevitt book from the library. Forget the name, but it is the fourth of the Alex Benedict series. The next Greg Bear will probably be his last of the Halo: Forerunner series which is not due out until 2013. If it is too long a wait four of his other books at home to read.
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I think I have a unread Terry Pratchett somewhere and will dig it out for the New Year.
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I am enjoying my first Jack McDevitt...'Polaris'. I am already confident I will
want to read more. The Greg Bear...when I get to it,...is 'Queen of Angels.' From
the jacket, I get the impression this is not an angelic being so I am curious as to
what Mr. Bear is plotting there.
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A Talent for War is the first Alex Benedict book. I read that years ago and barely remember what all it was about. I think I am going to have to reread it. Polaris is the second. I'm glad you like it. It's a little spooky, or at least he tries to make it a bit spooky. It isn't necessary to read the series in order. Each adventure is a pretty much a stand alone, with minor references here and there about previous adventures.
BTW, while Polaris and Seeker are written as if Alex's assistant, Chase Kolpath, is telling the story, A Talent for War is written as if Alex is telling the story. I should be hearing from the library in a day or two to pick up the next one, The Devil's Eye.
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mark
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Thanks, FRYBABE. I knew there was "A Talent for War", but not about "The Devil's
Eye". I was disappointed to see my library doesn't have the new Greg Bear series.
I haven't read anything of his, yet, but the response to "Halo..." has been
encourating.
Maybe they will once they get the mix-up at the library straightened out. (Not all
the books got where they were supposed to be after the new construction.)
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I was very surprised and delighted to see that there were three more to the series. I had thought
Seeker was the last. In fact, it was so spectacular that the tale seems hard to top. We shall see.
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Off and on I've been enjoying the Twilight Zone marathon on TV today and yesterday on the Syfy channel (http://www.syfy.com/schedule/). Some of the episodes are as great as I remembered the Twilight Zone... with many famous actors too.
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I get my star trek fix on Saturdays when BBC has the Next Generation on in late afternoon..
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I love STNG too, Steph.
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I always laugh.. My younger son only watches if Deanna Troi is featured.. Oh well.
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I'm sure Ms. Troi would be flattered, STEPH. ;D
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LOL, Steph.
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It is surprising what science fiction books make it to the movies and why..Some simply cannot.. although McCaffreys books would make excellent serious animated films.. Never been tried as far as I know, but they are not childrens books at all.
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I finished The Devil's Eye last night. As I suspected, McDevitt wasn't able to top Seeker, IMO. However it was a good read. Benedict's assistant, Chase Kolpath, took center stage in this one.
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Chase Kolpath takes center stage in "Polaris", too. It's amazing how many times her
scientific know-how pulls her and Benedict out of death traps in outer space. And usually
the scientifc explanation of exactly how she does this goes way over my head. Despite
all this, I like her and am enjoying the book. Almost finished, so maybe I can find "Seeker".
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Right, Babi. Chase does all the "heavy" work. The difference in Devil's Eye is that Alex seems more in the background than usual and Chase actually gets most of the credit for her efforts this time.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Never read any McDevitt; have to give it a try. Got my husband Niven and Lerner's 'Fleet of Worlds' for Christmas. When he finished it (finally!)I jumped on it ,and was delighted to learn it's a series of 5 and they are all on Kindle. Somedays I feel very much like a Pupeteer-don't even want to go out to walk the dog among all those crazy humans. :)
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Happily, my library does have "Seeker", FRYBABE. I am hopeful that they will acquire "The Devil's Eye".
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mark
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I am into my first Greg Bear book, "Queen of Angels". It's been a bit of a struggle. Mr.
Bear uses a number of invented words and phrases, and doesn't bother to explain any of
them. I guess he figures we'll figure it out,..or not. So far I've managed to decipher some
of them, and I'm fairly sure the others are his made-up words for the slang and vulgarities
of the times.
We seem to be reaching the end of the introduction...the background, introduction to the
characters, etc., and the book actually seems quite promising. Let you know how it goes.
Can any of you Greg Bear fans tell me is this is typical of his books?
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That is one of his new ones, isn't it Babi? I haven't read it.
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I'm not sure, FRYBABE. I usually try to start with the first book of a series, but this
may be a new series. I seem to dimly remember (so long ago, like two weeks ::)) choosing
it for that reason.
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He has several series, this sounds like a new one.
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It appears I am not going to be a Greg Bear fan. I found myself neglecting the book,
having no real urge to pick it up and read. I want to spend my reading time with books I
can't wait to get back to.
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Oh Babi, exactly. if it does not catch me, it is gone.. Time is fleeting.
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Babi, Devil's Eye was my least favorite, if there is one, of the six books which is by no means saying that is isn't good. It is. Seeker won the 2006 Nebula Award for Best Novel.
I am in the middle of Firebird which is the last of the series, so far. This one begins with investigations in multi-universes and inter-dimensional travel and is just now beginning to focus on AI's and whether they should be considered sentient beings of sorts. As usual, very good. I hope McDevitt is in the process of writing more. Until he does, I will be reading some of his stand alones. I am not sure if I want to read the Priscilla Hutchins series or not.
PatH, regarding Jack Campbell, I have been trying to find used copies of books 3, 4, and 6 of The Lost Fleet series. While I can get them through ABE, I was hoping to get a little better price at my local used book emporium. Unfortunately, she hasn't had any of that series in lately. I did discover, however, that the Dauphin County Library system has them so, when I am ready, I will be able to put in an interlibrary loan request. I take it you have read the second set, The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier series?? Have your read The Lost Stars:Tarnished Knight? I believe this is the first of a new series focusing on the Syndic side of the war.
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Frybabe, if you get really stuck on the Lost Fleet, I'll lend you my copies, but since I'll want them back, an interlibrary loan is probably less trouble for you. But it's a serious offer. I hate to see anyone not able to fight her way back across the galaxy. My shortsighted library system doesn't have any of Campbell's books.
The first book of Beyond the Frontier, Dreadnaught, ends up with a cliffhanger, such an impossible situation that "even Black Jack couldn't get out of it". He does, of course. I just read the second book, Invincible; it doesn't end so suspensefully, but there are many unresolved issues. I started Tarnished Knight, but couldn't get into it. It deals with a power struggle in a Syndic world we meet in book 6. Maybe now I've met some of the characters again it will be more interesting.
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I wish I liked space opera types, but I don't. I much prefer separate worlds.. hence Anne McCaffrey,,etc.
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You raise an interesting point, FRYBABE, about AI's. My own take on that is that
so long as an AI can be instructed to self-destruct in certain situations, and it
accepts that without hesitation, it's not sentient. It has no 'self'-awareness.
I will be looking for some more Jack McDevitt. Beginning, of course, with completing
the series I started earlier.
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That's an interesting thought, Babi, about sentience and AIs. It seems like certain terrorists are willing to "self-destruct" in certain situations. Even the Kamikazes from WWII or any soldier willing to fall on a grenade, etc. would seem to fall under that category. Just wondering aloud. Your comment is making me think.
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Finished Firebird. Loved the ending.
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mark
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Good point, MARCIE. I would assume, tho', that these suicide terrorists
do get a lot of indoctrination and highly emotional religious or patriotic
peer pressure before being able to self-destruct. It is a question in my
mind how much 'free' will goes into that action.
And of course, the Japanese have a long historic tradition of 'honorable' suicide, so they would be much more open to such sacrifice. It is we westerners who find the whole idea
shocking.
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Cruising around the Kindle book store, I found that John Scalzi has a thirteen episode serial novel going. Each episode tells a complete story like a TV show. It is DRM free at the publisher's request. I was going to download what is done so far to read, but then I noticed that a full print book with additional material will become available in April. I am going to hold off until then. The promo says it is in the Old Man's War universe.
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Frybabe, thanks for telling me what that sudden flood of "books" was about. I'll wait for the paper copy too.
Marcie, Babi, and Frybabe: about the question of AIs and what is human, have any of you read Genesis by Bernard Beckett? Someone here recommended it a couple of years ago. It has an interesting take on AI and what it means to be human, played out in a post-apocalyptic future.
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I haven't read Genesis, PatH. My library system has it and I've requested it. Thank you.
I enjoyed the Star Trek Next Generation episodes that featured Data and his positronic brain and questions about his sentience. I also enjoyed the Asimov stories that dealt with robots and that theme.
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Never heard of it. Will have to look into it. I remember reading, I think it was an Asimov, about an AI who was a servant/secretary to a wealthy man. He was sent back for upgrades periodically and became like a second son to the old man. When he died the AI inherited his estate, but not before powers that be had to rule that he was eligible to inherit. I could have sworn it was called I Robot, but I guess not. It is nothing like the movie. Maybe it was a short story. Speaking of I Robot, that is another one that explores AI's as sentient beings. Blade Runner is another one, but I could never get through it. BTW, Blade Runner celebrated its 30th Anniversary last year.
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I don't know if I've read any of Scalzi's books. A couple of title sound
familiar but I may have read of them here. "Fuzzy Nation" was one, and "Agent
to the Stars". I think I may have picked up 'Agent to the Stars', but lost
interest. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who tries the new series.
Don't know Bernard Beckett, PAT. I remember a movie about starring Robin Williams
that sounds very similar to the book FRYBABE mentions. Asimov wrote "I, Robot", but
I don't know it that was the same story as the film. In the film as I recall, the AI robot
was legally declared human by the courts shortly before his death.
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Asimov did quite a few books on robots. They interested him.
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This is PatH in disguise. I'm visiting JoanK while she recovers from minor surgery, and using her computer. I hadn't heard of Bernard Beckett either. He's a New Zealander. I wish I could remember who recommended the book.
I, Robot is a series of loosely connected short stories which sort of make an overall tale. I read it eons ago, and don't remember much, but Frybabe's story seems familiar. The movie is apparantly nothing like the book. Looking it up, I noticed that in addition to Will Smith it has Alan Tudyk, who played Wash in the Firefly/Serenity series.
Asimov wrote some detective stories involving collaboration between a robot and a human, which also explore this theme. In the first one, Caves of Steel, we watch the human, Elijah Baley, overcoming his horror or working with the robot, R. Daneel Olivaw, and the two becoming friends. I've read the nextwo, The Naked Sun and Robots of Dawn, but not a followup, Robots and Empire, which takes place long after Baley's death. They're good detective stories with the sci-fi important, but not dominant.
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I didn't realize that Tudyk was in the I, Robot movie. Will have to look him up to see what he is doing now days, along with the others apart from Nathan Fallon.
I read, long ago, some of Asimov's short stories and the original Foundation trilogy. I don't know if the one I read about the robot was a short story or a full length book, and for all I can remember, it might not even have been his. Much of my short story reading in the SciFi genre early on was Ray Bradbury. The detective series sounds interesting.
I hope PatH is healing nicely. My regards.
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No, it's JoanK who had the surgery. I'm PatH, using her computer, and it thinks i'm her.
Yes, Joan is recovering nicely.
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I agree, PAT; the movie was different from the book, tho' I would not say
'nothing' like. It's been a long time ago, but I remember the robot as played
by Will Smith seemed quite different from the one in the book. Perhaps it was
just the Will Smith personality, too vivid for a machine. ;)
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I read every single one of Asimovs robot stuff. short stories and novels.. His take on robots was interesting..But then I loved most of Asimov..
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This is still PatH.
An I, Robot movie that didn't get made: Harlan Ellison, with Asimov's collaboration, wrote a screenplay that more or less followed the book plus going on. It's pretty good, but it was never made into a movie, probably because the settings were so grandiose and elaborate it would have been too difficult and expensive to produce. Come to think of it, with modern techniques it might be pretty straightforward.
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A lot of my favorite science fiction does not move well to the movie screen.. Just think of McCaffrey.. not translatable, but wonderful books..
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Still PatH in disguise:
Good point, Steph, they'd never get the dragons right. They would also never get the detail and complexity of the interpersonal relations.
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Star Trek and Star WArs are good on the big screen, but they are the exceptions.. I like my science fiction in book form.
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True science is exciting, too. Have you seen the report that a group of Czech and Scots
researchers have developed an honest-to-goodness tractor beam, a la Star Trek? They
say it will be some time before it's ready for any practical use, but it still has me as gleeful
as a child.
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No, did not see that. Sounds neat though. I am waiting to be beamed up however.That is the greatest.. That and/or communicating with my very own dragon.
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Of the two, STEPH, I would definitely love being able to communicate with the dragon.
The PERN type, of course.
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Anne McCaffrey had such a gift of making us part of a wonderful complicated world.. Her son seems to like war fare to much for me.
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Well, I suppose we couldn't expect him to write exactly like his mother did, but I agree
that the Anne MCaffery books were far richer, thrilling....I am at a loss for adequate words.
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I always remember Lessa.. But then again I loved all of the Ships who sang and communicated. I always remember that she wrote the Ship who Sang after her Dad died as a tribute. Always makes me cry a bit.
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Got the newest Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs...Werewolves, fae and a serial killer in Boston.. Wow..
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I like the Patricia Briggs books, STEPH. What's the title on the new one?
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Since I am upstairs and the book is down. I will copy down the title later today and send it. Excellent.. so far, but I like both of the series.. This one is Anna and her husband who is the enforcer for the Werewolves.. a complex man with doubts..
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Fair Play is the name of the book.. #3 in the series..
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Thank you, STEPH. #3? I thought I had already read three of that series. I guess I need to go to Fantastic Fiction and update myself on that series.
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You are right. I think it is #4.. but it is excellent.. Anna and Charles are interesting.
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I checked with Fantastic Fiction, and realized it was the Meredith series I had been following. I think I may have
read one of the Anna/Charles books; I'm not sure. I wonder if my library has any more. Have to check that out.
Thanks for reminding me of Briggs. My book list is getting so long I know I'm missing some old favorites.
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Last night was my f2f group at Politics and Prose. The fantasy was Lloyd Alexander's The Book of Three. This is the first of a 5 book series roughly based on the Welsh legends of the Mabinogion, telling of the struggles of Taran, assistant keeper to an oracular pig, as he is caught up in the usual evil versus good problem as the bad guys try to take over everything. They are children's stories, and really good. About half the characters and situations are lifted from the Mabinogion, but you don't need to know any of that to enjoy the books. The problem was that the first book is kind of a prologue, so although many of us were happily reading it again and others were interested, we couldn't find a lot to say about it. I read the whole series with my children and was glad to be reminded of it.
The sci-fi book was Russian: Omon Ra by Victor Pelevin. By the time I got around to wanting to buy it, our group had already exhausted the publisher's supply, and I didn't want to deal with the amateur online translation. So I hadn't read it, but the discussion was interesting. Our current leader grew up in Russia (she read this one in Russian, not English) and said it's full of acronyms and cultural references. One of my fellow discussers lent me her copy, so I'll see if it makes any sense to me.
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I have read maybe 20 pages of Gone Girl..Hmm. both of them at this point are truly unlikeable,but I suspect that is my age showing.. The current trend is unpleasant people for some odd reason.
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Having noted the oracular pig, PAT, I was most relieved to find that they
are children's stories. ;D
I do hope you are mistaken about unpleasant people being the current trend,
STEPH. They are still unlikeable, though they might appeal to an actor or a writer
as a good 'meaty' role/character. Personally, I don't care for them any better in
books or movies. :P
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I just seem to think that every time, I pick up a book that is a best seller for higher ends, that the characters are no one that I would care to know.
Finished the Patricia Briggs.. Loved it..Anna and Charles are really interesting. and they left the end with a new and very very large problem.
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Which means, of course, that you'll have to buy the next book to see how they handle the 'very, very
large problem'. ;D
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Her two paranormal series are interlinked, so it will affect both of her series. I see why and where she is going and it should be fun.
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I know you have all already seen this, but it belongs here, since Babi was one of our stalwarts.
Very sad news...
We have heard from her daughter, Valerie, that Babi, Barbara Simpson, our long- time friend and Seniornet/Seniorlearn Discussion Leader, passed away last night after a sudden illness.
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Oh Babi, we share all of the science fiction characters. I will always think ofyou when reading them.
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BBC has an article about a SciFi story I read several months ago called Wool. In the article I found most interesting the author's comments on how he came about the title of the book, how he developed the silo as the living structure, and the final paragraph which are his thoughts on hardcopy books vs. ebooks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21674019
Wool is an interesting story about people living in a silo type structure and who were told that to go outside would be certain death from poisonous air, etc. Those that were condemned were sent outside to clean the only window viewing the destroyed earth. I liked it; apparently, a lot of others did too.
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That's an interesting article, Frybabe, and makes the story sound like something I would enjoy. His comments about ebooks: I haven't gotten there yet. The way I process information works better with a print book. Same with audiobooks--I don't process them as well. So I'd better hope that my vision outlasts my hearing, which so far looks to be the case.
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Sounds like Wool has an element similar to Genesis by Bernard Beckett, which I think you recommended, Pat. I found Genesis very interesting.
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Print books work especially well for me with lots of characters. I am just now reading the latest Elizabeth George and she seems to have three different plots going and the darn thing is 600 pages long. Not sure I could keep up on audio books or ebooks.
My audio book in the car just now is "Her Fearful Symmetry" Wild.. wild.. written Audrey Niffeneger(?)..
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I just finished book three in Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet series. It ended with something of a cliffhanger. Now I must scramble to find book four.
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Well at least you know from the number of books left that there must be a way out, with a lot of the characters surviving. Campbell likes cliffhangers. This isn't the worst.
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Finished the Niffenegger.. It possibly counts as science fiction.. actually fantasy or possibly horror at the end. A very interesting book., written by the same woman who did The Time Travelers Wife.
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Steph, I looked up the Niffeneger. I didn't dare read all the summary (don't like spoilers) but it looks really interesting. Of course, I'm a sucker for themes with twins. Sometimes they hit home and sometimes they don't.
This month's f2f sci-fi book was Kurt Vonnegut's The Sirens of Titan. This is sort of a prelude to Slaughterhouse Five, written ten years later. I don't recommend it unless you're a Vonnegut fan. Although it lacks bloodshed, it's kind of Slaughterhouse Five with the hopeful bits left out. It does have his usual scathing social commentary.
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I have never been able to deal with Vonnegut..
The Niffeniger is a twin book with a double set.. one set a mirror twin set.. I have really liked both of her books and will check to see if she has written anything else.But she does a very strange mind indeed.
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I just finished an interesting 90 page story called Felix and the Frontier by Chester Burton "Cheeseburger" Brown. The characters are all robots. It is simply and cleanly written, a pleasure to read. The main character is Felix who tends to put a happy, optimistic face on things. Almost all Brown's works are e-book only. I got my copy when Amazon offered it as a freebie. Most of his e-books are very short and pricier that I think they should be for how short they are. Inflation is sure hitting the e-book world.
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Big article in yesterdays newspaper over the popularity of ebooks in our local libraries and how expensive this is for the libraries...
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I vaguely remember even borrowing one ebook from our library but don't remember if I finished reading it or what it was. Sigh! There are a few mystery books I'd like to read, but for the most part, I haven't found much I like there. I use Amazon's lending library because they don't have a time limit to have read it, and I've found more books there that I'd like to read. The only thing is that you can only borrow one book a month and you have to be an Amazon Prime member.
Last night I ordered Chester Burton Brown's Simon in Space. I liked the price compared with his other works and wanted to read more of his work. from Amazon "the simple story of a man without memories recovering his identity into a twist-filled, idea-rich adventure through a complex galactic culture. Simon's quest to discover his hidden past uncovers ever larger secrets, including the resting place of the most terrible weapon ever devised and the truth behind the covert domestication of the human race by robots."
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What is this with the plot of no memories. Just recently there has been a rash of books with this theme for the hero.( or heroine)
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Simon in Space was published in print in 2008, so I don't know if you want to include that in recent. Be that as it may, I have often noticed, like you have, that books on the same subject but with different authors often show up about the same time. I've noticed it especially in nonfiction. It always struck me as odd and a little more than coincidental.
I've come up with several conjectures: coincidence (not likely for most), same publisher or subsidiary with two good manuscripts but not sure which will "take off", publisher wants to ride on the coattails of a recently published popular book.
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I suspect that riding the coattails is probably the main reason.. Also some non fiction seems to spring up alike and it is the result of so much research.. Maybe they should have run into each other. I know that several nonfiction books were held back when another book on the same subject came out first.
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Frybaby: In reference to our conversation in the “Introduction” forum: http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=46.msg187919#msg187919
In my cyber travels, I’ve discovered so many steampunk definitions my head spins. It’s true that Steampunk is classified as a subgenre of science fiction and/or fantasy. However, that definition is dependent upon who one speaks with; a die-hard sci-fi supporter or dyed-in-the-wool fantasy fanatic may deny steampunk’s very existence. But historical fiction lovers (non-romance too) seem more receptive to its inclusion into their genre sect. Steampunk devotees classified it as GENRE. :D
Overall, MY definition summarizes like this: Steampunk is alternative history based during England’s Victorian and Industrial era (powered by steam though coal is periodically mentioned). However that period also spans across the pond, into the USA; we had an industrial period that was influenced by England’s. The science fiction part is the ongoing evolution of machinery and other mechanisms that aids in the story’s adventurous, mysterious plot. It’s not important that a writer sticks with historical fact, changing events and their outcomes makes for interesting reading. Though some writer’s do adhere to history while include steam machinery for “alternative” value. Then there are stories that are NOT based during historical periods, instead present day. Again the variety of definitions abound!
Adding more flavors to this subgenre authors will provide themes using paranormal entities, fairies, mythological characters, military/war themes, or space opera elements. Zombies and apocalyptical scenarios are quite popular today with a steampunk twist. And it goes without saying, really, but the most sought after story includes vampires and werewolves (elements prevalent well before the “Twilight” series came upon the scene).
Now, I’m gonna stray from the main topic of steampunk and introduce another subgenre (?). In the USA we have the beautiful pioneer period; adding raw, earthy flavors to Steampunk. It’s referred to as Weird Western, also known as the “Wild, Wild West”. Remember the 1960’s series by the same name? Remember the book turned movie, “Cowboys and Aliens”? For the record, I confess this is my most favored genre. Makes for another action-packed adventure in someone’s over active imagination.
Also in my cyber travels I’ve read about stanch science fiction, fantasy and western addicts who vehemently abhor Steampunk/Weird Western individually or in combinations thereof. I refuse to partake in the politics of keeping a genre’s bloodline pure. Those who want to keep genres pure, I encourage and applaud anyone for their hard work and dedication for a valuable cause. However, like them, I will support my cause… ;D Steampunk gives me the feel of “stepping outside the box”; it’s unique, thought provoking, and inspiring. For instance, I’m drawing up plans to build a Toy Fox Terrier robot. My jewelry making ideas are so many I have to jot them down in a notebook, so as not forget them.
In summary, again my humble viewpoint, Steampunk is alternative history combined with science fiction, fantasy and/or western genres. It possesses no walls, as vampires, zombies, fairies, cowboys, military, elements sow many beloved stories on the internet and in books stores (mortar and cyber).
For more information I recommend these sites, listed in order of value-added information:
http://www.ministryofpeculiaroccurrences.com/what-is-steampunk/ (http://www.ministryofpeculiaroccurrences.com/what-is-steampunk/)
http://www.steampunk.com/what-is-steampunk/ (http://www.steampunk.com/what-is-steampunk/)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk)
http://www.romanceandmystery.com/STEAMPUNK.html (http://www.romanceandmystery.com/STEAMPUNK.html)
http://austinsirkin.tumblr.com/post/20317870381/what-is-steampunk-its-come-to-my-attention (http://austinsirkin.tumblr.com/post/20317870381/what-is-steampunk-its-come-to-my-attention)
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Thanks Scottieluvr. My head was spinning when I read the Wikipedia explanation. I like yours better. I have to say that I think some books I Saw listed for that subgenre have a rather tenuous claim. It is sometimes difficult to classify the genre of a book, don't you think? There are so many crossovers.
A few days ago I read a short SciFi book called Felix and the Frontier. All the characters in it were robots, some of which were steam powered. It was a delightful read. Now I am back to reading Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet series. I like to read Sci-fi, mysteries, and history, but will dig into others on occasion. I tend to stay away from primarily romance and horror.
BTW, Weird Western works for me. I loved Wild, Wild West and thoroughly enjoyed Spaceships and Aliens.
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... I have to say that I think some books I Saw listed for that subgenre have a rather tenuous claim. It is sometimes difficult to classify the genre of a book, don't you think? There are so many crossovers.
Yes, I agree. ;) I have a horror story, can't remember the name, that should have been labeled steampunk. Now I carefully read blurbs and reviews to verify my steampunk selections.
A few days ago I read a short SciFi book called Felix and the Frontier. All the characters in it were robots, some of which were steam powered. It was a delightful read. Now I am back to reading Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet series. I like to read Sci-fi, mysteries, and history, but will dig into others on occasion. I tend to stay away from primarily romance and horror.
I am noting the book, "Felix and the Frontier" on my Good Reads site. Thanks for the share. It's received relatively good reviews on GR too (4.3 stars). Which influences me not at all in choosing to bookmark it; its the robots that sold me on the read. ;)
BTW, Weird Western works for me. I loved Wild, Wild West and thoroughly enjoyed Spaceships and Aliens.
Even the new Wild, Wild West movie was pretty good. ;D Check this one out, "Coyote Cal's Guide to the Weird, Wild West", its free at Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007LN9KG4/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007LN9KG4/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title). I havent read it yet but it looks intriguing.
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I love science fiction, but mostly alternate worlds.. Anne McCaffrey... Marion Zimmer Bradley....Robert Heinlin in his prime.. I like straight western history, but don't think I would like the west combined with fantasy and did not like Wild Wild West.
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Scottieluvr, I found this on my local news site, Pennlive, this morning. Looks like Steampunk is alive and well in my area.
Today (March 29), I'll be going over to Brute Force Studios in Harrisburg to check out their steampunk creations - including mechanical arms, monocles and something called a "Bronto-Blaster Express." The studio's work was actually featured on a steampunk themed episode of ABC's "Castle." Owner Thomas Willeford, aka Lord Archibald "Feathers" Featherstone will be talking about his love of the genre. Photographer Dan Gleiter will be joining me, so you can rest assured there will be some great photos for you to check out this evening.
I'll be also getting a steampunk makeover myself - all gearing up for Saturday's coverage of the Steampunk at Gettysburg: Film, Art and Music Festival. Photographer Sean Simmers and I will be taking the festival by storm, checking out what exactly goes on at a Steampunk festival. Be sure to follow our Twitter pages (@JuliaHatmaker and @SeanSimmers) for pics and updates.
Also found is the website for the steampunk festival: http://www.steampunkatgettysburg.com/
I looked at the Brute Force site. Pricey, interesting. Who knew! You just never know what is lurking in your neighborhood.
I keep adding to this post. Just came across an article about the artist, Thomas Willieford.
http://blog.pennlive.com/go/2013/03/steampunk_harrisburg_thomas_wi.html#incart_m-rpt-1
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mark
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I love science fiction, but mostly alternate worlds.. Anne McCaffrey... Marion Zimmer Bradley....Robert Heinlin in his prime.. I like straight western history, but don't think I would like the west combined with fantasy and did not like Wild Wild West.
Hello Steph,
Yes, steampunk or weird western is an acquired taste. I toed the water for some time before fully immersing myself. :)
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Scottieluvr, I found this on my local news site, Pennlive, this morning. Looks like Steampunk is alive and well in my area.
Today (March 29), I'll be going over to Brute Force Studios in Harrisburg to check out their steampunk creations - including mechanical arms, monocles and something called a "Bronto-Blaster Express."...I'll be also getting a steampunk makeover myself - all gearing up for Saturday's coverage of the Steampunk at Gettysburg: Film, Art and Music Festival. Photographer Sean Simmers and I will be taking the festival by storm, checking out what exactly goes on at a Steampunk festival. Be sure to follow our Twitter pages (@JuliaHatmaker and @SeanSimmers) for pics and updates.
Also found is the website for the steampunk festival: http://www.steampunkatgettysburg.com/
I looked at the Brute Force site. Pricey, interesting. Who knew! You just never know what is lurking in your neighborhood.
I keep adding to this post. Just came across an article about the artist, Thomas Willieford.
http://blog.pennlive.com/go/2013/03/steampunk_harrisburg_thomas_wi.html#incart_m-rpt-1
Frybaby,
Thank you for the share. It was awesome to read the article and visit the website. I’ve not found a local event, but that doesn’t mean one hasn’t (or is in the workings of being) coordinated. I’m not certain to attend anyway, I hate crowds.
Also, proof positive that steampunk provides another venue for fun and frolic: a reason to play pretend. The one article spoke about a gentleman all decked out in his full steampunk persona. A common practice amid the steampunk community; a kin to Star Trekkers during Sci-Fi Cons. There were tons of role playing groups on Good Reads, but many are dead. Anywhere else online I’ve never researched. As of this writing I’m enjoying developing my own steampunk persona that I will post on my personal web site. Just because I’m 50 years old, doesn’t mean I can’t play dress up. *S*
All this weekend our television provider is showing HBO for free. Cowboys and Aliens is on all weekend long… no doubt what I’m doing this weekend. *LOL* Yesterday, dear-hubby even watched it with me.
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Pamela, looking at all those links, i see that I've been circling around steampunk for a while. Examples:
I've read the relevant Jules Verne, H. G. Wells and Doyle.
Tim powers: The Anubis Gates is on my TBR list. I've read Three Days to Never, a very gripping multiple-time-strand book, but not steampunk. I see he's co-author of the non-fiction Steampunk: The Beginning.
William Gibson/Bruce Sterling The Difference Engine: I've read other books by both of them and liked them.
Neil Stephenson: The Diamond Age: again, I like his stuff, haven't read this one.
China Mieville: He has an ambition to write one of every genre variation. I've read The City and the City, a police procedural with weird realities.
Philip Pullman: I've read him, have issues with him.
Mervyn Peake: Titus Alone. I've read the first of the trilogy, Titus Groan, which doesn't seem to be steampunk to me.
Movies:
Metropolis, I've seen it.
City of Lost Children: that's a very weird, haunting movie.
Hayao Miyazaki: I like what I've seen of his stuff, but from the description, don't see why Future Boy Conan is steampunk.
So next step is to dive in. I guess Anubis Gates for a start. Do you have a better suggestion?
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Oh me,, not my type of science fiction at all. Looking at your reading list..
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I have three William Gibson's in my TBR pile, but The Difference Engine isn't one of them.
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Pamela, looking at all those links, i see that I've been circling around steampunk for a while. Examples [...] So next step is to dive in. I guess Anubis Gates for a start. Do you have a better suggestion?
Great start if I've ever seen one... yep, jump in with your eyes and ears opened that's all there is to it. :D
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Hayao Miyazaki: I like what I've seen of his stuff, but from the description, don't see why Future Boy Conan is steampunk.
An anime lover too? Me too... ;D There's no end to our love of the written word. ;)
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I tried Gibson several times, but never finished any of the books. Just not my cup of tea..
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Someone here liked Guy Gavriel Kay's Under Heaven, a fantasy set in an imaginary version of 8th century China. This morning's paper has a review of a new novel in that setting, River of Stars. The reviewer is very enthusiastic, certainly makes me want to read it.
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Had to look this gentleman up and this is what popped out at me in learning about this author: William Gibson is know for his cyberpunk writings but collaborated with Bruce Sterling to write, “The Difference Engine”. An alternative history (i.e., steampunk) story. He has a fascinating life history so far; definitely “lived” life not just sitting around watching it walk [or run] by. :D
Guy Gavriel Kay's Under Heaven looks intriguing from just its blurb. This would be a new author for me, will have to investigate further before embarking on his writings. But thanks for the heads-up! ;D
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I haven't read it, but people who have like it.
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I read Guy Gavriel Kay's Ysabel . It's not my usual kind of read, but it was good, and I had a lot of fun looking up places on the net and following the action around Aix-en-Provence.
On looking up Under Heaven, I discovered that Mr. Kay has been a very busy writer, that he writes poetry as well, and that he is Canadian (I thought he was French). His Sarantine Mosaic, about an alternate Byzantine like empire, series looks very interesting as do several others.
Here's something interesting, hmmmmmm! Amazon took a Wikipedia page and made it "shopping enabled". I hadn't noticed this feature before. http://www.amazon.com/wiki/Guy_Gavriel_Kay/ref=ntt_at_bio_wiki
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That's kind of sinister. You have to be careful to get the description of the book instead of an Amazon page.
I see that Kay got his start helping Christopher Tolkien edit his father's unpublished works.
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I know PatH. Amazon is getting it's tentacles everywhere. Not that I'm complaining, but it is kind of spooky. I saw a link at the top of the Amazon page for the book and clicked. That is what I got, but if you just go through Wikipedia you don't get the enhanced version. I would think that they had to have contributed to Wikipedia to be able to do that. I would think, but who knows.
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That makes it better, if you have to go through Amazon to get it that way. Surely they paid for the privilege. Still spooky, though.
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I really like William Gibson's work. When I first read one of his books, I was blown away with his amazing, detailed vision of the future and use of language. I enjoyed The Difference Engine too, by Gibson and Bruce Sterling. I like Sterlings books too.
In relation to The Difference Engine, I've read a biography, "Ada Lovelace: Enchantress of Numbers," by Betty Toole. Wikipedia says Lovelace was "an English mathematician and writer chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage's early mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. Her notes on the engine include what is recognized as the first algorithm intended to be processed by a machine. Because of this, she is often considered the world's first computer programmer."
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I would have thought that Amazon would pay wikipedia but it seems they do not. See the article at http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20024297-36.html
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Marcie, if The Difference Engine has Lady Lovelace in it, I've got to read it.
I heard Gibson talk at Politics and Prose a year or two ago. In addition to the new book, subject of his talk, I got him to sign my battered paperback of Neuromancer. He seems to move on when he's finished with a style, not live in his past achievements.
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I thought I had more Gibson's than I do. My TBR has Spook Country and Virtual Lights. My "get my hands on list" are Pattern Recognition and Zero History. Neuromancer sure looks twisty and complicated from the description. I'm not sure why I didn't include that on my list except that I don't care to read about druggies.
I am in the library cue for Greg Bear's Halo: Silentium which was release a few weeks ago. It is the last of the Forerunner Halo series. It should become available about the middle of the month.
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Pattern Recognition, Spook Country, and Zero History Kind of go together, and I suspect should be read in order. I haven't read them yet.
Neuromancer was the beginning of cyberpunk. It's about cyberspace, which Gibson visualized very early in the game. It seemed stunning when it came out, but I suspect it might be a bit old-hat now. I should reread it and see, though I gave my copy to my daughter.
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The summary of Neuromancer reminded me of Tron (which came out in 1976, I think), and The Matrix. All three involved people getting sucked into a network, or at least, their consciousnesses.
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Here's something interesting, hmmmmmm! Amazon took a Wikipedia page and made it "shopping enabled". I hadn't noticed this feature before. http://www.amazon.com/wiki/Guy_Gavriel_Kay/ref=ntt_at_bio_wiki
Yes, I find Amazon only equal to dandelions...populates over large areas rather quickly. ;D
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MARCIE: I don't usually read Sci-Fi, but I'm a big fan of Lady Lovelace (to the extent that I once got hold of a copy of her computer program and tried to "debug" it. She never had a chance, since Babbage was never able to finish building his machine).
I have read a biography of her, but not that one. Is it good?
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JoanK, I read "Ada: Enchantress of Numbers" quite a while ago but I remember it favorably. I haven't read another bio of Lovelace so don't have something else to which to compare it. It's told mostly through Lovelace's letters. The author is a devoted scholar of Lovelace and you can tell she is enchanted with her but it seems appropriate that she is. Lovelace was a remarkable woman.
The Difference Engine book is an "alternate history" novel so it isn't fully "fact" based.
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Thanks. I got samples of both on my kindle. They're expensive, so will probably only buy one: we'll see which one.
As a woman in mathematics, I'm interested in Lovelace's struggles to learn mathematics. No one would teach her: women weren't supposed to be able to learn math. So she "apprenticed" herself to Babbage, as a way to learn.
Throughout history, there have been people who wanted learning so bad, they would find a way to learn under whatever the odds. I feel a kinship with all of them.
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JoanK, I've never shopped at this site but they have 50% off Kindle prices:
http://www.shopoin.info/the-difference-engine-p-18598.html
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I am doing a check on this Shopoin.com outfit. So far, I can say be careful; it may not be legit. There is a thread on the Amazon Direct Publishing site where some of the self published authors are pretty upset about the site selling their books without authorization and without paying royalties.
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There is not much information about the Shopoin site on the web. It is registered (about three years ago) with GoDaddy. The registrant is "cheng da" of Hong Kong.
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Oh oh! I bookmarked it, but maybe I'd better stay away!
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I suspect they are pirating Kindle e-books. It kind of smells fishy that they are discounting Kindle e-books and that some of the Direct Publishing authors are ticked about their books showing up on the site. I send Amazon a query about the site even though I assume that their authors have already done so. I just want to make sure I am not cautioning people away from the site if they are legit. Will let you know if I get a response.
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THanks for checking out that shopoin site for possible issues.
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Since Kindle is a proprietary name, they should not be trying to sell Kindle books..
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I also worry: if they are selling books illegally, what illegal things will they do with my information?
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There is that.. They might be doing things to get information..You don't want anything to get pirated.
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New author for me.. Ben Aaronovitch.. and the book is Whispers Underground..Seemes to be the second in a series.. Peter Grant is the narrator in a science fiction, fantasy,mystery..What fun. We are in London, sort of, that is and it is somewhat later than now.. I am halfway through and laugh and marvel at incorporating Magic and making it scientific.. I mourn for Babi..She and I loved the same type of fantasy and she would have loved it.
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This isn't JoanK, it's PatH. I'm visiting Joan, and using her computer. Steph, tell us more about Whispers Underground when you finish. It sounds like fun. I'm with you about Babi. She used to post first thing in the morning, and I still find myself looking out for her posts when I sign in.
Since I had 6 days here with Joan, I ordered The Difference Engine to come here, so Joan could have a crack at it. Mostly, she doesn't like sci-fi (her one flaw) but since she cares about the subject, she might like this one. At the same time I got The Anubis Gate for me, but it's going to have to wait its turn.
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This isn't JoanK, it's PatH. I'm visiting Joan, and using her computer. […] Since I had 6 days here with Joan, I ordered The Difference Engine to come here, so Joan could have a crack at it. […]
I’ll join Joan in her reading experience. I asked hubby to stop by the library, before coming home tonight, to pick up a copy of “The Difference Engine”. I’ve read very mixed reviews about this book… so Joan if it’s a torturous experience you didn’t go through it alone. ;D
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(It's Joan this time) It is a bit. I'm 200 pages in and still haven't figured out what the book is about. See what you think.
The preface talks about steam punk parties with steam punk bands and all kinds of gadgets on display. (costumes, of course!) Do you know about that?
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Whispers is fun. The hero is a combination magician(learning) and a detective and they have a police force that has both.. He is looking for a murderer.. ventures down in the subway system in London and discovers.. well that is the point. A whole forgotten villager of pottery andpigs and a whole other world.. Almost done and will definitely look for the first two in the series. His partner lost her face and wears a mask..
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(It's Joan this time) It is a bit. I'm 200 pages in and still haven't figured out what the book is about. See what you think. The preface talks about steam punk parties with steam punk bands and all kinds of gadgets on display. (costumes, of course!) Do you know about that?
My joining your misery is delayed. I have to buy a used copy since my local library does not carry it; as falsely stated in their online database. :( So I must wait for my used book to arrive...
Steampunk is all about partying, gadgets and costuming... equal to punk-rockers or goths, even anime-devotees have bands, parties, and the like. To me it gives adult permission to react their childhood. :D And I'm all for revisiting those fun filled moments too.
When this book was made aware to me, I first surfed for reviews of the book. It’s clear to me that the book is not an enjoyable read for most of the population – not a good thing in my “book”. :D But I love a good challenge. In the meantime I listed some review links below, which maybe support your frustrations with the material.
A review of The Difference Engine: http://steampunkscholar.blogspot.com/2009/08/difference-engine-by-william-gibson-and.html (http://steampunkscholar.blogspot.com/2009/08/difference-engine-by-william-gibson-and.html)
Good Reads Reviews; some where perceptive and enlightening: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/337116.The_Difference_Engine (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/337116.The_Difference_Engine)
More reviews: http://www.sfsite.com/08a/dif62.htm (http://www.sfsite.com/08a/dif62.htm) (read the first few paragraphs)
An Ideological Review: http://capitalismisover.com/ideological-review-of-the-difference-engine/ (http://capitalismisover.com/ideological-review-of-the-difference-engine/)
Another, and last review:http://www.techsoc.com/diffeng.htm (http://www.techsoc.com/diffeng.htm)
Here’s a dictionary too, “The Difference Dictionary”: http://www.sff.net/people/gunn/dd/ (http://www.sff.net/people/gunn/dd/)
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(Joan again). Thanks for the reviews, I'll jump into them in a minute.
After 300 pages, I've finally figured out my problem. I'm used to reading mysteries, which are strongly plot-driven. In the Difference Engine, the plot makes little sense, and is forgotten about much of the time. The strength is in the description of the alternate universe he has created.
Now that I realize this, I can stop fussing about why the characters are running around to no purpose, and enjoy the technological and social imagination and descriptive writing which are strong.
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I love plots, so don't think I will try the book.. I am not into costumes, and reenactments, so steam punk sounds like a not for me sort of read.
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(Joan again). Thanks for the reviews, I'll jump into them in a minute.
After 300 pages, I've finally figured out my problem. I'm used to reading mysteries, which are strongly plot-driven. In the Difference Engine, the plot makes little sense, and is forgotten about much of the time. The strength is in the description of the alternate universe he has created.
Now that I realize this, I can stop fussing about why the characters are running around to no purpose, and enjoy the technological and social imagination and descriptive writing which are strong.
Once I possess and read this book, I'll help continue this discussion. But your observations about the story appear "spot-on" with others who reviewed it.
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mark
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Browsing around Feedbooks, I found this:
http://www.feedbooks.com/book/6719/sultana-s-dream
It says it is one of the earliest examples of feminist science fiction (subgenre: alternative history). The author is Indian, a Muslim, a feminist, written way back in 1905.
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Browsing around Feedbooks, I found this:
http://www.feedbooks.com/book/6719/sultana-s-dream
It says it is one of the earliest examples of feminist science fiction (subgenre: alternative history). The author is Indian, a Muslim, a feminist, written way back in 1905.
WOW! My kind of alternative history for sure! ;) Thank you for the link.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Was in Barnes and Noble on Saturday.Found two more of the AAbramovich (spelling weird) books.. I really liked him, so got them both.
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What's he like, Steph?
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A very odd mixture of science fiction, fantasy and mystery.. Our hero is a magician in the making.. Sort of an apprentice. He works in the police department in London in a special division. He is a regular policeman as well, so he investigates mysterious deaths. You are plunged into a first person book . He worries about doing too much magic ( leads to a stroke and death, he has been told), investigates, his partner ( female) has somehow lost her face and wears a mask. All in all, I am enjoying him.
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I'm currently reading The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight by Jack Campbell. It is a "spin-off" of his The Lost Fleet series seen from the side of former Syndics who break away from the Syndicate Worlds after their defeat at the hands of the Alliance Worlds. So far, I can say that is isn't the not to be put down read that The Lost Fleet series (original) was.
Recently finished, Halo: Silentium, the third and last of the Forerunner saga. It was a bit confusing in some spots because I had forgotten the sequence of some of the events referred to happened in the two earlier books. Also, I still don't grasp exactly were "the Flood" originated. It also left a gap in events between it and the introduction of the Flood in the regular Halo series. Neither book explains how the Flood got onto the ring world that escaped in Silentium. Nor do they explain how the Flood got confined to the underground workings of the ring world and what eventually happened to the evacuees (although I can guess) before it is discovered in the second Halo book with the exception of 343 Guilty Spark (AI with integrated human memories).
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I agree with you about The Lost Stars, Frybabe; I started it and put it down. some of these characters are reappearing in the Geary series, and I suspect they will become more important later. I don't think politics is Campbell's strong point, though.
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I had hoped to read The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Dreadnaught rather than The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight but my library seems to have lost the only volume they had. I don't know if they will replace it.
I am still deciding whether or not to read Jack McDevitt's Priscilla Hutchins series. And, I am still searching the Amazon Lending Library for my May read. I am leaning towards Devil in the White City for my next library checkout, but there are others on my list that may yet pop to the top (including Night Circus and Mighty Fitz.
Do we have another book scheduled for May discussion? I forget.
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I'm about 50 pages into "The Difference Engine", its a descriptive read that's for sure. But I'm enjoying it so far.
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It'll be a while before I can compare notes with you on The Difference Engine; it has 4 or 5 titles ahead of it in line.
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Pamela, I don't know if you're familiar with Jack Campbell, just mentioned by Frybabe and me. His books are good quality space opera/military sci-fi. Their strength is a lot of really good sea battles (Campbell is a retired navy officer) which are fought in 3 dimensions by fleets of space ships. The story line is good too. The protagonist has been revived from 100 years of frozen sleep in a lost escape pod to find that he is the legendary hero from the start of the now old galactic war. Plus he is now in command of a fleet stuck in the middle of enemy territory, trying to get them safely home.
They absolutely have to be read in order, or they won't make sense. The first one is Dauntless. They're all named after ships in the fleet. Characterization isn't his strong point, and he tends to repeat explanations too much, but the books are good reads. I'll fight my way across the galaxy with him any time.
Some of Campbell's other series aren't as good--Stark's War, for instance.
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As much as I adore Fantasy and alternate worlds, don't like the Space battles very much..
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One of the strengths of sci-fi is it's variety. I don't think non-fans quite realize how many flavors there are. In general, I don't read military fiction, but for some reason I love sea battles. I've read all of Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander series, which abounds in sea battles, many lifted from actual historical ones.
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I like Miles and that series.. and generally do not like battles, but for some reason the Vorsegian series is interesting to me.
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I am still plowing through "The Difference Engine". Its an enjoyable premise but feels too detailed. Its another book I have to put down for a moment before continuing on.
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I am about three quarters of the way through The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Dreadnaught. I am glad that I read The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight first otherwise I would not have paid much attention to the references to Drakon, Rogero and Iceni.
So the Fleet went back through the Midway star system before the inhabitants threw off the Syndic government yoke. It will be interesting to see if the Fleet gets back to Midway in the future and how the romance between the Syndic and Alliance officer plays out. I am not too interested in the Enigma race turning out to be aquatic, though. S.L. Vhiel did a series featuring an aquatic race, but I didn't bother reading it. I think there a several others who have explored that avenue also.
My library has the Wool Omnibus already, but there is a waiting line for the only book they list.
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I read enough of Tarnished Knight to help make sense of the Midway politics. What is Rione up to, though? Or Jane Geary, for that matter? I want to hear your comment when you finish the book.
I'm amused at Campbell's solution to the language problem of all these different peoples. He ignores it; everyone speaks the same language--unlikely when they have been scattered for so long. I'm not complaining; you have to simplify some aspect or other of space travel, or your story gets cumbersome.
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Still don't know what Rione is up to except that she, like the others, was probably sent on the mission in the hopes that no one would come back. Jane Geary has probably decided she needs to show that she is a Geary. Remember she was assigned a battleship command because she was not deemed aggressive enough to command a battle cruiser.
The language thing. Hmmm. I don't recall that they actually broke deciphered any of the languages. The Enigma race apparently deciphered enough of human language to use a rather simple and repeated message. You would think they could have done better than that having held humans hostage for so many years.
I recently finished a book I borrowed from Kindle Lending Library called Into the Black by Erik Currie (I think). Their solution to the language problem was: 1) they had a linguist on board who had phenomenal linguistic skills, 2) the computer software that the linguist devised to find and parse patterns, etc., 3) language translation software built into the armor/environmental suits that were tied into the computer programming. What foresight the designers of the program that sent this first spaceship able to travel through intergalactic space in a reasonable time period, especially considering they wouldn't have known if they would actually meet an alien culture. But then we are such optimists and planners for even slight contingencies. By the way, it was a pretty good book.
Now comes the big debate, what to read next. I am probably not going to finish Devil in the White City. While certainly interesting, it is more information that I care for regarding the Expo. Very little, so far, about the serial killer. My sister has just bought the book, so when she is done I may borrow it from her. It's not a book I care to plaugh right through. Interesting, but not a page turner.
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I meant language among the humans. They all can just talk to anyone from anywhere without difficulty.
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You mean like dialects and deviations because of not having contact with each other for long stretches, Pat? Into the Black deals with that rather easily with the linguist and his software. The dialects and speech patterns, slang, etc. between planets necessitated another tweaking of the software. The alien bugs were more difficult, but they could pick out patterns in association with some actions patterns. Jack Campbell doesn't seem to have thought of that in his series.
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Last week’s f2f sci-fi book was Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars. This tells the story of the colonization of Mars, first by a group of 100 scientists, then by many more. It deals both with the technical and practical aspects of how to set up the colony, and with the personal interactions of the first group, and their division into politicized factions, which interact with the various power groups back on Earth.
There is a lot of science in it; everything they do is explained thoroughly and convincingly. But unlike many hard science books, the characters are also fully developed. It’s told switching around among the points of view of some of them, so you see how they feel about themselves versus what others think they are up to.
You have to work hard as a reader, though. There are a lot of characters to keep straight. The conflicting policies and who is for which one are complex. Things make more sense if you keep track of the geography of Mars (there’s a map) so you know what’s happening where. And it’s long, 450 pages in my copy. I didn’t quite finish it in time for the discussion—ran out of time, but by then you could see where it was going. I was also a little depressed by the political situation, things being bad both on Earth and Mars, with no end in sight except setting us up for the sequels.
It is a good job. If you’re in the mood for that flavor of sci-fi, it would be a good bet.
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I am a little more than half way through The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Invincible. Oddly, I don't find it quite as compelling as the previous books. When I read about the "teddy bear" aliens and their planetoid defense system, I thought of Star Wars. However, they aren't the friendly furries that the Ewoks are. The spider aliens and their thought/communication processes as well as, and especially, the structural framework in which they live is quite interesting. I kind of hope I see a little more of them. The duct tape episodes are funny. Imagine duct tape in space, centuries from now, still holding things together. At the moment, I cannot figure out what it is that makes the book slightly less appealing than the others.
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I read part, not all of the Red Mars.. Very difficult to keep people straight.
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I read part, not all of the Red Mars.. Very difficult to keep people straight.
I'm not the only one then--both not to finish and not to keep the characters straight.
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Every once in a while, I find a book that simply has too many characters and not enough division to figure it out. I refuse to keep a list any more.. So, I just write it off.
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I take it the political intrigues and manipulations in Red Mars would put Victoria Rione (Lost Fleet) to shame. I am not sure I would have the patience for a book like this anymore. And to think, there are three of them.
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I seem to like fantasy the most in this genre.. Alternate worlds also interest me and TerryPratchett, who can make me laugh and laugh.
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I seem to like fantasy the most in this genre.. Alternate worlds also interest me and TerryPratchett, who can make me laugh and laugh.
Pratchett is absolutely the funniest author I know of. I wish there were more like him.
Frybabe, the politics in Red Mars has several components. There are factions among the original colonists about how to develop the planet--keep the original ecology intact, terraform as rapidly as possible, or intermediate. There's a lot of Earth politics, who gets sent up to Mars, national power struggles. And both places there are individuals struggling for power. The book opens with one of the characters murdering another for power; this actually happens half-way through the book.
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It sounds like something a political thriller reader would like. I assume this is what the Mars series is primarily. I don't think I could stand three volumes of it.
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I'm not going to stand three volumes either, not even finish the first. One advantage of my f2f club is that someone will have read the rest of the series, and can tell you where it's going to go.
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I loved that statement f2f club always has someone who has read the whole series. That is what I need on some authors..
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I loved that statement f2f club always has someone who has read the whole series. That is what I need on some authors..
It's been very useful. They've saved me a lot of grief.
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I just spent a week in Portland, OR, visiting my children and grandchildren. My SIL Matt sees it as his duty to fill in my movie experience, take me to any movie showing that I haven't seen but would like to. In return, I'll go with him to any movie he would like to see but is too scary, violent, or otherwise uninteresting to my daughter for her to see with him (but that I'm OK with).
I really cashed in this time. The second of the new Star Trek series is in the theaters. I hadn't even seen the first one, so Matt watched it with me on his super home setup, then took me to see the second.
Perhaps all the fans of the original series have already seen these, but if not, I recommend them. They have done what Matt calls rebooting the original series, starting over with Kirk going to the Space Academy, meeting Spock and Uhura, getting (and losing and getting again) command of the Enterprise, and on to adventures. I think they did an awfully good job of getting things right. As a Trek fan, I'm not upset by the changes they've made; they've kept the spirit of the original. Casting is really good. Kirk is just the sort of daredevil young kid spoiling for a fight that he should be at this age (he's still a teenager at the end of the second movie). Nobody can be Leonard Nimoy, but Spock comes across very well; it's a slightly different take on the character. The other old faithfuls are good too.
The plots are OK. The first movie is kind of ragged; they're revisiting the past, and putting in an odd time loop sequence to set things up for the future, and the plot suffers. The second is more coherent, could stand on its own. We meet an old villain, Khan (The Wrath of Khan) shown in a different way. Both movies are full of violence, and very improbable battles, but the gore is bearable. And both hold your interest the whole time. They should be seen in order.
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I haven't seen either one yet PatH. My sister really liked #2. I don't remember what she thought of #1.
BTW, with all of the Jack Campbell Lost Fleet series I've been reading, it should not have come as a surprise that NASA and others are working on a real "space dive" suit (and I thought that jump a while back was some glory seeker) and there is a company already in business looking specifically to do asteroid mining (forget the name).
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I watched the first of the reboot of Star Trek in 2009.. It was actually the last movie, that my husband and I saw.. We were in Portland,Oregon and it poured the entire day. We had been trying to go to the gardens, etc, but finally gave it up, checked into a motel and went to the movie instead. A funny sweet day, now very bittersweet. I have been avoiding the second one because of this, but I will try to see it sooner or later.
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Bittersweet indeed. I don't know if I would be able to tackle the second movie after that.
It almost always rains all day in Portland, but I did find a clear time to go to the Japanese Garden--my favorite. My 20 month old granddaughter turns out to be an enthusiastic koi spotter.
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PatH,
Ella and I led a discussion on "Devil in the White City" several years ago and all of ours posters seemed to really enjoy this non-fiction story. I wouldn't miss it if I were you. The discussion should still available in our Archives. The author wrote another book about Times Square which I just couldn't get into.
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We did go to the Japanese Garden in the rain and I have pictures of both of us. MDH was a confirmed Bonsai fanatic and he adored it, rain and all.
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I've put aside my reading of the first Rho Project series book, The Second Ship, to continue Wool. I read the first book in the serial as a freebie from Amazon. Now I have the omnibus with all five from the library. Wool is one of those increasingly popular "serial" books where the author releases a series of "episodes", from several chapters in length to novella size, one at a time as an ebook. After the serial is complete, they often bundle them together into a print book. It kind of reminds me of the old books (like The Moonstone) that were originally published in magazines in serial form.
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I need to investigate this Wool, since I keep hearing about it.
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So far it is quite interesting, Steph. It is one of those, what are the called, dystopian? stories. It is about life in a "silo" where people are living because the atmosphere on the surface has become too toxic from wars and environmental depredations. Anyone who volunteers or gets volunteered to go outside to clean the only windows they have to see out is on a suicide mission. Births are strictly controlled, one birth for one death so as not to overwhelm the limited habitat. Everyone is aware that it may take generations, if at all, for anyone to be able to live on the surface again. The goal is to keep things going until then. So far, the series has a hopeful feel to it, not heavy or depressing like some. So far, no major conflicts, although I see a potential one coming soon. The first section in the series is from the prospective of the sheriff, the second on is seen through the eyes of the mayor. I think you can still get the first ebook segment free for Kindle.
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Since I am on my IPAD until my lap top is fixed, I will wait a bit before working on more stories.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I just discovered that Dana Stabenow, before she started her Kate Shugak mysteries, wrote science fiction: Second Star (1991), A Handful of Stars (1991), and Red Planet Run (1995). Second Star was her first novel. Her first Kate Shugak novel, A Cold Day for Murder(1992), won an Edgar Award.
I've downloaded free e-book offerings of both Second Star and A Cold Day for Murder. I doubt I will get to read them for a month of so.
Meanwhile, I am almost finished with Wool. It is an interesting book/series.
Sorry I can't say the same for the Rho Project series I started. I can't get into the characters (high school students) as yet.
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I've got one of Stabenow's sci-fi books squirreled away somewhere. Maybe I should find it and read it.
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I actually discovered Stabenow in the science fiction area.. Read and loved them and then discovered Kate. I wish she would write more in the science fiction. I loved them..Just reread an old Marion Zimmer Bradley..City of Sorcery. One of her books that seems to have too many plots.. I think she was trying to wrap up a theme,but it simply did not work well.
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I had no idea that Stabenow wrote Science fiction. Is it good?
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I had no idea that Stabenow wrote Science fiction. Is it good?
Steph's the expert, and says yes. If I find mine and read it, you can have next turn. She seems to have given it up for mysteries, though.
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Stabenows heroine in the sci fi are really just an early version of Kate, so I liked them very much.. She keeps threatening to write some more, but has not done so thus far.
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I just finished The Second Ship (the Rho Agenda book one) this morning. It took until about half way through for me to really get interested, then I just had to keep reading, staying up late last night. With the Roswell space ship/alien scientific investigations many years after the supposed crash as a starter, it has turned into a classic good vs evil story. Some of the technologies advanced by the investigations include a practical cold fusion energy source to replace oil, a Nanite based system that, after injection into a person, repairs body injuries quickly - even ones that would otherwise be fatal - and quantum and subspace communications.
Even though the heroes of the story are teens some of the violence, though not overly explicit or extensive for the most part, doesn't lend itself to reading by the early teen set as far as I am concerned. Of course, now that I've gotten interested, belatedly, I will have to borrow the next in the series.
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I'm glad the storms/tornados blew out of here yesterday afternoon, so I could go to my f2f book club last night, since for once I'd read both the fantasy and sci-fi selections. (Fantasy at 6:30, with a small audience, sci-fi following at 7:30 with many more coming in.)
Fantasy was Emma Bull's War for the Oaks, about a band in Minneapolis that gets caught up in a war among fairies. It's a type of music that's totally outside my comprehension, but she does a good job of explaining what the singer/ protagonist is trying to do with her songs, so it made sense to me. And I'm not that much into fairies either, but Bull spins a pretty good yarn, and I read the book with pleasure.
Sci-fi was Hyperion, by Dan Simmons. I had heard good things of his classical Greek themed books, but hadn't checked them out yet. I automatically distrust a universe with a Hegemony in charge, and we've got that here. Now the wide-flung universe is facing a possible Armageddon, and the solution may lie in one of the seven pilgrims hoping to get their wish granted by the toxic being on planet Hyperion. At this point the book takes on the structure of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, and we have the Soldier's tale, the Scholar's tale, etc, all of them more or less sympathetic. The book ends, unresolved, just before they get to present their cases. Several people had read the next book, but carefully avoided revealing anything.
Next month we get Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell for fantasy--I own it, on my TBR pile, so that's good--and Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues under the Sea for sci-fi. I think I may have read it in my youth, but I'll be pleased enough to read it again.
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I read Verne when young and hated it. Maybe I will give it another shot as an adult.
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I remember liking Around the World in 80 Days. I'll report on 20,000 Leagues after I read it.
I forgot to mention that Hyperion contains cruelty and violence.
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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is the only Verne book I have ever read. I liked it a lot. I also liked the James Mason version of the movie too.
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James Mason.. I am sure I saw it then, because I thought he was a really truly great actor.
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I saw that movie too, but it was a long time ago; I don't remember much of it.
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I just remember the smouldering glances, that was what he excelled at.. and that his real wife was name Portland???
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Try not to laugh at me too much, but the only thing I remember from the movie is Captain Nemo playing Bach on the organ. (I like James Mason, but I was newly married at the time, probably didn't have eyes for anyone else. :))
Some of my fellow discussers feel strongly about Verne translations, and gave me good advice. It seems that there are a lot of Verne translations which are unreadable, inaccurate, or drastically cut.
The current gold standard seems to be a 1993 translation, new from the original, by Walter James Miller and Frederick Paul Walter, published by the U S Naval Institute in Annapolis, MD (hi, Deems, wherever you are, did you know about this?) They have fussed endlessly over details, getting all the science right, doing the best job they could of reconciling the original French texts (there is no one definitive text), adding notes, etc.
This is the one I purchased; it can be spendy, but I got a "like new" paperback for $7. I haven't read much yet, but it's straightforward prose, very readable. What did they add back? Apparently, some of the science, all the politics that were cut because they were unfavorable to the British Empire, and probably other stuff too. It has good reproductions of the original illustrations too.
Another respected translator is William Butcher.
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Gosh, that's interesting Pat. I may have to get the newer translation. I read 20,000 Leagues while still in my teens and no longer have the book, so I don't know who translated the one I read. Never even thought about translations and translators back then.
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I read the Verne as a teen or early 20's as well and guess I would not know which translation. That is interesting. I may do so looking up on that one.
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I am almost finished reading Simon of Space. Simon certainly leads an eventful life. He is born at 36 years of age after suffering a complete memory loss. When he is released from the hospital to meet the family (or are they?) he doesn't remember, he panics and runs away. Thus begins his adventures as he discovers the memory loss was not from an accident but had been a complete memory wipe. Every time things seem to be close to a conclusion Simon is jerked off into another direction. Characters from earlier acquaintance improbably keep popping up later on, most revealing that they are not who they seem to be and hinting that Simon isn't either. The book has a certain redemptive quality to it as Simon gradually discovers his who is previous self was and tries to correct the ills brought on by this other.
The book is interesting and somewhat amusing, not heavy reading, but a bit overly long in the twist and turn department. The most glaring problem, aside from the not infrequent spelling errors, is the constant use of so and so and I as the object of a sentence instead of so and so and me. Ex: They are coming for Jack and I. No, they are not coming for I, they are coming for ME.
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That particular grammatical error is a real red flag for me. Where was the editor? Out to lunch?
I'm working away at 20,000 Leagues. Verne is a little ponderous when setting up the opening situation, but less so as he gets down to business. In the course of digging up my copy of Jonathan Strange, I came across the Verne in French. It was my daughter's; I didn't know I had it. I can see that my copy is pretty much a word-for-word translation of the original, so any stylistic quirks are Verne's.
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Is Simon supposed to be a science fiction book?? Does notsound like it.
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The journey takes Simon to various worlds via space ships and hypernet gates where he interacts with human variations/cultures, evolved chimpanzees (who call themselves little people and speak through sign language) and robots. One of his friends is a real potty mouth which can be a bit annoying; her vocabulary is limited. I am getting near the end now, so I expect another major twist.
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I have two old old Pratchetts with me. My emergency stash or times when I get down.
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Pratchett is good for that. Someday I will have read them all--don't know what I'll do then. Maybe reread them all.
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I found a treasure chest ofold ones at this old used book store and am carefully doling themout when I get the blue meanies.
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I've gotten hold of the third of The Lost Fleet--Beyond the Frontier: Guardian. The paperback isn't out here yet, but you can get it from England.
He seems to be spinning his wheels a bit in this one, sort of repeats of the same stuff, but he finally settles down and something new happens. And for once the book doesn't end with the fleet surrounded by enemies, about to get massacred with no way out.
And I'm about 1/3 of the way through Jules Verne's stately prose in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. You had better not be in a hurry when reading this one.
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I'm hoping the Library gets Guardian, but I am not counting on it.
I've requested the library to buy Shift, which is the second division of the Silo series and contains three sections. The Wool omnibus (1-5) is very popular right now with a waiting list, so I thought I'd strike while the fire is hot so to speak. Those who read the Wool Omnibus will want to continue to Shift.
I am taking a break from reading Scifi and am now reading a non-fiction, The Fatal Shore. It is a history of Australia. Thick, heavy book with smallish print. I'll have to renew it, but even then, I don't know if I will finish it. It's not the kind of thing (nor will Lucy let me) that I read for hours on end. It's difficult to hold when Lucy decides she wants my attention. She dives under the book and shoves it away with her nose, then rutches (how do you even spell that?) up to stare me right in the face with her paws on either side of my neck. No room for book maneuvering, and too heavy to hold high for very long. Sigh! The price I pay to serve her highness.
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It's difficult living with royalty. ;)
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;D
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My younger corgi cannot get in my lap, but he simply rounds up all his toys and surrounds me. I look up from the book and there are toys everywhere and he is sitting nicely in front of me on the floor waiting for me to throw.
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The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is waiting for me at the library. I also downloaded the second of the Rho Agenda series, Immune, from the Kindle Lending Library.
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I'll be interested to learn what you think of the Heinlein, Frybabe. I read it a year or two ago for my f2f group. I had some issues with it, but found it definitely a good read. My economist daughter was intrigued by the moon's economic system.
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Well Pat, one chapter in so far. What an interesting beginning. I am trying to picture the narrator with all his arms. I get the idea that he picks which ever he needs for the job and screws it on. I can see this guy carrying around a rather large, and heavy, kit case where ever he goes. I think I am going to enjoy it.
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I used toove Heinlin.. no idea if I still would at all.
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I am really enjoying The Moon is a Harsh Mistress; It's rather humorous really. I like the strange word substitutions like "I scan it" for "I see it." I suppose. I especially liked the substitution for shut up, but wouldn't you know it, I've forgotten it just now. The There is "Don't crowd yourself" for "Don't put pressure on yourself". The family system is was a little hard to grasp at first. The characters are rather likable. I can't help but feel that they are going to end up trading one master for another or that "Mike" will ultimately betray them. We shall see.
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I liked the Heinlein I read a very long time ago. It looks like THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS is available at no cost online as a pdf at http://www.is.wayne.edu/MNISSANI/RevolutionarysToolkit/TheMoonIsAHarshMistress.pdf
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I The family system is was a little hard to grasp at first.
I forget the details now, but my daughter particularly admired the family system as a mechanism for hanging on to property and wealth.
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I downloaded the Adobe Reader app for my KIndle and then downloaded the pdf version. Sometimes during the day it gets a little dark in here when it is cloudy out, but not dark enough for me to want to put lights on. Cheep! Cheep! Cheep! ;D
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You're doing your bit against global warming. ;)
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My poor eyes, mistreated, operated on, etc. I need light in back of me to read, so alas I have lights on a lot.
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A while back, I pre-ordered a book of short stories by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller about the Liaden Universe (A Liaden Universe Constellation, Volume 1). It came in the middle of last week, at a very bad time, since I'm supposed to be reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
Of course I should have stuck it away for later, and of course I didn't.
It's a bunch of short stories plus a chunk cut from the book Balance of Trade. They vary in quality from good to not very good. Some of them fill in bits from the books, and some of them elaborate the association of Lute and Moonhawk down through the ages. A fan would enjoy reading a more detailed description of how Val Con and Edger slew the dragon and became brothers, just why Ren Zel dea'Juden was expelled from his clan and declared dead, how Daav and Ailliana turned the battle at Nevlorn, why Priscilla had been exiled from Sintia. I suspect a non-fan would find the stories unintelligible.
So now I'm left with 100 pages of Verne's stately prose and most of Jonathan Strange to get through before Thursday night. Any bets?
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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I'm at chapter 15 in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. They have had their revolution, and written and approved their Declaration of Independence from Earth and are about to send someone to deliver it in person. The parody (correct word?) of the political process and writing/signing of the declaration had me chuckling. Has this book been done in a book discussion? Might be fun as well as thought provoking.
PatH, BBC and BBC America are doing Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell as a mini-series set to be shown in 2014 according to BBC and NYT. Casting is not yet set.
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yes, most science fiction authors who write series, also tend to do short stories to fill in the holes.. They are fun, but only for people who read he series..If you dont, they make no sense.
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Finished The Moon is a Harsh Witness. It really impressed me. Not hard to read at all. I was a little disappointed to get to the end. Speaking of the end, I have some theories about "Mike" and his demise, but it then brings up the question of how he came into assistance in the first place. Mike got the ball rolling and then, when everything was accomplished, he disappeared. Seems mighty suspicious to me.
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Characters in Heinlins books often pop up in other books of his..
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I haven't read the followup book, but I gather that is true of Mike.
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Well, I finished the Jules Verne in plenty of time for tonight's f2f discussion, but I wasn't quite half through the thousand pages of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
I enjoyed the Verne, but you have to put up with a lot of lists of fishes and the like (as an ex-zoology major, I can stand that), and he takes a long time to get anywhere with his stately prose. The plot is slight, but the whole thing has its charms.
The prose of Jonathan Strange is even more stately and elaborate. It is about two magicians (partly collaborators, partly rivals) in the early 1800s trying to bring the practice of real magic back to England, and also to use it as a weapon to help defeat Napoleon. The language is appropriate to the time, and is part of the fun of the book, as she goes off into long footnotes about the provenance of books of magic, the history of minor characters who appear once for a few minutes, etc. In fact, the footnotes are a big part of the fun, and some continue for several pages. I was enjoying immersing myself in this leisurely story (even when we're at the front of Wellington's Peninsular Campaign, events sort of float by) but after 425 pages I still had no idea where the story was going to go. Now I know more, but still not as much as you'd think after listening to people talk about it for an hour. I'll probably finish it even though the heat's off. But you really have to immerse yourself in the mood, kind of slowly sink down into it and stay there.
Next month the sci-fi is by Iain Banks, an author I've been meaning to try, and the fantasy is one I voted against in the recent poll for future discussions. Wool is on the future list too, which means I won't forget my desire to read it.
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I love science fiction so much, but dont think i would like a f2f discussion. I know that many of the authors leave me cold and I truly do not like the constant battle ones except for Miles of course. No idea why I like him so much, but he appeals to me.
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Since we know in advance what the books are, I can always opt out if it's not to my taste. I'm definitely going to do that with the August fantasy selection--Cavern of Black Ice by J. V. Jones. The website Fantastic Fiction says: "What lifts this far above routine quest fantasy is Jones' deft characterisation, relentless intensity and unsparing depiction of pain and slow-healing injury. She has a flair for memorably horrid images." They then quote an image I won't repeat here, in case anyone has just eaten, is eating, or hopes to eat in the next few hours.
So much for J. V. Jones. The sci-fi selection is Excession by Iain M. Banks, in memoriam of his recent demise. I've never read him, but welcome this chance to try him. If I get through the book, I'll go, if I don't like it, I won't.
The discussions are back-to back: fantasy at 6:30, sci-fi at 7:30, and many people come for one but not both. Mostly, there is a small crowd for fantasy, and more come in for sci-fi but the fantasy people stay. I was timid about joining this group, but feel very comfortable in it. I'm the oldest by 10 or 20 years, but feel totally accepted. There are young professionals of both sexes, more women than men, all of them very knowledgeable, people in their 40s or 50s, and a few 50+ like me.
I like being pushed to try things I otherwise wouldn't have gotten around to. Sometimes they are a bust, sometimes a good find. And I get a lot of back and forth conversation, something that's hard to find on this subject except here.
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Sounds like something I would love. Our local f2f bookclub is awful.. The leader gets to pick all the books, assign them like homework and you are expected to google the author and provide handouts of their life and works.. Went twice, gave it up.. not my thing.
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The Wikipedia article about Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet states that in an interview (not cited) that it was inspired by Xenophon's Anabasis. Interesting.
Just finished Someone to Remember Me by Brendan Mancilla. This is also supposed to be a first book, self-published. It's an odd book, that reads almost like some kind of treasure hunt type of game. The small group that it follows wake up in a "dead" city without any memories of who they are or how they got there. As they wonder about, they discover clues pointing them to the answers plus learn what they must do to "redeem" themselves and move forward. It is simply written and light reading and not "in depth", but it touches on issues involving guilt over previous mistakes, morally bankrupt society, righting past wrongs, and whether clones are truly "real" and possess a soul. I'm not quite satisfied with the ending unless the story continues with a sequel. I want to know what happens next.
I am now reading one called The Last Praetorian by an author named Mike Smith. It also appears to be a first novel. Although the story is interesting enough I have a lot of issues with spelling, overused, and misused words. Since this is a first of series, I hope the author finds an editor who can clean up the mess. The author also tried to tie the book in with Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet series by mentioning Senator Rione as the mother of a young officer who briefly crosses the main character's path. I wonder if this young officer will show up later in the series. Character development is spotty and the back and forth in time transitions are not as smooth as they could be. I guess this comes under the heading of space opera.
While I have gotten used to the long time problem of writers using a for an, the latest glaring misuse of a word is I where me should be used. It is showing up frighteningly frequently in the works of young writers. So, my question is, have they changed grammar rules, are they not being taught well, or is it just that with the self publishing aspect of the ebook world encourages youngsters to write who paid little or no attention to English grammar in school and who don't know how to or don't have someone knowledgeable to proofread/edit their works?
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I suspect that grammar rules are being ignored. I know that neither of my grandchildren learned to diagram sentences.. A lot of theproblem is the texting of course.
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I hated diagramming. Never got the "hang" of it. Nevertheless, I've always been able to put a good sentence together. One thing I learned about about 28 years ago (give or take) was that I had a nasty habit of making my sentences extra long (still guilty sometimes) and ended up with a lot of "garden path" phrases. I learned that shorter sentences, at least these days, are better. The reader doesn't lose the writer's train of thought. I also learned to write much more "actively" rather than passively.
One thing I do a lot more now compared to my younger days is use the word "I" a lot more often. When I was young I thought that using "I" sounded conceited and drew attention to me more than I cared. A lack of self-confidence?
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One thing I do a lot more now compared to my younger days is use the word "I" a lot more often. When I was young I thought that using "I" sounded conceited and drew attention to me more than I cared. A lack of self-confidence?
Not necessarily lack of self-confidence, Frybabe. I remember being taught that it was stylistically bad, even egotistical, to use a lot of "I"s. I find myself using it more and more too. But what else are you going to do when you are talking about your opinions or reactions to things, which we do a lot of here. Look! Two sentences in a row beginning with "I". The other thing I do a lot is use hugely parenthetical sentences. Semicolons, dashes, and parentheses abound.
Ten years ago I took a beginning Spanish class at the local community college. Most of the class was fresh out of high school, and it was obvious that most of them had no notion of grammar whatever. It's hard to learn verb conjugations if you almost don't know what a verb is. ;)
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I agree Pat, not only was using I often frowned upon, but we were supposed to write our research reports in a passive voice. I don't remember why, but I think it had something to do with staying neutral or avoiding personal interjections. When I got to college, my English Comp teacher had a fit. He told me my writing was like reading a text book. Flat, no emotion, no passion. He had us writing essays about personal experiences, or things we were interested in, passionate about. He ignored punctuation and spelling errors to an extent trying to get the students to write descriptive passages with emotion/passion, vibrant. Proper grammar would come later said he, but first you must learn not be afraid to write. The department head was not well pleased with him, he only lasted there a few years. I thought he was great.
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Sounds like a good teacher. My granddaughter seemed to do really well in art in elementary school.Then she had an art teacher and was roundly scolded for imaginary stuff and told to paint to order. Now she wont even try to paint. Horrid teacher
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The Wikipedia article about Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet states that in an interview (not cited) that it was inspired by Xenophon's Anabasis. Interesting.
Thanks for pointing that out, Frybabe. It sure makes sense. I suspect there's more of that sort of inspiration than we realize. Isaac Asimov based his Foundation and Empire series on the Roman Empire. And the last Blanko quiz reminded me that I have assumed that in Lee and Miller's Liaden books, the feat of mathematician Aillianna Caylon (Val Con's mother) in revising the Ven'tura tables to make space travel safer was based on Nathaniel Bowditch, who did the same thing for sea travel about 1800. His tables are still used.
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I'm going to have to look up Bowditch. never heard of him until he showed up on the quiz.
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Well, I just found out something interesting. Remember I was complaining about the atrocious spelling/grammar in The Last Praetorian ? Well! I nosed around the net to find out a little more about the author and ran across a WordPress dialog where the author says these were corrected long ago, so the people must have downloaded prior to his corrections. Not only that, apparently his is not from the US. Going over to the Amazon forums, I found out that if an author wants to update his work he must submit it to Amazon with a list of corrections. Amazon then decides whether it is worth the effort to update what is already online. Then, there should be something in the Manage Your Kindle section that allows you to get the update once Amazon approves it. I downloaded my version in mid-April. I don't think that was so long ago and I don't see any way to update it. It is entirely possible, that his updated version is okayed for the UK site, but not the US. I still think these people need to have their works edited and proofed better before they submit their works.
The story itself is more of a romance set in space surroundings. It is good enough for me to want to read the next book which I understand has far fewer errors. It is not a freebie so it will have to wait a while.
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That is interesting. Seems to me, Amazon owes it to their writers to be willing to correct mistakes in a somewhat better way than that.
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Reading an older Patricia Briggs. She now writes about werewolves, etc, but she originally wrote science fantasy on mostly magic and dragons.. This is quite good..
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Someone on this site recommended Jo Walton's Tooth and Claw to me. I haven't gotten around to reading it yet, but I recently read another of hers, Farthing. It's very relevant to the part of history we are discussing in Those Angry Days, events leading up to WWII and how people picked their loyalties. Here's what I said in that discussion:
I recently read another alternative history book relevant to this bit of history: Jo Walton's Farthing. It starts out as a standard British country house murder mystery, but taking place in an alternative world in which Churchill was ousted in 1941, and England negotiated peace with Hitler. Germany now controls the rest of Europe, and anti-semitism is rampant.
At first you wonder, why the alternative universe, but it soon becomes only too clear. The mystery is solved, but the problems of some of the characters will have to be settled in the sequels. Evidently in the sequels it's made clear that the US failure to aid Britain was crucial, and also Lindbergh has become president of the US. The two sequels seem to be both mysteries and "try to save the world" fantasies.
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Currently reading a very old Pratchett. Not disc world and very very confusing. A Planet is also a bank?? Weird.
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What's its name?
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The Dark
Side of the Sun copyright.. 1976. As much as I love him, this one was too scattered to follow the plot.
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I just discovered that there are plans afoot to make John Scalzi's Old Man's War into a movie. It is classified as in development, so who knows if and when we will see it.
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Hollywood has real problems with science fantasy.. They tend to change it to suit the stars and ruin the whole thing.
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Too true, Steph. It will be interesting to see what they do with all the profanity and bloodshed the book is full of, and the many different shapes of aliens.
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Actually I would assume they can miracles with the computer nowadays, but can they bring out the humanity in all of them. That is my argument about much of Star Wars
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I've started John Scalzi's The Human Division , his latest novel which is set in the Old Man's War universe. It appears to be in a time period somewhat later. It is supposed to be thirteen "episodes" that are separate stories but somehow all tie into each other. This first episode seems to include less humorous than I have come to expect from him.
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Hello
I'm a Sci/Fi and fantasy lover my favorite author is L.E. Modesitt Jr.
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Sorry to say I am not familiar with L.E. Modesitt Jr, Taking a look at the FF site, I see that he has been writing for quite some time. Most of his book look like they are more to the fantasy side which is not my usual haunts. I like space opera, military and colonization in space. Not big on space horror, or horror anything for that matter.
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Welcome, UKLA13. I'm not familiar with Modesitt either. What's he like? I like a lot of different flavors of sci-fi/fantasy.
We'll enjoy talking with you here, though once Latin classes start you might not have much time. ;) Are you familiar with the Fantastic Fiction website? There's a link in the header on this page. It's a great way to get a list of all the books an author has written, and the order of books in a series.
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I have read some Modesitt.. I love fantasy and read a lot of it.
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The 2013 Hugo Awards have just been announced:
Best Novel
•Winner: Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi (Tor)
• 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit)
• Blackout by Mira Grant (Orbit)
• Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen)
• Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi (Tor)
• Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed (DAW)
Best Novella
•Winner: The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson (Tachyon Publications)
• After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall by Nancy Kress (Tachyon Publications)
• On a Red Station, Drifting by Aliette de Bodard (Immersion Press)
• San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats by Mira Grant (Orbit)
•“The Stars Do Not Lie” by Jay Lake (Asimov's, Oct-Nov 2012)
Best Novelette
•Winner: “The Girl-Thing Who Went Out for Sushi” by Pat Cadigan (Edge of Infinity, Solaris)
•“The Boy Who Cast No Shadow” by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (Postscripts: Unfit For Eden, PS Publications)
•“Fade To White” by Catherynne M. Valente (Clarkesworld, August 2012)
•“In Sea-Salt Tears” by Seanan McGuire (Self-published)
•“Rat-Catcher” by Seanan McGuire (A Fantasy Medley 2, Subterranean)
Best Short Story
•Winner: “Mono no Aware” by Ken Liu (The Future is Japanese, VIZ Media LLC)
•“Immersion” by Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld, June 2012)
•“Mantis Wives” by Kij Johnson (Clarkesworld, August 2012)
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I am pleased that John Scalzi was honored as the winner of the Hugo for best novel. While I don't really consider Redshirts a great novel, it sure was funny. I enjoyed every second reading it.
I finished his Human Division last week. It is about the diplomatic corp and its attempts to open up trade with other alien societies. Their attempts at negotiating are being sabotaged by an unknown group that manage to keep themselves very well hidden.
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I'm not doing too well here; have only read one--Redshirts. It's very good--deserved to win. I read a different book (Palimpsest) by Catherynne Valente, and am not much interested in reading more. Palimpsest had fantastic descriptions that didn't work for me, and some of the most joyless sex scenes I've ever read. If I hadn't been reading it for a book club, I never would have finished it.
I have The Human Division from the library, but it will have to wait its turn.
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Gosh, I haven't kept up with science fiction authors. I haven't heard of most of them.
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I'm grateful to my f2f sci fi/fantasy book club for keeping me more up to date than I otherwise would be.
I read another of Kim Stanley Robinson's books--Red Mars. I liked the hard sci-fi science aspect of it, but the politics were sort of dreary, so am not tempted to go on. Throne of the Crescent Moon was one of the fantasy selections, but I didn't think it was my kind of thing, so didn't read it.
Pat Cadigan has been around for some time, I've read some of her stuff, but I don't know what she's been up to lately.
So, Scalzi, Robinson, Bujold, Ahmed (sort of), Cadigan, Valente, and that's it. I'd better check out some of the others.
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I just had fun. Found Patricia Briggs very first novel. It really shows her development of shape changing..
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
If you like military/science mission scifi, try Evan Currie. I've been reading his Odyssey series which starts out as a scientific mission that runs into some aliens who are bend on destroying colonies they find. They end up rescuing a colony from destruction even though they are not primarily suited to combat nor have they may be violating their directive. They have no diplomatic or trade ties with these newly discovered colonies. The primary setting for the first book is aboard ship with some ground action.
The Warrior's Wings series involves an agricultural/scientific colony that is under attack. The action divides its time between shipboard and on planet action. One of the interesting things about the WW series is that both aliens and humans are advanced in some areas and somewhat behind in others regarding communications and weaponry. Currie does not go into any great technical detail so you don't get bogged down. He keeps the action moving, but gives his characters a little breathing space between actions. This is a self-published author, so you might only find his work on Amazon.
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not fond of space opera, so with the exception of Miles.. I leave it alone.
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Sounds like something I might like; I'll look into it.
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I just finished Eternity Road by Jack McDevitt. What an interesting story. It is listed as Science Fiction, but there is minimal science in this fiction. Long after of a mega plague resulting collapse of our civilization a small group of explorers go looking for information about "The Roadbuilders", a legendary treasure located at an equally legendary place called Haven, and to find out what happened to the first expedition. They travel mostly on horseback to the east coast following the trail of the original expedition. As they travel, they pass by interesting ruins, defend themselves against forest people called the Tuks and other marauders, and discover that there is another, larger and slightly more technically advanced group of communities in the east.
The community from which they set out is along the Mississippi near what used to be Memphis, Their transportation is limited to horses (and wagons) and barges on the river. The League communities there have no printing press, their primary deity is a female, the healing arts appear to be mostly natural and religious in nature, they value learning, their buildings have glass windows, but they don't have electricity. The communities they find in the east have added steam engine powered boats and indoor hot water courtesy of an old "inventor" who was able to take apart some of the old artifacts and figure out how they were put together. He also had made himself a hot air balloon which took the remaining members of the expedition on their final leg of the journey.
Travel eastward with them and see what they make of the ruined buildings and technologies they come across on their journey. I think you will enjoy it. The treasure, BTW, is a great repository of knowledge - a library.
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Thanks for the review, Frybabe. McDevitt is one of the authors I mean to try and haven't yet, but this sounds like something I'd like, so maybe I'll actually do it.
I spotted Scalzi's The Human Division in my library New Books section, and have now read it. You're right, Frybabe, it's not as funny as we're used to, but he still has his wisecracking style. At the end, we still don't know who the saboteurs are, which implies another series to come.
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I put McDevitt on my find list. The book sounds fascinating.
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Just finished Cassandra Clare.... The Mortal Instuments... City of Bones.. Excellent fantasy. Has a interesting premise and the characters are basically centered around some teens. Hence the Young Adult.. Still I really enjoyed it and will look for the second one, along with a prequel series..
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My next read is a thick book of short stories by Jack McDevitt called Cryptic.
While reading the latest Dana Stabenow, Liam Campbell series book, I was delighted to see Little Fuzzy mentioned. Aside from the murder victim being a book club member, Liam, Wy, and Tim are also readers, so books (and sometimes their titles) get mentioned throughtout the series.
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I just finished the title short story, Cryptic, by Jack McDevitt. Wow! Well, not the story so much but that it references The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon and a book supposedly about Malcolm Muggeridge called Malcolm Muggeridge: Faith and Despair. I cannot find that book or the author so it is probably fictional. It did, however, remind me about loving to watch M.M. on Jack Parr and William Buckley. Now I am going to have to track down some of his books. A link to his autobiography is below:
http://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Wasted-Time-Malcolm-Muggeridge/dp/0895267624/ref=sr_1_17?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381173537&sr=1-17&keywords=muggeridge+malcolm
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I like Liam...
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Several of you have recommended Lois McMaster Bujold, but somehow I never got around to reading her until recently. I started with The Warriors Apprentice, which I think is the first of the Miles Vorkosigan books. What a hoot! This kid, who has just flunked the entrance exam for the military academy, gets in a jam, which he gets out of by some elaborate scheme which gets him in a worse jam, so he adds another layer to his schemes, on and on, until he's commanding a huge mercenary army, which he might or might not be able to pay. Everything should collapse around him, but somehow it never quite does. Does he always carry on like this?
I've got a treat ahead, since there are quite a lot of books, but I think it's best to space them out a bit. It's hard to find the early books, and my library doesn't have anything by her, but I got this one very cheaply online. It's stamped "free read do not sell".
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PatH, she is credited with one episode of Tales from the Dark Side. I am in the process of looking up her works. I am not familiar with her at all.
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Lois McMaster Bujold must have been popular. I checked ABE only to find that most of her books (there are a lot listed) are only Acceptable, Fair or Poor. Amazon has the first two and several others on Kindle, but not all of them. My library doesn't have any of them either. Let me know how you like it. I may just have to spring for a few with my birthday money when I order a new hard drive for one of my computers.
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I'm reading a rather strange ebook called Turing Evolved, an ebook by David Kitson. It is supposedly billed as military Scifi, but so far as I've gotten, the main character was discharged and is working for some strange company that specializes in helping people to transition back to real life after having been been hooked up to a virtually reality system (complete with life support so they never have to move from their "cradle") for a lengthy time. Most of them seem to be because the money to support their virtual life has run out and they are getting kicked off the servers. Like I said - strange. But interesting.
Kind of reminds me of the stories I heard about gamers who can't stand to miss or stop, so they stay at their computers for days, peeing in bottles and such so as not to have to get up.
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I've finished Turing Evolved. It is all about virtual reality and the evolution of AI programs. I began to suspect where the story was all leading about half way through, so I wasn't terribly surprised at the end. Interesting story, not overly technical. Minimal gaming vocabulary, so you can read it and not get lost. Interesting mix of R&D, military, humanitarian, and philosophical/ethical/moral. Although not a religious text the author give characters (Angels - humanitarian, Demons - military battle armour, Archangel - next gen battle armour) and one of the VR environments (HEAVEN - virtual home base for the Angels) names that bespeak of religious overtones and hierarchy. Like I said a strange, but interesting book. I believe it is only available as an e-book. It is listed as a stand alone, but from the author's notes at the end, it looks like he may be working on a sequel.
This morning, I was surprised to find this article on the morning BBC News app. It speaks to at least one of the issues brought up in Turing Evolved . I had no idea that this might "evolve" into a major issue. Of course, it may be that the issue is being overstated by the news media.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24614830
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Interesting article. I wonder if it is overstated. Somehow, dating that blue-haired drawing with the big eyes doesn't seem very satisfying to me. I can see the wish to tune out the realities of life in modern Japan, though.
A lot of good stories have been written about escaping into virtual realities.
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I must say that playing with an interactive character on your iphone can't hold a candle to those who can afford a real virtual reality set up. In the book the VR is total immersion. Think The Matrix type connections here. I can see why such a system would become addictive. What happens when the VR is sooo good, that you cannot tell reality from the VR world? I can see where incredibly advanced systems could bring up philosophical, moral and ethical questions such as were touched on in the book.
When I went looking for a bio of the author, David Kitson, I didn't come up with much. He is apparently Australian, is only a part-time writer, amateur scientist, night vision developer, and takes photos of the night sky using image tubes (what ever they are). His day job is with Fujitsu as a Senior Network Consultant. As best as I can determine, the sequel to Turing Evolved is going to be called Titanium Skin, no publication date yet.
If any of you read Turing Evolved, let me know what you think of it. Originally, I wasn't going to finish it after a few pages, but I decided to give it another try. I am glad I did.
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Frybabe, That article is fascinating. Pat, I too wonder if it's exaggerated.
The article reminds me of Idoru by William Gibson, where the lead singer for a rock band is rumored to be actually engaged to an "idoru" or "idol singer"--an artificial celebrity creation of information software agents.
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I love Miles and have hunted up most of the older books.She is still writing about him however. He gets into the darndest messes in the world and comes out triumphant.. Great fun.
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Steph, I'm obviously going to want to read more of Miles. Is it important to read them in order?
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Roughly in order.. He does fall in love and marry, etc, so it is more fun to watch this happen in several of the books.. He also of course gets into the most difficult situations on earth. But he is such fun.
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I hope the woman he marries is a tough cookie. She'll need to be to take all the ups and downs.
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She will be a delightful surprise and that is all I am saying.
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I don't have William Gibson's Idoru, but I do have several others to read. After three chapters, I gave up on Virtual Light. The characters don't interest me in the least. Still, I feel like I might be missing something. One of the characters steals a pair of sunglasses just because she didn't like the owner of them. Apparently, the glasses allow you to see things you wouldn't ordinarily see. I guess Google glasses are just the beginning. :-\
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Gibson tends to be ahead of the times. It's too bad, because I don't care for where I think he's going.
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I admire Gibson's writing style and his imagination, although his vision of the future can be worrisome.
I just came across Isaac Asimov's 1964 predictions for 2014. He was amazing.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/isaac-asimovs-1964-prediction-of-2014-is-frighteningly-accur
I was reminded of some of the things we didn't have growing up, such as prepared frozen dinners.
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Not only is Gibson's future worrisome, but he himself is comfortable with it. Or at least that's what he said at a book signing I went to a couple of years ago.
That is an amazing set of predictions, very cleverly presented. I wonder what was left out.
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not a favorite of mine at all. He has a world, I would hate.
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Yesterday I finished a very interesting SciFi about a Terran Secret Service agent, a blood feud with his former best friend, a strange religious cult that strikes fear into the native inhabitants, and tensions between the native's and the Earth's sovereign trade centers on the planet Wolf. The book (novella?) is called The Door Through Space by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I don't think it was serialized. Too bad, I'd love to read more of Race Cargill. It appears, however, that she put Scifi aside and concentrated on Fantasy. Her writings include Mists of Avalon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Zimmer_Bradley
Oh, my. She was a cofounder of the Society for Creative Anachronism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_for_Creative_Anachronism I didn't know that. I have had two neighbors who were (are still?) members of that organization. I even, briefly, thought of joining.
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I loved her world.. She wrote a whole series of books centered around a lost world..The premises is fascinating.. You should try them..
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Somehow I never got around to reading anything by Jack McDevitt until recently, when I read Polaris. It's not bad; it's a sort of mystery/suspense--what happened to the crew and passengers of the space yacht Polaris, who mysteriously disappeared without a trace, leaving an empty ship, and who is trying to kill the protagonists and why? There is a large cast of characters who are hard to keep straight, and I found a few logic holes in the mystery, but it's a pleasant enough read.
Now I'm reading Wool,by Hugh Howey, which is the next selection for my f2f book club. Someone here recommended it, so I'm glad to try it. It's very well written, and you care about the characters, and the plot is suspenseful, but I have to take it in small doses, because it's about a bunch of people living for generations in a huge underground silo to escape earth's now toxic atmosphere, and after about half an hour I start getting claustrophobia and feeling trapped.
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Oh my, PatH, what an emotional response to Wool. The first, it pretty much sets up the structure of the silo community and the practice of sending dissidents and convicts out to clean the one window to the outside world - essentially a death sentence. There are some interesting surprises in the following books, and as begun in the first book, a growing suspicion that the powers are keeping secrets. Beyond that, I don't want to introduce anything that might be a spoiler. It is not my usual SciFi type reading, but the story grew on me quickly. I've heard some noise about Wool being made into a movie, but I haven't checked on its status lately.
A Talent for War is the first Alex Benedict book; Polaris is the second. Seeker, the third, won the 2006 Nebula Award for Best Novel. The Devil's Eye, Echo, and Firebird are next in that order. The newest of the series is now due out sometime in 2014. I could have sworn it was originally due out this fall - didn't happen. It is listed as being titled Coming Home. That title has a final of the series ring to it. I hope not, but at 81, Jack may want to wrap up his series. I have not yet read any of the Priscilla (Hutch) Hutchins series yet and only one of his stand alones (Eternity Road) so far.
I am happy to say that the new generation of SciFi writers have some stars among them. Aside from Hugh Howey I would could Evan Currie. I have finished with his Warriors Wings series (more to come) and am in the middle of the Odyssey series. Aside from the obvious penitent of the ebook writers to not have their work properly proofed for misspellings, etc. his books are good. The Warriors Wing series features many women in positions of command giving rise to one fleet to be called the Valkyries. The primary role in ground based operations is also a woman. Currie has a new series started called Seal Team 13 which I may or may not follow. He also wrote a stand alone (so far as I know) called Steam Legion which goes back to the early Roman Empire. All of Currie's books are, so far, only available in ebook form and only available on Amazon because he uses their digital services to publish his books. That is a bummer for those that don't use Kindle that might like to read his work.
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After waiting for so long (was seven in line when I put the book on hold) Speaker for the Dead finally came down to me being #1. I thought I would be able to pick it up from the library this week. WELL! It turns out that the individual libraries all give their patrons first pick regardless of how long anyone from another library has been waiting. Since I put my request in, 11 more requested the book, some of which were patrons of that particular library. So, I have to wait even longer. Oh well, it's not as if I've run out of reading material. ;D
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McDevitt... Hmm, may try the Thriftbooks site for the older ones of his I want to read. I read some of him years ago, but have missed a lot.
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I'm definitely going to read some more McDevitt.
Frybabe, have you read Speaker for the Dead before? I read it many years ago. My reaction to Card's books is mixed. I enjoy reading them, usually read straight through, but I'm always objecting, thinking "yes, but...." That library reserve system is a bummer.
I didn't quite finish Wool before last night's meeting, but peeked ahead at intervals in the last 100 pages to get a notion of what happened. The book we had is the first five books. It turns out there is now a prequel, even fatter than the 500 page main book, plus a sequel. Fantastic Fiction says to read Wool first, then Shift (the prequel) and finally Dust. I'm not sure I have that much stamina, but I'm glad I read Wool.
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No, PatH, I haven't yet read Speaker for the Dead. I liked Ender's Game and didn't want to "spoil" it by reading the next. It's kind of like reading Dune and not following through with the rest which go on to a less than upbeat ending. Now I think I am ready, at least for Speaker.
I didn't realize that Shift is a prequel to Wool. No matter, at some point I want to read it. My library system doesn't have Shift listed so I either have to try an inter-library loan or grab it on the used market. Same with Dust. I did ask the library to acquire the book, but our library manager declined, saying that our branch (and here I thought the main library had the yea or nay say on that) doesn't get much call for SciFi and we don't have much space. I thought that odd, but after seeing the results of our last little poll, I may be the odd one out for liking SciFi so much. Anyhow, my branch has only three small bookshelves of SciFi in the adult section. About half of those are SciFi/Fantasy. I suspect that a lot of the fantasy titles are cataloged as something else.
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Wow. I got a surprise this morning. I came across a short story by H. Beam Piper called He Walked Around the Horses. Strange title, I thought, for him. Read the review which claims that it was inspired by an alternate history event that Piper claimed actually happened to him right up until he committed suicide. I looked him up on Wikipedia. Not a lot there, but it did say that after a nasty divorce he committed suicide in Williamsport, PA, which is about two and a half hours up river from here. Now, I have to know more about Piper. I always like to hear/read about local connections to famous writers.
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I am reading (about half way) another interesting SciFi called Titans by Edward W. Robertson. It is another one of those ebook only things from Amazon, and guess what, it is pretty well edited. Only thirty, Robertson has been writing since the age of seven.
The narrator of the story is a guy who, for some unknown reason, has lived for at least 3,000 years. He'd love to know why he has survived where no one else has but he is afraid of becoming a corporate lab rat for those who want to market what they find to make people live longer. He makes a deal with a person who turns out to be an AI. He is to help the AI's help humans on Titan who are about to embark on a colony ship to somewhere. The AI's are themselves escaped "slaves" of the corporate powers that run just about everything and who can call all the shots. Our narrator is to help negotiate terms for the budding colonists so that they are as free as possible from corporate control. His qualifications over the last 3K years include his experiences as a hoplite defending Athens and democracy from Persia and his experiences navigating himself through all those years of history. Periodically he thinks back over what he remembers of previous "lives" as current happenings trigger long ago memThis appears to be the first of a serial (surprise, surprise).
The book is written in a rather "flip" style. The style reminds me of some of those old PI/cop movies/books where the narrator does some semi-smart alacky, slangy narrative and used some interesting descriptors. There are some slangish bits referring to male parts of the anatomy and what can be done with them, but no swearing (or so little to as to make no impression).
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Frybabe, do let us know what more you discover about Piper. I knew he committed suicide, but no details. I read only one thing of his not connected with the fuzzies--a book called Space Vikings. It's about what you would expect from a title like that, but it shows a very elitist political viewpoint that I can't agree with at all.
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SteamPunk must be getting popular around here. I just found another local event highlighted in the local news.
http://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/11/steampunk_fashion_tips.html
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Some libraries do not carry much science fiction and then complain that they cannot attract teen boys..The answer is obvious.. I had a whole room of sci fi in the used book store and got teen boys by the dozen. They would come in ( sneaking a drink and sandwich) and settle on the carpeted floor in the room and read and chat.. I just let them do it..They all need a place to hide..
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My library is intermediate; they have some sci-fi, with gaps; surprises both in what they have and what they don't. They seem to be buying new stuff, though; I've found some good ones on the new books shelves.
Steph, I wish your bookstore had been in my neck of the woods. I would have loved it.
Frybabe, I still have a couple of steampunk books in my TBR pile--haven't really gotten into it yet.
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I loved my little store, but we wanted the freedom to travel and my landlord kept raising my rent.. so the answer was to sell the lease and the books.. so I did, but I still miss it. I had the nicest customers.
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I finished Speaker for the Dead yesterday. At first I was a little disappointed but, by the time I finished, I was absolutely fascinated by Ender's psychological and philosophical approach to a problem or event.
The book does not start where Ender's Game left off. Far from it; both in space and time. Ender, who was a hero at the end of the first book is now universally reviled. The symbiotic relationship between plant and animal on this particular planet was strange. I wasn't too interested in that being more interested in the interactions human to human, piggy to piggy, and human to piggy. The name given to the forest people, piggy, was a little distasteful to me, though. Now I am in a waiting in line for the next in the series, Xenocide.
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I just reread Ender's Game. It's still good, though rather brutal. I couldn't find my old original copy, though, so it was the newer version.
It's been forever since I read Speaker for the Dead, so I've forgotten most of it, probably should reread it.
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I would recommend it PatH.
BTW, I watched Cloud Atlas yesterday. I'll have to watch it again at some point to get a better understanding of the events, but I had a similar feeling about the story as I did of Speaker. It isn't so much the story itself as the message behind the story. That rang out loud and clear. Have to courage to speak up and act on injustices, push the envelop of what is comfortable and break out of the status quo.
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This is a copy of a review of Gravity I posted in Movies.
During the holiday I saw Gravity with my daughter and SIL. It's truly excellent. Don't go when you're looking for calm, though; you'll be on the edge of your seat the whole time. It's a tightly plotted story of astronauts trapped in space by a disaster, trying to get to safety. There is much action, but only one brief scene is gruesome, and you can foresee it and look away as it starts. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, the only actors, are excellent.
SIL, the family movie expert, said it was the first movie he had seen in which the 3-D added something and didn't detract, and I would agree. He also admired director Cuaron's strategy of telling the story in long scenes, with no cutting back and forth.
Astronaut Mark Kelly, in the Washington Post, said that Cuaron has accurately captured what it's like to be in space, and inside a space station. He then pointed out some fatal flaws in the physics of the story, but said, and I agree, that it doesn't really matter.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/mark-kelly-gives-an-astronauts-view-of-gravity/2013/10/11/2b4e5e6c-3286-11e3-9c68-1cf643210300_story.html (http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/mark-kelly-gives-an-astronauts-view-of-gravity/2013/10/11/2b4e5e6c-3286-11e3-9c68-1cf643210300_story.html)
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Thanks for the review, PatH. Still not sure I'll watch it or not, though.
I've started Xenocide, which is the third of the Ender series. So far, it doesn't interest me too much. I find myself skipping over a good bit of the beginning, reading just enough to get the important/relevant (hope I am not missing much) action. There is a lot of background on the Chinese girl who will apparently play a big roll later on in the book and more psychological/philosophical/moral dialog, this time between Valentine and Miro (who became disabled in the second book). A fleet of warships is on its way to Lusitania to destroy the planet in order to ensure that a virulent contagion has absolutely no chance to spread to other planets. The lives of three species are at stake: the human colony, the newly established hive colony, and the piggies who need the contagion to survive.
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No gravity for me.. but I just saw and loved Philomena.. Not sci fi..
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I've forgotten the details of Xenocide, but I do remember that he went on rather long about the Chinese girl, and also, it seemed to me there was a logic flaw in the resolution of the problem of the descolada--don't remember what it was, though.
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PatH, I am still at the point where Miro and Valentine are still in space on their way back to Lucitania (I think), and the Chinese girl is just starting to try to solve where the fleet went. This bit is more interesting - so far. Card seems to like to spend a lot of time on philosophical/moral dilemmas. I guess I just got too used to reading too many SciFi actioners.
Since I am caught up with Evan Currie's Warrior's Wings series, I have gone back to the second of his Odyssey series.
I also have two more of Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak mysteries from the library that need reading. Sadly, I gave up on the idea of joining the December Poirot discussion because of all my other reading (plus Latin class). I'm waiting patiently to see what we read for January.
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I am assuming you have read her three science fiction series. I loved them and became acquainted with Dana through them.
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Steph, I have two of them in my TBR pile. I don't remember a third. Will check.
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I have one kicking around somewhere--should find it and read it.
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There is a third or was.. possibly out of print.
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Finished Xenocide. Weird, but as much as I wanted to skip through it, I couldn't. Philosophical discussions in the book included free will, what is good, what is real, and the nature of God. (Oh, how I disliked reading Plato in college) The ending was a bit surprising and not altogether welcome. I see more conundrums, self-doubt, and angst coming in future readings. But of course I am going to have to read further to see what Card did with these new manifestations of Ender, Valentine, and Peter.
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Sounds like a book I can miss. I tend to fantasy or space opera.
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You're convincing me I should reread Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide. Looking at my paperback of Xenocide, I see I bought it in 1992, a year after the copyright date, so I can be forgiven for forgetting almost all of it. But I do remember having some dissatisfactions and wanting to argue with Card about some things (except I'm hopeless at holding my own in that sort of argument). No one ever made me read Plato; I'm not sure I would have done well with him.
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Yes, Plato was very difficult for me. I fairly groaned when I recognized some of the Plato based arguments. I no longer (no at all a surprise) have Plato's Dialogues.
Last night I finished watching a four part series from PBS about the cosmos, narrated by Brian Greene. The last one was especially interesting after reading Xenocide. It involved the notion of "multiverses". What struck me was the view of multiverses not as thin sheets of many universes but as many marble shaped universes floating in something, kind of like bubbles in a liquid. It jibed with my own very uninformed speculations of same. On occasion, over the years, I have wondered if our universe was just one of many floating in a pond like medium. What if our little universe is like some microbe in a much larger whole. Just as we look into a microscope to see tiny, tiny creatures, are we also under a microscope?
I've requested Children of the Mind. I'll be sad to see Ender go, but curious as to what Card has in store for the new Peter and Valentine.
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Plato.. Hmm, that does not turn me on to the book.
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Has anyone seen this movie? http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi23569945/ Space.com says it is one of the most "realistic depictions of space exploration since Moon or 2001: A Space Odyssey." I never heard of Moon, so I'll have to look that one up.
Speaking of the Moon, I see the Chinese have a rover on it now. They are there to see what minerals are worth exploiting (among other things). We keep cutting back our space program. It won't be long before the Chinese and others (did you know India is in the space race too?) have a significant lead.
Our efforts seem to be focused on Mars, a much more distant and difficult task. As much as I would like to see live bodies on Mars before I croak, I've always thought that the first step should be a moon base. I only hope the earthbound shuttle program was helpful towards space exploration.
I'm keeping an eye on the ISS coolant problem just now. Sounds serious.
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Goodness. I never even heard of Europa Report, or Moon either. I'm getting behind the times. Looking at that trailer makes me appreciate the technical aspect of Gravity, though. Europa is pretty good at the effects, but Gravity is even better. I'll have to look for those two movies.
My 4 3/4 year old grandson initiated me into the mechanics of getting Curiosity down to Mars' surface. Amazing--it was essentially lowered by a hovering rocket-borne crane. Behind again--I don't know about the coolant problem.
I'm disappointed too at our dropping the ball in space.
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I haven't read Children of the Mind. Let us know how it is, Frybabe.
On a much less serious note, I finally read The Hunger Games. I wasn't going to, but my daughter thought I would enjoy it in a mild sort of way and lent it to me. As usual, she got it about right. It's kind of slight, but well narrated, and holds your interest. The basic writer's problem: since all the characters you care about are going to have to kill each other off, how do you keep the reader's sympathy, and how do you keep the survivor from looking like a monster? Collins does a reasonable job.
Unfortunately, I seem to have read about far too many postapocalyptic, dysfunctional, authoritarian dystopias lately, and don't really need another one.
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Europa Report came out in June, Gravity in October. Big names in Gravity, none in Europa Report. Rotten Tomatoes says that Europa Report "puts the science back into science fiction". I also saw the phrase "slow burner" used, somewhere, to describe the movie. Gravity is action and emotional kick. We all know which one got all the publicity. I'd like to see Europa Report. I'm not sure about Gravity; it kind of reminds me of Marooned which I also did not see.
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I enjoyed Gravity, partly because it was so well done, but you're right, Frybabe, that the story itself is about emotion, and you could make almost the same story in a non-sci-fi setting. Whereas that trailer for Europa Report looked like real science fiction, emphasis on both the science and the fiction.
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Not crazy about seeing Gravity.. Space opera with stars.
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I've started Children of the Mind, the last of the Ender series. It strikes me only now, that Ender has ended up with a split personality. I am enjoying this "I am not myself" dialogue and the struggle that Peter and Young Valentine have to establish a self-identity apart from the contorted, more or less one-dimensional view that Ender's memories and fears bestowed upon them.
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I never read Children of the Mind. I've brought Speaker for the Dead with me to Portland, though, and if the grandchildren don't let me reread it here, there's always the long plane ride back. It's frustrating trying to remember enough to appreciate your comments fully.
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I'll be interested in your comments when you do read it, PatH. In the meantime, I stopped in at the library a while ago, and came back with the first of the later Ender books starting with Ender in Exile. I think the next three are about the Formic Wars that keep being mentioned. Ender's Shadow was on my wishlist, but I took it off. If you remember Bean from Ender's Game, that is who "Shadow" follows. I don't think I want to get into the Ender universe sidecars.
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I've finished Children of the Mind, and enjoyed it very much. One of the sequences about truth was very interesting. The premise, as I understand it, is that no-one can know the real truth of a situation. Each person has their version of the truth, or that they believe to be the truth. The version of the truth is in itself a fiction, maybe close but not entirely the real truth. The line that strikes me the most is on of the chapter headings, "What matters is which version of the truth you believe."
The afterword was also very enlightening. At some point shortly after he started the Ender series Card became acquainted with the writings of Kenzaburo Oe. Card also has a mentally disabled child. Oe's writings influenced Card's writing and some of the direction that the Ender series took.
Now on to Ender in Exile which is starting out with the debate over whether Ender should be sent home or kept in space after the formic war for his safety and for the world's safety. Ender is thought of as a hero, a monster, and/or a weapon to be protected or used.
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Frybabe, I'm certainly learning a lot from you about Card and the series. I had no idea he had a disabled child. That certainly tends to affect your thinking. Have you read Oe? I've often thought I should, but haven't yet.
I didn't get much grown-up reading done on my trip--mostly books like Dinosaur A to Z read to my grandson.
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PatH, I have Oe's The Silent Cry in my TBR pile. His autistic son is a composer. I think you will enjoy this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4e3pI8k6zY According to Wikipedia, his first album sold over 1Million copies.
Card's son, Charles, passed away at age 17; he had Cerebral Palsy. Card, a Mormon, is very outspoken in matters anti-gay. Those that would boycott Ender's Game because of this will be disappointed to learn that he is not getting a penny from the film, having sold the rights years ago. Card is apparently planning some Ender's Game sequels for the YA crowd that revolve around the transformation of the old Battle School to a Fleet School for commanders and colonial explorers.
My partner at the library on Fridays has read Ender's Shadow. She remembers it as being fairly humorous. Guess I will have to put it back on my TBR list.
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I read a Card some time ago and was not impressed. Guess I may give him another go round.
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Thanks for the clip of Hikari Oe's music, Frybabe. It's very nice.
Frybabe posted the same link in the music discussion on our sister site, and Bubble answered with an article describing the horrendous decisions Oe and his wife had to make about their son, and how their son's problems shaped Oe's writings.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1995-03-19/entertainment/9503160806_1_hikari-kenzaburo-oe-composer (http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1995-03-19/entertainment/9503160806_1_hikari-kenzaburo-oe-composer)
The other sci-fi writer I know of with disabled children is Jack Campbell, whose three children are "in the autistic spectrum". Do any of you see this reflected in his books? I don't; he's not big on psychological nuance, and the values in his books are the straightforward military ones of honor, courage, duty, doing one's best. Still, if you have to fight your way across the galaxy, he's the one to pick.
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I finished Ender in Exile last night. There is notably less philosophizing in it. The book covers his time just after the the war when Ender was kept from going home for fear that he would be used as a weapon or assassinated. It covers his trip out to his new position as governor of the first colony, his years as governor, how he found the hive queen cocoon, his writing the two books that inspired generations, and how his deeds and name were turned from hero into "Ender, The Xenocide". The afterword explains the changes Card made to Chapter 15 of the original Ender's Game to eliminate discrepancies between it and the newer books. The last several paragraphs Card devoted to a very nice tribute to our troops, particularly mentioning Afghanistan and Iraq, who were put in harm's way and who sacrificed their future for the cause of freedom, justice, and democracy.
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I'm glad he explains the changes he made, as I can't find my ancient copy to see for myself.
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I have requested Ender's Shadow, but I don't think I want to read any of the other "Shadow" series. While this one is about Bean during Battle School and the war, the rest have to do with the Earth wars that went on after the formic wars and involve Ender's former battle group members. The Shadow series is about how Earth finally became united under Ender's brother Peter (the Hegemon). Card is in the middle of a prequel series about all three Formic Wars. Earth Unaware, Earth Afire, and Earth Awakens (sched. for 2014). I will likely read those.
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Card seems to be doing his version of what life should be.. hm.
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Steph, when I read Card's books, some time ago, I kept having issues with his assumptions. It'll be interesting to see what I think now.
I ended the old year by ordering the next of Bujold's Miles books. This should make for a cheerful touch to the new year. I'm surprised how scarce the earlier books seem to be, considering how popular she is.
A new year for us sci-fi/fantasy addicts. I want to thank all of you for all the good conversations we've had, and especially for the authors you have introduced me to. There aren't many of us, but we do have a good time.
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Terry Pratchett has a new book. I knew he had announced he had Alzeimers, so was not sure he was still writing.. I think the name is Slog.. but not sure.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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I got an ad from Amazon this morning for Raising Steam by Pratchett, which is to come out shortly. Is that it? There were some reviews which were all over the place as to whether it's good, but I'm always willing to try a new Pratchett.
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I refuse to believe there could be a bad Pratchett, so will read it for sure.
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I've started Ender's Shadow. It is not grabbing my attention like the others, so far.
Also, I am in the middle of the last of the Odyssey series. In it, the author talks a lot about a Dyson construct (sphere) in the form of a Dyson Swarm. I looked it up, and sure enough, there is such a thing - theoretically. Here is Wikipedia's article on Dyson spheres. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphere I don't remember ever hearing about this, but I must have run across it at least on Star Trek. Fermilab did a search for such possible constructs back in 2004 with the thought that an advanced civilization might have already built such a devise which we would be able to detect. http://home.fnal.gov/~carrigan/infrared_astronomy/Fermilab_search.htm It looks like Richard Carrigan of Fermilab will be holding an "event" on May 27 hopefully updating the information; there is a placeholder page for it on You Tube. You Tube has a number of videos explaining/speculating on Dyson Spheres.
Okay, I've got to go. The cats are orbiting my chair. It's almost time for their dinner.
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LOL, Frybabe. Your cats might be caught in a Dyson Sphere ;) Dyson is such an interesting person. It sounds like, though 90 years old, his mind is still working and open to new possibilities.
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One of the great things about reading space type science fiction is that I get acquainted with or reacquainted with marvelous technologies, theories and speculations. Many of the things in the current set of scifi books are now becoming more generally known and now coming into commercial or military use (the ones we know about): 3-D printing (remember the replicators from Star Trek?), drone warfare (well, okay, needs more work to match the scifi I've been reading), high orbital parachute/paraglide jumps and the advanced materials that make it happen. There are more but it is too early in the morning to remember them. Technologies for mining asteroids, the Moon and Mars are in the works.
I have not been happy with the cut backs to NASA. The other day someone at the library mentioned the NASA float in the New Years Day parade in NY, their first ever. My comment was that it was probably all they could afford now. Smirk! China and India are now the game. Will we get off our butts and rejoin the space race in a big way or will we end up being tag-alongs. Maybe we are just regrouping and working on projects that will help real colonization and manned research stations and off world manufacturing facilities. Maybe, just maybe, we are working on new and exciting propulsion systems that will get us there faster and better instead of wasting money on old rocket propulsion technologies.
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Maybe, just maybe--I hope you're right. It's so frustrating.
That's a remarkably interesting article about Dyson spheres. I didn't know much about them before, but now I do. They seem almost impossible, but that doesn't mean they can't eventually be made. And we're actually searching for evidence of them. I liked the candidates that were "amusing but questionable".
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Back to Ender's Shadow: Bean is incredibly paranoid, doesn't trust anyone. I haven't gotten to him meeting Ender yet.
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I hope that Nasa will give up all the old ways and look for a different solution to space.. We fell behind, because we simply would not consider other methods and relied on the old stuff for too long.
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Always assuming they are given enough money to do anything at all.
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Living in Florida, I must say that NASA is awfully good at wasting money. The amount of money put into political ways and means is amazing. And the fact that NASA is spread all over the place, when it probably would be best to be in one spot does not help. Blame the last on influential congresspeople who bit off things for each state.
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The site went down yesterday, and when the server people restored it, they reverted to the day before, so all our brilliant remarks of yesterday were lost. :( I was in here a little before the crash, so I think I saw them all, but it's annoying.
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So my brilliant remarks on finishing Ender's Shadow got wiped? Bummer, I can't remember what I said. Let's see. The ending in some ways was surprising.
- Bean was actually smarter than Ender but didn't have the ability to engender any real affection or loyalty of his troops like Ender did.
- Bean figured out what was going on at the command school, Ender didn't.
- Bean created his then and future problems between Achilles and himself by acting on an assumption that Achilles was out to kill him when he got the chance. In fact, Achilles apparently hadn't thought of it (at least, not then) until Bean acted on his assumption. Bean acted to remove the immediate threat but did not remove it permanently. Ender believed that you should hit your enemy hard enough that he could never strike again.
This last reminds me of the kind of thing that is going on today, hitting just enough to temporarily stop enemies from going forward, then having to do it all over again, but with more difficulty, some time in the future..
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And I responded by saying I own Ender's Shadow, but haven't read it, maybe should take it to read on the plane this week.
And that long ago I read Card's short story that was the starting point for all this. It was a brief version of the battle training and battles, ending with the regret that although they had won the war, they had destroyed the child.
Steph, you mentioned a promising sounding YA fantasy author I hadn't heard of. What was her name?
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Cassandra Clare... the series is The Mortal Instruments. I have read 1. City of Bones.. am reading 2. City of Ashes andhave ordered the 3. City of Glass.Also ordered one of her Infernal Divices series to see what that one is like. It takes place thus far in NYC.. There are a variety of otherworldly creatures. Both werewolves and vampires are victims of a disease that is transmitted by bites. The Shadowhunters are the primary characters and there are many varieties of good and bad.. They are a mixture of Angels and Demons.. She pulls you along at a great clip.. I like her very much. I understand the City of Bones is being made into a movie.
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PatH is off to Hawaii for a week (I tried to hide in her luggage, but couldn't fit). While she's snorkeling, I'll be poking my nose in here.
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Poke away, JoanK.
I've interrupted my SciFi reading to continue Dana Stabenow's, Kate Shugak series.
The Scifi ebook I stopped reading temporarily is called Origins. The author's name escapes me (Mike Hendrickson, maybe?). The premise is interesting, an alien war going on where two alien warships crashed and the occupants were stranded on earth way back in early human history. The character narrating the events checked himself into a mental health clinic and is telling the psychiatrist the story. Of course, the psychiatrist thinks the guy is delusional. Yes, the aliens had found a way to practically live forever (in the narrator's case, 10,000 years). That is the main thread. There is also a narrative involving the FBI/NSA looking for mysterious radiation spikes (they are thinking terrorist cells) and another thread that follows some archaeologists around Cairo and environs who found a secret tunnel to and rooms under the Sphinx. The book seems a little lack luster, but then not everything I read is an action packed "can't put down" book. Oh, and this appears to be book one of a series.
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From the Alaskan wilderness to the psychiatrists couch. Oh my!
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I've got precarious internet here. In between snorkeling, I'm reading Bujold's The Vor Game. Goodness--Miles is certainly as ingenious at getting into messes as getting out of them.
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Ah, must put the new Miles on my look for list.
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While waiting on the next two Stabenow mysteries, I read Jack McDevitt's Infinity Beach. I get started on one of his books and I never want them to end. This one is a stand alone murder mystery wrapped up in a somewhat spooky first contact situation.
I am waiting on the first of McDevitt's Priscilla Hutchins series and Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Guardian to come in. I got tired of waiting for the price to drop on the used price of the latter, not to mention the difficulty of finding either Campbell's or McDevitt's books locally. Neither one is in the county library system.
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Frybabe, I'll be interested to hear what you think of Guardian. My copy is a UK paperback I bought some time ago; I'm not sure if it's out in paperback here or not. The next book is due to come out in May, and judging from the cover shown in Fantastic Fiction, Geary makes it to Earth. It's frustrating to wait for paperbacks, but if I don't, I'll go broke and run out of space. Our library system is quirky about sci-fi--some plusses and minuses, but Campbell is one of the minuses.
The only McDevitt I've read is Polaris, and indeed, I read it straight through.
More elective reading will have to wait, as I have to keep on with Wives and Daughters for the book discussion, read two books for the Feb f2f sci-fi and fantasy book club, then reread Moby-Dick in preparation for seeing the opera at the end of Feb.
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PatH, Mody Dick as opera? Oh, my. Now there is something to talk about in Classical Corner.
My library system had one Guardian, but it went missing. None of the libraries replaced it. We have a very small SciFi section at our branch. Apparently SciFi is not as popular as I thought, at least not at my branch. The US publication date for the paperback is April 29, 2014. It is on preorder at B&N. All of the original series I have are paperback, the Beyond the Frontier books I have so far are hardcover. I tend to stick with what I start with so the books are not all different sizes. The Lost Stars series I started was borrowed from the library. I really should get hardcopy of that. Campbell is well worth it in my book.
Campbell (Hemry) is going to be at the Balticon 48 (what an odd name for a SciFi convention) Memorial Day weekend (23-24?) which is being held at the Hunt Valley Inn, a regular haunt in times past of mine and my ex's. It's a straight shot down 83, real easy to get to.
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All the Campbells I have (the original series and the Beyond the Frontier series, and the first Lost Stars) are paperbacks, but they're still different sizes. They would merit hardbacks, since I reread them, but I don't dare go down that road.
Are you going to see Hemry? It would be interesting to see what he's like in person. His personal life must be rather intense, as he has three autistic children, but this doesn't come across in the books, which are inspired more by his Navy career.
I certainly mean to talk about Moby-Dick in the Classical Corner, but thought I'd wait until I actually saw it. The staging is supposed to be very imaginative, and the music clips I've seen on you tube are likeable, so I'm excited to get the chance.
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I don't know if I'll go PatH, probably not. I've never been to a book convention (too chicken to try the National Book Festival last year even though it was a sponsored bus trip). The entrance fee is a bit pricey at $55 to $65 depending on how early you sign up. Here is this year's flyer. I haven't heard of any of the featured writers/artists. http://www.balticon.org/B48_flyer_6w.pdf
PS: Halo Jankowski is a tattoo and airbrush artist. That in itself would be interesting. According to his website, he will be joining this years' Inkmaster TV program.
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I am considering branching out into National book festivals. problem is they never seem to have the authors that I want to meet.
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Either that or they are not scheduled for the day you can go. It is one of the reasons I talked myself out of going to the DC event. Elizabeth Moon was scheduled for Sunday; the bus trip was Saturday.
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I would love to hear Elizabeth Moon speak.. The Washington book festival would work for me since I could take the train and stay close to the area.. hmm. what time of year is it??
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Last year the two day event was held on the Mall in September. This year they've changed sites due to new park rules; it will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on August 30. More info here http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/ Be sure to read the link to the "new venue" article which is located under News from the Festival. They've added some things including evening events, I suppose to make up for the one day event. I don't see a list of authors yet.
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One day and not where I wanted to be. Alas..
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Our magnificent snowstorm postponed this month's fantasy/sci-fi discussion group. The sci-fi book was Austin Grossman's Soon I Will be Invincible, a first novel about superheroes and villains. Superheroes aren't my kind of thing, and I haven't yet finished the book, since it was obvious we wouldn't be meeting, but now I will finish it. It seems OK, and is picking up as it goes along.
The fantasy selection was Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Angel's Game. I like him, maybe now I'll have time to read this one. But not until after I finish Moby-Dick, which has a fair claim to being fantasy too.
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I hated Moby Dick, but loved Ahabs wife..
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I'll be picking up John Scalzi's Fuzzy Nation today at the library.
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Redownloaded Little Fuzzy from ManyBooks. I am going to get it another go, after reading Scalzi's intro to Fuzzy Nation, which BTW, I am enjoying.
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I read Little Fuzzy eons ago, dug out my battered paperback and reread it after reading Fuzzy Nation. I liked the Scalzi better, but the Piper is well worth reading. Fuzzy Nation is full of legalistic twists and turns, and letter-of-the-law showdowns, and I have a taste for that. Piper wrote some sequels to Little Fuzzy, and from my distant memory, they had some annoying patronizing qualities. I also recently read another Piper, Space Vikings. It's about what you would expect from a title like that, and I don't agree with the elitist politics of the main character.
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I have Space Vikings downloaded into my SciFi folder with about 100 other books and short stories. Sigh!
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Well, I'll be interested to learn what you think of it when you read it.
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Steph, I would love to hear a bit more about Ahab's Wife. In the book, Ahab married late in life, just before going to sea again, and, as he delicately puts it, only dented the marriage pillow once. That leaves a lot of room for an imaginative author to go off in any direction.
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While waiting on my car's inspection and repairs, I read most (finished last night) an old scifi/fantasy called The Dark World by Henry Kuttner. Goodreads reviews: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1881716.The_Dark_World
It was interesting enough to keep me reading. There is a lot of action, not much in-depth character development, and not much extraneous description other than what helps drive the story forward. Fast read.
What I discovered is that Hanry Kuttner and his wife C. L. Moore were considered top SciFi/Fantasy writers in their day. Moore was one of the first women to write SciFi.
Fantastic Fiction bio: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/henry-kuttner/
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I remember Moore and Kuttner from their time; they were definitely the big guns. Don't remember much of anything about the books, though; it was a long time ago.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Kuttner and Moore bring back memories of the old fashioned science fiction.. Whew.. used to love the monthly magazines.
Ahabs Wife.. I loved it. It is from her point of view, which involves waiting for him.. She portrays him as a gentle caring husband that she lost..
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Steph, I used to love the monthly magazines too. My father was a science fiction fan, and when I was growing up I had access to all the best. Those were the golden days, before John Campbell turned to psi phenomena. I'm not following them now, but I have the feeling they aren't such an important part of sci-fi anymore.
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Fuzzy Nation is finished and back at the Library. Scalzi never fails to please. I often wish he would be a little more prolific, but if that compromises the quality of his books, I can wait.
My next SciFi adventure, I think, is the first of a series. I'm barely into it and have to double check the name, but I think it is the first of the Far From Home ebook series.
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I just picked up a new SciFi at the library. It was just being scanned it to the system as I arrived.
The Martian by Andy Weir. Twentieth Century Fox has already optioned it for a movie. It seems to be getting rave reviews everywhere. There is a proviso that if you don't like scifi that is heavy on science, this book is probably not for you. Several science website made note that the book used realistic science.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2452/1
Here is an article from Wired Magazine about an app that Weir created to help him get accurate numbers on distance and transmission times to and from Earth. Kind of interesting. http://www.wired.com/2014/02/the-martian-software/
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I tend to be more into fantasy or alternate worlds.
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My library has 19 copies of The Martian, with a wait list of 29. So now I'm #30. Thanks, Frybabe, I like that kind of thing when well done.
I've read another Miles book, and two minor Liaden Universe books, but that will have to wait until tomorrow; I'm too sleepy.
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PatH, I really, really like The Martian. Sadly, I don't think Science Fiction is big around here. No was was on hold for the book when I took it back. The science used in the book was not hard to understand. He used some basic chemical and mechanical science to get things done. The math is there, too. The author keeps it light; no going to long details of chemical or mechanical processes, or mathematical formulas. Enough to inform what he was doing and why; enough to, hopefully, inspire a few young minds who may read the book. Oh, and funny? Yes! If this is the author's first book, why is his name familiar?
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I've finally started the first of Jack McDevitt's Pricilla Hutchins series, called The Engine of God. Hutchins is the pilot of a research ship. So far, so good. Still waiting on McDevitt's latest Alex Benedict book which is due out this year. It will be titled Coming Home.
Also started, an ebook scifi called Redliners. Nothing spectacular so far, but not bad either. It opens with a military raid at an alien airport.
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Well, I'll be pickled in formaldehyde.
While reading The Engines of God I came across a line that mentioned an unusual abundance of formaldehyde on a dead planet where ancient monuments were found. I wondered about it, thinking it might be a clue to things to come in the book, and went on a Wikipedia search:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_formaldehyde
For those who have had Organic Chemistry or have kept up with such things, it turns out that it was the first organic compound precursor discovered in interstellar space.
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Aaah, the wonderful fresh aroma of outer space. ;)
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wow... so space stinks.. ah well.
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Fortunately, we won't be able to smell in a vacuum.
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I finished Engines of God. Let's see now one ship abandoned, two or three shuttles destroyed, at least four people dead. The first book in the Priscilla Hutchins series was a little over ambitious in my opinion, not to mention more than a few supposedly smart characters showed an uncommonly lack of good sense more than once. Who knew archeology could be so dangerous. I did not care for the book or characters as much as the Alex Benedict series or, for that matter, several of his stand alones. Still, I requested #2 in the series from the library today. I expect the series to get better. The latest in the series was recently published and, from what I read, is a prequel to the first.
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I am reading #4 in the Cassandra Clare series. She does some nice plot twists. Labeled Young Adult, but no idea why..
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The Martian was compelling to say the least. Keeping track of all the calculations bored me after a while. I can see the young Tom Hanks playing the title role. I don't keep up with the new young actors and am mystified when one of them wns an award.
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Hi, mrssherlock. Haven't seen you posting for a while.
Okay, second of the Priscilla Hutchens series (Deepsix) is done. This one is 20 years after the first. She manages to lose more aircraft and more people. I don't think I would want to be a passenger in anything she pilots. Once again, some of the scumbags came out smelling like roses, a scapegoat or two created, and in the end, the usual rumors and scandal that come from people who disbelieve or know better the official line. A little corporate greed here, and one or two who bent rules hoping to add to their prestige, several reluctant heroes.
Being stranded on a planet, about to get bowled over by a rogue gas planet, with some really nasty critters can't be a lot of fun. An exotic plant (it turns out it's a man eater) provided a little erotic interlude. So, the race was on to inspect and bring back artifacts (didn't happen) from ruins discovered just before the big event, dodge the nasties, and get rescued.
I still don't care for this series as much as the Alex Benedict series. Speaking of, the next one is due out in November, in print and on Kindle. It is called Coming Home. Can hardly wait.
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Jackie! Welcome back. We've missed you.
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People must be reading The Martian lickety split. I've gone from #30 to #15 in a little over 2 weeks. I'm eager to get it.
My recent visit to Portland, OR netted me some good books from Powell's--a good thing, since I had something to read while recovering from the latest grandchild bug.
I've been trying to read Bujold's Miles books in order, and the one I got wasn't quite, but it doesn't seem to matter. It's Brothers in Arms--the usual wildly improbable machinations. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of Miles' clone--he's too good to waste. Why are so many of the early books out of print? The series is still popular, the early books are good, and there must be people wanting to join in.
I got 2 minor books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Necessity's Child takes place on Surebleak while Clan Korval is settling in, and deals with the adventures of young Syl Vor, Nova's son, in discovering an underground nest of Gypsies, dealing with them, and helping them come to terms with what is happening on the planet. A Liaden Universe Constellation Vol. 2 is a bunch of short stories filling in bits and pieces of the major stories, mostly dealing with Surebleak.
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Jackie, you must have read a lot of sci-fi/fantasy stories in the last 3 years. Care to hit some highlights for us?
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As I remember Jackie loved fantasy.. and Miles of course
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Let me review my reading list for highs and lows in sf. Fantasy, wow, who would have predicted the vampire to become ubiquitous? Closely followed by ghosts (why are ghosts so comical?) and werewolves. Charles de Lindt's urban/contemporary fantasies are not even on the same floor in the "library" of imaginitive fiction as Asimov, Connie Willis, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. When I want to read hard core sf I fall back on the Oldies but Goodies such as Anne McCaffrey. Lois McMaster Bujold is worthy of reading over and over so rich in detail are her stories.
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PatH, at least people are reading The Martian at your library. It is a little hard to tell because the new website still isn't entirely accurate. but it looks like our system has six books. Only one, that I know of is checked out, and on our website, that one is still showing up as being processed but not yet available. I'll have to call Monday and tell the director the site still has bugs. The book was put into the system three weeks ago. I grabbed it as soon as it was entered, and now the gal that is in Friday's with me has it out. Like I said I don't think SF goes well here.
Fantasy is a different matter altogether. I noticed that the popular I Am Number Four is a movie. When I mentioned it my gal Friday told me to read the book first, otherwise the movie may not make as much sense. So, now I have that to read. Or, at least, I brought it home. I thought it was a super hero type thing, but gal Friday tells me it has SF elements.
Jackie, I have yet to pick up an Ann McCaffrey.
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Fry: What a delight it would be to "discover" McCaffrey again. So many hours to spend exploring her various creations.
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Oh to begin again with Anne McCaffrey.. To cry once more on the Ship who Sang.. to meet the dragons.. What a lovely thought.
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Anne McCaffrey's passed in 2011 and I missed it. What a prolific imagination! Somehow the world is diminished without her, green-eyed and gray-haired, in her Irish cottage. I missed it.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/anne-mccaffrey/
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I remember the passing because I adored her and had always hoped to somehow meet her. I grew up In Delaware and she lived there when young.
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It would have been nice to meet her. She must have been a remarkable person.
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Last week's f2f sci-fi book was After the Golden Age, by Carrie Vaughn. It's about superheroes, the second such we've had this year. I'm not big on superheroes, and I'm not alone here. Several of us suggested that was enough for this year. But the book isn't bad. The main character is the daughter of two superheroes struggling with their disappointment that she is totally ordinary. She has become a forensic accountant, and the main plot involves a sort of detective story, as she tries to sort out the current sinister plot against her parents. The excuse for calling it sci-fi is the scientific explantation for the origin of superpowers. It's a quick read, pleasant enough.
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Be careful what you wish for; you might get it. I wanted a hard science sci-fi book as antidote, and what I got for next month is Blindsight, by Canadian writer Peter Watts. There's definitely hard science in it; you better not flinch when he throws out Oort clouds and O'Niel colonies with no explanation. It's a rather unappealing future in which people are a combination of their original selves, gene modification, corrective surgery, reconstruction from the dead, etc. Into this comes a shower of information-gathering pebbles from aliens, who don't answer our broadcasts. Now we have an expedition sent to find out what's going on. Fantastic Fiction says it better than I can:
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/peter-watts/blindsight.htm (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/peter-watts/blindsight.htm)
In fact, this description was useful, since Watts makes you work hard to figure out what's going on. The narrator so far is the "synthesist—an informational topologist with half his mind gone". I don't know how it's going to come out, but I doubt it's good.
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oooo! Blindsight, I was absolutely fascinated by it. Very strange. Keeps you on your toes. Enjoy, PatH. Anyone wishing to read it can download it free from Project Gutenberg or ManyBooks. Here is ManyBooks link. http://manybooks.net/titles/wattspother06Blindsight.html
PS: PatH, let me know what your f2f discussion thinks of the book.
Last week I finished I Am Number Four, a book recommended by my library counterpart. It was okay, definitely written for teens. I thought it a bit repetitious here and there. Not real interested in superhero type books.
This week I am in the middle of another of Jack McDevitt's Priscilla Hutchins series, Chindi. So far two more shops were lost, not hers this time, her budding romance with one pilot cut short and a long time friend lost. It bugs me a little that Hutch mourns the loss of her new romantic interest, but not the guy she's known a long time and who considered her the next thing to a daughter. What is left is a guy she dated briefly years before and who has a crush on her. I don't care for the guy. Doesn't seem her type. What he says about how he feels towards Hutch and his behavior seem at odds. I think insecure, afraid of rejection. So far, aside from the other ships, Hutch has lost two of her passengers so far and I still have about half the book to go. Good story even though I don't like Tor.
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It is amazing how many adults collect the original
TOR.. I used to get them in the store all the time.. They don't care about the story, just the actual books,, first edition paperback of course
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Sorry, Steph. I forgot that there is a book publisher called Tor. In Chindi, Tor is the name of the guy who harbors a long time love/crush on Hutch.
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Oh, good, Frybabe, You've read Blindsight. that means if I get stuck figuring it out, I can ask you what's going on. ;)
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OK. Frybabe,, I was bewildered about why you would hate a famous sci fi publisher, but figured you had your reasons.
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Fry: Jack McDevitt is the author of one of my faves, Ancient Shores. Love the Alex Benedict stories, but I've never read this series. More goodies for my TBR list. Thank you.
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Jackie, I haven't read Ancient Shores yet. Infinity Beach is still in my TBR. I did read, and liked very much, Eternity Road.
I'm done with Chindi. I do like that name. It's a Navajo term for the part of the spirit that is left behind when a person dies, the bad part. Wikipedia's take on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chindi The chindi in the book was neither good nor bad. I took a decided dislike to several of the characters. Hutch, for as experienced and smart as she is supposed to be manages, once again, to ignore her better judgement to get into some pretty spectacular predicaments. Well, if she didn't, there would be no story. Next up is Omega.
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I have several McDevitt on my tbr list , beginning with Infinity Beach. Oh well.Did score two Terry Pratchett just reissued in paperback. Hooray.. I hoard them until I am in a blue meanie mood, than drag them out to laugh and laugh
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Several observations during my reading of Omega:
1. The description of the inhabitants of a possibly doomed civilization reminds me of Shrek. The movie came out in 2001 (gosh, that long ago?) and McDevitt's book was published in 2003.
2. One of the rescue crew is trying to translate Antigone into the native language. It seems the "Goompahs" like tragic drama.
3. Hutch married the guy I didin't like in the last book.
4. Too many good characters, or ones I actually like, die in this series. Many of the characters who created the tragic situations through overoptimism, refusal to heed warnings, monumental egoism, neglect/not paying attention, manage to survive.
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Hmm, McDevitt sounds like he likes to kill off the type of characters that I like.
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Some of them redeem themselves, Steph. I probably should be happy that the characters are not perfect, showing all the missteps, insecurities, arrogance, superego, intelligence, stupidity, and all the other things that go into making up the human condition. I just hate to see a good character or one I take a liking to written out especially because someone else's stupidity. Even Hutch can take the blame for some of the consequences of her decisions or lack thereof. To McDevitt's credit, he writes many characters that can evoke such a reaction from the reader.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I am skipping the rest of the Priscilla Hutchins series for now. Hutch herself had little presence in the Omega. It looks like that continues in the next book, while the sixth book she is on another space trip. Both books five and six were rather badly panned by readers and some book critics. Book five, Odyssey, appears to continue the trend to philosophical, political and funding issues for the Academy. Not in the mood for that just now.
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He is still on my buy list, but just now that list is overwhelming as well. Sigh.
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I just picked up The Martian from the library, along with the June book club selection: I always Loved You. Wonder which I'll start first?
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Wonder which I'll start first?
The answer is The Martian, since I Always loved You reeked of perfume. I'm allergic to perfumes, and have this problem a lot with library books.
Anyway, it was a good read. It starts off showing too much first book--still figuring out how to say things, and you get a bit tired of the numbers involved in potato crops, but it picks up speed and is a very good survival-how do I get out of here alive-suspense story. There's a lot of number crunching: if my tanks will produce x amount of oxygen, and I need y amount, how long will I live? But the science isn't complicated, and you can ignore the details since he spells out the point.
The biggest improbability is the number of times they are stuck saying something like: we have to get this in place in 27 1/2 hours, and our protocol is 27 3/4 hours, how can we cut down. Then they do some unlikely fix and it works. I was going to complain about him eating raw potatoes for food, since your body can't digest them raw--nothing in your gut breaks through the cell wall--but then I realized that they had been freeze-dried by sitting outside, so that would have broken down the cell walls.
My favorite lines:
"But seeing his status doesn't help," Mindy said. "It's not like you can do anything about it if he falls behind. This is a pointless task."
"How long have you worked for the government?" Venkat sighed.
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Pat: I envy you reading The Martian for the first time. A unique voice which will be heard again soon I hope.
After the Golden Age by Hilary Vaughn relates the dilemma facing the untalented young daughter of the two most powerful super heroes in her town of Commerce City. A provocative take on the super hero craze. A fun read.
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While I was at the library today, I picked up Daniel H. Wilson's, Robopocalypse(2011). Spielberg has the rights to the book and has it "in development" for a movie.
Wilson has a Ph.D. in robotics and has written several robot oriented Scifi novels, a book of short stories called Robot Uprisings, and How to Survive a robot Uprising which is supposedly a non-fiction book aimed at Teens/YA. He is about 36 but looks looks a lot younger, in fact, on the jacket cover photo, he looks barely out of his teens. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_H._Wilson
I'm in the middle of reading a just okay book (Kindle lending library) called Last Stand of the Legion: Rift (Blood War Book 1) by Rod Carstens. The author repeats himself several times, like he has to drill the main character's mindset into you. The story is okay, but doesn't stir me like some other authors. The editing, so far, is actually good for an e-book.
Speaking of e-books, Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Steadfast is in the Overdrive electronic book catalog, so I have put a request in for it. Heaven knows when I will actually be able to read it. The Overdrive library doesn't say how many people are ahead of me, not that I could find anyway.
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I've been waiting for the paperback of Steadfast. The British version is now available, so maybe I'll get it.
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I always wonder why so many American authors have their books out in paperback in the UK before it comes out here.
I have The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier series in Hardback, the earlier series is all paperback. I goofed when I ordered the first one and so I feel like I have to follow suit with the rest in HB to keep my bookshelves more even. Silly, I know. but I like my books even sizes if possible. It really kills me to have to borrow this rather than buy.
I also like, once I have started one, to have the complete series in the same venue rather than some in print and some as e-books. The Campbell books are pricey any way you want them (except from the library). Did you notice that (at least on ABE) both Steadfast and Guardian command just about the same as new - very little price drop. His and McDevitt's books are difficult to find in the used books stores locally.
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So far, I am liking Daniel H. Wilson's, Robopocalypse. It starts out at the end of the robot war and from there goes to a series of vignettes showing isolated events that seem unconnected but hinted at and led up to the war. I can see why Speilberg is interested in it.
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Completely off topic I chanced upon an ego trip movie*, Iron Invader, which was a hoot without the sound (I couldn't watch it all the way through.)
*Written directed and produced by one individual.
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Infinity Beach is awesome. Te story line is suspenseful, the characters are believable, there is no mawky resolution, just a logical extrapolation of the characters' personnae. FF suggest this as being of similar interest to readers of IB. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0216048/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4 I always look at these books FF suggests, found some goodies there. I like to read early books by an author which is mentioned here and on FF.
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Robopocalypse is really interesting. It starts with the Briefing (Prolog) at the end of the Robot Wars, where the narrator is one of the team that put an end to it and who was questioned at Congressional hearings. The rest of the book, so far, the narrator pieces together various isolated records and incidents that were the precursor to the war. Much of it is written as transcripts or assemblages of video, audio and other types with a notation at the beginning of each describing what each segment contains and occasionally, the implications of the actions described. There is a sequel out, Robogenesis, which I will definitely read too.
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I love
Asimovs robots..Not too crazy about the others I have read.
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The ebook I requested through the library came in sooner than expected. Now I have three SciFi books to read.
Further thoughts on Robopocalypse: I am getting the impression that the robots that rise up against the human race are, for the most part, not intelligent so much as being reprogrammed and controlled by one computer mind that has become "aware". Just short of half way through the book now.
BTW: A supercomputer has just recently passed the Turing Test.
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27762088
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/609757/Turing-test
Vernor Vinge, a professor of mathematics, computer scientist, and SciFi writer quote:
Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly after, the human era will be ended.
—"The Coming Technological Singularity" by Vernor Vinge, 1993
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Since I cannot believe you can program in compassion,kindness and love, computers and robots are really always going to be thinkers, but not in charge.
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I think it depends on how you define consciousness (self awareness), Step. I don't believe that having a conscience (moral compass, guilt, sense of right and wrong, etc.) is necessarily inclusive . I don't know of any insects that have a conscience but they are likely to be self aware up to a limited point. Also, we have a few humans around who seem not to have much, if any, conscience. They are often called sociopaths and psychopaths. At any rate, no one yet has been able to pin down the precise nature of and definition of consciousness.
We are moving ever so much closer to computers that can self-replicate, self-diagnose, self-repair, and self-correct what was previously learned as new information comes in. They can communicate with each other remotely now without much, if any, human intervention. Of course, all this requires energy. So if they become troublesome, we can just pull the plug on their external energy sources and wait until the batteries die unless they are on solar or geothermal power. Nuclear power may take a while longer.
We could be in big trouble if we end up with computers with consciousness but no conscience. We are not likely to be around to see how this all shakes out.
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All this is supremely relevant to Blindsight, which I've now finished. The main themes seem to be what is being human? what is consciousness? sentience? What do you have if you leave out all this, but have something that's capable of acting complexly and appropriately?
The spaceship crew: The narrator has had half his brain cut out (because of epilepsy) and replaced by various other stuff. He doesn't have much in the way of human emotions, but is very good at seeing everything, and making correct interpretations (if they don't involve him). The linguist has had her brain partitioned in 4, each with a different personality. The biologist is altered to sense different things than we do. The fighter is a tough, pacifist military type; one of her functions is to act as a brake on the otherwise very efficient fighting machines. The captain is a vampire, resurrected from ancient DNA. Although he's genetically still pretty much a human, no one has a notion of his feelings or loyalties, how much he regards the crew simply as meat, how automatic he is. And he interfaces with the ship to a disturbing degree.
Then they meet the aliens, and have to figure out a whole new level of which bits of what they see are conscious and what it means.
Like Frybabe, I found it a fascinating read.
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What did my f2f book club think of it? They spent a lot of time griping about the science, which has a lot of holes in it, but they liked the issues, and debated a lot on them. When asked who would read another book by this author, not many raised their hands (I did).
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In fact, PatH, I'd read Blindsight again. I am sure I missed things on the first read. Watts wrote a series beginning, I think, with Starfish, that I'd like to take a look at. His themes seem to revolve around broken (physical and/or mental, purposeful or accidental) people. People who have been relegated to the trash heap because of their supposed disabilities and inability to fit comfortably into "normal" society.
Pat, does the print version have a guide or further explanation of what is going on in the book? My free e-book doesn't. I had to wade through the book without benefit of such so some of the info you presented here, I missed in the reading.
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I am workin on yet another Cassandra Claire...This is #5 in the series..This is called Young Adult, but I am enjoying the series.. A new way to look at angels.
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The mention of angels reminded me of the Sharon Shinn series, Samaria, rife with angels. I see on Fantastic Fiction she has written other series, more titles for my list.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/sharon-shinn/
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Frybabe, I pretty much read Blindsight twice, and it helped. I started it a month ago, got a third of the way in, then got sidetracked. When I went back several weeks later, I knew I would have to start over again. It helped. The first time, I was having a lot of trouble figuring out what was going on, and keeping track of who was who. Rereading, it made much more sense, and I could keep people straight. Then, after I finished it, I reread some parts to clarify things in my mind. Watts has a few notes, which I didn't read until afterward. Most of it is explaining his rationale for the science involved, but there's a section called Sentience/Intelligence which talks about what consciousness is good for, and what it costs, in biologic terms. I think he's wrong, but it fills in what he thinks about the scramblers, and about where earth may be heading.
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I have finished The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Guardian and begun the newest installment of the series, The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Steadfast.
"Guardian" did not include very much in the way of battle scenes. Those that they engaged in were rather short. The battle, if you could really call it that, with the "Shield of Sol" fleet was very one-sided. The description and analysis of the opposing fleet was somewhat amusing. Kind of felt sorry for them because they had no clue about how to prepare for and conduct a real battle. Old Earth, apparently sacred to everyone, has tied themselves and the rest of the solar system up into a gigantic ball of red tape and neutrality in an effort to avoid further wars. Getting a decision on anything can and does take years.
"Steadfast" picks up where "Guardian" left off with a kidnapping and an attempted kidnapping. Rescue efforts are extremely difficult. I am still reading the planning stages of the rescue.
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Jackie, Sharon Shinn is a favorite of mine and I think I have most if not all of the Alleluia series. I also note in my TBR file, I have two other books by her that are not part of the series. The angels are somewhat different in Cassandra Clare,, but her series is a fascinating one. Very complicated as to the life forms.
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WOW! I just finished the latest Lost Fleet book. Steadfast finishes out with a whole new set of problems coming up: a secret fleet, stealthed from their own ships but not others, completely AI controlled warships (no crew). I truly think someone wants everyone to think Black Jack went renegade. Can't wait for the next book which is likely to take a year or more.
Steph, Cassandra Clare's books are very popular here. I am shelving and pulling one or more of them almost every week.
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Ooh. I've got to get ahold of Steadfast fast. Looks like maybe he isn't petering out yet after all.
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Heck NO! The last book faked us out. He must have listened to his fans that weren't happy with so much talk and politics and wanted more battles. I think you will like the new developments Pat.
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Campbell's strong point definitely isn't politics.
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Cassandra Clare has a very unusual take on the general fantasy.. she is writing for YoungAdults, but they are actually quite adult books. I have enjoyed the ones I have read.
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Steph: FF lists several books by Casaandra Clare. Which one should I start with?
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The series getting all the attention: The Mortal Instruments... volume 1. City of Bones, 2.City of Ashes 3. City of Glass 4.City of Fallen Angels 5.City of Lost Souls.. there is a 6 and final one in the series out, but don't have the name, There is also a side by side series called. The Infernal Devices.. I have not read any of these, but have the first Clockwork Angel. She really must be read in sequence or you will be hopelessly lost.
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I am more than half way through Rift, an average to mediocre military SciFi novel. It started out okay, but about 40% of the way through the dialog started up with the swearing. Also, while the beginning of the novel seemed to be fairly well edited, most of it is not: missing words, incorrect words, run on sentences. I am going to finish it anyway. The only truly interesting thing about the ground battle I am in the middle of right now is a "spike". It is an interesting conveyance to get the alien troops to the ground. I spears itself into the ground and opens to let five aliens out. The top of the spike has a 360 degree firing weapon that covers the five as they emerge from the device. Next up is Orson Scott Card's, Memories of Earth.
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One of FF's recommendations is The Dark Between the Stars by Kevin Anderson. After 10 or so pages seems good.
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Thanks for that Jackie. Now I have two "new" series to look into. The first sage group is The Saga of Seven Suns beginning with Hidden Empire. I think I'll see if I can find them first, before starting on The Dark Between the Stars. I don't recall ever reading any Anderson although a few of his book titles sound familiar. He spent a lot of time writing Star Wars and Dune novels (fan fiction or sanctioned?) as well as a few Star Trek novels.
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Steph, you convinced me to try Cassandra Clare. It'll be a while, though. There's a waiting list for the 54 copies in my library system. The following books in the series don't have nearly as many copies, but no waiting list either.
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I have been laughing. A friend likes Science fiction light and wanted a recommendation. I suggested my much loved Terry Pratchett. She has fallen in love with Sam Vimes, the witches, everything. She is driving her little library nuts with requests for allllll.. She said I had created a monster.
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I'm laughing too, Steph. Good for you for making another convert.
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Gave up on Card's Memories of Earth, but am enjoying Kevin J. Anderson's Saga of the Seven Suns: Hidden Empire.
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I'm not sure about Blindsight, stay tuned.
Mercedes Lackey, author of a jillion books. remember Valdemar, has a series about Elemental Masters, magic tool users, which is entertaining. Just finished her latest Blood Red which retells Little Red Riding Hood to set the scene for Rosa, an earth master. That means when she is pursuing bad magic practicioners she can call on and get extra strength from dirt, growing things, etc. Cities are poisoned by man so she lives in the Schwartzwald. There are 8 or 10 books in the series which until now was centered in England
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I have read a few of the Lackey books and have I think three still to be read. Some are more interesting than other.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I am finished with Saga of the Seven Suns: Hidden Empire. The chapters are named after each character that it focuses on in a general progression of the overall story. The book is populated by human groups from the main Hanseatic League (old Earth based) to the Roamers and Therons who remained independent of Hansa rule, and several ancient alien civilizations.
The descriptions of the physical worlds and cultures are fascinating. The Theron Green Priests become intertwined with the Worldforest trees which, always seeking more knowledge, are a huge organic database and instantaneous communication system across the colonized spiral arm of the Galaxy. The Roamers, clan based, colorfully dressed, and secretive, live on difficult planets and asteroids. The supply most of the fuel necessary to operating stardrives. The Ildirans, an ancient and stagnant society, ostensibly benevolent, live under the light of seven suns, never knowing darkness and dependent on a minimum concentration of people to thrive. Their leader has a somewhat telepathic ability to see/feel events across his empire. The Earth is now headed by a figurehead king while the real power belongs a conglomerate (as best as I can tell). The ancient enemy are the Hydrogues, an ancient deep gas planet living being. Then there are the Klikiss Robots, survivors of an ancient civilization that went extinct.
Next up is Cloud Atlas which I managed to borrow from the electronic library more or less accidentally. The non-fiction science book I put on hold a while back is finally ready for me to pick up at the library.
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I should have known. My library reserve of City of Bones came in Monday afternoon, and I was due to fly out horribly early Tuesday, so didn't have time to pick it up. But they hold books for ten days, and I'll be back late Tuesday, so I won't lose it. I'm currently reading Kirinyaga for my f2f club. I'm not far enough into it to know where it's going, but it's strange and fascinating.
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Finished City of Bones last night. Could hardly put it down. Next up City of Ashes.
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Cloud Atlas is very well written. If you saw the movie and remember Tom Hanks' voice over narration at times, the book, so far, reads like that. I can hear his voice as I read. I've just gotten to where Sixsmith's story begins. Hoping it helps explain some of what I missed or was confused about in the movie. Of course, it didn't help that my sister and I were busier trying to figure out who was playing who so we missed some things. I'll have to see the movie again after reading the book.
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Aha two converts. yes, the Cassandra Clare series is hard to put down and I still marvel that it is supposedly young adult.
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This month's f2f selection was both brilliant and maddening. It's Kirinyaga, by Mike Resnik. It's written as a string of short stories, which appeared separately, but were always meant to be combined into a book. We're a century and a half in the future, and ethnic groups with grievances are allowed to leave Earth and colonize other planets, with lots of support. The narrator is Koriba, a Kikuyu (Kenyan tribe) who has an impressive Western education, but is only interested in preserving the pre-European way of life of his people. He and a bunch of like-minded Kikuyu settle on a terraformed planet stocked with flora and fauna to resemble unwesternized Kenyan terrain. Koriba is the mundumugu, a sort of medicine man/witch doctor/paternal figure. Although not a chief, his power and authority are even greater.
We watch him solving problems, trying to keep order, easing the young people into their life. He works mostly through the fables of his people, and these are beautifully told. You are inside his head, and you can either admire his purity of thought and purpose or get mad at his unwillingness to let modern ideas make the life of his people easier (that includes letting people die who could be saved by modern medicine, and giving women a chance at an intellectual life).
As there are more and more conflicts between keeping the old ways and letting in the new you get madder and madder at him, but his mindset is so brilliantly and sympathetically pictured, that you see his side too.
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I picked up City of Bones today, but won't get a chance at it for a few days.
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I need to get the 6th episode if the Cassandra Clare series. just have not had a chance.. This week , I had to help my 16 yo corgi Gracie to the rainbow bridge with a very caring vet. it was peaceful and loving, but oh so very hard.
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Oh Steph!. I so sorry to hear Gracie is gone physically but she lives on in your heart and memories. It has always been a bit traumatic for me when I had to do the same for one of my cats. I still think of them now and again.
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Part of my grief is she was with me when Tim died and it makes the last break in our life together. She was his darling little girl.
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Oh, dear, that doubles your grief. ((((((hugs))))))
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Oh so sorry Steph, i hope you have lots of pictures of her.
Yes, this is Jean, in SF and F. You will understand why i have not been here before - i guess i just don't have a fantasy-kind-of-brain.
The library book club is discussing Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury on Thurs night. I have read almost 40 pages and altho i get the gist of the set-up, i don't understand what 50% of the sentences are talking about!?!
I.e. "Why are some people all grasshopper fiddlings, scrappings, all antennae shivering, one big ganglion eternally knotting, slip-knotting, square-knotting themselves? They stoke a furnace all their lives, sweat their lips, shine their eyes and start it all in the crib. Caesar's lean and hungry friends. They eat the dark who only stand and breathe."
I know what the essence is, but really? "Eat the dark?" My spell check doesn't like the word scrappings either. ::) This may be a DNF, altho i hate it when people come to a book group and haven't read the book.
Do any of you like Bradbury? What is it that you like? Are all his books written in this style?
Jean
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Jean, yes Bradbury. I've read a bunch of his short stories, books, two. The Martian Chronicles was so so in my opinion; the TV adaptation was much easier to follow. One of my all time favorite books is his Fahrenheit 451. If I read or started to read Something Wicked This Way Comes, it either left no impression or I never finished it. It's not my kind of story. BTW, I discovered that Disney is planning a remake.
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Bradbury was someone I read when I was growing up, so I don't know what I would think of him now. I haven't read Something Wicked, and judging from the description, it's not my kind of thing. The things of his I've read aren't in that style. I'm sorry I can't be more help; it sounds like the sort of thing I wouldn't care for either.
Don't take this one book as representative of sci-fi, Jean. At its best, s-f can be a powerful tool to comment on social issues. You can alter parameters to create a different social setup and throw light on the stupidity of our assumptions. Of course most of it is lighter, just fun. There is one author I read mostly for his magnificent sea battles (fought in space in 3 dimensions, but still sea battles). And the science-based books are a lot of fun for science nerds like me.
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I did read Fahrenheit, back in my other life, about 50 yrs ago. ;D and i did like the premise and the moral it subtly brought out. I have trouble putting outdated textbooks in the trash, let alone burning books whose ideas i didn't like.
Is Bradbury supposed to be superior? I know his name so well, i was expecting to like it, maybe that's why i'm confused and disappointed.
Frybabe - i was out in your neck of the woods last week for a wedding of a grand nephew, in Carlisle. Also that same morning my son ran his first race ever, a half marathon, in York.
Jean
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Jean, I'm not fond of the horror/scarey type books whether SciFi or other fiction. I put Something Wicked in with Stephen King's works, not SciFi as far as I am concerned.
Anyhow, if you liked Fahrenheit 451, you may like to try Elizabeth Moon's Remnant Population. It is about an older woman colonist who purposely avoids being evacuated from a colony planet. She is the only human left there, so she has to learn to do for herself. She begins to interact with the native population of beings that are just beginning to develop skills and abilities as thinking beings. Ursula Le Guin wrote several books which include various moral, political and philosophical issues. We read The Left Hand of Darkness as a discussion a while back. http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=1645.0 The Dispossessed , is a bit more dreary and depressing, I think. Both won Nebula and Hugo Awards. I also liked Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress which is about the Moon colony's struggle to become independent of Earth's rule. Jack McDevitt's Ancient Shores, Eternity Road, and Infinity Beach are also very good. Regarding Frank Herbert's Dune series, I've only read the first book. It encompasses drama on a dynastic scale, lot's of political maneuvering assassination plots, and has a metaphysical element to it. If you saw the first movie, I think it emphasizes the metaphysical while the later TV movie emphasizes the political maneuverings.
I don't generally care for the fantasy side of SciFi, but there are several here that are. Maybe they can suggest a few titles in that area.
PatH brought up humor in SciFi. John Scalzi comes immediately to mind. Agent to the Stars, RedShirts, and Fuzzy Nation are particularly funny. For shear silliness and fun, Douglas's Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy fits the bill.
Pat and I both like the military SciFi. For those that like that kind of thing, Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet series is about the best as far as I am concerned.
Oh, and another favorite of mine is Jack Campbell who writes a series about an antiquities dealer (Alex Benedict) and his assistant which I would characterizes as space adventure. They find and sell antiquities while trying to stay on the good side of the archeological academics and museums. Lots of mystery, danger, detective work and the odd murder or two set in a space environment.
Lastly, I can't not mention Arthur C. Clark and Isaac Asimov. Both have written a wide range of SciFi stories that hit on lots of topics. Grab a book of two of their short stories and pick through them. The same for Bradbury.
BTW, I trust you had a good time here last week. Did your son do well in the race?
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Something Wicked was close to poetry. I liked his earlier stuff. but I adore fantasy and a bit of military and love Terry Pratchet, who writes very funny close to the bone stuff.. He is close to an addition for many people.. Some day when you are down about how women are treated.. try any of his witches stuff, he has something to say about women and how people view them.
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Martian Chronicles. I can still evoke my sense of wonder at Bradbury's imagination. For science nerds Larry Niven is 'far out', though I haven't read him for 30 years or so. I discovered SF in 1960, the year my daughter was born. We were a family of three girls, my mother was one of four girls, none of whom read SF. As a new convert I was insatiable, reading three magazines/month: Analog, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Locus. There was also a slick, Omni, which was new, Analog and F&SF were descendents of the consolidation of earlier pulps. There were no women pulp writers then, it was testosterone in print. Women began to breach the ranks in the 60s as feminism began its entry into mainstream SF. I read as as many women's stories as I could find, escaping from diaper pails, daily washing diapers, diaper covers diaper rash, etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_science_fiction
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Mrssherlock, you reminded me of another military Scifi author I like - Evan Currie. He does a series (Odyssey One) that include many women in leading roles. In fact, one fleet of ships is nicknamed The Valkyries because of their most or all of the command positions are held by women and because of their valor. The key character in the Marine ranks is also a woman.
I forgot to mention John Scalzi's Old Man's War and its series descendents. Here, the story is a combo of military and planet colonization. Basically, people over 75 are recruited. All affairs and ties to Earth are to be settled. Their mind/soul/essence, whatever, gets transferred to a nice, new, much younger, enhanced body. They are required to serve in the Colonial Corps (or whatever they were called, I forget) for a minimum number of years (10, I think), after which they are decommissioned and become citizens of a new colony. The series spans military service, political intrigue and colony building.
Did you know that they are making a movie of Old Man's War? I didn't. It is still listed as in development, though. Sigh!.
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I love Scalzi!!! Just recently reread Old Man's War. Evan Currie is new to me; Salem Library has one book, Homeworld.
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Since one of the downsides of the excellent Old Man's War is the gruesome bits about what their super weapons do to human and alien bodies, I wonder what the movie will be like?
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Jackie, Homeworld is book three in the Odyssey series. Maybe your library can get the others on an inter-library loan. If you have Amazon Prime, you can borrow the books, free. I see book four has just been released. I'll have to wait til August to borrow it.
Oh, and BTW, a huge OOPS! The Odyssey series is not the one I described. I described his Warriors Wings series. The Odyssey series is about a research and exploration ship, using the newly developed FTL drives, that discovers some human colonies hitherto unknown and a nasty enemy determined to eradicate them. It seems they looks upon humans as some kind of blight or disease.
I like this guy"s writing and expect to see more good things from his pen (well, computer more likely). I am not likely to read his newest series, however. The Seal Team 13 series, at least on in the first book, is Earth based.
Currie looks a lot like one of my former supervisors in the Amazon photo. http://www.amazon.com/Evan-Currie/e/B004V4PCV8
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using The Fifth Elephant as my bed book just now. Poor Sam,, roped into politics.
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There is a new book out in Charles Stross's Laundry Files series--The Rhesus Chart. I'm number 14 on the hold list for the one copy on order in my library system. Depending on how fast people read and how soon the order comes in, It could be a year before it's my turn. :( Maybe if demand continues to grow they'll order a second copy.
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It always seems that most libraries are not heavily into science fiction or fantasy other than vampire stuff.
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My library is spotty--it has some good stuff, but is missing blocks of other things you'd think they would have.
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A YA I liked, After he End. Amy Plum. Survivors of WWIII establish a sanctuary in deepest outback Alaska. One day helicopters bring troopers who kidnap the clan, all except a young hunter seeking meat. Shocked, she is driven to find and rescue them even though she has been told that the outside world wasl destroyed leaving wreckage and ashes behind. She sets out and, three days later comes over a ridge and sees a town with people coming and going, cars, dogs barking, etc. This is the premise which attracted me but the rest of the story takes a turn I was not expecting. Worth the read, ends with a cliff hanger; stay tuned for book #2. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/amy-plum/after-the-end.htm
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After the end... will look for it.
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Most of the Scifi I get from come from two libraries in the county system. We have seven libraries in our system not including the branch I volunteer at; it is considered a branch of Fredricksen.
I've finished with Cloud Atlas. As long as it was, I almost felt sorry for it to end. There are some subtle recurring themes that run through the book: slavery, reincarnation (the author used the term transmigration), and the whole consumerism/corporate greed/environmental impact ball of wax. I'm paraphrasing here, but at some point the author wrote in the narrative that what drives civilizations to improve their lot is the same drive that eventually destroys them. The book is formatted so that there are a series of six slightly intertwining stories. The first five stories are split, one half of each at the front end of the book beginning with the oldest date, story six is entirely in the middle, and the second half of the five split stories come after in reverse sequence to the first half. I believe that the movie treated each story in the whole with the middle at the end. There are, of course, things left out of the movie and a few changes.
Now I am in the middle of a SciFi/Fantasy short story anthology of the first year of a magazine called LightSpeed. Never heard of it, but a number of the stories are quite good. I've found their website: http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/about/
Robogenesis is now waiting for me to pick up at the library.
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Amy Plum.. Hm, my book swap site has about five of hers all on long long wish lists..
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It would be nice to know the demographics of the two libraries with all the good stuff.
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Interesting question, PatH. I expect the library system has some kind of way to track that. Will ask. I figure that the Library Manager's personal preferences, in addition to experience with what genres get borrowed most frequently, have an influence on what gets ordered. Our branch has a large children's section (about half the space), and we've been enlarging our teen and Christian Fiction (very popular here) sections. I've been lobbying for a larger SciFi section. Most of the slow increase, though, is at the Fantasy end. Our manager is not very familiar with or interested in SciFi.
One of the things our manager mentioned a while back is that we have a high rate of library visitors for being a small branch. We are averaging about 275-300 a day, I think. I am not sure if the counter counts the number of times the door opens or if it actually counts bodies. I suspect the former which would make for a very inaccurate account. Will ask. The work on our new digs downstairs is progressing, but I still don't know when it will be ready to move our shelves and books. It isn't clear whether we actually gained space, but unlike the area of the township building we are now in we will have doors with direct outside access. That means that we can stay open on Friday evenings and the weekend. I've already volunteered to work weekends.
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Our library cannot take volunteers, unless they get vetted by the county. sigh. I jumped all of the hoops, was approved and then informed that the jobs available as a volunteer are in the childrens department. I am not overfond of little children, so declined and have never been offered anything elsse.. Most of the general library volunteer jobs are given to college students, since the library and community college share a building.
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Wish my library had a Christian section. It is most upsetting to start a book and then learn it is aimed for Christian readers, i.e., those who have been 'saved'. Happy in my pagan status I'm not looking for stories with 'divine' elements.
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I'm getting excited. PW has come out with their fall release listings. Among them are Jack Campbell's next Lost Stars book (in October) and Jack McDevitt's latest Alex Benedict book, Coming Home (in November). Greg Bear, Peter Hamilton, William Dietz, and William Gibson also have new books coming out this fall. Oh, and some Steampunk and a book of SciFi short fiction written by women.
http://announcements.publishersweekly.com/pw/announcements.aspx?source=catalog&pg=4400&group=browse&browseBy=TitlePubDate&TitleBISACSubject=FIC000000&TitleBISACCategory=FAKFIC028000&savecook=1%2c1%2c1%2c1%2c1&sord=9%200&startIndex=0&savecook=1
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I've finished a Scifi Ebook by Christopher Nuttall called On The Imperium's Secret Service (Imperium Cicernus Book 1). This is only the second space spy thriller I've read (the other was The Door through Space by Marion Zimmer Bradley). I like the characters. Unlike the rebels who want to bring the Imperium down (with good reason), the main characters are trying to hold the corrupt and unwieldy government and bureaucracy together while others in their group are trying to reform from within.
I like the story line better than his Ark Royal series. Unfortunately, I won't be getting the second in the series. I am sure glad I read the customer comments. Not only is the second book not written by Nuttall (he is listed as editor - HAH, he should improve on his own writing with proper editing), but it is not a continuation of the first. Rather, it is set hundreds of years in the past from the original time setting. There are few customer reviews, but most of them are not pleased. One of the reviewers called it "cartoonish". What a disappointment.
Okay, so now I am reading Robogenisis by Daniel H. Wilson, the sequel to his Robopocalypse. I am in the first section. While I can't say I don't like it, exactly, I can say that I do not care for Zombie type stories. The first section deals with soldiers who were attacked by robotic creatures who attached themselves to the soldiers, commandeering their brains while killing off the rest of the body. Of course, the body rots and stinks, etc. There is a really interesting twist to this, though. Not saying, that would be a spoiler. Overall, the decimated human population thinks the war is over, but unknown to them, initially, another one has begun. It turns out there are more of these supercomputers, and they are vying for domination. Most appear to want to destroy the humans altogether, one does not, or so it says. One question I had about Mr. Wilson was why did he pick the Cherokee Nation as a focal point for his characters. It turns out that he is a member.
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I don't like or read or watch about Zombies.. just one of those.. not gonna things, but The Cherokee nation. Now a fantasy set with that would be great.
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There must be some out there Steph. I am doing a search of novels about the Cherokee and ran across Robert J. Conley(passed away earlier this year). He wasn't a fantasy writer; most of his works are Westerns or Non-Fiction.
You may want to try this: http://www.meredithandwinblevins.com/zadayi-red/ Win It doesn't look like it is free any longer through Amazon. They need to update their webpage. Oh, here is another from the same author: http://www.meredithandwinblevins.com/shadows-in-the-cave-2/
Here is a book list from GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/28920.Fantasy_Novels_Based_in_Native_American_Myth
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Ah, the last one shows promise. Will check into some of the authors.
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I finished Robogenesis. It looks like it might be a set up to another in a series. I am not sure I like that. After two of these, I can say that although the author didn't go into a great deal of technical or military detail, it was more than enough to feel the horror. Don't think I want to read more such horrors. The battling supercomputing entities ruthlessly use machines, humans, and human/machine hybrids or mutants in their battles for control and power.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Feast or famine: all of a sudden, I'm inundated. The first was City of Bones, which I picked up from the library several weeks ago, but haven't had a chance to read yet.
Then came Jack Campbell's Steadfast, the latest in the Lost Fleet series. I ordered the paperback from the UK 2 weeks ago. It was shipped from Ireland last week, with no time promise, and I thought I'd have to wait a while, but I got it two days ago.
Then the latest in Charles Stross' Laundry Files series--The Rhesus Chart. Two weeks ago, my library system didn't own it, had one copy on order, and I signed up as #14 on the hold list. Today I got a notice that my copy was waiting for me. The system now owns 14 copies, all either checked out or waiting in hold, and there are no pending holds. They must have ordered enough to meet the list. I'm not sure this is the best use of funds--why not order a few copies and make us wait--but I'm glad to get my chance, and glad that Stross will get the income.
Lastly is the next sf/fantasy f2f club selection, Jim Butcher's Grave Peril, which I bought last night. Butcher is an author I've been meaning to try, so we'll see how I like him.
Which do I read first? Frybabe could tell you. Campbell, of course. You're right, Frybabe, he's back up to speed, and we have a bunch of new issues to deal with.
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Ijust picked up The Magician and have read the first 25 pages. Interesting, although it is supposed to be like Harry, but more adult in theme. We will see.
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I'll be interested to hear what you think of it. I think it's more like Narnia for grownups, though without C. S. Lewis' strong religious themes. If you like it, there are two more.
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Two new SciFi books arrived at the library for me to look into:
Artemis Awakening by Jane M. Lindskold - social SF ( well that's a new designation to me), lost civilization rediscovered by an archaeologist who hopes to find the vanished empire's advanced technology which may help him to get back home. Of course there are others who are interested in the lost artifacts. Of course I will have to read this to compare it with Jack McDevitt's Alex Benedict series. Oh, and it may be considered part Fantasy? It includes a major character who is a huntress, and she has a psychic-linked puma.
The Forever Watch by David Ramirez - hard SF, part mystery, part dystopian thriller. Spaceship with a city-like environment on a journey of 1,000 years. Murders included.
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The Magician is at this point puzzling and considerably darker than I expected. I did kknow that this is a three book trip.. So much of it is a mystery.
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The Magician.. finished the first one and doubt I will try the second or third. Violent.. depressive,, horrid characters. I guess this is written for another generation other than mine. I don't want the only character I liked to die and the hero to be such a fatheaded idiot.
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I didn't care much for it either, but didn't want to prejudice you before you had a crack at it. It's much admired, but I don't see why.
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I am currently reading Date Night On Union Station by E. M. Foner. It is pretty funny. The main character, something of a workaholic whose Mom and friends are on her about finding a guy. She is given a subscription to the space station's dating service. The story is about her dates, and those of the second main character who took a subscription in trade for work done. They keep missing each other in their daily duties. She is a representative of EarthCent (quickly rising to Ambassador) and he is a former military/mercenary who won a junk yard in a card game. The e-book is free on Amazon. The author just released a next in series called Alien Night on Union Station. I am planning on reading that too.
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Now that sounds like fun.. will look it up.
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I've finished Aliens Night on Union Station, the sequel to Date Night... It got more heavily into the "gameverse" which occasionally had my eyes glazing over, but it was central to the story (as I suspected). This second book was also funny, what with the strange aliens and the diplomatic interactions. A new character was introduced who I suspected was not exactly who he said he was, but I could not have guessed who he really was. Kelly's mom came for a visit, less interesting than it could have been, I think.
Oh, and I should mention that for the most part the editing was good. I only found a few errors in both books. The books have no sex, swearing, killing and the like, so they are a great set for the young set to read too. I tried to find info on the author, but having practically no luck other than the little blurb at the back of the books. The author lives in MA with a dog.
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Sigh.. I broke down and bought the 6th episode of Cassaandra Clares series.. It is huge, but was on sale at 16.00 and I do love the series. It is supposed to finish off the series.
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I picked up The Forever Watch by David Ramirez on Friday and am done with it already. Alright, I didn't read the whole thing. While the premise was interesting and I liked the complicated love story and the ending, I started to really lose interest when it looked like it was heading towards an alien or genetic monster type horror. Well, I apparently was mostly wrong there, but still I read the beginning and the ending and don't feel the need to read all the in-between stuff.
There are many, many readers who actually got through it and gave it high praise. It is indeed, intense. If you are interested in dystopian thrillers set on a huge spaceship, do check it out. Here are comments from GoodReads readers. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17934479-the-forever-watch
When the readers say it is complex, intense and intriguing, it is that.
The author's bio posted on a number of sites: "DAVID RAMIREZ is an ex-scientist who divides his time between Oakland, CA, and Manila, Philippines. Once a molecular biologist who worked on the Human Genome Project, Ramirez returned to the Philippines to get married. He dabbled in computer science and the last STEM project he worked on was programming part of the information system for the chronobiologists of EUCLOCK, a cooperative project between European research groups on the study of circadian rhythms in model organisms and humans." This is his first book.
Now I have started another of Jack McDevitt's Priscilla Hutchens series, Odyssey.
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I lied. Not intentionally. After starting Odyessy I went back, reread the reviews for Forever Watch and decided to read the middle bit. I am glad I did. The book did actually get pretty exciting after p100 or there about. All that "psi power" floating about is more than I care for, but the story IS good. I can feel the emotions swirling around - love, loss, longing, pride and satisfaction of a job well done, curiosity, paranoia, pain. BTW, surprise ending.
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psi power has always interested me. may try the book.
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John Scalzi has a new book out--Lock In. It looks like a new approach for him. A new virus epidemic, mostly harmless, affects 1% of its victims by immobilizing them. They can only interact with others in a virtual reality. Then it turns out that the victims can control some people, use their bodies. Don't know where this will go, but it looks interesting. I'm #16 on the wait list for the one copy on order by my library.
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Interesting, PatH. Let us know what you think of it.
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It may take a while if they don't order more copies.
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Can't believe it. My library system (including my branch) actually has three copies on order.
Oh dear, they list it as Horror Fiction as well as Science Fiction. I do hope he had kept some of his humor in it somewhere.
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I am just now up on John Scalzi's blog on his website http://whatever.scalzi.com/
Audible has two versions for pre-order, one is narrated by Amy Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and the other by his bud, Wil Wheaton (Star Trek Next Generation).
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Just got an email flash that Patricia Briggs is publishing short story anthology on Mercy.. a heroine of hers who is quite interesting.
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Interesting recent interview with John Scalzi. Only the last few minutes relate to Lock In. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCqCpYAoMjE
Gee Whiz, the book even has a theme song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98Ry87NBpek
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Finished Jack McDevitt's Odyssey. I thought it was more exciting than the last one. Unfortunately the last in the series gets bad reviews. Hutch is back piloting again, but many thought the explanation of the Omega cloud origins unsatisfactory and the story uneven and boring. All I want to know is how did Hutch end up. May just reserve the book to check out the ending.
In the meantime, Artemis Awakening is ready for me to pick up along with a book about Wales by Welsh travel writer Jan Morris. Morris, who is still alive and kicking at 87, wrote a highly praised non-fiction trilogy called Pax Britannica that I'd like to read - if I can find it at a reasonably price in good condition.
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Jan Morris.. A travel writer, but am I right that she was once he??
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Yes, you are correct Steph. I read Morris's book, Conundrum, about her transformation. It is the book that my X read in which he (now she) found out he was not alone and started his quest.
I've started Artemis Awakening. So far, I am not real impressed. Since I am only in two chapters, I will continue on a while. The two (three?) main characters are still getting to know each other.
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Okay, Artemis Awakening is a DNF for me. I did skip around to get the gist of the goings on and if the main character got to go home.
Surprise! Lock In was in the new book pile that my Friday partner was processing. I am surprised that our branch library manager ordered it; she is not particularly fond of Science Fiction. I am surprised that it came in so soon; it was on order for two libraries in the system (according to the online catalog), but not ours. The book isn't scheduled for release until the 26th, yet it is here already. There is a line behind me, so I have to get reading.
I've been trying to find info about how Scalzi decided to do a book using what sounds a lot like locked-in syndrome as the focus. When I saw the synopsis, I thought of the Shriner's Hospital commercial about the little girl whose muscles were locked at birth and the work they were doing to help her overcome the problem. It is a real syndrome. NIH doesn't have much on it. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/lockedinsyndrome/lockedinsyndrome.htm
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Yes, I did read Conundrum as well. I once knewsomeone who went from male to female. but he had also been married many years, had teen age daughters and it was so terribly hard on them. He/she was very happy, but not sure about his wife and children
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Did you read the Firekeeper series Steph? Artemis Awakening is written by the same author. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/jane-m-lindskold/
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Do not remember Firekeeper. I tend to read mostly female science fiction writers, not fond of space opera..
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I don't know why they called it the Firekeeper series since all the titles except one have Wolf in the title. Oh, okay, the title or name of the girl is Firekeeper and she was raised by "magically enhanced" wolves according to the blurb about the first book on Fantastic Fiction. I'll stick with space opera any day.
More on Lock In. It isn't so much a book about finding a cure for a nasty virus as it is dealing with the side effects and culture that grows up around the victims. It mixes murder, politics, discrimination and a new culture born from technological enhancements that allow victims to interact with others.
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Lock in iis something I want to look for. Sounds interesting.
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Both of you will probably read Lock In before I get it. I'm #16 on a waiting list for the one copy my library intends to purchase. Of course, they may do what they did with The Rhesus Chart--buy more when they see the length of the waiting list.
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Just finished it PatH. I wonder if Scalzi will do a sequel. I wonder if he had doubts about the story. He says he wrote it last year, but that it was his wife that pushed him to get it ready for publication. He acknowledged her as the reason the book made it to publication. Did he have doubts about the book? Kirkus gave it a starred review, which mean the book is in the running for this year's Kirkus Prize. Gosh, there are a lot of nominees. Very few titles I recognize. The Light We Cannot See and Euphoria are on the list.
I do wish I knew what inspired him to use locked-in syndrome as a vehicle. It is not a well known or understood problem. My Friday library partner's husband has ALS. He was diagnosed less than a year ago. Already, he can no longer get up and down the stairs. He becomes exhausted just walking from one room to another. He is gradually becoming "locked-in".
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1913
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Oh, dear, Frybabe, I feel so sorry for your friend and her husband. Someone I know whose husband died of ALS called it a very cruel disease, and your link spells out why. I wonder if Scalzi was spurred to write Lock In by knowing someone with the problem. It's certainly out of his usual range of subject.
I realize that after getting and reading The Rhesus Chart, I never reviewed it here. I'm also not sure if any of you read Stross' Laundry Files series. My SIL described them as a cross between James Bond and H. P. Lovecraft, only Bond works for the Postal Service. Magic and demons are real, but they are phenomena leaking in from other universes, and computer tricks can inadvertently summon them, or they can deal with them. The narrator, Bob Howard, is a "computational demonologist", working for a British government agency (the Laundry) putting out fires. They are great fun if you happen to like that kind of thing. Stross must have worked for the government at some point; he's scathing about bureaucracy. Downside: the books can get pretty gruesome, and there is some bad demon sex (not with Howard, who is quite moral in his love life).
They absolutely have to be read in order. Anything else leads to incomprehension and spoilers. Rhesus Chart is a good continuation of the series.
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That sounds like fun.. Nothing like a big juicy demon to start the day.
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I've just given up on reading a fantasy by William Morris. Yup, the same William Morris that gave the world all those wonderful textile and wallpaper designs. Never knew he wrote poetry and novels. The Well at World's End is a medieval fantasy. I liked finding all those archaic words, but the story itself seemed simple and not very exciting. But what do I know, H. G. Wells liked it. Apparently Tolkien and C. S. Lewis did too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Morris
I see Morris wrote his own epic poem version of the mythic stories of Sigurd (Siegfried). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Sigurd_the_Volsung_and_the_Fall_of_the_Niblungs There is a quote in the link about what he thought of the epic being turned into an opera. I've just downloaded it from Project Gutenberg to add to my Niblung tale collection. There are a lot of Morris books on Gutenberg, more than Wikipedia lists.
BTW, Steph. I wonder why I like mythology but not, for the most part, fantasy.
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hmm. I too like mythology and there are some fantasy authors, who combine the well known myths into their version of a fantasy and are fun.. Now if my off and on memory releases some names, will put them up..
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I think because myths and legends have been told and retold over generations, they have been hammered into shapes that seem most satisfying and right to us, meeting our artistic and psychological needs. Some of the best fantasy writers either use the myths or have enough of a feel for them to get the spirit. That's why Tolkien is so much better than his imitators; he was steeped in all the myths he had translated and studied. The imitators take the components, but they don't know what to do with them.
There are also fantasy writers who don't rely on myth; I'm trying to come up with some names and am blanking on it. Steph?
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This site claims to be the top go to for scifi, fantasy, horror and anime fans. Here is their top 20 authors of fantasy list:
http://www.mania.com/top-20-greatest-fantasy-writers-alltime_article_114266.html
I did read all the Tolkien Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit books and enjoyed them. However, when I tried to reread The Hobbit for our recent book discussion, I couldn't stick with it. Couldn't get into Alice either, probably because I saw the movies too often, just like The Wizard of Oz (which became ad nauseum for me).
Oh, I did like Guy Gavriel Kay's Ysabel which is billed as an urban fantasy. I also like Carol Goodman's books. They are not fantasy per se, but use myths and fairy tales juxtaposed with a modern mystery to drive the action/plot. I liked the movie Avatar, which is more fantasy than science fiction to my mind.
Maybe I should stop saying I don't like fantasy.
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Interesting list. Terry Pratchett is an all-time favorite, as is Tolkien. I kind of like Lord Dunsany, Neil Gaiman, and some of Piers Anthony, and can't stand Roger Zelazney. Pratchett certainly doesn't fit the myth pattern.
Of their also-rans, I like Lloyd Alexander and liked L. Frank Baum when I was a kid. C. S. Lewis is good, but comes down kind of heavy on the religion and Imperialism. Tim Powers is strange--the one book of his I've read--Three Days to Never--is a mixture of alternate timelines, the supernatural, wicked plots, international intrigue, etc. Odd, but compelling.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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I love Pratchett.. neil Gaiman is good. marion Zimmer Bradley was excellent.. but where is Anne McCaffrey who is one of my all time favorite fantasy people.. Some of these fantasy are what I think of as battles in the stars types. Not that fond of them.. Lynn Abbey did not write much, but her two volume horse clan was extraordinary. I also class Charlaine Harris...and several others as fantasy writers.
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Where indeed is McCaffrey? She certainly is good enough to be there.
To round things out, here's a list of 50 essential science fiction books sent me by Abe Books recently.
50 S-F Books (http://www.abebooks.com/books/features/50-essential-science-fiction-books.shtml?cm_mmc=nl-_-nl-_-CPftb04-h00-MVsifiAM-123324GN-_-01cta&abersp=1)
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Lots of room for quibbles here. I've read 17:
Brave New World
1984
The Demolished Man
Mission of Gravity
Sirens of Titan
Solaris
A Wrinkle in Time
Dune
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Left Hand of Darkness
Rendezvous wit Rama
The Stand
Ender's Game
Hyperion
Red Mars
Old Mans War
Little Brother
Only one book allowed per author, and it says the choice was sometimes arbitrary. I've read different books than the choice by Asimov, Verne, Bradbury, Christopher, Heinlein, Ballard, Pohl, Banks, Stephenson, Bujold, and Mieville.
I sure wouldn't pick Rendezvous With Rama for Clarke, or The Sirens of Titan for Vonnegut.
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I've read nine of them plus A Handmaid's Tale. I've seen four movies. Even though I tried twice, I just couldn't get past the first half hour of Starship Troopers. Gibson's Neuromancer was a DNF for me.
I would have added Elizabeth Moon's Remnant Population (1996) or her Speed of Dark (2003) for which she won the 2003 Nebula Award for Best Novel.
I guess Peter Watts (Blindsight) just a bit too weird for the list. It's a wonder I got through it since I found Gibson's Neuromancer a DNF for me. I am not sure I can get through his Rifters series but I will try. Oh, look a new book just out called Echopraxia which is billed as a follow up to Blindsight. Some of the others listed on Amazon look kind of interesting. I didn't realize he wrote so many books. It looks like Wikipedia's list is incomplete.
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It's cheating for them to have Handmaid's Tale and Neuromancer pictured there when they aren't in the 50. I've read them both. The list seems to focus mostly on classics, so you wouldn't expect many recent books. Sometimes I think I should try Starship Troopers because of it's historical influence, but wisdom always prevails.
Solaris is very strange, and gets kind of tedious. I've seen both the movies, which tighten up the story and add stuff. The earlier, Russian one is better, even if it doesn't have George Clooney.
Don't waste your time on Hyperion; it's dreadful. I read it for my f2f club.
I enjoyed Little Brother, but it's not "50 best" caliber.
I didn't realize Watts had written so much either.
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Wikipedia is pretty skimpy on info about Watts. They list him as also being a marine mammal biologist, but say nothing about a career or job in the field. He gotten necrotizing fasciitis a few years back - nasty. He is Canadian and is now not allowed in the US after a scuffle with the border patrol.
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Whew.. Philip K. Dick totally defeats me as an author and I don't think of Vonnegut as a SF author.. on the other hand, I live Handmaids tale and sought out and gave me granddaughter a copy several years ago. I think for women that is a must read and understand.
I obviously lean toward fantasy.. James Schmitz is a long gone author who wrote The Witches of Karres and if you ever run on an old battered paperback copy , grab it.. a really funny version of space travel and witches. There was another author that I cannot pull up his name who wrote about a college professor who kept getting pulled back into time and would end up in the middle of mythology.. and Shakespeare. Great fun..
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Some of Dick defeats me too. I tried four times to read The Man in the High Castle, one of his most admired, and always got stuck pretty fast. Then my f2f club read it. I still couldn't get into it, but I went to the discussion, and nothing they said made me think I should try again. Some of his stuff is light-hearted, though, like Martian Time-Slip.
The Sirens of Titan is definitely sci-fi, since it partly takes place on a moon of Saturn, has spaceships and extraterrestrials. Slaughterhouse 5 has extraterrestrials too, and a tricky time-shifting of living your life all at once.
I totally agree about The Handmaids Tale.
If you think of it, let me know the author of the college professor. It sounds a bit like L. Sprague De Camp.
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I think I read one or two of his short stories, can't tell you what though. They didn't stand out. I just discovered that a number of movies were based on his books. Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), Total Recall (short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale"), Minority Report (short story by the same name), and The Adjustment Bureau (loosely based on the short story "Adjustment Team") and Paycheck (short story by the same name) are the ones I know of. I couldn't get through Blade Runner but really liked Total Recall. I haven't seen the others.
Dick was a bit of a "head case". It probably shows in his writings. What interests me is that he was born with a twin sister who died about six weeks later. He always felt her presence, and when he died his ashes were buried next to her. When his parents divorced, he found himself in the middle of a custody battle. I read somewhere that he eventually became a paranoid schizophrenic.
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There were about a dozen movies in all, but I can only come up with 12 Monkeys and A scanner Darkly on top of those you remember.
He was also into drugs, and much of his work seems to me like he was stoned when he wrote it. I'm not really an admirer of him, but like some of his stuff.
As a twin, I find the twin aspect interesting.
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He did 12 Monkeys? Oh, that's another one I liked. Bruce Willis did a wonderful job in the "drool" scene.
I wonder if there is a biography of him somewhere. Will go look.
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Answered my question. Yes indeed, there are biographies of Philip K. Dick. One (In Search of Philip K. Dick) is written by wife number three, Anne Dick; it got mixed reviews. There is also Divine Invasions by Lawrence Sutin and I Am Alive and You Are Dead: Journey into the Mind of Philip K. Dick by Emile Carrère.
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Yes, yes L. Sprague De Camp and I used to love him or her. do not know which the author was. They were in all of the old monthly magazines among other things..
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He was a man. In private life he was also a patent attorney, and he and my father knew each other, were sort of friends. (My father was a big gun in the Patent Office.) I think I met him once for a few seconds. He (De Camp, not my father) died in 2000, age 93.
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As I remember, he had a great sense of humor in his work.. Went to see The Giver ( lois Lowry) yesterday.. Good movie, Must find the book to see how different it might be. I liked Lois Lowry stuff and recommended to teens when I had the book store.
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I finished Cauldren and am into Starhawk now, the last two of the Priscilla Hutchins series. Cauldren did not get good reviews from readers, but I enjoyed it. I was kind of expecting some kind of definite ending to Priscilla, but not so. I guess she will just fade away. As I understand it, it is the last one. Well, almost. Starhawk goes back to the very beginning of her career, so I guess that makes it a prequel. Here again, I was hoping for a little more of her before she became a star pilot. Not much there. It pretty much starts with her taking her qualifying flight test for her license.
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Because of the movie,they have reissued The Giver and also issued a four in one book for the books in the quartette.
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This is mostly a duplicate of something I posted in Blanko.
I just read Rescue Mode, by Ben Bova and Les Johnson, and it has a lot of similarities to The Martian. It deals with the first human expedition to Mars too; the spaceship gets hit by a meteor when it's gone too far to turn back. They manage to repair the damage, but are left with a fuel shortage and, if they do the Mars flyby (which they have to do in order to turn around) and pick up the water stored there for the short stay they meant to have, they still won't have enough to last them all the way home. What to do?
The technical stuff is kept to a minimum, and there is a lot more about the politics of supporting the expedition and whether this will kill future manned expeditions. Johnson works for NASA, as well as writing, mostly factual articles, so he presumably knows only too well how things work there.
It's slicker than The Martian. Weir's inexperience shows, especially at first, while Bova is a practiced old hand. There is more character development and interaction, since we're following 8 people cooped up together. But I found them equally enjoyable. If you liked The Martian, you will probably like this one.
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I Don't think I've ever read Ben Nova.
Just finished an e-book I found hard to put down - Into the Darkness by Thomas A. Mays. Lots of Naval acronyms and procedures, and nuclear reactor and weaponry, plasma propulsion, political footdragging, along with the requisite space battles. I was amused by the reason the aliens wanted to come to Earth, but not by how they planned to acquire what they wanted. Their method of propulsion and the description of their "fleet" was a bit fantastical, as in strange.This is Mays first full length novel.
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It's Bova, with a B. I'm not sure I've read anything of his either, but he's been around a long time and has written a lot, has a good reputation.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/ben-bova/ (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/ben-bova/)
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I have read Bova, but it was years ago.
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I am almost 3/4 the way through a rather long e-book called Not Without My Cat (When Fish is Not Enough). There is the cat (Camille), her owner (a PI), all sorts of strange and not so strange people and events, teleportation, time travel, alternate universes (timeline?), and lots of tea. It is a jumble and it is very poorly edited (what's new?). I am barely following the events, and it is difficult to keep some "who and when straight, but oh, what fun this is to read. I am surprised to find that the author, A. M. Russell, is a female.
A poem is quoted in the book from a book called Ways of Seeing, the author of which does not appear to be credited. I am in the process of trying to track it down. The poem is strange but compelling.
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The only book I found called Ways of Seeing is by John Berger. It is a companion to a BBC program (way back in 1972) of the same name. It is about art, art history, art interpretation. The book is considered a modern classic, and is apparently still used as a textbook. Berger has written many books, both fiction and nonfiction, that center on the art world. You Tube has all four episodes of the program. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pDE4VX_9Kk I may watch them later.
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Oh my, the ebooks are sometimes not quite finished.. I would guess first books are hard to deal with without an editor.
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Looks like a super couple of weeks/months with the new list of Scifi books from my library newsletter. Only Watts and Bova are new books this year.
Three books of essays:
In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination by Margaret Atwood
Bradbury Speaks: Too Soon from the Cave, Too Far from the Stars by Ray Bradbury
The Wave in the Mind: Talks and Essays on the Writer, the Reader, and the Imagination by Ursula K. Le Guin
A new Peter Watts book, companion to Blindsight, Echopraxia
For Ben Bova fans: New Frontiers: A Collection of Tales About the Past, the Present, and the Future
My library wish list is getting entirely too long. ;D
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I scored some old stuff last year at a closing sale and have been wandering around in the golden age of sci-fi.. Fun in their worlds..
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Steph--share with us what you're reading so we can reminisce if we've read them, or maybe read them if we hven't.
Frybabe, I'm now on the library waiting list for Echopraxia. The LeGuin sounds like something to have.
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I've been very tardy about reporting on my s-f/fantasy book club selections.
The selection for the meeting I missed was Jim Butcher's Grave Peril. It's the third in his lengthy, well-respected Dresden Files series. I was glad to be pushed into reading something of his, but he isn't my thing. The narrator is a vampire hunter in Chicago, and the story is a PI type investigation with many mystical elements. It's a very good job, and keeps you reading along, so worth a try if you like this subtype.
The next meeting, we read Stephen King's 11/22/63. The narrator, living in the present, has found a time wormhole that leads back to 1958, landing you in the same New England town he's living in. He ends up deciding to go back and try to prevent Kennedy's assassination, and on the way, while he's living forward to get to '63, prevent a bloody murder in his town.
I don't willingly read Stephen King, but I have to admit that it's a good job. He knows how to spin a tale, and I kept with all 850 pages (brevity isn't his strength). The thing that shines in his book is the narrator's description of his life as a high school teacher. (I think King was a teacher). One of the fellow discussers who went to high school in the flashback time said King was totally accurate in his description.
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PatH, I read Butcher's first Dresden Files book and saw the one and only season of the TV show (too bad it was cancelled). Dresden is a wizard in his own right and sets himself up as a PI of all things occult, especially those of an evil nature.
I just finished The Ship Who Sang by Ann McCaffery. Not bad. I can see why Lock In reminded Beth (my Friday Library partner) of this book.
Currently, I am reading Accidental Flight by Floyd L. Wallace. Accidental, in this case, is what they call people who have been mutilated in accidents or by birth who are able to survive because of technology and extraordinary effort, and who can't, for whatever reason, be brought back up to the standards of normal (or beauty) of the general society. These folks are called Accidentals and are exiled to a "rehab" setting on an asteroid. It is okay, but not the compelling read of Blindsight, and certainly not confusing.
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It is okay, but not the compelling read of Blindsight, and certainly not confusing.
I've got one that is as compelling, and not as confusing. It's Spin, by Robert Charles Wilson, the November selection for my f2f club. It starts off very reminiscent of Blindsight. All of a sudden one night the stars and moon disappear. There is a barrier around the earth, and time inside and outside are passing at different rates, by a factor of billions. In about 40 years inside, we will reach the heat death of the sun, and presumably be cooked. Who or what is doing this, and why?
Unlike in Blindsight, the characters are standard humans, not bio-engineered wonders, and easy to relate to. The story is ingenious, clever, and suspenseful. The one thing that does make you work is that the story is told in two timelines, one starting near the end of the timeframe of the book, and one starting with the beginning, with a few flashbacks to show where the characters are coming from. They alternate, each proceeding forward, so you have to keep the future in mind when dealing with the present.
It's a very good read.
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I pretty much gave up on Accidental Flight. I skimmed through to the end to pick up highlights and find out the ending. It is actually a rather lengthy short story that was originally published in Galaxy Magazine.
Next up are The Book of Lost Fragrances and The Club Dumas. Neither one is SciFi.
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Larry Niven. I had forgotten how very good he was. I had two of his in the old stuff I got.. Both were excellent.. Also a kindle book that is fun.. Date night which is only a kindle, but amazingly funny.. Try Harmony or one of those dating sites, but in the future on a world that has robots as well as humans and others.
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Last night I read a short story called "Borden's Pets" by Floyd L. Wallace. It turned out to be finding a cure/preventative for a native disease on a planet just being explored/colonized. The ending is a little sad, but it is a good read. Wallace was the author of "Accidental Flight" which I mentioned earlier. That one would have been a bit better if it hadn't been quite so long, IMO.
Oh good heavens. YouTube as a section of SciFi readings including "Borden's Pets." Can't say I am thrilled with the reader.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0WrwGfOeO4
This outfit "resurrects" old authors, SciFi, Mystery. They list one SciFi book of stories women SciFi writers.
http://www.resurrectedpress.com/
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Splurged on a new ( to me) Terry Pratchett yesterday. Will tuck it away for the periodic,, blue periods in my life. He always makes me laugh
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Of all the sci-fi books on my library waiting list, the one that finally reached the top was the one I'm least interested in--Peter Watts' Echopraxia. Well, better than nothing. I'll have to wait a bit to read it, though, because it smells of perfume. There's a neat trap as you leave, though, 5 carts of donated books for $1 hardback and $0.50 paperback, and they had two Ben Bova books, so now I'm really well-stocked.
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I'm going to have to read Blindsight again before I read Echopraxia.
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Me too. That's one reason I didn't want to get it now.
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mark
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The movie,The Martian, from the book by Andy Weir is scheduled to be released in Nov. of 2015. Ridley Scott is directing and Matt Damon will play the lead. Nice article about Andy Weir and The Martian's journey from online serial, to book publication, and finally, to movie.
http://shelf-life.ew.com/2014/11/05/andy-weir-the-martian-author/
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Good article. I'll see it when it comes out. Wonder if Weir is writing something now?
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According to his Facebook page, Weir is writing another book, but he is mum on what it is about. There are some short works posted here as well as a link to sign up to his newsletter.
http://www.galactanet.com/writing.html The short story,The Egg, apparently has quite a following. Here is a video adaptation of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehRggplMieM This is interesting.
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Not a Ridley Scott fan at all..
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I'm curious, Steph, what don't you like about Scott?
I looked at his movie credits. I've only seen two of his movies, bits of several others, and a three of his TV series. I can't say that I paid attention to who produced or directed any of them, nor do I known anything about him. I don't generally follow entertainment news very closely.
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I didn't get to Weir's sci-fi short stories yet; I got waylaid by the Professor Moriarty stories (I'm a Sherlock Holmes nut). Amusing.
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That's a great story about Andy Weir, Frybabe. THanks for linking to it.
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I saw two of Scotts movies and hated both, so I figure life is too short to keep him on my must see list.
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The only thing of his I've seen is Blade Runner, and though I had some criticisms, I thought it was good. That doesn't tell me how he'll do with The Martian, which should be in a very different style.
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I rather suspect that I never watched many of his movies/TV shows because I wasn't interested in the content, or in the case of the TV shows, don't get the particular channel they were on. I think Thelma and Louise and Gladiator were the only two movies of his I saw. The Andromeda Strain TV miniseries was, IMO, not as good ad the original move with Arthur Hill. I'd like to see Prometheus even thought I get the impression it isn't very good except for the special effects.
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I got my preorder of Cassandra Claires newest.. yesterday. I am trying hard not to start it right now.. Very large.
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There are several old time SciFi characters I remember from TV or comics - Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Tom Corbett, Space Cadet - but never read. I do remember seeing the old Flash Gordon TV series.
I managed to download an old Buck Rogers (didn't know it was one). Although I don't find the story itself very compelling, I do like Philip Nowlan's writing. What is even more interesting is that the setting is right here in Pennsylvania. The story line goes that Rogers ended up trapped in a mine in Scranton, was overwhelmed by radioactive gases and, as a result, was in suspended animation for almost 500 years. The action, so far, is in and around the Wyoming Valley area (Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazelton). They are fighting Chinese overlords. The author was born and remained in the Philadelphia area all his life. He wrote the script for the cartoons, but someone else did the illustrations. Nowlan died of a stroke at age 52.
Another interesting thing, all three of the above mentioned were made into TV shows in the 50's. Both Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers battled an oriental enemy (Gordon's disguised as an enemy from another planet, but with oriental looks and names). The Tom Corbett story lines confined themselves mostly with natural disasters of one kind or another.
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I guess that means, Steph, that our library manager will be ordering that soon, if she hasn't already. Cassandra Claires is very popular here. Our teen section has expanded greatly in recent months. Unfortunately, the shelving itself has not. We are constantly battling the lack of space in all of our sections.
It is a slow go with the township to get our new ground floor space ready, but we have little hope of actually gaining area. The township saw fit to divide the space being renovated so that about a third to a half of the space is going for something else. I forget who is getting the other space, but somehow I don't think it is being returned to the Senior Center group who lost the space. The space being renovated used to be a partially below level gym. The Senior Center used it for some of their exercise groups who now have to go to an annex building blocks away. The good news is that once we can move in, we can open the library on the weekend. Right now, because we are on the second floor of the township building, we are compelled to close when they close.
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You are lucky. Our library which is large and busy must maintain hours around the community college, who shares the building.. Therefore, no night hours, close at noon on Friday and Saturday and no Sunday.. Those three are the very best hours for some of our community and it is so unfair.
The Young Adult category is getting huge. I noted in B and N recently they had moved it to take over part of the general fiction area in the store.. I like a number of authors in the category, so always browse it.
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It never rains but it pours. I popped to the head of the wait list for Echopraxia when I didn't have time to go back and read Blindsight, then read it. Now I've got Lock-in the day before I fly to Portland. But I get it for 3 weeks, so I'll have time to read it when I get back.
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Portland.. take an extra suitcase for the books.
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After a short break in SciFi, I am back at it reading something called Right Ascension bu David Derrico. The characters aren't particularly engaging. The story line is that the human race has the biggest guns in the area, or did until someone came along and annihilated their huge (as in moon sized) ship that carried the biggest, meanest gun. The aliens, it appears, do this to any species that starts getting too powerful. They destroy without warning the weapons and any factories, labs, etc. that would enable the species to reproduce the offending weaponry. The story starts out with a just graduated cadet, cocky and immature from my reading of him, who is killed when the ship is destroyed. Dad, who is an admiral, is now out to find the alien perpetrators and stop them from destroying the Earth.
I don't know how much more of this book I can take. The author seems to like big word adjectives which he routinely misuses. Too bad I didn't write any of them down to share with you. My last gripe came last night when the Admiral gave a speech to his eight person crew. The speech sounded more like what one would give to a motivational group or conference of strangers or a political rally rather than something you would say to a small, tight knit group of people you have worked closely with every day.
Fear not, tomorrow I will be picking up High Priest on Union Station by E. M. Foner. This will be book three of a series that started with Date Night on Union Station and Alien Night on Union Station. It is a fun series about a gal who lives and works on a space station, from dating to marriage, to an ambassadorship, and so on. Nothing real serious and just the right amount of situational humor.
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I did Date night and loved it. Think I have the Alien one on my Kindle.. will check.
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Lock In was waiting for me when I came back from Portland--good thing too, because I was pretty sick from the latest grandchild bug, and was in survival mode, not doing anything I could avoid, and lying around trying to get better. It's a very good read--nice procedural mystery on top of the rest. Frybabe, I agree with you in wondering if something personal led to this book. In the acknowledgements, Scalzi says that 2013 was a very, very stressful year for him, so maybe a friend's experience led him to write it.
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Put the rest of the Date Night series on my Kindle, there is also a new one coming out in early January..Very light and fun
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I'm reading something called The Rebirth of Pan by Jo Walton. The book is strange and fascinating, but the only thing I can find about it is a comment on someone's post on another site that it was Jo Walton's first book which went unpublished. Feedbooks and Manybooks have it. Fantastic Fiction and Wikipedia do not list it in her bibliography; it is also not listed on her website. A puzzler.
I don't know where book is going, but it starts out with a reenactment of Jesus carrying the cross and being crucified. The narrator is there to kill the person portraying Jesus in an act that is supposed to represent or signify the death of religion or God. The shot was not taken, but somehow, the actor dies on the cross anyway. The would-be assassin identifies someone else in the crowd who was the likely assassin. That is as far as I've gotten. I like the writing, it definitely put me in the crowd along side the narrator.
Jo Walton, it turns out, is Welsh. Born one valley over from where my Mom was born, she now lives in Canada. http://www.jowaltonbooks.com/
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Steph, I forgot to mention I finished High Priest on Union Station and am happy to report that it is just as entertaining as the first two.
I just put to Mary Doria Russell books on my library wishlist (must read faster, list up to 35 books now), The Sparrow and it's sequel, Children of God. Russell is another writer who prefers to be called a speculative writer rather than a SiFi/Fantasy writer.
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I have read Jo Walton, but never heard of that one.
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Like I said Steph, it is a bit strange. A modern day struggle between Christianity and Pagan gods as best as I can tell.
http://www.feedbooks.com/book/2230/the-rebirth-of-pan
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The only Jo Walton I've read is Farthing, the first of a trilogy. It starts out looking like a typical British murder mystery, set in the large country estate of an important Establishment family. But we're in 1949, in an alternative history. The British Establishment had ousted Churchill, made peace with Hitler, and is now sitting comfortably on the sidelines of the European mess. Antisemitism in England is ferocious. And the murder starts to look very sinister indeed.
It's good, and I mean to read the remaining two books when I get around to it.
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Alternative history.. hmm, sometimes it can be very good indeed.
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Ok, I found a trailer (already) for The Martian. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqqFTxVhvbg
I certainly hope this will not represent the movie. There is a lot of dialog where he is talking to himself or doing a diary. I sincerely hope that Matt Damon puts more effort into the emotion. In this trailer he is only reading lines here.
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Oh, jeepers! That's really bad. I can only hope for the best, but I'm not optimistic. Maybe he'll see the reaction and work on his acting.
My SIL does film editing, and is a sci-fi fan, so for Christmas I got him some books relevant to current movies. The Martian was one, and the other was Pat Murphy's There and Back Again, in honor of the final episode of The Hobbit. The book is a retelling of The Hobbit as space opera, and a great job. It's out of print, but available used for a pittance.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/pat-murphy/there-and-back-again.htm (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/pat-murphy/there-and-back-again.htm)
That tattooed redheaded female with the bionic eye on the cover is Gandalf, and a better fit than you would think. The book is a lot of fun, and has a surprisingly close correlation with the original.
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Sounds interesting, Pat. I'll look into it.
While hunting for The Martian trailer, I ran across a few interesting tidbits. Danny Glover has signed on. From the IMDB site, I gather a number of people have signed on that haven't yet been assigned characters. One article I saw says that actors are starting to request being a part of this and that they are signing on at lower than normal pay rates just to be a part. Most of those listed on the IMDB site I have never heard of, but maybe I'll recognize their faces from somewhere . I can't imagine they need a lot of people for the movie.
I watched Divergent the other night. Oh, gosh, that Theo James is handsome (just found out he was Pamuk in the first season of Downton Abbey). The second movie of the series is scheduled for release in March 2015. This is the kind of thing that just might eventually make it to a TV series.
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I have always had problems with science fiction and fantasy as movies rather than books. I just have these pictures in my head of how they should look and it does not involve those silly stars who think they can act, but cant.
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;D ;D
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Been reading Snuff by Terry Pratchett for the past few days. He always makes me laugh and then sit and realize how true he is at the same time.
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He tends to re-use his jokes, too, and I laugh just as hard each time I see them again.
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Yes Sam is in rare form in Snuff and his valet is even wilder..
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I've read Snuff. You're right. It's very good.
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I saw an interview with him and he says that Snuff is a Young Adult.. made for teens.. I just loved it, but I guess he is referring to Young sam.
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I wouldn't have said it was for teens, but I read plenty of YA stuff with enjoyment.
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Young Adult is a strange category indeed, but I did like Snuff.. I really thought of it as a bit darker than a lot of his stuff. I truly adore the witches and he does not do much with them any more..
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I can hardly wait. Jack McDevitt's latest Alex Benedict book has been out since Nov.4. How did I miss that? Our library system has one copy for which I placed a hold. I think there is only one before me. Everything stops when get it.
Finished Almuric which was written by Robert E. Howard. Howard was the author of the Conan series of which this isn't one.
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Robert Howard. Whew, I thought he was dead many many years ago.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
He committed suicide at age 30 in 1936. As you said, Steph, a long time ago. Here is is extensive bibliography. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Howard_bibliography Doesn't he look very detectivish or gangsterish in the photo? And he wrote poetry too.
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I knew the poetry. He is very collectible and in my used book store, I save the paperbacks since I had a collector who would buy all of them.
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That's a very detailed bibliography. He wrote a lot more different things than I realized.
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Yes, someone did a lot of work putting together Howard's bibliography. He apparently wrote a lot that never made it to print or he started stories that were never finished. The Biblio says some were finished or reworked after his death. I can picture an office or workspace cluttered with notes full of ideas or bits that he never got around to working on. He also wrote some under a pseudonym, Patrick Ervin. I'd like to see what he did with his Bran Mak Morn and Turlogh Dubh O'Brien short stories as well as some of the ones of the pirate, dark ages, and El Borak stories.
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I never understood the attraction, but to this day, he is considered collectible and people look at him very hard since it is believed he wrote more than we know about.
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I've given up on Jo Walton's, The Rebirth of Pan. After putting it on hold for a week, I went back to it and decided it wasn't worth finishing. Not my kind of story.
Now I have started something called Frontera by Louis Shiner. I downloaded a pdf of it a little over a year ago from somewhere. This was, according to my research, Shiner's first book, written in 1984. One comment I saw said that at the time it was one of the first to postulate big corporations running the show rather that governments. At the beginning of the book we see a crew of astronauts making an insertion into Mars orbit. So far I am only a few pages in.
Odd that I never paid attention to the names of the Martian moons, Deimos and Phobos. In mythology, Deimos and Phobos were the twin children of Ares (Mars) and Aphrodite. They accompany their dad around the battlefield. Deimos is the god of dread and terror, while Phobos is the god of fear and panic.
I found this interesting website, now bookmarked, put up thy the Theoi Project; this is Ares' page:
http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Ares.html If you scroll down to encyclopedia, you will find an interesting paragraph on the distinction between Ares and the other gods and godesses that have a role in war.
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I've finished Frontera, another good book. I wonder why I never ran across Louis Shiner before. What the book is about is essentially a tale of corporate race to an abandoned Martian colony originally thought not to have survived after communications broke off seven years previous. We have an American corporate crew and a Russian corporate crew who are in a race to get to the colony once one of the colonists clandestinely contacts the American corporation with news of a discovery that she hopes will get her a ticket back to Earth. And, of course, the Russian spies got wind of it and were right on their heals. We have a corporate head who is arrogant with power and a corresponding governor on Mars who is controlling, power crazed and is slowly going nuts with paranoia. We have murder, betrayal, a little lust/sex (not much), mistrust, and the threat of war. We also have the inventions (transporter, antimatter drive) that the smart but deformed children of the colony, working on their own, develop.
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Frontera reminds me of two books by Ben Bova I read recently: Moonrise and Moonwar. The family that's the main force of an American corporation is determined to keep the moonbase and make it more profitable, though their main motive is love for the whole thing. They are hampered by rival companies, politics other nations trying to take over profitable parts of the moon, and religious fanatics who object to nanotechnology. The books are good, but there are so many characters, factions, alliances, plots and counterplots, switching of romantic attachments, that after a while you get weary. I skipped and skimmed in the second book, trying to get the main points, and see who was still alive at the end (Bova has a higher tolerance than some for killing off characters, and the story lasts for two generations).
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You know, Pat? I don't believe I have ever read Ben Bova (unless it was a forgotten short story).
Well, what do you know, another Pennsylvanian.
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I never had either until half a year ago, though he's been around long enough--a year older than I am. Then I spotted Rescue Mode on the New Books shelf at my library. I talked about it here--a Mars mission is damaged by a meteor, leaving it with too little fuel to complete a flyby and get back to Earth, so they land at the partly completed moonbase and figure out how to survive while back home scientists try to figure out figure out how to rescue them, and politicians argue whether they should do a rescue. It's kind of like The Martian, with slicker writing, fuller character development, and less science.
Then I borrowed a just out book of his short stories, which I'm about to return (overdue). I didn't read all of them. They're good, but too much alike to read all at once.
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It looks like we have plenty of Ben Bova at the library including Rescue Mode. He has a "Grand Tour" series that looks interesting. Wikipedia lists them, but not in publication order. According to the article, Bova suggests reading them in order of chronology. So, Powersat is now on my library wishlist along with Rescue Me.
http://www.benbova.com/index2.html
BTW, I finished off an ebook called Beautiful Red by M. Darusha Wehm. It was a moderately good book about a security officer who tries to track down some hackers and equipment thefts. The ending was a little surprising to me. Although it was a good ending, it left me a little unsatisfied, I think because I wanted or expected a "better" outcome for Jack.
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Bova used to be in all of the monthly magazines.. A lot of the older authors were.
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I never read the SciFi magazines, Steph. My sister used to get Omni before it died.
Heads up: Jack Campbell's next Lost Fleet book will be out May 5. Can hardly wait.
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Yay! The summary makes it look good. A new way to make Geary lose a lot of ships.
I grew up on SciFi magazines. My father was a fan, and subscribed to just about all of them, and I gobbled them up as soon as I was old enough to make any sense of them. So I saw some of their golden age. After I got married in 1955, I read much less SF, but still subscribed occasionally, and read them when visiting my parents. In the late 80s or early 90s I subscribed to Interzone for a while.
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My Dad gave me subscriptions to several of the magazines and the Science fiction book of the month club when I was 12 and over. So I grew up on the magazines in the early 50's.
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What fun Status Quo by Drew Wagar turned out to be. I had expected little of the book, but was pleasantly surprised. http://www.drewwagar.com/
Background: Elite, a computer game, was born in 1984; Oolite was born in 2004. Both were single player trader/space combat games. Elite holds the distinction of being the first game to use wire-frame 3-D graphics. Both games have been updated throughout the years and are still played. Elite: Dangerous was released as a multi-player game last fall. I can't find an official website for it, but here is the one for Oolite: http://www.oolite.org/
The book: Set in the Oolite universe, the story line was of an accidental discovery that could be used as a weapon and the discoverers' efforts to keep the weapon from being developed and used. If you remember references to Q-bomb, this is where it started. It was fun to read the references to old (but probably still used) programing terms like hex-editing and wire-frame. The 'blue screen of death' made a showing too. Notables who got mention in the book included Stephen Hawking, Richard Feynman, and Anne McCaffrey and her "Dragonic raiders". The whole Oolite saga series is in free e-book form: EPub, Mobi, PDF, and LRF (whatever that is). If you don't understand Quantum Theory, not to worry, I don't either. Just read and enjoy.
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I just learned of a Chinese sci-fi author totally unknown to me--Cixin Liu. (I have trouble deciding whether to write Chinese names last name first or first name first. Liu is his last name.) He seems to be partly responsible for a revival of interest in China, to be hugely popular, and to have gotten a number of awards. The first book of his trilogy, The Three Body Problem, has been translated into English, so I've got a hold on it at my library. Here's the publisher's description:
Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.
That sounds like something that's popular because the government thinks it's OK, but the New York Times liked it. I'll find out.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/liu-cixin/ (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/liu-cixin/)
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The title sounds like a Sherlock Holmes doesn't it? The problem is a very real one; which side do you take if invaded by an outside source. Amazingly, my library system has it also. I've added it to my wish list for now because I already have to others books on hold: Halo: Mortal Dicta by Karen Travis, War Dogs by Greg Bear. Now reading Jack McDevitt's Going Home.
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Let me know if you like it Pat.. I suspect if the government let it be published, it might be the party line.
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I just finished Coming Home. The search was on for early space flight artifacts. The action was centered at various places on Earth. While I can't say this one is my favorite, it was the most thought provoking. Lots of mention of lost books, fragments of old books and documents, a second Dark Age that disappeared the Internet and all it's online records and e-books only, that made tracing the lost objects extremely difficult for Alex and Chase. At least one very funny reference to a character from a book. No, I'm not going to tell you; it would spoil the fun. You'll know it when you see it. Also, the wrap up leads me to wonder if this will be the last Alex Benedict novel. Big bummer if it is. As I recall, he wrapped up the Priscilla Hutchins (mention given in this book) Academy series with Starhawk.
PatH, when you read the book, let me know what you think. I have to go back and reread or skim the first books, but I could almost swear that it was mentioned in one of them that Alex liked going to parties and other functions because he got to network with potential clients. In this book, Chase mentions that he doesn't really like parties.
Checking out Jack McDevitt's Fan Club, I saw that just two days ago someone posted info that he will be receiving the Robert A. Heinlein Lifetime Achievement Award at Balticon this year. It is being held Memorial Day weekend. Balticon is held at Hunt Valley, MD, just below the Maryland line and only an hour or so drive from here (depending on traffic and the ever present road work). Sue and I considered going, but then didn't. I checked the Balticon website and see absolutely no mention of McDevitt or the Heinlein Award as yet. Jo Walton is listed as Guest of Honor this year.
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Some more interesting news for fantasy lovers. Jack Campbell is doing a series for Audible called The Pillars of Reality. The Dragons of Dorcastle is the first one out. Someone on GoodReads has it under Steam Punk, Amazon Australia has it under Epic Fantasy. I'm not particularly interested, but if anyone listens to it, I'd like to know if you think is is good. Campbell's military SciFi is one of my favorite series.
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Campbell's military sci-fi is topnotch in my books. I'll fight my way across the galaxy with him anytime he asks.
I don't know about fantasy; I'll have to see what he's like--doesn't seem like his kind of thing.
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Different strokes.. With the exception of Miles, I do not like military sci fi.. But I do love Miles.
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I am about half way through War Dogs by Greg Bear. It is simply written; no complicated science or technical stuff in it, no complicated twists or turns. I am undecided whether it is written for teens or those who don't have a high reading level (it isn't listed as a teen book), or if it is written to show the narrator is simply a "grunt" without a lot of advanced knowledge or education beyond what is needed to get his job done. Not unintelligent mind you, just not in a position that needs a lot of academic training.
Brand names that popped out at me are Michelin (lot's, as this is the nickname of one of the characters), Dyson (interesting brush contraption used in the airlock to remove dust from suits before the wearer enters the habitation units), and Under Armour (men's underwear). I'd be interested to know if Dyson is actually working on such a system for the Mars mission.
The story itself is not too bad. So far, no actual fighting; they haven't even seen the enemy yet. After a disastrous drop, only a few troops survived. The story is about these few men and their quest for undamaged supplies (especially a machine that collects water and produces breathable air) and equipment, and any other survivors. All but one satellite is destroyed so they have no instructions on what their mission is/was or where they are supposed to be going. The only instructions they had beforehand was not to interact with the native population, former Earth colonists and descendants who were pretty much abandoned by Earth after economic collapse. They are there just to fight aliens on behalf of the alien group (called Gurus) that "befriended" Earth and who provided technological advances to them. Payback time. Now Earth provides troops to battle their enemy.
Bear's acknowledgments go to ground troops throughout several wars, so my guess is that he had input from many low level troops in situations like being behind enemy lines, cut off and trying to survive without much, if any, leadership or guidance.
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Okay, one more comment about War Dogs. I can't believe it took me 3/4 of the way through the book to realize that the narrator is going through PTSD or something close to it. He is just back from combat and trying to get his head back on straight. The story is being told as he ruminates over the events of his last tour of duty on Mars.
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Frybabe, that insight will help me to get a good start if I read WarDogs. Give us a final rating when you're done. Bear is a good reliable writer.
I picked up the Cixin Liu today, but it'll be a week or so before I can get to it.
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PatH, I liked the story and cared about the characters. The ending (with some interesting twists) left me with a 'what happens next' or 'what happened to' feeling. Wonder if Bear plans a sequel which, I think, is not common for him.
I realized that Halo: Mortal Dicta is the third of a series, so it is going back unread. I have reservations about reading Karen Traviss' Halo books. She has a habit of not paying much attention to the previous story lines and tends to turn an essentially military series into a social one. I've also seen complaints about this Kilo Five series including comparisons between Dr. Halsey (character) and Dr. Mengele as well as other social ills. Having said that, this series is supposed to be an 'after the war' series to flesh out what happens between the Halo 3 and Halo 4 gaming series, so maybe a focus on social ills is not all that inappropriate. The main thrust, though, is supposed to be undercover ops to destabilize certain former Covenant allies and keep them from forming a new coalition. Traviss' first book for the Halo series also got lots of criticism, including mine.
Not sure what I am going to start next, SciFiwise. I think I have settled on The Lost Starship for my Lending Library selection for the month, but I may end up selecting something else. At this point, most of the SciFi books I'd like to read are not on the Lending Library list or I am caught up on the author's books.
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Greg Bear, I have read at least one of him, but he was not a favorite.
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I settled for something called Fluency for my Kindle lend this month. Not sure when I will start reading it.
At the library, we have a book called Archetype by M. D. Waters. I thought it was a kind of fantasy book, but it is more like a dystopian book. The blurb on Amazon leads me to think A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I wasn't far off. Here is a review from The Masters Review https://mastersreview.com/book-review-archetype-by-md-waters/ The Kirkus Review is short with no stars.
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The Handmaids tale is a favorite of mine. A brilliant book, that forshadows the current muslim stupid behavior.. Atwood is a favorite writer of mine.
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I agree, The Handmaid's Tale is brilliant, and Archetype does seem to have a resemblance. Are you going to read it, Frybabe?
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Not right away Pat. But I've put in on my library wish list along with about 30 others. Sigh! My library wish list is looking like my hardcopy TBR piles, and my book downloads not yet read. Big Sigh!
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Well, at least it doesn't take up as much space as a TBR pile.
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Ah, but I love to sit and gloat over my tbr pile.. Makes me reassured I will not run out of books..
Finished the 7th volume of the Cassandra Clare series.. Way too long, but good. I see it is going to veer into the fairy kingdom and their revenge.
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I think I will be like Thrusday Next's grandmum (was it or mother or aunt?) who refuses to die before she has read the world's most boring book. Actually, I plan to be here when the first human steps foot on the red dust of Mars. George isn't allowed to kick over first, so we will be absolutely ancient when the event occurs. ;D
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Mars.. hmm, I want to see self sustaining life on other planets myself.
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I am actually puzzled by why the US is pushing Mars over a more permanent presence on the Moon first. A possibility is that they will need Mars as a staging area for a push out to Europa and environs. Europa has been a target, whether in Scifi (2001:A Space Odyssey for ex.) or actual science. Here is the latest on NASA's mission to Europa. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/nasa-mission-europa-search-extraterrestrial-life/story?id=28719191
I finished Fluency. It bogged down once or twice with explanations (nothing technical), but the story is interesting. While I can't say disliked any of the characters, each had a few unlikable characteristics. Just when you think the author is wrapping up the ending, she abruptly stops. A huge hang. That leads me to believe she is going to write a sequel. A very talented Linguist is recruited to decipher or try to communicate with any aliens aboard what appears to be a derelict space ship. There is one survivor on board who communicates telepathically. The linguist the only one that can pick up the signals, leaving the rest to either believe the Linguist or decide that she is going nuts. This, even though they all knew that telepathic communication was a possibility. Throw in a mysterious "virus" that killed off all the original crew but one and space slugs (vermin, like rats on a ship). The single survivor of the original crew reminds me very much of the navigator on the TV Series, Farscape.
I'll be picking up two more books at the library today. Neither one is a SciFi.
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our sci fi section of the book sale is not a good one. mostly vampires, etc
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It's been quiet in here for a few weeks. Anybody reading anything good?
I gave up on one a few days ago called Bringing Stella Home (or some such). One of the three primary characters, the youngest of three siblings, is off on a quest to rescue his older brother and sister. Some of the story is interesting, but I was put off a little by so many men being described as having white or gray goatees (petty of me, I know, but I am not fond of goatees), the idea of a warship with a harem for the commander (complete with silk draped walls and ceiling) and a permanent home for the crew's families, a father who wasn't overly upset at losing two kids nor was he interested in trying to find out if they were dead or alive somewhere, and the youngster who annoyed the h out of me.
Haven't settled on my next SciFi yet. Archetype is still unavailable at the library.
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I still have several Pratchett hidden away.. I need them for bad days or weeks.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Did you all know that Kathy Reichs is writing SciFi? I didn't. I ran across her SciFi series while browsing the Overdrive selection. All I know about her Viral series so far is that it is a YA book in which the teens (main character is a relative of Temperance Brennan from her Bones series) gain special powers and the setting is the Charleston, SC area and surrounds.
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I didn't know that. I like her detective stories, though they seem unnecessarily gruesome, and these seem like sci-fi detective stories. Let us know how they are if you read them.
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I assume any Star Trek fans will have noticed that we lost Leonard Nimoy last week. Of course actors aren't the characters they play, but Nimoy eventually came to terms with fact that the public would always think of him as Mr. Spock, and used his identity for good.
I didn't realize how seriously he took his Jewish tradition, being something of a Hebrew scholar, and recording children's stories in Yiddish to help keep that language alive.
And it turns out that his characteristic split-fingered Vulcan greeting is actually a Jewish gesture of blessing.
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Oh me, must look on my kindle to see if they have Kathy Reichs ya series.
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And it turns out that his characteristic split-fingered Vulcan greeting is actually a Jewish gesture of blessing.
I didn't know that, Pat. Spock is truly timeless. Nimoy was quite active in a number of endeavors from video game and cartoon voice-overs to writing poetry and music. He touched the lives of many as himself and as Spock.
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I didn't know that either until a few days ago. I'm in Portland at the moment, so reading the newspaper online, and the Washington Post had all sorts of extra material, including a lot of links to videos. Here's Nimoy explaining the gesture:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DyiWkWcR86I (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DyiWkWcR86I)
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Wonderful!
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Yes, I had read the sidebars on him in the Post..
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I'm sorry to report we lost Terry Pratchett today--funniest writer I've ever read.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/books/terry-pratchett-popular-fantasy-novelist-dies-at-66.html?ref=obituaries&_r=0 (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/books/terry-pratchett-popular-fantasy-novelist-dies-at-66.html?ref=obituaries&_r=0)
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What a shame, PatH. I have yet to ready any of his works.
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Well, if you ever do, they'll last you a long time. The Discworld series has 40 titles. Even Steph hasn't read them all, and I've read fewer than she has.
A few years ago Pratchett was diagnosed with an odd sort of early onset Alzheimer's. He would be glad to go before he got too bad; that's what he wanted. Fantastic Fiction is really on the ball. They already have the date of death on the site.
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If you ever want to try him, some of his stories are about the Guards of the city of Ankh-Morepork, and some about the witches. For the guards, my favorites, I would start with Guards! Guards! followed by Night Watch. I like Maskerade for the witches, but I'm not sure it's the best to start with. Steph is the expert on the witches, and can guide you. There are other strains too: the inept wizards of Unseen University, the conflict between the dwarves and the trolls, Death (who is a recurring character, and speaks ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS to show he is talking to you inside your head), the machinations of Lord Vetinari to keep the city from falling apart.
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Mort, which is about death trying to find a replacement is a truly funny book in so many ways.. Pratchett had a really keen ear for the nonsense in everyday life and how to lift that to his books.
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Here's my favorite science/math/humor/cartoon website take on Pratchett. To get the punchline, put your cursor somewhere on the cartoon.
http://xkcd.com/ (http://xkcd.com/)
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I just spent time (lots) looking at the cartoons. Had to bookmark it for later, there are so many.
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I forgot to make my bookmark specific. This leads directly to the Pratchett.
http://xkcd.com/1498/ (http://xkcd.com/1498/)
The general link always leads to the latest one, and there is a new one every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Looking at it is part of my routine.
If you haven't already, click on the little picture of the wind turbines with a brown background. It leads to a good one.
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fun, I bookmarked it. Got another book of his yesterday at B and N and there was a young male putting sci fi away. I mentioned his death and the boy just sat on the floor and said.. NO NO NO.. He is my favorite.
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CNET posted an offer for a sci-fi e-book bundle for $15 at http://www.cnet.com/news/get-a-massive-sci-fi-e-book-bundle-for-15/?tag=nl.e796&s_cid=e796&ttag=e796&ftag=CAD7dba523
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I am in the middle of reading an ebook by Dai Alanye called Time Management for Mercenaries. What a hoot (as Ginny would say). You have one right dude who is footing the bill, a scientist who designed the machine to get them where they are going, a lush of a chiropracter for a medic, and an assortment of recruits (several former military, but not all) who, for the most part, can handle bows, are being extraordinarily well paid and have no clue where they are going (or when) until the last minute. It is character driven and somewhat amusing. The author, through her (his?) characters, did not fail to point out that not many people know their history or basic survival skills.
There are three more: Conflict Resolution for Mercenaries, Community Organizing for Mercenaries, and Retirement Planning for Mercenaries. I may just have to shell out some money for them.
Author website: http://alanye.com/ Alanye has written quite a few books; none that I can see are in print, all ebooks. Fantasy/Speculative Fiction and who knows what else. I'll be reading Lovejoy's World sooner or later, too.
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Marcie, I took a look at the offerings on CNET and noticed they have Lightspeed Magazine listed. The one I read a while back had some really good short stories in it. I have their website bookmarked, but haven't been up there lately. Must go see what is new. http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/
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Frybabe, the Alanye does look like a real hoot. (S)he seems very reticent about personal data, and isn't in Fantastic Fiction. However I remember some jokes in Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time in which Dai is a male first name--Welsh. Does your Welsh heritage extend to first names? Of course the author could be using a pseudonym.
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Report on last weeks f2f fantasy/sci-fi book discussion:
The fantasy book was Sergei Lukyanenko's Night Watch. I think I've described it here before. It's the conflict between good and evil reduced to a Soviet-style bureaucracy, in which every good is balanced by an evil, and you have to file reports for everything. There are vampires (licensed of course) shape-shifters, curses, various magics, etc, and some of the combatants are centuries-old mythic characters in modern dress.
I was the one who suggested it, so I wanted to see it be a success (meaning good discussion, not necessarily likable) though no one knows who submits items, and they're voted on. I got my wish. The moderator is Russian, one of the participants had lived in Moscow as a young man, and another participant speaks Russian. They could relate to the Moscow subway, which plays an important part, and saw all sorts of things I hadn't caught. Most of them had found a lot to talk about.
The sci-fi book was Inverted World, by Christopher Priest. It's one of those books where you spend the first third figuring out the social and physical rules of the society. Eventually, there is something very strange about the physics of their world, and where they are, and you do finally get some answers. It's OK, nothing very exciting.
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Frybabe, Lightspeed magazine looks very interesting. I'd never heard of it.
Pat, that's wonderful that you had those Russian connections in your book club. I could see that making a lively and informative discussion.
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Finished Patricia Briggs "Night Broken" Excellent and one of my favorite guilty pleasures.. Her characters are so very far out and so very close to me in a wild combination..
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A prediction for Mars:
http://xkcd.com/1504/ (http://xkcd.com/1504/)
if you put your cursor anywhere on the cartoon, you get a further comment.
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Began reading Margaret Atwood's In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination. A nonfiction book, it is her perspective on what SF/Fantasy means to her and others and what, she thinks, constiutes SF. The reviewers didn't seem to like it much. Here is one such review from the British Planetary Society. http://www.bis-space.com/2013/05/13/10462/the-odyssey-book-review-%E2%80%9Cin-other-worlds-sf-and-the-human-imagination%E2%80%9D-by-margaret-atwood
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Hmm, I like Atwood, although she always seems to me to be much more a female writer than sci fi or plain fiction.
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The reviewer doesn't make me think I would like the book either. Let us know how it is. I liked The Handmaid's Tale, but have managed to avoid Oryx and Crake. My f2f group is going to read it soon; we'll see if I manage to get through it.
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So far I can't see that she is saying anything profound. Some of the connections she mentioned through the ages seem tenuous, but then I remember James Burke's TV series, Connections, and some of them were tenuous too. She is, if not outright saying it, in the "speculative fiction" camp. The book is dedicated to Ursula Le Guin who definitely prefers to have her works called speculative fiction.
The other book I came home with is called Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I read the first few paragraphs. So far so good. http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyeverafter/2015/02/09/recommended-romance-red-queen-victoria-aveyard/23076743/ Oh, and yes, Steph, it is a fantasy, not my usual fare. It is joining Clarrisa Clare's books, the Divergent series, and the Hunger Games series in the teen section at my library.
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I staggered through Oryx and Crake,but oh me,, it was hard hard going..
Yes, I love Cassandra Clare. I have the Divergent series, due to my granddaughter insisting, but have not yet read them.
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The Divergent series is on Overdrive through my library. I hope to read it as some point, but not in the very near future. The Red Queen I have given up on already. It is well written, but just not holding my interest. Here we have a Red blooded underclass ruled by a silver blooded upper/rulling class. There is a war off somewhere, where those reaching a certain age are conscripted into if they don't have a job. There are arena battles (mandatory to attend), but I stopped just at the beginning of that. I took a peak at the ending. It looks like the author has set it up for a sequel or ongoing series.
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I had The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare in my TBR pile and needed some fantasy to lighten up my life.. Magnus is a hoot about a lot of things, so have just started it. It include some cartoons as well. How weird is that.
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Well, I got my laugh this morning. While browsing manybooks.net, I came across Murray Leinster's short story, Mad Planet.
Here is what reviewer "bhold" said:
Increased CO2 levels result in a future earth where humanity has regressed to a savage state in a daily struggle to survive toxic fungi, huge insects and predatory spiders. A pretty good story but not recommended if you're about to clean out the garage.
Of course I had to download it.
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Oh me, the garage is on my list of "Good heavens, I don't use most of these things" ... and I know I should do something, but it is too too depressing.
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It's a good thing I don't have a garage. My basement is bad enough.
I used to like Murray Leinster's short stories. Let us know how he's stood the test of time. Leinster also wrote a few of the original Star Trek plots.
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I believe I used to read his stuff in one of the monthly magazines. I did love those magazine and kept them for years.
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Finished reading Margaret Atwood's In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination. I skipped some of it as I was not interested in some of the sections. I especially was interested in her sections on A Handmaid's Tale, dystopian/ustopian (not a spelling error, her word), and her take on George Orwell's Animal Farm and Nighteen-Eighty-Four, and H. Rider Haggard's She.
Now reading the second of the Lost Starship series, The Lost Command, by Vaughn Heppner. The writing is not exceptional, although this one is much improved from the first. It appears to be well edited this time, with no foul language, not that I've noticed, anyway. The story involves an ancient but still powerful war vessel and its AI, an intelligence officer, his aide and his small crew who bring it back to Earth, an invasion by an all around far superior force of genetically advanced "New Men", and an ongoing conflict between the intelligence officer, his aide, and the powerful owner (and richest man on Earth) of a giant conglomerate.
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mark
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I've just finished Edmond Hamilton's City at World's End. It is about a town of about 50,000 that got blown way into the future by a super atomic bomb, how the people dealt with finding out they were now on a dead planet, how they reacted to their encounter with future man (now living on other worlds) and other humanoids, their resistance to being evacuated from Earth, and, of course, the experiment that revived the planet.
Nice story, except that I didn't much care for the portrayal (so common with these old stories) of women who are out of their element in leadership positions and who emotionally cling to and look to the men for solutions. Otherwise, I enjoyed it so much that I re-downloaded several other Edmond Hamilton stories that I have already read (and enjoyed) along with a few I haven't yet read. Easy reading.
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I keep thinking that I remember Hamilton, but the cities series I read was by James Blish.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I've just read several H Beam Piper short stories of note.
"Edge of the Knife" involves precognition. Interesting ending.
"Graveyard of Dreams" is good, but it had a poem fragment that I found especially interesting:
The fountains are dusty in the Graveyard of Dreams;
The hinges are rusty and swing with tiny screams.
We sit in the twilight, the shadows among,
And we talk of the happy days when we were brave and young.
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I like the poem. I haven't read any of Piper's short stories--just some of the Fuzzy books and Space Pirates, which isn't any better than you'd expect from the name, and has some dreadful elitist politics.
My next task is to read Oryx and Crake, which I've been carefully avoiding ever since it came out. But it's the next f2f book, and I don't want to skip, because I've missed a few lately. At least it will probably be a lively discussion.
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Oryx and Crakeand its sequels are not on my list to read by a long shot.
I see that Atwood also has written some volumes of poetry. Has anyone read any of them?
My current read is Evan Currie's latest, King of Thieves (Odyssey One: Star Rogue). It is in the Odyssey One universe, but is an offshoot (possibly a stand alone) of it rather that a part of it. Well, I raised my eyebrows and crinkled my nose when he included "dragons" in the story (18meter snakes with bat wings, and sharp teeth and claws). Some of the sequences reminded me of the movie Pitch Black. Not my cup of tea, but it doesn't deter from an otherwise great story. Much of the story takes place in an abandoned artificial moon that is at once both a huge scientific research facility and an incredible weapon. I haven't found out how or why the "dragons" are there yet. It will be excruciating to wait for his next book. It looks like he is thinking of or working on a new installment of his On Silver Wings series. That is what I was hoping for. He has got several other books that I haven't read yet, one is a steampunk SciFi set in ancient Roman times.
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I've only read one of Atwood's poems, but it's stunning.
http://poemelf.com/category/poems/siren-song/ (http://poemelf.com/category/poems/siren-song/)
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Sorry about all the extra stuff. That was the link I found.
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Very interesting, PatH. The ending made me think of the old saw, "There's a sucker born every minute." How deceitful and cunning the Sirens are.
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Well, I got my copy of Oryx and Crake. Now to see if I can make myself read it. I have a week.
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Oryx and Crake defeated me. I love most of her books, but that one was just too too complicated.
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Oh, dear. That bodes ill. I don'need complicated right now. Beside, my brain is in medieval Norway.(I'm leading the Kristin Lavransdatter discussion, and it's complicated too.)
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Oh me, I would think that the confusion would be overwhelming.
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I just finished yet another freebie from Amazon called Code Breakers: Alpha. It was a bit strange, but okay. I liked most of the characters, although there wasn't much depth to them. I think someone labeled it cyberpunk. It is also another one of a series books which I will not be continuing.
My question is: Has anyone noticed how many of these new, young author's SciFi books are sounding more and more like characters are running through a gaming program? I mean, they seem to move from one place to another, try to figure out how to do something or defeat something to get to the next place, when they reach the next place they have help waiting or another assignment waiting to propel them toward the next goal.
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I'm not reading those books at the moment, but I can easily believe it. There are a lot of young writers who have talent but not much experience, and it's so easy to publish a book without going through an editing process. Still, the system is a good way for people to get a chance. Look at The Martian. Have you read Ernest Cline's Ready Player One? The whole book is a sequence of gaming puzzles based on the early days of computers and the pop culture of the time, with the prize being control of the corporation that controls the dysfunctional world of the story.
Speaking of dysfunctional worlds, I'm a little way into Oryx and Crake, and finding it heavy going.
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No I haven't Pat. But I have read some of Drew Wager's stories based on the old, and I mean old, Oolite (space trader) games. They don't read so much like a game. By the way, Oolite is still popular. It has a website and all. I think I only got through the short stories and have two more novel/novellas to read. At least I haven't put them in the read bin yet.
I've finally gotten around to reading H. Beam Piper's The Cosmic Computer and enjoying it very much. I had started it before, but put it aside for reason. I believe this was one of his last books, being published in 1963, originally named Junkyard Planet, and was based on his short story Graveyard of Dreams which I just recently read. In fact, that is where I got that poem fragment I quoted a few posts back. In checking, I see that The Cosmic Computer is part of the Federation series.
I forgot he lived in Williamsport, PA. Too bad he committed suicide.
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Ah Oryx.. If you finish and figure out where she was going. Please let me know.The whole thing made no sense to me and I like her writing very much
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I think I won't finish before Thursday, but I'll go anyway, and maybe the others will tell me.
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Waiting to hear, She calls it her masterpiece, but have no idea why.
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I'm reading an interesting and enjoyable SciFi called Deep Crossing by E. R. Mason. A mysterious, very top secret mission for the alien sponsors to locate and bring back an artifact, it took up more than 30% of the book just to learn the new systems, etc. before getting off the ground. And, of course, there is a detour along the way once they are on their deep space test run. I am just getting to the point where they are getting back to their main objective on the test run. I am now wondering if they will get to the main reason for the whole project. The characters are very likeable. The dialogue and narrative are not overly technical.
Now I discover that this is a sequel to Fatal Boarding , which I have but haven't read. Deep Crossing can be read without the first since it starts a new adventure. Both books are freebies on Amazon. I haven't checked elsewhere.
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Will check my freebie list on Kindle.
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Frybabe, you're the queen of freebies.
Steph, I hope you won't be too disappointed, but I'm not going to be able to tell you the point of Oryx and Crake. I didn't really give it a fair chance. I only had time to read about a quarter of it, then skipped ahead and read a bit here and there to get some idea of the plot. The writing is really good, but we're in a world I don't like, where diseases are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies, in order to sell the cures, and elitist groups live in well-guarded compounds. This world gets even worse as one of the characters tries to wipe out humanity and replace them with bio-engineered humans of a rather simplistic nature. And of course since it's the first of a trilogy, nothing is wound up in this book. I'd say there's a 50-50 chance of my going back to read the rest.
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Well, I finished it. The book is a bit long, but fast reading. Not too science-y, a bit of fun and humor. Good ending; I don't know what exactly I was expecting, but it was a little surprising. Some of the narrative seems to have been inspired by several different SciFi books and TV shows. I am sure you will spot them. I have the first book, but need to read the borrows I have before that. Now Reading Mary Roach's, Packing for Mars, non-fiction.
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PatH.. I love most of her books, but that one is simply not fun or interesting. Too much death,gloom, etc.
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Heads up, SciFi AND Fantasy lovers!
My two very, very favorite authors have new books out.
First, Jack Campbell has started a new Fantasy series called The Pillars of Reality. Book One, The Dragons of Dorcastle, was released in April. Book Two, The Hidden Masters of Marandur, will be released in June.
His latest The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Leviathan, just this month, and The Lost Stars: Imperfect Sword, out last October.
Jack McDevitt has a revised edition of his first, and highly acclaimed book, The Hercules Text. It was released just last month.
I am now reading Ghost Spin by Chris Moriarty. The beginning is a bit strange and confusing, but I think I am getting the idea now. It is a stand alone, according to the blurb on Amazon, but it is set in the same venue as her Spin State, and Spin Control - some of the same characters, too. These are labeled "cyberpunk" and have to do with post-human, emergent AI's and combos, illegal genetics and "wetware".
Oh, Dear! I've spent real money on three books. Naughty. I have car payments to deal with now (BooHoo!). Even less to spend on extras and little pleasures.
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I realized recently that I like the golden age of science fiction more than I do current authors.
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I've put this new fantasy book on my library wish list. We have two, but they are still being processed. Looks like fun.
http://books.simonandschuster.com/The-Gospel-of-Loki/Joanne-M-Harris/9781481449489?cp_type=end&rmid=20150523_SciFiRoundup&rrid=8613437
Oh, and an author I need to look at is Linda Nagata. Has anybody read her works?
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The Gospel of Loki sounds like absolutely my kind of thing, since I'm a big Norse mythology fan. The ultimate trickster tells his story. Do we believe him? Let us know what it's like. The blurb says that fans of Neil Gaiman will like it, no doubt because the narrator of American Gods is a son of Odin.
At the moment I'm kind of steeped in Norse, not the gods but the sagas, as part of leading a discussion of Kristin Lavransdatter, which reeks of the feel of the sagas. It even has me rereading bits of the ones I've read, as well of bits of the ones I didn't read because I got stuck in the genealogy.
My f2f sci-fi/fantasy book group votes on books proposed by members, and one that didn't get chosen (because there were strong votes against as well as strong votes for) was The Long Ships, by Frans G. Bengtsson. Maybe it isn't quite fantasy enough for the group, but I knew it was my kind of thing, so I read it. It's the adventures of an imaginary tenth century viking, whose travels include being a captive rower on a moorish ship, fighting at the English battle of Malden, and much more. It's a good adventure tale, as well as being very funny in the understated Norse way. If you like that sort of thing, it's a sure bet. If not, it's 500 pages of torture.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/frans-g-bengtsson/long-ships.htm (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/frans-g-bengtsson/long-ships.htm)
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There was a movie by the same name, but according to Wikipedia, is was only "very loosely based" on the book. I don't think I ever saw it.
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I never heard of the movie, but I see it came out in 1964, and had Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier in it, so someone was taking it seriously. The plot summary is certainly only dimly like the book. I also see there's a new version in early production, very little detail given.
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Loki is always fun, will look for the book. Fantasy is my kind of books.
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I have yet to be able to finish one of Atwood's books. Oh, correction. I did finish The Handmaid's Tale, but wished I hadn't bothered.
Marj
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That's the only one I've read all of too.
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I love Atwood, just not Oryx and crake.. Just finished a Terry Pratchett. Equal Rights. Fun.. a little girl born to be a wizard when that was not allowed and Granny Weatherwax at her earliest. I did laugh hard.
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I am in the middle of Jack McDevitt's revised, updated version of The Hercules Text. Typical of the his SciFi books, it is more people oriented than science oriented. In this case we are following a man (Harry) who, as an administrator rather than a scientist and with something of an inferiority complex because of it, hovers around the edges of a scientific discovery.
Harry is something of a workaholic with a view that even though his job does not require him to be there during the events, he believes that being there gives him a higher visibility to management and therefore a better chance at career advancement. His wife and child are somewhat neglected. He is surprised and hurt that his wife leaves him. I really don't care for him very much.
The story takes digs at bureaucrats and politicians and the political connivances that do damage to the reputations, among their peers, of the scientists working below them. Not unsurprisingly, we see fellow scientists and academics, who are not in on the discovery, display jealousy, anger, and hurt that they were not immediately informed of the discovery. Religion is in there, but so far, it is at a rather benign and personal level.
NOTE: The Nebula Awards is being held June 4-7 in Chicago. McDevitt's book, Coming Home (the most recent of his Alex Benedict series), is one of the nominees. Good luck, Jack. http://www.jackmcdevitt.com/
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I've finished The Hercules Text. Interesting, but not real exciting. Religious/moral beliefs are addressed more in the second half of the book. I can't say that any of the characters really stood out, but I suspect that is the way the author wanted it.
An ebook on Overdrive that I had put on hold a few weeks back just became available. Robots Rising, I think, is the title. It is a volume of short stories about, of course, robots. I started the second of the Bright Horizons series by Wilson(?) Harp a day or so ago. It is an okay series but not great.
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I really need to read McDevitt..
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Steph, you might like his Eternity Road. https://www.sfsite.com/09a/etern16.htm
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Yes, I want it, but cannot find it.. Science fiction is hard to find in used book stores or thrift books or my swap club.
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I just watched the current trailer for The Martian. It's waaay better than the early one we saw, both in acting and staging. Dunno how much was better picking of clips and how much was someone persuading Matt Damon he really had to act, but I'm definitely going to try to see the movie when it comes out. Here's the trailer:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1)
And here's xkcd's take on it:
http://xkcd.com/1536/ (http://xkcd.com/1536/)
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It looks like they've filled out the operations and rescue efforts so that it isn't all Matt Damon talking to himself. Looks real good.
My sister was going to see the new Jurassic World movie last night. I'll get a report later today, but the trailer for that looks promising also.
Yesterday I read a short story by Ernest Cline about a boy who gets an Omnibot 2000 for Christmas. It is one of the best in the book, Robot Uprisings. Right now, I am reading another short story by Cory Doctorow which turns out to be pretty good too. It is about the interaction between an obsolete AI computer and its "caretaker". I had written off Doctorow after trying to read one of his books (forget, offhand, which one). Guess I will have to try a few more of his.
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I never think of Jurassic park as science fiction.. No idea why.
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I got that book from the library, but after I'd read a few they began to seem kind of alike. It's best read at intervals. I did read the Doctorow. The only book of his I've read is Little Brother, supposedly a YA book, which we read in the f2f club. A high school student and his fellow computer geek friends, because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, are suspected of being part of a terrorist attack on San Francisco. Arrested and held in secret, treated brutally, they manage to get out and try to fight back against the surveillance state that sprang up after the attack. I thought it was pretty good. I see there are two sequels, which I didn't know.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Picked up a brand new Charlaine Harris in a different place..
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Here is another trailer for The Martian which introduces the crew.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNN-vl9gHmA
Interviews with Andy Weir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SemyzKgaUU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMfuLtjgzA8
He gets a bit technical in the interviews. Oh, I was interested to see that he is working on Android programing now at his day job.
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Now reading Jack Campbell's, The Lost Stars: Imperfect Sword. It is okay, but for some reason, I am not that excited about it. The political posturing, however, is interspersed with some other developments that keep the book going and hold my interest. One major error, the only one so far, is a clear reference to General Drakon reading Geary instead. At that point John Geary was not even mentioned in the book (his fleet shows up much later).
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Has anyone read the original Game of Thrones. From all I read, the tv series is soooo bloody.
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In checking on Ann McCaffrey's Pern books, I found a list of them in chronological order rather than by publication which includes all the short stories. date. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pern_books
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Actually in the Pern series , after the first two or three, you can read in any order. You need to understand the dragon-mind connection and the first several do the best job for that.
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Now reading Arthur C. Clarke's first novel, Against the Fall of Night. This was an expanded version of a novella published in Startling Stories, a magazine I never heard of. Clarke again expanded and revised the book and retitled it The City and The Stars in 1956. I am only into the second chapter and already it reads like a veteran scifi writer had written it. I am hooked, but wonder if I should be reading The City and the Stars instead. I am not sure how it could be "expanded" if the page count is a little less, unless they printed it in smaller type.
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The City and the Stars is a wondrous thing. I loved it and him for years.
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I went through an Arthur C. Clarke phase, but never happened to read that one. I think I have an inherited copy somewhere; maybe I should dig it out and read it.
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I'm surprised Pat, I would have thought you would be the one to tell me whether or not to skip the rest of Against the Fall of Night and go directly to The City and the Stars. I understand both are excellent, but don't see the need to read both. Haven't yet checked to see if I can get "City" at the library.
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My Engineer son adores Clark and read everything he ever wrote.
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I am almost done with Against the Fall of Night. Neither my library system nor the Free Library of Philadelphia have it.
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Special Announcement
Our website will be down, beginning Monday evening, May 29, GMT, for a large update.
Please do not post at this time as your post will probably disappear.
We do not know how long it will take the computer expert to load this update and have it working.
The website will not look as it has when it comes up until we tweak it, so please be patient. Please continue to check back for news. We hope to be up and functioning by Tuesday, but if not, it shouldn't be too much longer.
Thank you for your patience
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Please oh p lease do not change it too much. I quit
Senior Net over all the changes that were silly.
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My understanding is that Ginny will be able to tweak it back to get it close to what we have now.
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I truly hope so.I remember all of the flashing stuff and nonsense.. Ugh.
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The appearance will be something like seniors and friends, with many adjustments. Our goal is to make it look as much like it does now as possible and Pat is right, thanks, Pat, we've got a good team here who can work on it. Everyone's patience will be greatly appreciated.
This website, actually as it stands, has always had many of the features of the seniors and friends site, and we have changed them, so it ought to be fine, we have wonderful help today from the Simple Machines Forum site who developed this software, everything so far has been very positive.
OK it looks like they are beginning now, to do a backup, and will start on the upgrade about 5:15 Eastern time. I don't think I'd post anything now until this is over, if you want to see it again.
Fingers crossed!!
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I hope it doesn't look too much like Seniors and Friends. Truth be told, I like the way this one looks better.
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It will, at first, until we tweak it. So we're just going to have to be patient until we get it back to normal.
It's the same ...platform? I don't know the word....software, even now. The reason it doesn't look the same is that we changed it to suit ourselves. This is just an upgrade which the developers are very kindly doing for us. With them doing it we should not have any problems at all. I hope.
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Since Idont use senior and friends, have no idea what that one looks like
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This month's f2f book selection is Robert Silverberg's Lord Valentine's Castle. I bought it while I was in Portland, thinking to start it there and read it on the plane coming back. Unfortunately, I found it to be one of those books I have to be in the mood to read, and I wasn't. More unfortunately, I also bought a future month's book, Lois McMaster Bujold's Cordelia's Honor, and started it too. No need to guess which one I read on the plane, and since there was a 3 hour delay, I finished the first of the two books in the Bujold.
Steph, I'm guessing you've read it. For anyone who hasn't, it's two books, written 5 years apart, filling in the background of her main character, Miles. The first tells how Miles' formidable parents managed to meet and marry while being combatants on opposite sides, and it's very good indeed.
When I got back, Jack Campbell's Leviathan was waiting for me on hold. I picked it up today. Silverberg is doomed.
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No, I have not and will immediately look for it. Miles is my personal hero.
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The two books that make it are Shards of Honor and Barrayar. They were published separately first, Shards in 1986, Barrayar in 1991. So you might have read them that way.
I'm trying to work through the series sort of in order, but it's hard. I'm still in the early ones that are hard to get.
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yes, have read Barrayar,,but not shards.
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Wow! Silverberg has written a tremendous number of books, both fiction and non-fiction, and short stories. I don't think I have read any of them. I do remember the title Nightwings when it came out. it won a Nebula Award and others. I see that he has also written under numerous pseudonyms, none of which I recognize. Off to look up his books at the library and on the big A.
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I did read one of his stories, Postmark Ganymede, which I liked but apparently the author didn't.
A puzzler: On Amazon, a commenter (who claims he is the author) says he didn't think it was very good, so don't buy it. Other stories, Starman's Quest and The Hunted Heroes, that are listed as a freebie, are pirated versions of very early stories according to this "Agberg" person. Agberg and Silverberg appear to be one and the same, or are presented as such. Curious.
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I've forgotten what I've read of Silverberg's. It was a long time ago.
Steph, I think you'll like Shards of Honor.
I finished Jack Campbell's Leviathan. I forget if you've read it yet, Frybabe, so I'll only say that it starts kind of mechanically, but picks up, and comes to a very satisfying close.
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I have it on hold at the Free Library of Phila. site. There are five ahead of me.
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Will look for Shards when I return home since I know I have at least one Miles book hidden away with my Pratchett stuff.They are for down in the dumps days..
Silverberg wrote a lot. lots of short stories in the old magazines and under many names, because they would only accept so many writings under one name in a year.
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Ah, thanks for that info, Steph. I didn't realize that magazine publishers had a great deal to do with the plethora of pseudonyms some writers wrote under. Now I wonder if they knew that the authors were skirting around their name rule? Or, were they in collusion with the writers to make it appear that they had more writers in their stable than there were?
I am now reading the Far From Home series whose primary writer is Tom Healey. This is one of those "episode" books that came out a bit at a time. I see that there are three combo volumes now, as well as each episode as a single. It looks like the first complete series of episodes (1-12) has been published in paperback in the UK. The story is okay, not great, but interesting enough to continue for at least a while. It does not get super ratings from Amazon's customers.
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The champions in the name stuff are the numbers romance people. They even assign names for you.
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I am not sure I want to read the book, but this review gave me such a laugh:
http://manybooks.net/titles/englandgetext05drkdw10.html
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That's pretty funny. I want a WWI plane made from deerskin. Oh, by the way, I think the characters might be fond of each other.
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Two laughs in one day. I can hardly stand it. ;D
Continuing on with the Far From Home series, one character reminds me of Buck Rogers and a lot of the rest of the story reminds me of the Star Trek: Voyager series. The nemesis is one General Carn who is completely covered with a mirrored suit of armor so that when you look at him you see only yourself looking back. He reminds me of those comic evil super-villains who just won't die.
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Ah the joys of the never ending villain. A favorite of mine
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Well, I am done with the first episodes of Far From Home (parts 1-12). Interesting, not great. Some time travel involved. I didn't care much for a few aspects of the ending, but for the most part it was good. The next three episodes (13-15) are part of the ship's new mission to explore. I am not sure I will continue, at least not right now.
My new read is part of the "In Her Name" series by Michael R. Hicks. According to the author, First Contact, is not the first of the series he wrote, but it is the beginning of the story. He originally opted to begin his story, like Star Wars, somewhere in the middle of the adventure. First Contact is the beginning of the story, how the war started. So far, it is so so. BUT, the description of the aliens is detailed and very interesting indeed. They are blue skinned, and so far, all are female. The warriors wear black body armor and they carry knives, swords and other ninja style weaponry. There was also a description of other body feature. Each member of the boarding party was enveloped with some kind of personal body shield that, when the warrior attached herself to the hull, stayed in place after the hull was breached to keep the air inside from escaping. The priestess/healers were a bit different. So far, I am finding them and their societal structure more interesting than the humans. Except for one or two of the human characters are rather flat. Elements of the fantastical in this sci-fi series.
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I started the new series by Charlaine Harris.. Excellent as always. She draws you in fast and then slowly reveals differences in humans and maybe not quite human.
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I came home from the library yesterday with two Neal Stephenson tomes, Seveneves , just out in May and is a SciFi (or speculative fiction) http://www.nealstephenson.com/seveneves.html
and an older book called Quicksilver, which appears to be categorized as an historical fiction.
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I missed a chance to read Seveneves; my library reserve came up when I was out of town. Let me know what it's like.
But I really want your reaction to Quicksilver. Big as it is, it's the first of a trilogy. I started it some years ago, liked it, but got interrupted, and knew I'd have to start over or be confused. It's an incredibly rich tapestry, and if you want to catch all the references, some rather sly and amusing, it helps to know something about the geography of Boston around 1700, the rivalry between Newton and Leibniz, the political, religious, and philosophical controversies in Europe in the 1600s and 1700s, the Royal Society, and a whole bunch of other stuff. No doubt I was missing a lot too. It's great stuff, but makes heavy demands on the reader.
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Oh, super. I can get my maps out. The front inside cover has a map of Europe and the back inside cover is of London. I see that Quicksilver won a Nebula in 2004.
As for Seveneves, the inside front cover is an illustration of, I think from the first paragraphs of the second chapter, is the USA attached to an asteroid. The back inside cover is a bit of whimsy showing what I think is a structure built into a rock, the whole of which reminds me of a kind of tote bag in shape. There is a color plate showing a diagram of a habitat ring on one side and a near photographic painting of what may be space station on the other about 3/4 of the way through the book.
I just noticed that my Kindle does not show the icons to do anything like bliss,italic, etc. I can change font, font size and font color.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
Found an old Patricia Wrede in a used book store. Tales of the Enchanted Forest.. Old and tame, but fun.. This princess went out and found her own dragon..
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and yesterday while looking in Amazon Kindle sstuff, discovered they have just decided to put each of the four tales on the Kindle starting mid September.. They are fun reads.
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Bless my Kindle fill in spelling feature. "...is the USA attached to an asteroid." USA should read ISS. And how the heck did it get bliss out of bold? " bliss,italic, etc." Sorry I didn't catch them before posting.
I have put Seveneves on hold vis the Free Library of Philadelphia just in case I don't get it finished in two weeks. There are seven holds for two books on my local library Overdrive, and five on hold for two print books. The Phila library looks like it has a slight hedge as it has six books with 10 holds.
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I've finished Michael R. Hicks first book of the In Her Name: The Last War Trilogy, First Contact. Wow! It turned out to be an exciting read. It is one of the extremely few books in which the ending brought tears. Not only that, but I found myself rooting for various characters, both alien and human, at various points in the book. The only thing that really bugged me about the story was, why on earth (or off in this case) would the idiots in charge assign the only survivor of the first contact, and as such the only expert, to anywhere other than the Admiral' s flagship and staff? However, where he was placed became critical to part of space battle later on.
If I can't borrow the rest of the series, I will be forced to spend money on the rest. It turned out to be that good.
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Super! I just checked my Phila. Free Library hold on Seveneves. Interested (annoyed?) that today it tells me that I am #60 of 63 holds. My kindle app. had said there were only 10 holds on it yesterday, which would have made me #11. Oh well, I put in a hold on my library Overdrive link, which now shows that seven holds are on each of the copies available through them. If I don't get this tome I have now read by the end of my two weeks, I will also put a hold in on the printed copy. I'll just have to see which comes up the earliest.
PatH, you might like the In Her Name: The Last War Trilogy. It is character rich, some fleshed out more than others, and the alien descriptions are rather detailed. The 1st of the series managed to get me emotionally involved and care about the characters, both human and alien. It demanded my full attention, as does Seveneves, which is why I stopped reading the latter until I finished the first.
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That trilogy sounds good. My library doesn't have it--I'll have to pick it up somewhere else.
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Rooting around in the TBR pile. came up with a small series that I had read one of and had found out that there were previous ones.So I am deep in Midnight Riot by Ben AAronoviitch.. England,, with regular people and bang.. a magical department at Scotland Yard.. What fun
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Sounds like fun.
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While doing my morning cruise through Project Gutenberg, I ran across an issue of The Fantasy Fan Magazine (1934) which had part seven on H.P. Lovecraft's Supernatural Horror in Literature. I am not a big fan of reading horror stories, but there are a few I like/read. His "long essay" on the genre looks interesting.
I can find online versions, but the only downloadable version of the complete work I found, so far, is from the University of Adelaide in Australia. https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/l/lovecraft/hp/supernatural/ Here is an online version. http://www.yankeeclassic.com/miskatonic/library/stacks/literature/lovecraft/essays/supernat/supern00.htm
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I loved the first book in the series and will read the second one soon. The third one is the one I read first.. The first one ends with a huge surprise, a chase that is wild and will leave you cheering on the hero.
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Found this interview with Any Weir done before the movie was made, when he was just getting feelers from the movie people. http://www.sciencefriday.com/playlist/#play/segment/9345
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Still reading my fantasy with princesses, dragons, magicians and now a King of the Enchanted Forest.. Makes a lovely bed time book.
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Is that still the Scotland Yard with magic? Sounds entertaining.
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Thanks for the interview with Andy Weir, Frybabe. It's interesting how much his online readers critiqued his science.
I'm not much of a horror fan either, but H. P. Lovecraft is supposed to be pretty seminal, so I was glad to read his At the Mountains of Madness for my f2f club a few years ago. I enjoyed the narrative, but the horror didn't work for me--I wasn't horrified. But it's also an Antarctic exploration tale, though the science is a bit fanciful.
I forget if either of you reads Charles Stross' Laundry Files series, about a computational demonologist/government employee, but familiarity with Lovecraft is useful for it. I should really read The Call of the Cthulhu, which seems to be the most important work.
Is the essay good? It's in my copy of Mountains, but I haven't read it.
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I have been playing with a variety of fantasy.. The bedtime is Patricia Wrede The Enchanted Forest Chronicles and holds four of the books of hers about the Enchanted Forest. Witches, princesses,dragons,, magical talking cats ( but only to the right people) and the wizards as the bad guys.
Ben Aaronovich is the Scotland Yard magician type.. Murders and mystery..
Both the authors are good, but quite different.
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I finally got time to read Barrayar, the second book in Cordelia's Honor.. It's very satisfying. And now I see why the Barrayarans are so afraid of Miles's mother.
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I finally finished SevenEves by Neal Stephenson. It was interesting, but very long and detailed Hard SciFi. Now I am most of the way through Hugh Howey's Half Way Home. It is most definitely written with for Teen/YA. It's not as interesting to me as his Wool(Silo) series, Sand, and The Shell Collector. I think it was one of his first published books.
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I am reading The Heretic by Lucas Bale. The main character reminds me a lot of Mal from Firefly. It also comes complete with frontier town, oppressive space empire, and a preacher. It appears to be a first of series book.
Well! I Guess I sHould have waited a wee bit. I just finished it. The author did, in fact, acknowledge Firefly as an inspiration. I forgot to mention the Mal like character is named Sheperd, and was a tribute to Jess Wedon and his creation.
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I should probably try The Heretic. Anything based on Firefly is a good bet.
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My apologies to Joss Whedon. I spelled his names wrong. Yes, I think you will like it Pat. I read a blurb about the second in the series. It does not carry over the characters from the first, BUT, the third seems to bring the characters from book one and book two together. I get the impression that there will be a book four.
I found this comment in Wikipedia about how Fox felt about the show.
One of the struggles that Whedon had with Fox was the tone of the show, especially with the main character Malcolm Reynolds. Fox pressured Whedon to make Mal more "jolly", as they feared he was too dark in the original pilot, epitomized by the moment he suggests he might "space" Simon and River, throwing them out of the airlock to die. In addition, Fox was not happy that the show involved the "nobodies" who "get squished by policy" instead of the actual policy makers.
I can see lightening the character up a bit; it certainly made Mal more appealing. I don't quite understand why they thought they should have included the "actual policy makers". It could have worked, but it also could have bogged the program down. The producers opted for the KISS principle by not involving a lot of extraneous people and political issues/conniving. It worked for me.
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I can see why a bunch of policy makers might think that following policy makers would be the most interesting thing in the world, but they're idiots. Why tamper with something that good? And especially, why yank it off the air in the middle despite the anguished protests of fans? Bunch of idiots.
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I wholeheartedly agree.
Still waiting on the Leviathan. I am trying to find things to read, like short stories, to fill in the time. I am next in line. Right now I am reading some of the Lightspeed stories from the last freebie issue (August 2012) I downloaded from Amazon a few weeks back. Here is what is going on now. http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/
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I am reading a freebie I got from Amazon called Agent of Change. Written by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, it is set in the Liaden Universe. It is so good, that I have been reading it straight through all day.
http://sharonleewriter.com/correct-reading-order/ Fledgling is also a freebie, so I guess I will download that shortly.
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Frybabe, you're in big trouble now. Those books are addictive. Agent of Change, Carpe Diem, Plan B and I Dare form a fairly tight-knit story, mostly about Val Con and Miri, and should be read in that order. Fledgeling is the start of a story about someone else, kind of a side issue with connections to the other story. Conflict of Honors is about some other members of Val Con's family, and would make some of the characters you'll meet in the four books more intelligible.
It takes a while to get all the Liaden social system and characters straight, but it's worth it.
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I think I've fallen in love with the characters. It is unfortunate that I cannot find any of the series in my library system, nor have I found any of them on Overdrive or the Free Library of Philadelphia.
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Uh oh, I must have been asleep when I read some of Jack Campbell's Steadfast. I remember the "dancers" on their Earth tour and the kidnapping; I don't remember the robot controlled ships. Waaaah! I don't have a copy to refer back to since that was a borrowed book.
Wouldn't you know that just when the Donna Leon book is ready, so is Leviathan.
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Wouldn't you know that just when the Donna Leon book is ready, so is Leviathan.
Of course. And every time I go to the west coast, one of my library holds is ready. I'm in Portland now, and John Scalzi's The End of All Things is sitting in the Bethesda library waiting for me. Luckily, this time I have two days left after I get back to pick it up.
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I'm going to have to look that up, Pat. I don't recall running across that one.
I finished Leviathan yesterday. What an interesting turn of events and ending. It leaves me really wondering what will come next, except that they will likely go home for another round of I interrogations from the politicians. I thought for a little while they might have another encounter with the Kicks. The mystery of the Enigmas isn't resolved yet either.
Did you notice that he got a comment or two in about the treatment of vets? Then there is the current debate over the safety of completely AI controlled weapons. What strikes my as interesting is the Steven Hawking is warning against allowing completely AI controlled systems. The SciFi writers have been having a field day with such systems gone haywire.
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Did you notice that he got a comment or two in about the treatment of vets?
Now that you mention it, I remember he did. Campbell has all along inserted bits about issues he cares about from his service time, ranging from discipline to funding to incompetent orders and micromanaging from desk officers. And this issue is a biggie. We're currently producing a huge number of men and women who have come out of their service looking OK at first glance, but damaged in ways that affect their ability to function in a normal life, and they aren't getting the care they deserve and need.
I too wonder what comes next. If Geary goes into politics, that isn't Campbell's strength.
Your amusing link in the Library fits neatly into the question of the value of AIs.
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The End of All Things: I forget how much any of you have read of John Scalzi's Old Man's War series. After the first four books, involving John Perry and Jane Sagan, Scalzi wrote The Human Division, a series of loosely connected short stories that make up a tale of Lieutenant Harry Wilson, former physics teacher, junior member of a second-rate diplomatic team, in which it gradually becomes apparent that some unknown group is trying to set all the races of the universe at war with each other. In this book, to quote fantasticfiction,
Lieutenant Wilson and Colonial Union diplomats must race to keep the peace, seek reconciliation with an enraged Earth, and maintain humanity's unity at all costs. If they don't, it will mean oblivion, extinction and the end of all things.
Let's hope they do.
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Yes, I looked it up. I stopped without reading the Human Division (unless I read the first, I forget) series. The End of All Things is the latest. I wonder if the cover art was done by the same artist as the one that was doing Jack McDevitt's Alex Benedict series. It sure looks similar. It looks like the Free Library of Phila. has one ebook of this one, but none of the other in the series.
I read the first three Old Man's War series, but am not sure if I even read Zoe's Tale. Oddly, I can't find any my copies. I wonder if I lent them out years ago and forgot about it. I surely would not have pitched them. An annoying mystery.
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Wish I liked space wars, but simply dont.. I do love alternate universes though.
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Steph, you and I both like space wars when it's Miles Vorkosigen pulling his crazy antics. I just finished Cetaganda, which isn't as hilarious as some, but a good yarn anyway. Since you gave me some tantalizing clues about Miles' eventual love interest, I scrutinize likely, or unlikely, female characters suspiciously, but not this time. (No, don't tell me more.)
I'm trying to red the books pretty much in order, not easy to do when the early ones are hard to get.
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I guess I simply love Miles and dont think of all the space war stuff. He is such an interesting character and he and his cousin grow closer in the series. Yes, the oldeer ones are stinkers to find.
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Besides, the battles aren't the most important part of the books. Considering that new books in the series sell well when they come out, you'd think they would want to keep the first ones in print to get new fans. So far I've been getting whatever used ones Powell's has on hand whenever I'm in Portland.
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Science fiction and fantasy are the hardest books to find used.. Readers of the genre tend to hang onto their copies...
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I certainly do; I've got bookcases and stacks of them.
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I do too,,mostly all read, but a few that I squirrel away to cheer me up on way down low days.. mostly Pratchett. He relliably makes me laugh.
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I am reading a book called Halo by Tom Maddox and enjoying it more than I thought I would. It is set in a world where there is human/AI interfacing by way of a plug-in socket in the back of your head and/or a neural implant to connect with the AI and VR world. Early cyberpunk. Tom Maddox is a friend of William Gibson's. He doesn't appear to have written very much. In fact, this appears to be his only novel, and it was written way back in 1991.
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not a cyberpunk fan. and dislike Gibson..
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I kind of agree about Gibson. I tried reading Neuromancer but couldn't get very far. Disliked the beginning sequences which, among other things, included a drug party. I am going to try some of his others.
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not a cyberpunk fan. and dislike Gibson..
Maybe that's why Frybabe is surprised by how much she likes it.
Gibson has changed with the years, and I think I like him less now. I liked Neuromancer and Count Zero when they came out, don't know what I'd think of them now.
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I'll have to try Neuromancer again. I have Spook Country and one other in my TBR pile, it think.
As for Halo, I should expand a little, but just. The book is very Buddhist in philosophy. While the story seems to follow a particular person (Gonzales) it is more about the emergence of a sentient AI.
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hmm. Buddism.. will check that out. A religion that has always interested me.
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Last week the Washington Post reviewed Terry Pratchett's final, posthumous, Discworld book, The Shepherd's Crown. It deals with witch Tiffany Aching, first met in The Wee Free Men, up against her old enemies. The reviewer, Michael Dirda, a Pratchett fan, says it's definitely up to standards. However, he warns that it is fairly serious, not many laughs, and sometimes getting solemn. So it's worth reading, but not one to be kept for cheering up.
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I loved all of Pratchett and Tiff was a hoot, so will be sure to get it.
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I've just started Ryk Brown's, The Frontier Saga series. It looks promising.
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Well, if you like it, you're in luck. There seem to be 14 of them.
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I've got the first three.
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I am reading the second book of Eileen Wilks.. Werewolves in clans, devils, and a separate hell for demons.
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Oh, great excitement here. Jack McDevitt will have a new book it the stores on Dec. 1. It is titled Thunderbird. For those who read Ancient Shores, the new book returns to that world.
I rather suspect that Coming Home was the last Alex Benedict book we will see out of Jack. Bummer! I think he may be going back over some old, shelved ideas and working on them now, what with the revised edition of The Hercules Text and now this new one coming out being based on another older book.
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Bummer is right. I just got a taste of the Benedict series, and mean to read more. Haven't read Ancient Shores.
The movie The Martian is coming Oct 2. I'll be in Portland then, which means I'll probably get to see it with my SIL, which is always fun. It'll be interesting to see what they do with that very science-nerdy book.
I gave the book to my SIL last Christmas. He had never heard of it, but a week or two later it started making a big splash. I don't usually manage to surprise him like that.
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PatH,,, when is the best time to visit Portland. I am considering an uncruise that begins and ends there and then staying on for a few more days.. Tim and I were there in late April and it rained solid for two days.. We went to the Japanese Garden anyway and I have the pictures of two drowned rats to prove it.
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The Martian was originally scheduled to be released Nov. 25. I am quite happy that they are releasing it earlier. Now I know what my sister is getting me for my birthday - dinner and a movie. 8)
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Steph, avoiding rain in Portland is quite a trick. In general, winter is rainy and grey, summer is the dry season, and the between times vary, but a fair amount of rain. The last two years have been dry, however. April was lovely, there wasn't much rain in any season, and summer was hotter than usual, with some killer heat waves. Fall is pretty, with color mixed with evergreen green. We're just beginning to see some color now.
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At this point, I am leaning toward a May 14 sail date, since that particular cruise has some special events for the Lewis and Clarke Expedition . It sounds like so much fun and the boat is small 88.. Now to get my cousin to make up her mind.. Sigh.
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I make no promises, but May sounds like a good bet. What's an uncruise?
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I'm reading a John Ringo book titled A Hymn before Battle. The title pays homage to Kipling, and at the end of each chapter (so far), he quotes a bit of Kipling's poem "Hymn before Action" (1896).
Hymn Before Action
The earth is full of anger,
The seas are dark with wrath,
The Nations in their harness
Go up against our path:
Ere yet we loose the legions --
Ere yet we draw the blade,
Jehovah of the Thunders,
Lord God of Battles, aid!
High lust and froward bearing,
Proud heart, rebellious brow --
Deaf ear and soul uncaring,
We seek Thy mercy now!
The sinner that forswore Thee,
The fool that passed Thee by,
Our times are known before Thee --
Lord, grant us strength to die!
For those who kneel beside us
At altars not Thine own,
Who lack the lights that guide us,
Lord, let their faith atone!
If wrong we did to call them,
By honour bound they came;
Let not Thy Wrath befall them,
But deal to us the blame.
From panic, pride, and terror
Revenge that knows no rein --
Light haste and lawless error,
Protect us yet again,
Cloke Thou our undeserving,
Make firm the shuddering breath,
In silence and unswerving
To taste Thy lesser death.
Ah, Mary pierced with sorrow,
Remember, reach and save
The soul that comes to-morrow
Before the God that gave!
Since each was born of woman,
For each at utter need --
True comrade and true foeman --
Madonna, intercede!
E'en now their vanguard gathers,
E'en now we face the fray --
As Thou didst help our fathers,
Help Thou our host to-day.
Fulfilled of signs and wonders,
In life, in death made clear --
Jehovah of the Thunders,
Lord God of Battles, hear!
How about that - Kipling in space. 8)
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hmmlost the first message. Uncruise Adventures.. They do all sorts of cruises.. I am interested in the Lewis and Clark one out of Portland. But they do Alaska, Columbia and Snake rivers, Mexico and Sea of Cortez,Hawaiian Islands, coastal Washington and British Columbia and Galapagos.. Takes professors and reenactors on the boat. very laid back. small boats, all included. my kind of cruising.
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Sounds like my kind of cruising too, the smaller the boat the better.
Kipling always does such a great job of rousing one to patriotism and valor, with a bit of religious humility thrown in.
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While browsing the Free Library of Philadelphia site I discovered several volumes titled The Apex Book of World Sf, or something very close to that. I put a hold on the 1st volume. The emphasis appears to be on writers from the Near and Far East, Eastern Europe, and other non-Western countries.
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I'll be very interested to learn what the Far East Sci-fi is like. I've read some Polish sci-fi--Stanislaw Lem. He wrote Solaris, which was made into a Russian movie a long time ago, and an American movie a few years ago. The Russian movie is better, even though it doesn't have George Clooney, and both different from the book, being less long-winded, with added material. I've also read some of his short stories, half of Fiasco, also s-f, and a mystery story, The Investigation, kind of a cross between Inspector Maigret and Franz Kafka.
Sergei Lukyanenko is a Russan fantasy writer I like. He manages to reduce theconflict between good and evil to a ponderous bureaucratic system. The books are full of magic, spells, vampires, shape-shifters, etc.
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Some of the very best science fiction and fantasy is English, Canadian and Australian..
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Yes. I can't think of any Australian authors at the moment. Remind me.
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I checked a list that Wikipedia has, but I didn't recognize any of the names except for the possible exception of Mickael Pryor. Pryor has books listed on Amazon, so I'm betting that is where I ran across his name. His book seem to be mostly on the Fantasy side.
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I guess I was thinking of Nevil Shute, for On The Beach, which is a spectacular end of everything book. I went through a period where I must have read dozens of end of the world.. and I loved his, although he is a fiction writer. I also remember that I have read several fantasy books that seem set in New Zealand and assume the writer is Australian. Who knows.. I like a few chinese authors, but not many Culture shock, I suspect
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Oh, of course, Nevil Shute. And if you want to call The Book Thief fantasy, you've got Markus Zusak. New Zealand film director Vincent Ward directed a weird fantasy movie, The Navigator, involving medieval peasants who, following a vision of how to escape the Black Death, dig a hole through the earth to modern New Zealand to forge a cross for the top of a church there. It isn't a very good movie, but it has some stunning visual images.
I know there are others, but I can't come up with any.
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The image of digging through to the other side is wild.. The mental picture is quite different. Just now on Kindle, I am reading an author who is only on Kindle.. Not bad.
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Surprise! The Ringo book I just finished, Hymn before Battle, includes Fort Indiantown Gap (just across the river, about 20minutes away, and where my Dad and Mom are buried) as one of the locales. In fact, it ends there. Annville got a brief mention.The battles/skirmishes described in the book are brutal. Gust Front is next. I think most of it will be played out here on Earth as the invasion hits home. The main series is a total of four books, but there are some offshoots.
I Like the characters, like the story. Try to imagine a centaur-like creature with a crocidillian head, lays eggs, and is yellow in color. That's the enemy. Allies include a huminoid type (Indowy), short and stout with blue skin and green fur, and a frogish looking creature (the Himmit). The Darhel, an elfish looking alien has sharp teeth, are genetically altered so that if they become enraged, lose self-control, or indulge in "hunt lust", not to mention kill, they automatically go into a coma-like state which results in death.
The story is more about the human characters and their military and political lives than it is about science/technology. Even though the protagonist is a computer guy initially recalled to duty to help design a battle suit and its software, the technical explanations are minimal and easy to follow.
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I'm reading Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters, which somehow I'd missed before. Tee hee.
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Saw The Martian yesterday. It did not disappoint, staying pretty close to the book. From what I remember of the book, there were a few minor changes.
This probably constitutes a Spoiler Alert.
Regarding the potatoes, they didn't mention that he had lots of freeze dried potatoes to use after the accident, only that he had just what was already grown leaving those who haven't read the book to assume they were talking about only the potatoes he had already harvested and put into the food storage area. While the did show him converting rocket fuel to water, etc., they did not show that he later reverse engineered the process to convert back to rocket fuel. The ending, as I recall was a little different - may have to grab the book again to check that. I expected an expansion of the NASA scenes so that the characters at that end had more to say, I can't remember how much. At any rate, it was well done and very balanced. Matt Damon did a good job of showing the mood swings Watney went through from depression and on the verge of giving up to bouncing back with determination and energy.
Kudos to Ridley Scott and the whole crew and cast.
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Ah the Wyrd Sisters.. lots of laughing and wishing I was there. Want to see The Martian..so will try to see it when I get home next week.
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I just reread The Martian in preparation for seeing it tonight. I wondered how it would stand up to rereading,and the answer is very well.
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Pat, how did you like the movie?
YouTube has the soundtrack posted already (without the disco music).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8dE4ZrjcC4
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hmmmm,,, book first?? movie first?? ah me,
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I thought it was truly excellent. I didn't have time to write about it before because after coming home from an evening movie I had to finish packing for a 6 am plane in the morning, and when I got back to Bethesda I was too wiped to do anything but eat and sleep.
SPOILER ALERT (sort of, anyone could guess that would happen)
They really did manage to keep the spirit and feel of the story, and not change much. They cut out maybe half of the disasters and mechanical problems Mark had to face. That's reasonable. What worked in the book would be too repetitious in a movie, and they had more time to explain the ones left. All the actors were well cast, even though Chiwetel Ejiofor can't really pass as Indian, and damon was really perfect in his part. They didn't so much expand the NASA scenes--they didn't cut them, so they were a greater fraction of the story.
You're right about the ending. The book ends with Watney getting back to Earth, no clue as to what he'll do with his life, though I bet he never eats another potato. They show him sticking whole potatoes in the ground. Didn't anyone on the staff ever plant a potato?
And it's visually gorgeous. Mars never looked so good.
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Steph, both would work. I'd go for book first, partly because there are a lot of minor characters that would be easier to keep straight in the movie if you had read the book, and there are spots where what's going on is clearer. But if you get bogged down in all the technical stuff in the book, just ditch the book and see the movie, where that's downplayed. Don't let waiting to read the book keep you from seeing the movie.
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ok.. When I get home on Monday, will put the movie on my list if it is playing locally.
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Hugh Howey has done it again. Not exactly SciFi, but set in the future on a "beacon", much like our lighthouses, set near an asteroid belt to warn and guide ships in hyperspace away from the rocks. The beacon keeper is a war vet who wants to be left alone. This is a story of depression, guilt, PTSD, moral dilemma, redemption, forgiveness, trust. You can feel the emotion and experience those flashes of insight where both the character and reader go, "oh, so that is what is going on...or that's what happened...or why".
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Home, way too tired and cranky, so I dug out a Pratchett... The Fifth Elephant, I suspect I have read it before, but I don't care. He is my reliable laugh maker and I need his silliness.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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He definitely can stand up to rereading.
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yes, he is comforting to me.. All of the old familiar characters and I do like Sam Vimes and his merry crew..Stressful two days and he helps me deal.
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Hi Steph, glad you got back okay.
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back,,, fine but way too tired. Think the 10 hour back trip is getting way hard for me..
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The new John Scalzi book, The End of All Things, just arrived at the library. Of course, I was really quick to check it out.
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I cannot even concentrate on the Terry Pratchett.. just get too too tired.
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Wow, that's extreme.
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I know.. had a complicated summer, finally picked the Fifth Elephant back up, found a truly laugh until I could not breathe section and am back on track.
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Preliminary report on The End of All Things: This one is being narrated by the pilot who, at the end of the last book, was kidnapped and than turned into "a brain in a box". I had forgotten about that. Anyhow, since then I had read Anne McCaffrey's The Ship Who Sang, so it is reminding of that book. All in all, it seems a little less than I am used to from Scalzi's Old Man's War series and even The Human Division which is its direct predecessor.
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I agree. I was somewhat underwhelmed, but I still read it through rather quickly.
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Anne McCaffrey and all of her works, but especially The Ship who sang. Rang deep vibrations in my chest.. She said she had written it when her Dad died and I do understand.. She was a wonderful writer, but do not like her sons continuations since he is heavily into war stuff.
Finished the Fifth Elephant and laughed and laughed.Sam is such a wonderful character. and the Dwarves are too too much.
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That was the Pratchett my f2f book club chose to read. It's a good one, and I hadn't yet read it then.
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Pratchett is my mental health writer. He always makes me laugh andlook at life a bit less seriously.
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I needed a Pratchett fix, so I'm rereading Thud, and came across this, which amused me.
Vimes had never got on with any game much more complex than darts. Chess in particular had always annoyed him. It was the dumb way the pawns went off and slaughtered their fellow pawns while the kings lounged about doing nothing that always got to him; if only the pawns united, maybe talked the rooks around, the whole board could've been a republic in a dozen moves.
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Having suffered through being taught chess by my husband at least a dozen times and never gripping the war part, I love it.
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Well, I just finished Gust Front (by John Ringo) last night. Interesting reading, if a little slow getting through the details at times. After I finished I discovered maps of the Fredricksburg, VA, DC, and areas in between and a glossary at the end. Fine time to find them. The first book centered ground fighting on other planets and felt more SciFi than this second of series. This one is about the initial invasion of our planet and particularly the US.
The main character (Mike O'Neal), prominent in the first book, took a "back seat" in this one. Each chapter covers several different units or individuals in vignette form during particular time periods. The units followed were mostly engineering, infantry, mortar, and tank. Ringo covered: weaponry, some logistics, tactics, battle fatigue and desertion, miscommunications (including hacked software and lack of proper coordination), civilians and their reluctance to evacuate until the very last minute which caused huge traffic jams, poor command decisions, poorly trained troops, oh, just about everything that could go wrong. In detail! There are also references to other battles and other heroes from different wars as well as a few more Rudyard Kipling poems. Mr. Ringo wrote at the end about his father (WWII vet, Army Corp of Engineers) and the role Rudyard Kipling's works played in his life. Moving.
There are at least nine books in the series covering a span of at least five years of fighting on Earth. One or more of these follow O'Neal's daughter, Callie, who eventually becomes an assassin. In Gust Front she is still only eight but already can set demolition charges as well as handle a gun and rifle.
Now I have to forgo SciFi for a week or so to start reading The Cellist of Sarajevo and All Quiet on the Western Front.
Steph, I haven't played chess in years. That was the only game I hated losing.
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I love Pratchett and Sam Vimes and I could be best friends, so I loved his take on chess.
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Pat, you wanted to know about the Scifi I just finished, so here goes.
It is yet another first of series called Starship Eternal (War Eternal Book 1) by M. R. Forbes. It starts out with a 12 (if I remember right) year old girl who is determined to travel the stars. Fast forward four hundred years with a new set of characters, but fear not, they do intersect. The main character is a starfighter pilot, who finds himself a hero not because he really was one, but because he was (gee where have we read this scenario before) the only survivor of a squadron that successfully blew up an alien battleship, and the brass wanted a hero to float in front of the masses for recruitment purposes. Of course he gets in trouble and finds himself on the run with a mystery to solve. While on the run he meets someone who explains a little about the eternal loop of time and repeated history that I mentioned in Cellist. He ends up with a very unlikely, and very black ops crew of a salvage/mining ship. That is about as much of a possible spoiler as I will give here.
The unconventional crew our erstwhile hero meets up with is a stretch nor did I particularly take to the hero at first. Overly gorgeous guys who think with other parts than their brains (an yes that is what got him in trouble) do not turn me on. But it was a good vehicle to force him to concentrate on the mystery the was niggling at his brain. I was fully prepared not to like them or the rest of the book, but it turned out fairly interesting. I cannot see it holding my interest through more than a second book, though. Three are out and it looks like, from the blurb, that it isn't the end. Somehow, I don't think I want to read "eternal" sequels on this one. This first of series ebook is a freebie through Amazon, maybe others.
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I've started Reading The Legacy Code #1 (Fractured Era Series) after reading several of the prequel and shorts.The prequel and shorts follow separate people who do not interact. The connection between them seems to be that some people were genetically modified to be immune from diseases, but in doing so, a defect was introduced into them. The procedure was banned. Anyone who was so treated was tagged and separated from the general population, often to be a source of lab experiments and, I think, a source of antibodies against diseases for the general population. At least, that is what I got from the prequels and shorts. The first of series book is set in a fleet of colony ships. And here, too, there seems to be a problem with reproduction. I am not far enough in to see what connection it has to the others I read. It is an okay read, not at all technical.
The shorts are worth reading if you are interested in genetic modification type SciFi. Again nothing technical, they are more about the humans involved. Defect # Legacy Code Prequel and 318: Fractured Era Prequel Story. Both are free ebooks.
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Frybabe, your mention of time as looping back on itself, with the possibility of being modified, got me started on some internet looking. I had come across the term "The Worm Ouroboros", or the worm of time, used to describe this kind of cycle, and it occurred to me that I didn't actually know where the term came from. It turns out it's a fantasy novel, The Worm Ouroboros, written in 1922 by E. R. Eddison.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/e/e-r-eddison/ (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/e/e-r-eddison/)
It's full of sorcery, battles between rival rulers, wizards, good guys and bad guys, if you can tell them apart, a whiff of the sagas, etc. Here's a summary of the labyrinthine plot:
http://www.liquisearch.com/the_worm_ouroboros/plot (http://www.liquisearch.com/the_worm_ouroboros/plot)
As nearly as I can figure out, the worm of time only comes in at the end. The battles are over, but the remaining characters are unhappy because there are no deeds left to do or warriors left to conquer who are worthy of their great valor. So one of the characters manages to reset time back four years to the start of the book.
It's highly admired, but the sort of thing I don't usually have patience for. I see that Eddison also translated Egil's Saga, the story of the sociopathic Icelandic warrior, murderer, and greatly admired poet, so you can see where he's coming from.
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So, this Egil person was supposed to be real even though there isn't any historical data?
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Yes, he was evidently a real person, though known mostly through the saga. I only brought him up here because the fact that Eddison could translate the saga from Icelandic shows a really serious interest in that sort of thing.
But Egil is an interesting character, though not particularly likeable. He was a berserker, and always getting into squabbles and killing people, but he was also one of Iceland's finest poets. Unfortunately, the poems depend on extremely clever wordplays--puns and allusions, and linguistic tricks, so they don't translate well. The only one that moves me is one mourning the death of his sons, describing the paradox that the gods took away his sons, causing his great grief, but they also gave him the gift of poetry, and it's through his poems that he is able to accept and come to terms with the grief.
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Now for something a little different. It speaks to the spirit that drives mankind to explore new lands and the unknown places. That spirit continues to this day to whisper into ears of those who will listen and heed the call . I like it very much.
This is the opening poem to a book called Famous Discoverers and Explorers of America by Charles H. L. Johnston (1917).
THE VOICE
A voice came from the westward, it whispered a message clear,
And the dripping fog banks parted as the clarion tones drew near;
It spoke of shores untrodden, and it sang of mountains bold,
Of shimmering sands in distant lands which were covered with glittering gold.
It sang of hemlock forests, where the moose roamed, and the bear,
Where the eider bred near the cascade’s head, and the lucivee had his lair.
It praised the rushing water falls, it told of the salmon red,
Who swam in the spuming ripples by the rushing river’s head.
It chanted its praise of the languorous days which lay ’neath the shimmering sun,
Of the birch canoe and the Indian, too, who trapped in the forests dun.
Yea, it told of the bars of silver, and it whispered of emeralds green,
Of topaz, sapphire, and amethyst, which shone with a dazzling sheen.
Of warriors red with feathered head, of buffalo, puma, and deer,
Of the coral strand in a palm-tree land, and of dizzying mountains sheer.
And the voice grew louder and louder, and it fell upon listening ears,
Of the men who had heard strange music which was moistened with women’s tears.
Of the men who loved to wander, of the souls who cared to roam,
Whose bed was the hemlock’s branches, who rejoiced in the forest’s gloom.
Leif the Lucky, Magellan, deLeon and Cortés bold,
Cartier, Drake, and Franklin; Pizarro and Baffin, old;
Shackleton, Hudson, Roosevelt; brave Peary and gay Champlain,
Frémont, Lewis, Balboa; Verendrye, and the Cabots twain;
’Twas the voice that called them onward, ’twas the voice that is calling still,
And the voice will call ’till the end of it all, and the voice has a conquering will.
A lucivee is a wildcat spirit of northern Wabanaki folklore.
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Hmm,. all those times, I have seen the phrase of the Worm.. never knew where it came from.Interesting..
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Oh my! Look what I just found. My Penguin Random House newsletter brought my attention to author R. M. Meluch (never heard of him before) and his newest book.
Oh My! The Roman Empire never fell, it just went underground according to the author intro to his first book. Click on the green cover (Tour of the Merrimack: The Myriad/Wolf Star) to read his introduction to the series. Now you know how much I like military SciFi and Latin. http://rmmeluch.com/ What a combo.
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Oh my is right. Frybabe, you've got to check it out. If they're any good, it's a real find.
When I was growing up, I read some books by L. Sprague de Camp in which a modern man gets transported back to some historical period and has to cope. One, Lest Darkness Fall, 1941, deals with a history professor, transported back to Rome, trying to prevent the fall of the Empire. I don't remember if he succeeded. I should dig up my old paperback and check it out--it's probably pretty tame by current standards.
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I read one earlier this year about a Special Unit of the Swiss Guards that got transported back to Rome during the reign of Augustus. It was good, but I have been avoiding spending money on books, so I haven't bought the sequels. Now that I've reminded myself of that, I'll have to see if the Free Library of Philadelphia has any of them.
Finished reading The Syn-En Solution. Interesting story about a society of three classes of humans: pure humans who were the Citizens, humans that had prostheses, often forced on them as punishment, and cyborgs, those who were taken or orphaned as babies and were subjected to extensive operations such that they were mostly machine with a human brain. The last group were brought up to be soldiers to protect and serves the others. The last group were offended treated as nonhuman. They were also a rather horny bunch. Not a book I'd let the youngsters read.
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I loved DeCamp and he did have fun with transporting his professor back to odder times.. I can remember one that sent him back to the Viking gods...Really neat.
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I remember that one too. It was pretty funny. The professor had trouble fitting in with thr rough warrior types.
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I had not thought of DeCamp for years. I did love the alternate history things of his..
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I've started Robert J. Sawyer's WWW: Wake which is the first of a trilogy about the beginnings of a sentient machine presence. So far, it features a blind girl who may, farther on in reading, undergo experimental surgery to regain her eyesight and a nasty strain of H5N1 bird flu outbreak in China. I haven't gotten far enough to find out what the connection is, nor can I guess at this point.
While the chapters, so far, are focused on humans, each is prefaced with lines that appear to be the sentient presence awakening. They are almost poetic. From the first chapter:
Not darkness, for that implies an understanding of light.
Not silence, for that suggests a familiarity with sound.
Not loneliness, for that requires knowledge of others.
But still, faintly, so tenuous that if it were any less it wouldn't exist at all: awareness.
Nothing more than that. Just awareness--a vague, ethereal sense of being.
Being...but not becoming. No marking of time, no past or future--only an endless, featureless now, and, just barely there in that boundless moment, inchoate and raw, the dawning of perception.
I think that is beautiful. A thought: is this how a fetus "feels" on its journey to personhood?
The other book I brought home is one of Ben Bova's short story collections.
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That'll be a contrast, if it's like the Bova I've read. He's more nuts and bolts space travel. Rescue Modewhich came out a little over a year ago, is a similar situation to The Martian, though it's a meteor-damaged spaceship that hasto land on Mars and be rescued or not.
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That is beautiful indeed.
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Okay, I'm a little farther on in Wake. The author refers to Julian Jaynes and his book, The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Jaynes
Now, I'm not going to try to explain that except that Jaynes developed a theory of the evolution of consciousness stating that humans didn't develop consciousness of self until about 3000 years ago. Up until then, apparently, whenever anyone prior to then heard a voice inside their head they believed the gods were speaking to them, like an auditory hallucination, rather than realizing that they were thinking to themselves. The theory is controversial, but it did spark renewed study of auditory hallucinations with regard to mental illness, and again, in the 90's, when brain imaging seemed to confirm some of his predictions. The book is still in print. Lots of stuff on YouTube http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?action=post;topic=81.0;last_msg=270546 and the Julian Jaynes Society of Consciousness http://www.julianjaynes.org/julian-jaynes-theory-overview.php
In all the time I studied for an undergraduate degree in Psychology, I don't believe I ever ran across Jaynes. My guess is that I would have run across him in graduate classes, had I gone on.
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I've decided to give up on "Wake". Mr. Sawyer seems to come from the same school of writing as Neal Stephenson. The book is a bit too detailed for me right now. Once upon a time I would have been much more interested in visual anatomy and development, as well as theories of consciousness. At least he broke his story up into three books, unlike Stephenson.
Started on Ben Bova' s NEW FRONTIERS. The first story was a fun read centered around a golf course on the moon.
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Just thought I'd mention: my TV weakness is the TV small claims court cases: supposedly real people not acting. There was a contract case by a woman who was paid to appear at zombie conventions and had been stiffed her fee. She was a former star in zombie movies. I don't see many zombies, but she was the most bubbly (and well endowed) zombie I'd ever seen. Is this the new zombie-ism?
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Zombie films, TV series, and books are quite popular now. Not my cup of tea. I skip those that include post-apocalypse themes that include zombies. :P
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Reading the latest Alpha and Omega book in Patricia Briggs series. She was recently hurt by one of her horses, and will not be writing for several months. The book goes into Arabian horses and the show world as well as the fantasy.. Excellent. I read somewhere the Childhoods End by Arthur Clarke is being made into either a movie or a tv series. I remember loving the book,, must look it up again.
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Steph, yes, the SYFY channel will bring Childhood's end to TV in a 3 part (6 hour) miniseries Mon.-Wed. Dec. 14-16, at 8 p.m. I've read that they've made quite a few changes from the book for the tv adaptation.
After the last episode they will show the first episode of an adaptation of Lev Grossman's MAGICIANS trilogy. See http://www.avclub.com/article/syfy-air-first-episode-magicians-after-end-childho-229538
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I don't get SYFY, so I'll have to miss it for now.
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This Smithsonian article has me interested. Could this new material be the beginnings of a new type of propulsion/drive or spacecraft shielding? http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/weird-new-type-carbon-harder-brighter-than-diamond-180957433/?utm_source=smithsoniantopic&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20151206-Weekender&spMailingID=24166213&spUserID=NzQwNDU4NDU5NTIS1&spJobID=700464431&spReportId=NzAwNDY0NDMxS0
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I read the first The Magician,, and believe I have the 2nd somewhere in my TBR piles.. hmm, First one was very very strange indeed. But thanks for the dates on Childhoods end.. have made a note.
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Finally got 50 Years of Science Fiction, or something like that, after waiting since September on the hold list. I may start some of it tonight.
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Frybabe, that's a long hold list. Let us know how the book is, especially how the older stories hold up.
Steph, I read The Magicians for my f2f club. It seemed to me it was like Narnia with sex thrown in, all the appealing parts left out, a whiff of Harry Potter, and a bunch of characters I didn't much like. So I'm not tempted by the sequels.
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On a more positive note, my recent visit to Portland netted me 2 more early Bujold books--Memory and Komarr, both very good. Miles is growing up and changing in unexpected ways.
And he meets the woman who is surely going to be his real love. You were right, Steph, she is a surprise.
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A new science fiction TV series premieres tomorrow on the syfy channel. It's called THE EXPANSE and it's based on a series of novels by James S. A. Corey.
The first episode is available online. I saw it and it's confusing at first (I haven't read the novels) but I was able to get into it by the end of the first episode. There is also a prequel (text; not video) to the novels available online.
See http://www.syfy.com/theexpanse
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PatH, my mistake. The book is The Apex Book of World SF. http://www.apexbookcompany.com/products/the-apex-book-of-world-sf
According to a blurb, it isn't Science Fiction but is Speculative Fiction.The first one,"The Bird Catcher"(winner of the World Fantasy Award of Best Novella), is set in Thailand. The narrator relates (to his grandchild) the tale of how he met and befriended a serial killer who eats children's livers. The ending leaves you wondering about Granddad and why he would be telling an eleven year old such a tale. Apparantly he had told his son the same story when he was a child too. It is an interesting story that cautions about how easily neglected children can pick up and identify with some pretty awful people or "occupations". I just checked, there are now four volumes.
The author of the story is rather multi-talented. Besides writing, he is a composer and conductor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._P._Somtow http://www.somtowmusic.com/
Marcie, I am not familiar with James S. A. Corey. Will watch the online video shortly. Thanks for the link.
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I first ran across Somtow many years ago, a short story about a Thai boy who is trying to get money for his family by getting the ghost of his grandmother to give him the number of a winning lottery ticket. It's very funny if you can stand the scatology. I went on to read several of his novels; Moon Dance is about werewolves, Starship and Haiku is a dystopian future novel with a very oriental slant. I'm surprised to learn he spent so little time in Thailand; his stuff has a very Eastern feel. I didn't know he was a composer until someone posted a list of modern composers on Don's site.
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Dont think I could read about telling a small child about a serial killer, but maybe.
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It doesn't sound very promising, does it.
I read James Corey's Leviathan Wakes a few months ago. It's a combination of sci-fi and noir detective story, and I thought it was just so-so. It seems to be the first of a series of six.
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stupid week. I wanted to see the first two hours of Childhoods
End and got sidetracked into family stuff. Darn.
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Darn is right, Steph. I wanted to hear if it was good or not.
I found something interesting this morning and then promptly lost it again. I ran across an ebook on ManyBooks.net that was published in 1880. It sounded similar to the first book of Edgar Rice Burroughs's John Carter series. Darn if I can remember the name of the author and title of the book. I wasn't going to download it, but after getting off the page, changed my mind because I wanted to see how close it was to Burroughs who published his works after the turn of the century. The blurb sounded like it might have been either a Civil War vet or a fugitive for something or other. His journey starting point was apparantly Mississippi and his objective was Mexico, where he heard of someone who knew how to get him to Mars.
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I will just have to consult netflix on Childhoods End.. Hmm.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEPH!
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Happy Birthday, Steph! Hope your day is going great, and so too for the days that follow.
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Lovely day and thank you all. Its amazing.. Hmm. 78... oh well I feel good, so the age is simply a number
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Just finished Thud.. Amazing as always and Sam does not disappoint. Also introduction of Sally, the Vampire policewoman.. Good one..
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I recently reread Thud. Indeed, Pratchett at his best.
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I'm reading a very interesting book called 1/2986 by Annelie Wendeberg. It is about a misfit of a girl in an isolated village who, from her self descriptions, may be mentally disabled. She describes herself as the village idiot, describes sights in terms of how they taste, is suicidal. She lives in a world of survivors of climate disaster and its subsequent twin encourages of disease and war. Communities are now small, isolated, and apparently have now outside communication with others except for the much revered Sequencers who constantly travel between them, testing the water supplies, moving communities when necessary, and reassuring the communities that they will soon be able to move back to the lowlands. The girl, now coming of age, has been chosen to apprentice as a Sequencer. She is learning truths kept from the general population and learning about other, different, communities and cultures. I highly recommend it.
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More on the book now that I finished it. Bummer, I suppose it shouldn't surprise me that it is the first of a series. The later part of the book turns toward the military arena. There is a fair amount of swearing, but for some reason it did not bother me this time. The author is a former scientist who is big in environmental issues.
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The first part of the book sounded wonderful, but no war. I am so eternally sick of any war.
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As far as this book is concerned, I am with you there. While this first book is pretty interesting with all kinds of issues addressed, if briefly, the war issue was not one I expected (should have I suppose) nor want to persue. I would much rather the book continued in the vain of knowledgeable and respected travelers who are monitering the environmental effects of the collapse, and the monitoring and maintenance of society in insular groups. I suppose conflict because of limited resources is inevitable, but this storyline involves religious terrorists, world wide, who are bent on destroying all humans not a scramble for limited resources. The book was interesting because of the range of issues brought up: child abuse, depression and self-inflicting wounds, communities diverging from others in learning, moral attitudes, governance, and culture, tuberculosis and cholera and antibiotic resistance, global climate change and its effects, trust vs. distrust, learning to love when one has seen so little of it. The next two are mostly war and are describled as, at times, very dark and brutal. Not going to read them.
The author, Annelie Wendeberg, also has a Victorian Crime series out that gets high praises as well.
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Maybe I will look into the Victorian crime.. I do enjoy the era.
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Starting John Sandford's Saturn Run. Is this his first SciFi?
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It turns out nothing like his first. I never heard of him, but he was born in '44 and has written over 40 books. If you like him, you have your reading set up for a while.
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Well, I'm liking this one, anyway. Don't know about the thiller/mysteries he usually writes. We have quite a few of his books in the library, not nearly as many as Patterson's or Stuart Woods in our branch though.
The book is about an object, in all probability a spaceship, that was spotted by the cameras on the OSS telescope arrays. It appears to have settled into in orbit around Saturn close to a mini-moon. The race is on to build a craft capable of getting to Saturn - fast - to investigate. China is already on its way to Mars to set up a colony. If they find out, they could revector that craft to Saturn. A new space race. Get going before China finds out and gets there first.
Oh, and one of the recruits is an anthropolist who brings his cat along for the trip.
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Sounds good. Keep us posted.
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Before starting Saturn Run I finished a book called Citadel: First Colony by Kevin Tumlinson. I liked the characters and most of the story. There was a mix of "old" and "new" techology on the colony ship. Some of the science sounded a bit "off" to me. Not a lot of deep thinking or extra details, but it was an interesting story nevertheless. The ship, having been sabotaged, crashed on a planet other than where it was supposed to be. As the crew rescued survivors from their hibernation pods new characters were added to the mix. The twist at the end is not a direction I want to read into further. No, it is not turning military, like 1/2986 did. It is a scientific discovery type thing. I don't want to spoil it by saying what.
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Check this freebie out PatH. I just got notice of it. Jack McDevitt and Greg Bear are listed among the writers as are David Brin and Robert J. Sawyer. Will be downloading it in a little bit. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0182NCTWS
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Sandford is a really well known mystery writer. Lives in Colorado or some such and used to be a newspaper reporter. He has several series in the mysteries, probably the most famous is Lucas Davenport. Excellent, supposedly the sci fi is in the nature of an experiment.
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I am now about 60% through Saturn Run. What an interesting story. Power plant physics and photography are prominent in the first half. What they find at Saturn is even more interesting than getting there. Must read, Pat. Steph, as I recall you are not real big on technical stuff. Still, you might like the characters and their shipboard antic and interactions.
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okay, finished the book. The author's notes at the end explain a little more about the real science in the story. Some of it sounded a little weird to me, but it is real either designed or been built at a small scale. Only the antimatter propulsion is fantasy - so far. Dramatic twist on return trip. Great ending.
I looked up the CO-author, Ctein. It turns out that the guy is an internationally known photographer with a dual degree in English and physics. That explains the main character's videography occupation. Ctein has written several books on photography.
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I am just baffled as to why Sandford wrote a sci fi.. Whew.
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Well, whatever made him want to do it, he did a good job.
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I think he mentioned why, briefly, in his author's review but I forget exactly what. This is something new for Ctein too. Anyhow, here is an interview with Sandford and Ctein with their explanation. http://www.omnivoracious.com/2015/10/qa-with-john-sandford-and-ctein-saturn-run-amazon-book-review.html I agree with his last statement. Saturn Run is "a pretty good d*** book". They do have a hit as far as I am concerned. Oh, BTW, this adventure happens only about 50 years in the future.
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Oh, No! I did it again. All of a sudden I am swamped with borrowed books. Reading The Little Paris Booshop which I picked up at the library last Thursday and am in the middle Carpe Diem (Laiden Universe). Downloaded Ampedby Daniel Wilson from the Philadelphia Free Library yesterday. And now Robert J. Sawyer's Red Planet Blues is ready to pick up at the Library. I forgot that was on hold. On top of that, Latin classes start up again on Thursday. Have to stick a big note on my computer to do lessons tomorrow. And then there are the small crochet projects I need to get done for my Sister's birthday next month.
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Too many books; I'm weeping for you. ;) I do realize it's a problem, but at least it's better than the alternative.
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Aha ,my favorite type of problem. Read on.. who needs sleep.
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Maybe no sleep, but I'm sure Frybabe needs to do her Latin homework.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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I've been forgetting to mention, I saw the new Star Wars movie with my SIL over the holidays. If you liked the original three, it's worth seeing--much closer to them than to the wimpy three prequels. I saw it in 3D--SIL is a movie techie, always wants the most elaborate version. The 3D didn't detract, like it sometimes does, but I don't think you would lose anything by skipping it.
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"...Frybabe needs to do her Latin homework"
Which I completely forgot about yesterday.
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Boy those teachers ruin your whole day sometimes..
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I now have a pristine copy of The Martian with the original cover (not Matt Damon's face) I bought at the Friends of the Library Bookstore. Happy! Happy!
Daniel H. Wilson's AMPed is just as good as his Robogenesis and Robopocalypse (think I spelled that right). It is not an AI thing as are the Robo books; it is a computer/brain interface thing. The interface began as a medical device. The protagonist if the story has functional epilepsy as a result of a bad accident. Without the devices he suffered almost constant seizures. The military secretly implanted the device in a dozen soldiers as a experiment. It eventually was offered to those (including children) with mental disabilities or low intelligence as a way to help them become more normal. The problems began when normals discovered their children had become disadvantaged by the super intelligent "AMP" children, and they themselves began losing jobs to the enhanced adults.
The story, like the Robo series, is chock full of moral and ethical dilemmas. The tensions between the "AMPs" and the normals escalates into demonstrations, terrorist attacks, legalized discrimination, human rights issues, and such. Some of the argument reminds me of the ongoing abortion issues. One side is against allowing implants (the purists) and the other side insisting that a person has the right to use technology to enhance their bodies should they want to.
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Now that is interesting.. Sort of an up to date.. Flowers for Algernon
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Facing, what I thought was tough competition, The Martian and Matt Damon won Golden Globes. Yaaaaaaaahhhh!
The really strange thing was they lumped in it with Comedy or Musical. Really, really strange. There is certainly humor in the movie, but it is definitely not a comedy. However, if they had put it in with Drama, I don't think it would have held up to Leonardo and the Revenant. In looking at an article voicing not a few other articles and blogs, this is not the first time movies have been slotted into the comedy category that may have had humor in them but certainly not true comedies.
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Most of the way through.. Witches Abroad.. an old Pratchett.. all about the witches and a wand.. Fairy Godmother style. sends up fairy tales and is making me laugh really hard.
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PatH, have you read Jack Campbell's Leviathan yet? I haven't, but I was just reading some of the customer reviews. One of them mentioned that it was the end of his Lost Fleet Series; his website says not, just a pause while he decides where to take it next. In the meantime, the next Lost Stars series book is coming out in May. He calls that one both an ending and a beginning. He also states that he is doing a trilogy called The First Stars that is prequel to The Lost Fleet seried.
Jack McDevitt just came out with a sequel for Ancient Shores which a lot of people liked. Thunderbird, on the other hand, is a great disappointment to many of the reviewers. BTW, Jack will be 81 in April.
Steph, if you get around to reading any of his Pillars of Reality series, I'd be interested to see how he does with fantasy. It is something I am not used to seeing him write; no space involved.
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I have read Leviathan. Indeed, it ends in a way that could be the end of the series, but there is also a logical way to continue in a new direction.
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I believe I read one of Pratchetts books that is not about Disc world.. Must check to see if I still have it. About time for me to reread Marion Zimmer Bradley. She died some time ago, but I loved Darkover. A very complex world indeed.
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I've finished with the current batch of Lieden Universe books I have, so now am starting Robert J. Sawyer's Red Planet Blues. In only a few pages, but it reminds me of Humphrey Bogart, Mickey Spilane, and the other old detective stories of that era. Set on Mars, there is a gold rush of sorts, but it is fossils they are after. He found his inspiration for the book while spending the summer in Dawson City in the Yukon Territory.
Sawyer incorporated into the story the short story "Identity Theft" which won him, he explains in his acknowledgement, "Spain's Premio UPC de Ciencia Ficcion, which, at 6,000 euros, is the world's largest cash prize for science-fiction writing." The short story was as of 2013 "the first (and so far only) original publication of the Science Fiction Book Club ever to be nominated for" the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award.
The book has a totally different feel to it from Sawyer's very Neal Stephensonish, WWW series. Although interesting I didin't finish the first of that series because I wasn't up to readin anothoer minutely detailed tome at the time. This one, I hope will pick up after a chapter or two, but so far, I don't care for the - is it noir detective? - feel of this one.
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I wonder if Hugh Howey got his idea for the Silo series from Phillip Dick. I just reread Dick' s ,"The Defenders". Everyone is underground because the Earth is supposedly ruined and highly toxic via an on going war.
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Sounds quite likely. Is The Defenders good? I like a fair fraction of Dick's works, though I've failed 4 or 5 times to get into The Man In the High Castle, which many think is his masterpiece.
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I've only read a couple of his short stories. I did like this one. He managed very nicely with the basic theme, whereas Howey, using a similar theme, expanded and embelished into a whole series.
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The two Liaden Universe books I ordered have arrived. The snow storm didn't seem to hold them up much. Both books hold three each of the series, so now I have the family beginnings with the Crystal and Dragon sections.
I just finished Fort Liberty, the first in a series by M. Orenda, who is another of the few women Sci-fi writers. The book starts out with a military action, but quickly turns into a security detail tasked with protecting a young girl. On the way to taking her to Mars, we run into a smuggler crew and attempts by persons unknown who want the youngster dead. I've taken a liking to the main character's, so I'll be getting my hands on the second book soon.
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Frybabe, fill me in on what you have and have read in the Liaden series. Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon are important preludes, and good stories in themselves, but Crystal Dragon has a lot of really dreadful stuff about the origin of the dramliz that you just have to slog through to get to the good stuff.
Here, the snow has prevented mail for six days, but no power outages around here so I'm fine.
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Started with Agent of Change, then read Confict of Honors, Carp Diem, Pland B,, and I Dare in that order. Crystal Variation includes Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon and Balance of Trade. Dragon Variation includes Local Custom, Scouts Progress and Conflict of Honors. (It turned out to be less expensive to buy the triad rather than the first two seperately). Each book includes some extra material (dictionary, currency and time explanations, intro, notes, and afterward thoughts from the authors.
It is going to be a real trip reading these, because the books are two inches thick and will be difficult to maneuver around the lap cats. They are paperbacks, so I am hoping the binding stays glued. It looks like one was never read and the other is only slightly worn, but the pages are yellowed.
I also have Fledgling which starts a new sequence. I won't be reading that for a while. I will need to get Trade Secret and Mouse and Dragon to bring me up to that point, chronologically speaking.
I am terribly surprised that the neither my library nor the Phila. Free Library have any (well, maybe one if I remember correctly) of the Liaden Books. Amazon does not include any of the Liaden Univers books in the Lending Library, just the freebies, Agent of Change and Fledgling.
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Whew... sounds as if you are going deep into space.
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I am preparing for my next life ;D
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I am reading an interesting and occasionally uncomfortable (like the main character) SciFi book called Freehold by Michael Z. Williamson. Because it deals mostly with political and societal differences so far, I put my comments on it so far over on the Political Processes discussion in case it generates some political discussion.
Beautiful sky this morning with a half moon on a ground of turquoise with orange tinted clouds.
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I scored a whole bunch of Terry Pratchett older ones that I either had not read or had not read in years. These are my treasures for when life gets complicated. Either I am getting slower or life is getting way faster. hmm, have to work on that one.
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What an interesting tale Freehold turned out to be. It was all there, relevant to today; how we think of other people, cultures, lifestyles, and war. Although it is a part of a series, each book is self contained, following different people and different situations. I thought I found a hole or two in the story, but by the end have forgotten what they were. Some things I would have liked fleshed out a little more, but it probably would have bogged the overall story down (like the final battle almost did for me). I would not recommend this book for the younger set because of some of the sexual content.
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I just found out that the Prometheus Award is sponsored by the Libertarian Futurist Society. I didn't know there was a Libertarian Futurist Society. Anyway, that confirms my notions about the society discribed in Freehold (as well as the name). The book was nominated for the award back in 2005.
Here is their site with a video of Harlan Ellison. http://lfs.org/index.shtml There are several others after an old one that includes Isacc Azimov, Gene Wolfe (who?), Harlan Ellison. Studs Terkel is one of the hosts.
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Another discovery. I am seeing sightings of a new(?) sub-genre to Scifi -- Social Science Fiction. I guess they needed to distinguish it from the more actual science/techie type Scifi. I am thinking that Ursula La Guin, Margaret Atwood, and all or most of the post-apocalyptic and alternative type books would fit into that category.
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Hmm, that means I will like it, since Le Guin and Atwood are fa vorites of mine.
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That's a remarkable hodgepodge of writers liked by the Libertarian Futurist Society. I didn't know there was one either.
I haven't read any of Gene Wolfe's sci-fi. The first volume of his much-admired series has a title that put me off--The Shadow of the Torturer. But I've liked some of his short stories and fantasy. Soldier of the Mist is very ingenious indeed. It's supposedly Wolfe's translation of a scroll written in archaic Latin, in 479 BC. The writer is Latro, a mercenary soldier who has gotten a head wound in battle which causes him to forget everything when he goes to sleep at night. He's keeping the scroll as a diary to remind him who he is and what's been happening to him, as he wanders in Greece with the army. The wound has also enabled him to see gods and goddesses, ghosts, and other supernatural creatures.
Wolfe makes you work hard for his story. Everything is seen through the eyes of the clueless narrator. The gods aren't given names; you have to figure out who they are by their attributes. The places are called by Latro's names (Athens is "rope") though this is explained in a forward. But it's a good job.
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I think Elizabeth Moon's Remnant Population would fit into the Social SciFi category. It is about an older woman who stayed behind when the colony was closed down and off-lifted because they discovered sentient life on the planet. She figured she was too old for the trip and would die before reaching another suitable colony planet. She taught herself to run the generators and all the other things she needed/wanted to do. She then began to interact with and teach the curious, cautious native population against colony regulations.
I've seen classics like The Time Machine, Brave New World, Gulliver's Travels and 1984 listed among the books focusing on fictional societies. More writers who have written in the genre include: Doris Lessing, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451, a favorite of mine), William Gibson, Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth and Frank Herbert. Goodreads has a list of 296 Social Science Fiction books.
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8653.Best_Social_Science_Fiction Interesting to note that the header says that Ursula La Guin coined the term Social Science Fiction, so the sub-genre must have been around awhile.
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The phenomenon has been around longer than the term.
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I guess the term just hit critical mass, so to speak, what with the popularity of dystopian and apocalyptic stories being so popular these days. La Guin never liked being lumped in with Science Fiction when most of her writing looks at various possible societal situations. While some of this work is "off world", I wouldn't call it Science Fiction. And I certainly never though of Animal Farm, 1984 or A Handmaids Tale as "Science" Fiction. Well, they do consider Economics, Psychology, Anthropology, Politics and the like Social Sciences in college.
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I kind of like the term "Speculative Fiction".
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Me too, Pat. Social Science Fiction sound too much like the degree I got in Psychology. As hard as they try, I thought a lot of the studies I read were marginal or poorly done. You can't put psycological manifestations into a test tube or on a scale and measure it, like hard science. It's a lot of hopeful conjecture and maybe some good guesses wrapped up in numbers. Some of it is good, but a lot of variables get missed. If everyone were exactly the same and went through the same experiences in the same order...well, you get the idea. The fight between genes and environment goes on in innumerable ways and degrees.
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Actually Animal Farm has been on my mind recently. A certain strange person who is running for dictator for life or something reminds me a lot of Animal Farm... All are equal, but some are more equal than others.
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One of my holds came in, so now I've switched to reading it, Greg Bear's War Dogs. I have a very strong suspicion that I have read it before. Some of it is familiar, some not. Oh well, reading it again. I like his books.
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I haven't read War Dogs, but Bear is generally reliable. Let us know what it's like.
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Yes, I did read it before, but I forget how it turned out. It is a story of soldiers (Skyrines) who are fighting on Mars against aliens (Antags, short for antagonists) who are trying to establish a presence on Mars. The soldiers are fighting for a small group of aliens, the Gurus, who are trading tech for help in fighting the Antags who have been pursuing them to their near destruction.
Since I don't remember much of the book except while I am reading it, I can't remember if there were any human colonies on Mars (don't think so). The soldiers are transported from Earth and dropped onto Mars, they fight for maybe three weeks, and survivors are picked up and taken back to Earth. After some R&R, they go back and do it again.
This is a good story that doesn't get bogged down with, perhaps interesting, but unnecessary detail. I just noticed that Bear has written a sequel called Killing Titan which was published last year. Need to get that.
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What luck! Killing Titan is in my library system. I just put in a hold for it.
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Killing Titan has gone from relatively strange on Mars to seriously weird on Titan. Two groups of aliens at war, one of them trading tech for humans doing the fighting. Some of the humans begin to wonder why they are really fighting, and what is it about some ancient artifacts on Mars that both alien groups appear to want them destroyed. The battle has shifted to Titan in this second of a trilogy. The third is due in the fall.
I like most of the characters. The narrator runs the gamut from being confident and happy to depression and the feeling he just might be nuts. He follows orders that don't always make sense, while other squads have orders that contradict his. He comes in contact with things he can't explain. He gains an ability that makes him a target for both those who want to use it and those who want to destroy him because of it. No, it is not one of those superhuman transformation things.
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I'm having a frustrating time with The Three Body Problem. I got in line for it from the library some time ago, but by the time it was my turn, I was about to travel, and ended up not having time to read it. Now I've got it again, and am facing a new problem. Books from my library often have a strong perfume smell. Since I'm allergic to scents, this makes them unreadable. Usually if I wait a few days, with the book standing up with fanned out pages, the smell fades enough. But this hasn't faded yet. It's a race against time, perfume vs. due date.
The smell has got to originate from something the library does; it's always the same. But a brainstorming session with two librarians didn't produce any answers. I gave them a good laugh, though, when I suggested maybe it was a product used t polish the shelves. Seems it's a sore point that maintenance NEVER cleans the shelves.
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The Three-Body Problem is on my library TBR list. Don't know when I will get to it though. Our library system has only two books listed, and one has gone missing already. BTW, did you know it is the first of a trilogy? I just found out.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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They let me renew The Three Body Problem, and it's almost tolerable now, so I probably will get to read it.
Yes, I did read somewhere it was a trilogy.
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WAHHHHH! Leviathan was ready to download from the FPL. Great! When I went to the site I first returned, I thought, a book I was done reding. For some reason, that one stayed checked out; Leviathan disappeared instead. I though I returned the wrong one. So, I went looking for the book to get in line again, and it is nowhere to be found on the site. HUH? Guess I will have to put it on my wish list at Amazon for when I get a few extra pennies to spend. The other books will keep me busy a while.
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I've requested an interlibrary loan for Leviathan. Campbell's newer books are getting very expensive on Kindle. He has a new Lost Stars coming out in May, BTW. I definitely don't like the price.
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Well, I see that the ebook for Leviathan is back up on the FLP site with five people on hold. My inter-library loan has been requested, but I don't know how long it will take. They had to go out of the local system to find it.
Meanwhile, I am reading Echopraxia by Peter Watts. Here is a review. For those of us who read Blindsight, this will be interesting. It includes a link to a short story, called "The Colonel," that is about one of the characters in Echopraxia who is the father of the main character in Blindshight.
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Let us know what you think of Echopraxia. I had to work very hard to figure out Blindsight.
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So far, Pat, I think it is easier to understand. The review also helped explain a thing or two. The Bicamerals are generally explained as incoprehensible. so I guess I don't have to try to figure them out, just go with the flow, letting Daniel and Lianna try to figure them out.
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I just discovered that Watts has included an extensive Notes section in the back. He's made a few comments and then lists a bunch of scientific studies. These seem, what I glanced over, mostly pschological, neurological and biological. I expect some of these pertain to brain/computer interfacing, but I didn't see anything specific in that department when I scanned over some of the references. I do not remember any such notes behind blindsight, but they may not be on the free ebook versions.
Here is an example in Notes, under the heading, "Psy-ops and the Consciousness Glitch", p358-359, and looking back at what he wrote in Blindsight:
...the then-radical notion of consciousness-as-nonadaptive-side-effect has started appearing in the literature (1), and that more and more "conscious" activities (including Math!(2)) are turning out to be nonconscious after all (3,4,5)...
He also lists one study that opposes the notion that logical reasoning is an unconscious act. I am not going to try to type in all the references. The ! behind Math is his, not mine.
Daniel Bruks, like Siri Keeton in Blindsight, lives in a world gone mad with escaped GMO's, genetic manipulation, and direct technological interfacing. Daniel is what he calls a "baseline", or one of the few who haven't been or had themselves modified, and are unplugged from the collective networking. What tech he uses is "old school". And here he is (along with us) trying to keep up and make some modicum of sense out of the whole thing.
One of the things that caught my eye is the notion that when you plug into a collective network, you become one small bit of the whole; you lose your sense of self and become something else. A warning perhaps? The WWW and social networking taken to extremes? Plug in 24/7 and you don't exist as a seperate person anymore. The hive monastic hive minds in the book, while they use technology, appear to be plugged in to their collective on a psychic level.
Daniel is quite amusing in his confusion and as he tries to keep up and avoid panicking too badly.
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Everyone will be happy to know that I finished Echopraxia. That is a real condition, BTW, look it up.
Pat, I think it is worth reading. It might be a good idea to read the notes in the back first. The notes help to explain some of the concepts, speculations and theories Watts incorporated into the book, but then, they might just make the book a little less "eye-popping". I am off to see what I can find some of the studies, books and other papers he referenced in the back. Also, I need to check up on Max Planck's work. Oh, no! He is one of the originators of Quantam Theory; might as well go back my head up against the wall now. I need one of those Quantam Physics for Dummies books.
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I can't get this book out of my head. Pat, in Peter Watts' notes, he let us know what the main theme of the book is. I missed it; I shouldn't have, but I did. I got carried away with all the current/cutting edge research incorporated in the book. I plan on buying the book to reread later with Blindsight BTW, Firefall is the name of the two volume set. I've decided I want hardcopy on this.
Now I am reading, finally, Jack Campbell's Leviathan. What a come down off the "high" of reading Watts. Also, I just started the Science Fiction section in Bradbury's book of essays. In the first section, I discovered that Something This Way Comes was originally done as a screenplay for Gene Kelly (written at his request). Kelly couldn't find the funding, so Bradbury wrote it up as a book. I can't imagine it being done as a venue to show off Kelly's dance/coreography routines. To my mind, it would have been lighter, perhaps more happy type magical. I didn't read the book (or don't remember it) but the movie that did eventually come out seems to me, although certainly magical, a bit darker. Am I remembering wrong?
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The movie was scary to me, but then so was the book. Bradbury could do spooky way too well.
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Real life "zombies"
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/03/fungus-turns-frogs-sexy-zombies
There is also a fungus that tuns an ant into a zombie, a parasitic wasp that turns spiders into zombies, and a parasitic fly that does the same to honeybees.
Philosophical Zombies: In the Philosophy of Mind category of philosophical theories, it is mostly a thought experiment supporting the notion of dualism, which in turn is a set of views having to do with the relationship between mind and body (or matter). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophical_zombie This is a real life philosophical argument not a scifi invention, although I can't say that isn't where the philosophers got the idea.
Did you know that some people can see time? http://psych-your-mind.blogspot.com/2011/12/time-space-and-synesthesia.html
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Want to harness tornado power to generate electricity? This guy is trying to do just that:
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-06/man-wants-power-world-tornadoes
The future in movies? Oh, gee, a new form of "gaslighting" someone. http://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2005/04/4785-2/
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Pat, I found this on the Peter Watts website about the Theseus Mission from Blindsight. To tell you the truth, I don't even remember mention of any "Firefall" event in Blindsight.
http://www.rifters.com/echopraxia/theseusmission.htm
BTW, everyone will be super happy to know that I am taking the book back to the library tomorrow. I'm don't perusing the references for now.
Now back to Laviathan we are just about to go into battle - again. The Dancers have just shown up in force.
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Frybabe, I do remember the firefall, but not much about it. I'm going to have to review Blindsight before going on to Echopraxia.
Thanks for the synesthesia reference. Synesthesias have always fascinated me, but I didn't even know there was a seeing time as space one. I suspect I have a very slight bit of it. I see my schedule for the near future laid out on a conventional calendar month, with a large square for each day's activities. That's what I use, and whenever I try to switch to some other format, it doesn't work. I have some of the remembering past events in great detail they mentioned, too,
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Maybe that explains Ovid's vivid description at the beginning of Metamorphoses--the changes spun into a single continuous thread, spiraling down from the beginning to the present.
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If you are interested in the synesthesias, you might like this book. Non-fiction, it is one person's account of his life with synesthesia. He seems to have several. I plan on reading it. It is being offered free on Amazon at the moment.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Toaster-Oven-Mocks-Me-ebook/dp/B011JQH2M2
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Thanks, FRY. I ordered it. Unfortunately, my kindle doesn't have color, so I may have trouble following with the color graphics.
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I haven't neglected my SciFi reading even though I am reading other things. My current read is the second of the Ember Wars series by Richard Fox. The stories are good, but nothing spectacular. I like some of the characters. Fox also writes a spy series which I may look into sometime, but I have the Daniel Silvas still waiting for me first.
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I've neglected everything, as you'll see in The Library, but I'm back on track now.
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Yes, I noticed you have been scarce and was beginning to get concerned. Such sad news.
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I accidently signed up for the free trial of Amazon's Kindle Unlimited. You can bet I am doubling up on my SciFi reading beginning with the third book of the Ember Wars series I am reading. Interesting, but not great. I wasn't sure I wanted to continue the series, but as long as I can drop it and try another without having to wait a month for my next borrow, I thought I'd let it go for the trial period.
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During my daily rummage through free book sites, I discovered this. http://www.loyalbooks.com/book/after-london-or-wild-england-by-richard-jefferies The description states that this is one of the earliest examples of post-apocalyptic fiction. Richard Jefferies, the author, was primarily a nature writer. Project Gutenberg lists a number of his books. Since this is a Librivox recording, I assume they have this one their website too.
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It only hits the start of the apocalypse, but what about Mary Shelley's The Last Man, published in 1826? It's the narrative of the only man left after a gigantic plague. (No woman left, so that's it for mankind.) I've only read a bit of it. Shelley takes the members of her literary circle as models for her characters, and sets them in motion in ways I found rather tiresome.
And I didn't realize until I was checking the date of Shelley's work, that it owes something to Le Dernier Homme, a fantasy in the form of a long poem by Jean-Baptiste Cousin de Grainville, 1805.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Dernier_Homme (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Dernier_Homme)
Nothing ever gets done for the first time. ;)
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An old axiom I remember from long, "There's nothing new under the sun." Remember James Burke's Connections series? I loved that show, as well as Jonathan Miller's The Body in Question.
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My reading has been slowed down this past week or so. I did manage to finish the third of the Ember Wars series by Richard Fox. Before I pick up number four, I want to finish Way Station by Clifford D. Simak.
Way Station is not an action type book. It is about a guy who ends up being the station keeper of a transit station for alien travelers passing through. The station keeper does not age as long as he stays in the station which he mostly does except to go for a walk and to pick up his mail every day. A few outsiders (the locals don't poke their noses in anyone's business) have started to notice. When the story begins, he is about 124 years old.
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I had a feeling that I'd read it eons ago, but looking at the summary in Fantastic Fiction, I don't think so. But I've read something with a similar concept.
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I wouldn't be surprised, Pat. The writers seem to feed off each other. BTW, the book has the "feel" of an extended Twilight Zone.
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Pat, I just got a shock/surprise. I finished Way Station. At the end there was a bio of the author. He book was originally copyrighted in 1963; the edition I read is a 2015 publication. You could very well have read it "eons" ago. The book has an anti-war message that creeps up on you. It was well worth reading.
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I am caught up to the latest in Richard Fox's Ember Wars series (five so far). Interesting characters,some very likeable, some rather strange and improbable.The series is kind of hard to describe. Alien probe convinces grad student to develop technologies to save the human race from total destruction 60 years into the future, fast forward to the actual invasion of the alien species bent on destroying all intelligent life in the galaxy. The lucky few that were saved now have the task of rebuilding the human race, killing off the remaining sentinel drones and completing a wormhole gate the aliens started, preparing for the next inevitable invasion, finding needed advanced technologies on another planet, finding the mastermind behind the invading drones, dealing with another nasty group of aliens, dealing with an Alliance of alien species, and as a fail safe, preparing a few colony ships take humans out of the galaxy to colonize a new planet. I probably missed some things.
Fox also writes a spy series, but I haven't read any of them.
My current read is Spy Night on Union Station which is #4 of the EarthCent Ambassador series by E. M. Foner. Still funny, Kelly and the bunch are trying to put together a spy orginization because, apparently, the other alien species are suspicious of Earth precisely because they don't have one.
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I haven't read a lot lately, but I did get a collection of short stories recently--Carbide Tipped Pens--edited by Ben Bova and Eric Choi. It's quite good so far. One, by Cixin Liu, is adapted from a fragment of The Three Body Problem, and makes me regret that my library copy didn't lose its perfume in time for me to read it. It's a most ingenious notion of developing computers in ancient China using soldiers as working parts. I'll have to look for an uncontaminated copy.
A few weeks back I read a short story by Liu's translator, Ken Liu, who seems to be American either by birth or upbringing. This Liu looks good too.
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The name looks familiar (Liu). I have probably read one or two of one or the other's short stories in one of the short story anthologies I borrowed a few months back, but I don't think any were Bova's. I am now down to #4 in line for The Three Body Problem.
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Oh, I lied (unintentionally)! I just checked my email and there it is - ready to download from the library.
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Oh, good. Let me know what it's like.
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Pat, I am a third of the way through The Three Body Problem. After some interesting background and character building, the story seems to have settled down into some kind of a myster/quest type of thing. The story is set in China and in the scientific (mostly physics) community. The book kind of reminds me of The Celestine Prophecy or maybe Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist in tone. It is in the back of my mind that some of this is allegorical, but I have nothing specific right now (in other words, by the time I got up here to post, I forgot what triggered the thought - the VR game maybe).
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If there's allegory, I'll probably miss it; I'm not very good at getting allegory.
I finally got around to getting hold of Remnant Population--just started it; it looks promising.
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Wonderful, PatH. Let me know what you think of it.
I did a little mini-exploration of Mozi, one of the historical characters in The Three Body Problem. I'll be darn if I can find anything about him related to astronomy or physics. From what I read (skimmed, really) he wasn't particularly fond of "modern" (for him) ideas and technology. He didn't even like that people started to dye silk in colors. He must have been an excellent negotiator/mediator as he is credited with preventing or stopping a number of wars.
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More discovery! The three body problem is a mathematical problem - for real. Not being up on advanced math and physics, I didn't know this. I'm not sure I want to research it; it looks complicated. I only just last year comprehended what a LaGrange point is.
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I first ran across LaGrange points many years ago in a short story by Hal Clement--Trojan Fall. (A Trojan point is one of a subset of LaGrange points.) The criminal is trying to hide from a pursuing spaceship by not using any detectable power, so he cowers in the LaGrange point making a triangle with the two suns of the system. It turns out that a Trojan point is only stable if the other two bodies have masses differing by at least a factor of 25, so he drifts closer and closer to the suns until the ship burns up. Clement's villians often come to grief by not knowing enough physics. I would say comprehension is too strong a word for my notions of LaGrange points, but Wikipedia has a decent description of them.
I gathered from the reviews of The Three Body Problem that Liu uses the term in some clever political metaphorical way.
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Well, the basic what a LaGrange point is anyway. Trojan Point I have not run across. The latest bit is a making a "human computer" (36 miles square made up of soldiers holding two flags, one black, one white) while explaining the basics of machine lanquage. I don't know about the political metaphor. I'll have to pay some attention to that. It may become clear at the end.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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The human computer was the central point of the fragment that was turned into the short story that I read.
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I assume that some of this book is based on the realities of life during the Cultural Revolution. So, much of what these scientists were doing had to be written up in such a way that no one could possibly find any hidden meaning. Think of all the many people who were "purged" during the Cultural Revolution for an "incorrect" use of wording, innocent though it may have been. Innocently help a friend with something and get blamed and punished for it while the originator goes free. How did the country ever survive such an atmosphere?
I can't say that I have warmed up to any of the characters or the book, but I am reading it to the end anyway. There are some interesting things to ponder in it. Right now I want to see what I can find about Jupiters radio waves and about the sun acting as a mirror for radio waves. I vaguely remember about them discovering the radio bursts.
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Done with the first book. Yes,I said first. It turns out that The Three-Body Problem is the first of a trilogy. I've been assured by a review or two that most of the contextual stuff was in the first book, including a primer on string theory. I have to wonder where Liu got his idea for the aliens; they remind me of a resurrection plant. I put the second book, The Dark Forrest, on hold. The third book is not due out until mid-September.
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I am reading a good SciFi written by Patty Jensen called Ambassador 1: Seeing Red. It is a first person narrative by a character (Cory Wilson) who has just been appointed a Delegate to an alien organization of worlds that controls a hypergate to intersellar travel. It is space opera, not technical, with a lovely light style of writing. Jensen, who was trained as an agricultural scientist, is Australian. I am surprised that, since this first book came out in 2013, it doesn't have more reviews. I hope to read more of her books. http://pattyjansen.com/
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Just picked up McCaffrey's first three Dragonriders of Pern series. Heaven knows why, like I don't have tons of other stuff (including several more Liaden Universe books I have been wanting to read).
My next Amazon Lending Library borrow is either going to be a continuation of the Frontlines series or another of E. M. Foner's Union Station series. I like the characters and interplay between them of the first Frontlines (Terms of Enlistment) but the 80ft. aliens don't cut it much with me. Foner's series is funny, as always.
PS: I feel like I am talking to myself here. Too bad we don't have more people interested in SciFi. And, I MISS STEPH.
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I miss Steph too. I hope she'll come back.
I'm not talking much, but I'm at least listening to you. My reading of late has mostly been filling in more of Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles series. For a long time most of the books were hard to get hold of, which was puzzling, since her new ones were selling well. Now they're being reissued. As Miles gets older, and finds a woman who will marry him, he doesn't do quite as many crazy things, but he's still pretty manic, and the stories are still good puzzles.
I went through a McCaffrey phase, then kind of stopped. It's been long enough now that I should probably check them out again.
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Okay. I just thought you were busy with the newest book discussion.
I mowed the rest of the lawn this morning and put in one air conditioner - one down, three to go. The newest one is still in its box in the living room. I have to push it up the stairs to get it into this room. The other two are on the back enclosed porch, so all I need to do is slide them into their respective rooms. It is a good thing the window sills are low in this house. These are lighter than the older ones, but my muscle strenght isn't up to par this Spring. Must be because there was hardly any snow to shovel this winter and I spent it mostly reading (heavy lifting, those ebooks!).
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We had a record 2 day, 3 foot snowfall in January, but I didn't get to shovel much. Every time I looked out I saw a different neighbor shoveling my walk. Total of 6 neighbors and one man I'd never seen before who turned out to be a visiting nephew.
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Lucky you, JoanK.
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No, I'm PatH. You're just confused because our voices sound alike. ;)
I am lucky in my neighbors. They kind of keep an eye on me.
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Hah! I knew that. ;)
Don't know why I wrote JoanK. Must have been thinking of her.
Not sure I care for the threat scenario (the Threads), but otherwise I am enjoying DragonRiders of Pern.
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I've decided not to read the other two Dragons of Pern books in the set I borrowed. It didn't quite keep my interest, and I didn't really care for any of the characters. Now I have started the second of the Frontlines series by Marko Kloos. I do like his characters.
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I watched The Martian again on Sunday, this time on HBO. Love the book, love the movie. This morning I checked Weir's online presence. I rarely take a look at Facebook and, even less, Twitter. On Twitter I found out that Weir was invited to testify before the House on May 18 about the future of space in regards to space habitats. Also, he had put up a photo in February showing a grocery bin of potatoes with a pix and the price of the movie DVD attached. He titled it "Cross-marketing at its finest". Kudos to the creative marketing of the store, where ever it is.
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Amusing. The merchant carefully doesn't mention how sick of potatoes Mark ended up.
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I am reading too many first books for series and am getting behind. Decisions, Decisions! When July 1 rolls around, I can continue with the Frontlines series I started, continue with the Beyond the Wall series by Lucas Bale, continue with the Union Station series, and book six of Richard Fox's Ember Wars series is just out a little over a week ago. I am going to double check, but I don't think any of these are on Overdrive or the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Report on Lucas Bale's Beyond the Wall series. This is a space opera which follows, so far, three different sets of characters: there is the freighter trader/pilot (and occasional smuggler) who gets suckered into helping a small group of believers and their preacher who are hunted, then there is the Core detective who is hunting down a killer and who begins to question his role in keeping citizens of the Core in line, and finally, there is the messenger/spy who begins to suspect his master is up to something nefarious he is not privy to but is being used to further the master's goals and therefore in danger of his life - he wants to know why. The Core is the central part of the empire and its citizens are tightly controlled and in danger of losing its grip. The outlaying areas are semi-controlled, but closely watched, and the Wall is not literally a wall, but a designated spot in space beyond which no one is to go, and if they do, they come back telling tales of madness, strange happenings, and such which scare the willies out of most anyone who has been there. The first book is about the space trader and the preacher, the second bounces back and forth between the detective and the spy. These three different groups will, according to the author, will coalesce at some point. Very well written and worth a read.
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Oh, no! This is terrible (in a good way). I haven't checked Evan Currie in a while. Book 6 of On Silver Wings is out, and the next Odyssey book will be let loose in mid-July. Currie ranks one of my very favorites, along with Hugh Howey, Jack Campbell, Jack McDevitt, Greg Bear, Asimov, Clarke, and Bradbury. Well, I probably missed a few, and if Lucas Bale continues to write good stories he may get added.
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PatH, heads up. Jack Campbell is ending his Lost Stars series with the 4th book just released in May. Pricey, I think, but when it comes to Campbell I try not to flinch. When I am done reading the Dark Space trilogy (I am on book 2 now), I'll get right on it.
BTW, Campbell's newest series, Pillars of Reality, is a steampunk fantasy.
The reviews on Amazon regarding Jack McDevitt's Thunderbird were not particularly promising. This is a follow-up to Ancient Shores which I really haven't had any inclination to read.
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Unlike some authors, Jack Campbell knows when to quit. Looks like he isn't going to go on with the lost fleet either, though he left a way open to follow Black Jack if he wanted to. I think he's right, though I'm sorry not to have any more.
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I think Jack McDevitt is concentrating on "clean up" efforts of his older books these days. Thunderbird is a "follow-up" on Ancient Shores, and his previous release, Hercules Text, was an up-dated, revised version of his 1996 book. At 81, he may feel it more prudent to "clean-up" and modernize some of his older works than to start a new series that he may not be able to finish. I would have liked another Alex Benedict, though. Coming Home, to my mind, didn't really end the series.
Well, I just checked Jack's Facebook page. It appears that he is working on another Pricilla Hutchins book. He seems to have settled on a title for it, Trail of Stars. This is a surprise to me since I thought he ended the series with Starhawk. It seemed a good ending anyway. Oh, and he made an interesting comment about titles. He says he usually finds it difficult to write a book until he has settled on a title. I wonder how many authors can't get a real start until they have a title. I am guessing that the "working title" of a book often morphes intio something else by the time a book is done and the publishers get their hands on it for final prep. At least the cover artist(s) will have an idea of what to create so that will speed up the process.
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Well, this puts a hold on reading Campbell next. Two of my SciFi holds just came in.
First the Ben Bova/Les Johnson book, Rescue Mode. I wanted to read this to see Bova's take on a stranded Mars mission as compared to Any Weir's, The Martian.
The other book is the second of the trilogy that started with The Three-Body Problem, called Dark Forest.
Another week and I can pick up another borrow from the Lending Library. The dilemma is still Evan Currie's next or the next Lucas Bale. First things first, the two I have in hand, plus the one I am almost done with.
I am also itching to get back to the Laiden Universe. Not likely to happen soon.
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I coincidentally picked up Rescue Mode from the new books shelf around the same time I read The Martian. It's an interesting comparison. Johnson is a NASA scientist, so he presumably does the internal politics accurately.
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I've given up on Dark Forest already. I must not be in the mood for such strangeness. The first chapter was bizarre, but not entirely uninteresting, the second chapter appears to have skipped to a warship.
Rescue Mode isn't fairing much better at the moment. So far, it appears that the book will be full of conflicts between the astronauts and political shenanigans. I was looking at the blurbs about some of Bova's other books; most of them appear to concentrate on the politics and conflicts involved in exploring and settling various planets/moons in the solar system.
I downloaded two books of short stories, one edited by Bova and the other a volume of his short stories. I expect to go back to the other two later, but for now I think I need something lighter (or in shorter bites). Bova must be something of an acquired taste. I am hoping the short stories will ease me into him.
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I am picking through several books of short stories. The first (in the Year's Best SF 15) is about a man in India who loved mathematics. Called "Infinities" by Vandana Singh, it has several good quotes, including this one from the Vedas: "From the Infinite, take the infinite, and lo! Infinity remains..."
There must be a story behind this one:
"When you left me, my brother, you took away the book
In which is writ the story of my life..."
Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Pakistani poet (1911-1984)204204
Right now I am in the middle of a Peter Watts short story called "The Island" from the same anthology. As usual, it is fascinating and a lot more comprehensible than his usual fare; but then, I think this was one of his earlier stories. At the time he was about to be barred from entering the US.
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I haven't read much of Ben Bova, in spite of his standing. Moonrise is full of the politics you complain about. You care about the colonization of the moon, and the main character, but the family politics of the corporation that is the main colonizer, the international squabbling about whether there should be a colony, the rival corporation struggles, left you with so much to keep track of that it was hard to persist to the end. I read some of a book of short stories, The Best of Ben Bova, and they were good, but after a few they all sounded alike, and I didn't read the rest before the book was due.
If The Year's Best SF 15 is the Gardner Dozois anthology, I think it has both the bit of Liu Cixin's Three Body Problem that impressed me, and also the story by Ken Liu that I liked.
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In the poetry discussion, Barb talked about H. P. Lovecraft. I haven't read The Call of the Cthulhu, but I did read The Mountains of Madness, and some of his short stories. He's influenced a lot of later fantasy/sf, so it's useful to know a bit about him, but although his stories are well written, his horror totally doesn't horrify me. Mostly he's dealing with creatures that came here from somewhere out of our solar system before mankind existed, but are now hiding in the remote corners of our world. There are many mythical and cult implications.
Charles Stross owes a lot to him. My SIL described Stross as "James Bond meets H. P. Lovecraft, but Bond works for the Post Office" (meaning is stuck in government beaurocracy). Stross's take is that computer programs can feed into demonology, and his protagonist has the job of putting out the resultant fires. The books are good reads, should be read in order.
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This "Year's Best" is edited by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer. Most of the writers are unfamiliar but it does have a Bruce Sterling (Black Swan), and Stephen Baxter (Tempest43). I got it solely for the Peter Watts story.
The next short story anthology is Carbide Tipped Pens. This has 17 hard SF stories including one by Daniel H. Wilson (auhor or Robogenisis, Robopocalypse, Robot Uprisings. I do hope that this is not one I've already read in Robot Uprisings. The Bova short stories I will leave for last. Too bad his main character in Rescue Mode seemed so whiney and resentful right at the beginning. It turned me off.
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Hard to believe that someone has posted The Martian up on YouTube already.
The big news to watch now is Jupiter and Juno - www.space.com
Daniel H. Wilson's story in Carbide Tipped Pens is a little different than I am used to from him - no robots/AIs. However it is in keeping with his first person present narrative.
Speaking of AI robots, I watched Ex Machina last night. Very interesting.
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Kill Command is also on YouTube. It only just got released May 16 of this year. I vaguely remember seeing a trailer for it a while back. Interesting movie, not great, but interesting enough to watch. Soldiers on a "training" exercise up against military robots. The actors are unknown to me except for Venessa Kirby who played Estella in the 2011 TV production of Great Expectations. You can also see her in Genius, just out last month. She plays Zelda Fitzgerald. You can also see her in The Crown (on Netflix?); she plays Princess Margaret in that. Interested to note that Thure Lindhardt played Rufio in The Borgias TV production, and he was in Fast and Furious 6. I didn't see either one.
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Just to get out and move around a little I went to the local used book store and came back with five more SF books. Did not see any that were on my list, though. So, I now have two more of David Weber's Honor Harrington Series, two more of John Ringo's Posleen War series and Neal Stephenson's Anathem. All of them are in excellent condition. I would have expected to see some crease wear on the spines and more wear on the edges. The Stephenson looks new.
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Stephenson isn't an easy read. Maybe the previous owner gave up quickly. It's too hot here to go out unless you really have to.
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Yeah, and I have two others of his to read including Quicksilver.
Review of The Divine Madness of Philip K. Dick by Kyle Arnold: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/70857-was-philip-k-dick-a-madman-or-a-mystic.html?utm_source=Publishers+Weekly&utm_campaign=0b9c7dc8ca-UA-15906914-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0bb2959cbb-0b9c7dc8ca-304806741
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Quicksilver is an amazing book, but it makes huge demands on the reader. It helps if you have a background knowledge of the early history and geography of Boston, the conflict between Newton and Leibniz, 16th and 17th century European religious and political conflicts, and a whole bunch of other stuff, as he refers to a lot of things obliquely, without much background explanation. I read maybe a quarter of it, then had to put it down for some reason, and by the time I could get back to it I knew I would have to start over again. Someday I will, though.
That Dick article is interesting. Much of his stuff reads as if he wrote it while stoned. I'm not too surprised he had that sort of visions.
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I finished mostly skimming through Carbide Tipped Pens. Although the topics were all rather interesting, for some reason I didn't care to read most of the stories. I did read Daniel H. Wilson's (really like this guy) "The Blue Afternoon that Lasted Forever", "A Slow Unfurling of Truth" by Aliette do Bodard, and "Lady with Fox" by Gregory Benford. Although I know of Benford, I think this is the first story of his I've read. I may just renew the book and read David DeGraff's "SIREN of Titan". "Habilis" by Howard V. Hendrix is another I really should read, too. It is about the handedness of the universe. I still have Martin Gardner's Ambidextrous Universe on my science shelf. I used to love his math puzzles.
Now I am reading Ben Bova's New Frontiers. Part way through "A Country for Old Men" I realized I had read it before somewhere.
I also am more than half way through Jack Campbell's Lost Stars: Shattered Spear. I hope the title is not an omen of bad endings for the main characters. One thing that bothers me a bit is that some of the writing doesn't seem up to his usual quality. From reading the previous books, I already noticed a difference in character and story line quality of those bits that are not battle scenes in this series. But seems even less so. For example, I had to read one rather long sentence several times to get it because the sentence structure was off, mixing ed endings and ing endings back and forth made for an awkward sentence. Not something I expected from Campbell. Also, the battle scenes seem truncated, less detailed than usual. Still a good story. It is, I think, supposed to be the last of the Lost Stars series.
I have Charles Oberndorf's Shattered Lives on order through the ILL at the library. The topic is a bit unusual. It involves a society which incarcerates everyone with an STD. More than a few of the commentors about the book were astounded that they became so engrossed with the story. His short story, Another Life, had me intrigued. It was about soldiers being brought back to life after they die in battle. They can come back as either a man or a woman. The deal is that after they die three times, they get to retire and get all kinds of benefits. This guy commited suicide (or so he was told). He is kicked out of the military and someone privately foots the bill to have him rejuvinated. He meets up with a transgender prostitute named Amanda Sam and so on. Not your usual fare for SciFi. Oberndorf has not written much; information about him is scarce. He apparently switched to writing non-fiction, but I don't see much there either. As far as I know hie is still teaching.
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I had the same reaction to Carbide Tipped Pens--good stuff, but i didn't want to read that much of it.
I've read some of Benford, some good, some less so. He's a physicist, so one can expect some hard science--fine by me. My favorite is Artifact, which combines classical archaeology and what the Minotaur really was with a nifty physics notion, international politics, and a vigorous action story. Next favorite is Timescape, in which a scientist in the 1960s comes to realize that the anomalies he's seeing in his signals are messages from the future traveling backwards via tachyons, warning him of the catastrophic environmental dangers of some of the things we were doing then. You cut back and forth between the two times.
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Thanks, Pat. I'll look for Artifact. Timescape will probably not hold my interest but it won't hurt to take a look. I am running acros so many good writers who only wrote/write short stories or have written only one or two before disappearing from the scene. A few, I believe, have had only one or two of their stories translated into English.
I keep forgetting to check Lightspeed http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/ for their latest. I am happy to see that their June issue includes a Vandana Singh story. I really liked her Infinities.
It turns out that I've aleady read at least four of the stories in Bova's New Frontiers. I don't remember reading this book before (and it is relatively new) so I must have run across the stories somewhere else.
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Not much new sci-fi going on in my life at the moment. I've read two more of Lois McMaster Bujold's series about Miles, favorites of Steph. I thought Miles was getting less far out hyper with age and increasing responsibilities, but not altogether.
I've read another of Charles Stross' Laundry files series. The battles they're fighting will logically end in a sort of Armageddon, as more demonic creatures leak through from other universes, aided by rogue computer summonings, and it keeps looking like it's got to happen in the next book, but Stross seems to be approaching it asymptotically.
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Same here, Pat. I've been reading some Roman History, finished an old Scottish adventure/romance by Fittis (forget his first two names) called The Mosstrooper which I liked, simple but good. I've started a Steven Arseneault book called HADRON: Dark Matter simply because it is on my ereader which is easier to hold when the cats decide my lap is fair game. I have also started John Ringo's When the Devil Dances , third of the Posleen series, but will not get back to it until I finish the Mary Beard book which is the first one due back at the library.
Arseneault's book, BTW, is about a group of people trying to survive after an ongoing EMP event turns the world into instant chaos. Not my cup of tea. I am not sure I will finish it, but so far I keep going because I like the characters. Arseneault is able to write such interesting characters into his books. So far I like them all.
Oh, yes. I also finished, a few days back, First Strike (The Kurgan War) (Volume 1). It is another space war novel where the enemy is a fanatically religious alien race. After a first war a hundred years back these aliens have converted humans left behind on the other side of the treaty lines and is using them to fight against the rest of humanity. Convert or die - a page out of today's conflicts set in space. Good book, likeable characters. This book focuses on the characters on "our" side. No individual characters from the other side are fleshed out. If the second in the series is in the lending library, I will probably, at some point, read it.
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I think I am in a reading slump. Haven't read much, after picking around at Mary Beard's book, I finally finished it. HADRON was okay, but I had trouble with believability in some of the actions. Having trouble getting interested in When the Devil Dances. It seems much longer than the first two and goes into even more decriptive detail. I think I will skip around in it a bit too, just to see which of my favorite characters make it through the book.
On top of that, I goofed for a second month in a row with my Kindle Lending Library choice. Last month I downloaded Lucas Bale's second of his Wall series only to discover that I already read it. I had a freebie download with both the first and second books on it. This month I accidently clicked on the second one again. So now I have to wait another month to read the last of the series and backs up several others (including Evan Currie's latest entry in the Odyssey series) I want to read that I can't get elsewhere.
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Pat and Frybabe had asked me to come over and talk about a new book of short stories I'm reading called Robot Uprisings edited by Daniel Wilson and John Joseph Adams. It was a paperback from 2014 on a remainder table at B&N and I'm not far in it but I read one or two a day.
Right now I'm in Lullaby by Anna North and it scared the heck out of me so I have had to put it down for the daytime and my husband's return from his trip. :) It doesn't take too much to scare me but I love the entire concept of Robots and it was a natural.
The first story was a long one called Complex God by Woodward Avenue. It was interesting but I wouldn't have started the book with it. The second was Cycles by Charles Yu and I liked the concept. If I can get through North's Lullaby, the next one is Genevieve Valentine's Eighty Miles an Hour All the Way to Paradise.
I'm not far enough into it yet to have any definitive thoughts, but I AM enjoying it. I was a big fan of Capek's R.U.R., which was the origin of the word Robot, and I really am enjoying the premise so far in these books. :)
Anybody but me like WestWorld? The Yul Brynner Westworld with Michael Crichton as writer and producer? I understand that Anthony Hopkins and Ed Harris have a new one for 2016 a series out, and that's quite a cast. I may need to try to find it.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
I actually never saw WestWorld., Ginny.
If you want to read a humorous SciFi sometime, I recommend John Scalzi's Agent to the Stars. Here is the free edition, which I believe is the original. http://manybooks.net/titles/scalzijother06agent_to_the_stars.html As I recall from reading one of Scalzi's blurbs about it, it is his first novel and he posted it free online to see if anyone liked his writing. It has since been released as a paid for ebook and is also now in print.
Scalzi also wrote Redshirts. A funny spoof of the StarTrek TV series, it is about a "real life" science/exploration crew who watch the Star Trek shows and begin to notice that happened in the old TV show was happening to them and their crew - exactly. So to save their fellow crewmembers off they go to try to change what the writers and actors come up with. It wond the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novel. BTW, Wil Wheaton (remember Wesley on Star Trek Next Generation?) is a friend of Scalzi's and is the narrator for both Agent to the Stars and Redshirts on Audiobooks.
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Oh my word!! A new world unfolds (to me, anyway).
Scalzi also wrote Redshirts. A funny spoof of the StarTrek TV series, it is about a "real life" science/exploration crew who watch the Star Trek shows and begin to notice that happened in the old TV show was happening to them and their crew - exactly.
Sort of like a take on Galaxy Quest? I'll get it too. Thanks for the excerpt here as well, I look forward to reading it. I like the idea he did Agent to the Stars free first.
If you haven't seen Westworld, with Yul Brynner, you might like it, it's old and probably very dated, but it's Disney World in Robots gone berserk.
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I am still reading Sheltered Lives. and it is engrossing. It is turning out to be more of a political piece than I expected. It is supposed to be a bit of a romance too.
In the meantime, the fourth book in John Ringo's Posleen series has arrived from the library. I'll wait a few days to start that one.
I am bummed about losing one of my ebooks. I've read Daniel H. Wilson's AMPed twice already and would not mind reading it again. I must have accidentally removed it from my library because I can no longer find it. I got it as a freebie from Amazon, but now they are charging $12 for the ebook. Ouch!
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Maybe Amazon removed it for some reason? Bummer.
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I've wondering about that, Pat. I might just look for Robogenesis, Robopocalypse, and AMPed in one the used book market to add to my print library. Buying books is something of a luxury for me these daysI , but I do succumb on occasion. About once a year I get tired of spending mostly on things I need and do a binge buy. This year I bought this notebook computer (what is the difference between a notebook and a laptop, I wonder) and $55 worth of books on Roman history. Now I am in tightwad mode again.
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My most recent Publisher's Weekly email lists "The Most Anticipated Books for Fall 2016". One of them is Invisible Planets: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation edited and trans. by Ken Liu (Tor, Nov.).
The other is a fantasy, but we might like it, called Summerlong by Peter S. Beagle (Tachyon, Sept.)
They call it a "...21st-century hymn to Persephone celebrating the cyclic changing of seasons, relationships, and the life of the planet itself."
I am looking forward to reading both. In fact, I may recommend Summerlong to my library.
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I'll be interested in what you think of Summerlong if you read it. Beagle is widely respected, but I couldn't get intothe only thing of his I've tried--The Last Unicorn.. It was well written, though. I'm impressed by Liu, and would be glad to read more Chinese s-f.
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I've never read Beagle, but I have read several of Liu's works and like them very much.
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I just couldn't be without a copy of AMPed even though I already read it twice. Found a new hardcover copy online for around $5.50 and free shipping. Wilson's last book or two have been graphic novels. I hope he switches back to regular writing soon.
Today, I start on the fourth of John Ringo's Posleen series, Hell's Faire. I like the characters and the action even though the Posleen are a rather improbable enemy, horse-like in body with a set of hands and an alligator-like head. This one is the last of the main series, after this one, it looks like they follow Callie, the daughter of Mike (aka: Iron Mike or Mighty Mite) McNeil, who grows up to become an assassin. I have grown rather fond of these characters, a few of which have already met their demise. I am hoping a few of them make it through the wars. There is a CD with the book which says it includes a role playing game that requires a Roleplaying Core Game Book whatever that is. I'll take a look at it to see what else might be on it. I don't do role playing games.
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Still reading Arthur C Clarke's huge volume of short stories, trying to fit in (and often failing)one per day. Read, as I said in the Library, the 9 Billion Faces of God, bought the book, then A Walk in the Dark, loved that one. They seem reminiscent at least that last one of some of the old radio shows of the Nostalgia years, like Suspense, I listen to them on the radio. There was a great one last spring when I was picking up my grandson, very like a Walk in the Dark.
I keep trying to think what appeals to me about this genre. Is it the no holds barred, space, imagination, anything can happen but you can put yourself in the place of the protagonist and try to deal with it ( in opposition to, say Preston and Childs and their monsters), or is it sort of the idea of Apocalypse now, the end of the world Mad Max and Thunderdome type thing? Is it the cold hard science or the speculation? I'm trying to figure out why I like it. :)
What do real fans of the genre like about it?
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I am on the third of Lucas 'Bale's Beyond the Wall' series now. You might call it dystopian, but I am not sure that quite fits. There are various worlds of differing societies within the grasp of the Magistratus (the ruling clans/consuls) who live in the Core world. Each book takes a different path. New characters are introduced and followed, some are dropped for a while, but then all meet about 40% of the way through the last book to discover what is really going on. Main characters a 'preacher', a freelance freighter pilot, a navigator/assassin, a detective, a soldier, a convict among the crowd. While spaceships and travel are a part of the series, most of the action is set on ground what ever world it might be. Very well drawn, very well written mystery.
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I will be picking up Yellow Eyes by John Ringo at the library this afternoon. It is an off-shoot of the Posleen War series set in South and Central America. In the meantime, I've started both Odd Thomas and The Poe Shadow (Matthew Pearl).
Meanwhile I have to wait for the fourth of the Beyond the Wall series since it isn't out yet. The plot and subplots are beginning to twist and turn around each other more tightly and a new development(s) by the end of the third book are bringing the story to a right boil. I hope the author can pull them all neatly together by the end of the fourth.
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My sci-fi reading hasn't been much lately. I read the latest of Lois McMaster Bujold's seeries about Miles, but it's substandard--looks like tying up loose ends to me.
And my read until you fall asleep book was rereading Terry Pratchett's Thud! I may have quoted this before, but my favorite footnote , thoughts of Sam Vimes, the righteous head of the Guards, is worth repeating:
"Vimes had never got on with any game much more complex than darts. Chess in particular had always annoyed him. It was the dumb way the pawns went off and slaughtered their fellow pawns while the kings lounged about doing nothing that always got to him; if only the pawns united, maybe talked the rooks around, the whole board could've been a republic in a dozen moves."
I've got the paperback of The Three Body Problem, but haven't started it yet.
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I finished two Scifi books since I last posted. The first is called Teleport This by Christopher M. Daniels and the second is Star Nomad: Fallen Empire. Book 1 by Lindsay Buroker. Both were freebie first books from Amazon.
Teleport This is another humorous read. A couple of nerdie techs get instructions to build a teleport from aliens along with an invite to visit. They do so. Besides the nerds, the characters include an AI (of course), a PI hired by one nerd's Mum to find her son, Mafia-type bad guys, a princess, a guy who is about to turn state's evidence against one of the bad guys (he is also a con and a hacker), and the alien equivalent of a Federal agent. It turns out to be part of a trilogy, but I am not planning to follow their adventures any farther. The other two don't sound as interesting as the first. Worth a read if you like light, funny scifi without much sci in the scifi.
Star Nomad follows the pilot of a freighter. A former pilot for the rebels who won against former oppressive Imperial government, she and her best friend are attempting to get back to their home planet to find her young daughter. Her crew and passengers include a security person who loves to cook and is on the run from the local mafia gang, a science teacher with chickens who sounds a lot like a hippy type, a doctor/monk who has a strange object with him (he isn't what he seems apparently), and a cyborg. The last two have loyalties to the Imperial government which still holds the one planet the pilot is trying to get to. Kind of Firefly like. Of course, they have to take a detour for the cyborg and run into pirates along the way. Like the story. Will have to add it to my list of borrows. It will be a while, because...
Right now I am reading the third of Marco Kloos' Frontlines series. Still a good story. Still like the characters. There are five or six books in this series, all of which I can get from the lending library at Amazon. It really sucks that I am limited to one a month. Evan Currie's next Odyssey series book is also out and it will be a must read too.
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I'm glad that one of us is reading sci-to at the moment. Things are easing up a bit here, so hopefully I'll be able to get back to it. Those both sound like things I would enjoy. Firefly like is good. I really liked that series.
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I've finished Marco Kloos' Angle of Attack (3rd in his Frontlines series). I couldn't put it down. It is going to be a long wait until next month for the next one since none of his books are on overdrive (I am not even sure they are in print).
Here is something interesting. The second Frontlines book, Lines of Departure, was nominated by a group called Sad Puppies for a 2015 Hugo Award. When Kloos found out about it he withdrew the book from consideration. There seems to be a fight going on within the Hugo Awards ranks. You can read about Sad Puppies and why so many book Hugo Award book categories ended up being listed as No Award for the 2015 nominations. It looks like they are in for a fight again this year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sad_Puppies
I have so many scifi ebooks downloaded that I've been, for the most part, reading them in order by author. It seems to be working out a little better than trying to figure out which are the oldest I downloaded, and I reduce the possibility of reading any series books out of order. I'll probably have to do the same for the mystery ebooks.
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That Sad Puppies fight looks like the effort of a few people to change the mood of award-winning books and make their own books winners. The first sometimes needs to be DNS, as judges can get into ruts, but I'm suspicious of the second. I'll watch with interest.
Too many books. You poor thing.
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About 145 SciFi downloads, PatH. Some are short stories, but most are full books. The mystery books are edging up there, but I don't think they hit 100 yet.
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Whereas I'm in a kind of general reading dearth right now. Somehow the time-consuming issues of my personal life (nothing bad, just an avalanche of fussy details) have put me in a mood of only wanting to reread things, and not much of that. This won't last.
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I know how you feel Pat. When I was working on my Accounting certificater, I did not have the brain power to get into anything that required heavy thinking. That is when I read all those Cat Who... books. They are a light read and something I didn't have to think on.
I was thinking of Steph today. A lot of the SciFi writers that I have been reading are into writing Fantasy too, some of them, like Evan Currie and Jack Campbell, just recently (in the last several years) have switched for a while. Currie just had another of his Odyssey SciFi published after doing several Fantasy novels. Hugh Howey's last published books are a non-fiction series called Wayfinder.
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I've been thinking of Steph lately too. It looks like she isn't coming back, which is too bad.
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Just finished a Halo Universe series book by Troy Denning called Last Light. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like the book, but once I gave it a few chapters, I was hooked. It starts out as a rather standard crime scene/detective novel, just set on another world. As the story evolves it becomes more SciFi interesting. Of course, it includes a group of Spartans, some of which are at one point or another prime suspects in serial murders as the detective tries to pin it on one of them while telling herself not to be biased. There a coup and the attendant conflict/fighting and a Forerunner artifact to be retrieved. I liked most of the characters.
Troy Denning is the author of numerous SciFi books, many of which are set in the Star Wars universe. This is the first time I've read him. Denning also writes fantasy and is a game designer.
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In today's Washington Post, their big gun book reviewer, Michael Dirda, had an article making the case for a Nobel Prize in literature for Ursula K. LeGuin. He also listed some new books and collections of hers. I didn't know there was more of the Earthsea series after Tehanu.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/at-86-ursula-k-le-guin-is-finally-getting-the-recognition-she-deserves--almost/2016/10/03/8753524c-8654-11e6-92c2-14b64f3d453f_story.html?tid=pm_entertainment_pop_b (https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/at-86-ursula-k-le-guin-is-finally-getting-the-recognition-she-deserves--almost/2016/10/03/8753524c-8654-11e6-92c2-14b64f3d453f_story.html?tid=pm_entertainment_pop_b)
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Good article. PatH. Thanks for sharing.
I have not read Earthsea. Not surprising since I generally don't care for wizardry stories. I did read "The Word of Unbinding" and "The Rule of Names" from The Wind's Twelve Quarters (from The Wind's Twelve Quarters) out of which Earthsea grew. Ursula Le Guin came to my attention when I saw The Lathe of Heaven on TV. I didn't understand all of it at the time. It wasn't until years later I read the book.
On another note, Margaret Atwood's newest, The Hag Seed, is now out. I hate the name, but it might be interesting to read. It is described as a modern retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest.
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The Lathe of Heaven is one of my favorite LeGuin books.
I read a rather cranky disapproving revue of The Hag Seed, which didn't tell me anything about whether I wanted to read it. I don't like all her stuff. After reading Oryx and Crake, I had no desire to read more of the series.
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Maybe the reviewer is a "purist" who likes her Shakespeare original. Actually Shakespeare's works have already been modernized, at least in language. I read a few years back about a group in London doing Shakespeare's plays in the original. Doing research, they discovered that some of the humor, etc. was lost when the language was updated.
Here is something interesting from Open Culture:
http://www.openculture.com/2015/08/hear-what-hamlet-richard-iii-king-lear-sounded-like-in-shakespeares-original-pronunciation.html
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPlpphT7n9s
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The other day, I finished John Ringo's The Tuloriad. It is set after the Posleen Wars and follows two groups. One are Posleen survivors searching for their ancient, original home, and the other follows a human group on a mission to spread human religion among the Posleen. Very little fighting, more swearing than I remember is the others of the series that I read. The oddest thing I found about the book was the human manifestation of the ship who is married to the Catholic priest. Oh, and she (the ship) is Jewish. Rather than a contingent of one army or another, a Swiss Guard unit is assigned to the ship. Religions represented are Catholic, Jewish (via the ship) only, Muslem, Episcopal/Baptist (one Posleen ordain in both), and a Posleen group trying to revive the old native religion as best they could understand it from archeological artifacts.
I tried reading Ringo's The Last Centurion, but it made no sense to me. It is written, as best as I can tell, with a lot of modern day new speak and slang which goes way over my head. Read a few pages and gave up. Couldn't make any sense of it. Looked farther into the book and it appears to continue in that verbiage the whole way through.
Now I am reading an old Alan Nourse SciFi, Star Soldiers. Here we have humans consigned to being mercanaries by the Central Command which oversees the galaxy. They are only allowed to fight at the technical level of the civilization requesting the mercs. There is a conspiracy going on to undermine Central Command by setting the Legions (Mechs, using mechanical armor and advanced weapons) against the Archs (those who fight by sword/blades or rifle only) and to weaken the humans fighting ability. Many humans are not happy about being limited to being the galaxy's fighters and not allowed to explore new worlds or trade with established worlds. Good story.
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Oops! I did a booboo.
Star Soldiers was written by Andre Norton, not Alan Nourse. Got my AN's mixed up.
It turns out that this is two books in one, the first is titled Star Guards and is what is described below. The second is called Star Rangers. Star Rangers is mostly about the occupants of a crashed Star Patrol ship on an oddly similar planet to the legendary Terra. The planet is off the star charts, in the backwaters of space. They encounter two groups of "people". One being a group of stranded cruise liner travelers and the nasty dude that took control. They occupy a long abandoned city with advanced technology. The others are small groups of native peoples who live off the land (Native American style or similar) and who believe in Sky Gods.
Surprise! My next two reads are not SciFi. One is a murder mystery and the other is an historical fiction. Poor Odd Thomas keeps getting shunted aside. I am only on Chapter 2.
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I like Andre Norton, but don't think I've read those. I think of summing up her stories as people talking to cats, but that's an oversimplification.
My next fantasy read-to-be was sparked by a long train of thought from the Bob Dylan discussion in the Library, too tedious to repeat. But it resulted in my learning of a book by S. P. Somtow. He's a sci-fi/fantasy writer/composer and conductor, and I've enjoyed some of his less far-out books, especially Starship and Haiku.
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/s-p-somtow/ (https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/s-p-somtow/)
It turns out he wrote a book, The Shattered Horse, dealing with the adventures of Astyanax, infant son of Hector, who was supposedly killed by being thrown over the battlement of Troy at the end of the Trojan war. A cheap used copy is on its way to me.
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The historical fiction is already history. It turned out to be more like historical fantasy. I haven't determined what time period this is supposed to be but it is about a Roman legionnaire. The writing was somewhat awkward, but what really got me was that the author used modern names, modern army ratings and the "Captain" had a "Lieutenant" that is an elf. Ooooookay, I'm outta that one. I lasted maybe ten pages.
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Well, at least you didn't waste a lot of time on it.
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I have finished a book called A.L.I.V.E. by R. D. Brady. It is about a black budget project in genetics and cloning involving alien combined human or animal genetics. Of course, things get a bit out of control. And, of course, this is the first of a series so the bad guy and some of the experiments were spirited away before the final showdown for this book. The good guys were likable. The bad guys were properly despicable. The science was not heavy; the book was centered more on the moral and emotional aspects of the subject vs human interactions.
I am back to reading Odd Thomas now and enjoying Dean Koontz's writing. I am surprised to find out that it was made into a movie in 2013. On checking the cast, the only names I recognize are Anton Yelchin and Willem DeFoe. Yelchin played Checkov in the new Star Trek movies and was, unfortunately, killed in a freak car accident earlier this year.
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I just finished Chains of Command by Marco Kloos. It is the fourth of a series. I just love the characters. The main character (and narrator) not only fights, but worries over hard choices he has to make like sending his troops to what may be their death, and takes it hard when they do. He doesn't like some of the hard choices his commanders have to make either, but in the end, has to admit that given the circumstances, he would have done the same. The fifth in the series is not yet out yet.
The next SciFi I am just starting to read is called The Terran Privateer by Glynn Stewart. Again, it is the first of a series. I am to Chapter 4 and so far, I fail to see where it fits into the title. It begins at a research station for new space technologies, primarily for the military. Other than that, I can't say much about it.
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Does fantasy here refer solely to that solely in books and/or movies or does it include fantasy in our lives as well?
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Robby, it mostly refers to books, but as you've noticed, we tend to range widely, so this would be appropriate. But you'll only get an audience of two or three in here, so you will be heard better if you put it in the Library, which serves as a place to put everything that doesn't fit elsewhere. You can put the same post in two places too; that's often done.
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Oh wow, Robby. You just made me chuckle.
I don't know if I ever mentioned it here, but I have absolutely decided that I am not dying until I see boots on the ground on Mars. I fully expect to be on a space exploration team or a space marine in a future life. Looking forward to it now though my future self won't remember anything of my previous lives.
My scientific side says that matter transforms but does not disappear (unless you collide with anti-matter). So who knows where my atoms and such will end up in some far future. It is one of the reasons I don't want to be buried in a box. Slows the process. I'd rather be cremated and spread around somewhere. Is this a bit morbid or what?
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I gave instructions to be cremated and when he asked me where I wanted the ashes to go, I told him it made no difference to me; he could spread them on his front lawn if he wished. My belief is that the atoms that came together to create me originated somewhere from the stars "out there" and will eventually be there again. I realize that this is not what others believe and I respect their belief.
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Robby,
Your post reminds me of the following poem by Masefield:
Let no religious rite be done or read
In any place for me when I am dead,
But burn my body into ash, and scatter
The ash in secret into running water,
Or on a windy down, and let none see;
And then thank God that there's an end of me.
John Edward Masefield
1878 - 1967
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I'm reminded of the ballad The Twa Corbies:
Mony a one for him maks mane
But nane sall ken where he is gane;
O'er his white banes when they are bare,
The wind sall blaw forevermair.
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We use the term "science fiction" but as the years (centuries) pass, more and more of what we thought impossible is coming into being. Would our nation's founders have considered the internet fantasy?
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
|
Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
|
Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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I'm guessing they would have considered it magic, not something real. Obsolescence is one of the problems for sci-fi writers. William Gibson says his books start to be obsolete as soon as they're published. A big strength for serious sci-fi is it's ability to change the rules--of the universe, current scientific possibility, or human society--and then examine human behavior from different angles than are possible in realistic fiction. Ursula K. LeGuin is a master at this.
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Dyson's Spheres have been popping up in SciFi books for a while now. This morning I watched on YouTube a PBS space short, one of a whole series, about the problems associated with trying to build and use a Dyson Sphere. The moderator had a few alternative, but similar constructions to show. Interesting info to keep in mind when reading
The other one I watched this morning was about the feasibility of colonizing Venus, or more precisely, the atmosphere above Venus, rather than Mars. Advantages included distance, gravity comparable to Earth, and radiation protection because Venus has a protective atmosphere. But what would you do floating above Venus? I guess mostly exploration and scientific endeavors, and maybe mining if one could build machinery to withstand the surface of Venus. I still like Mars, though. For a long time now I have thought that Mars is a key to our past and our future.
I am in between good SciFi books right now, concentrating on a spy thriller. The second Odd Thomas is waiting in the wings and I have four more Laiden Universe books ordered.
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I hadn't thought about Dyson spheres for a while. Here's a link for anyone unfamiliar with them. I agree the engineering and construction problems are formidable, maybe unworkable.
http://earthsky.org/space/what-is-a-dyson-sphere (http://earthsky.org/space/what-is-a-dyson-sphere)
Another thing I haven't seen lately is O'Niell colonies. They're the third type in this article:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a11351/how-we-could-actually-build-a-space-colony-17268252/ (http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a11351/how-we-could-actually-build-a-space-colony-17268252/)
This article has prettier pictures:
http://www.nss.org/settlement/space/oneillcylinder.htm (http://www.nss.org/settlement/space/oneillcylinder.htm)
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I agree with you about Mars. There are so many of us now, that we're either going to trash our planet, regress to some dreadful repressive social system, or spread out into space, and I know which I'd choose.
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I am reading something called Mars is My Destination by Frank Belknap Long. It was published in 1962 and reminds me of a forties or fifties crime thriller. He did a bunch of Gothic novels, some under the name of Lyda Belknap Long, so that is probably a close description of his writing style at the time this was written.
example: "A slow, hard-to-pin down uneasiness was creeping over me again, as if a pendulum were swinging back and forth somewhere close to me, ticking out a warning in rhythm..."
He was a close friend of H. P. Lovecraft. His awards included the Edna St. Vincent Millay Poetry Award, and two Lifetime Achievement Awards, The World Fantasy Award and the Bram Stoker Award.
I don't recall ever hearing of him or reading any of his works.
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I never heard of him either, but I can see he got some of his style from Lovecraft.
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Got a couple of interesting goodies to report today.
Two Sci-Fi movies coming out in 2017.
Ghost in a Shell is a remake (if you can call it that) of a 1995 animated film which is from a Japanese mange series back when I never heard of the word. This new one is not animated. Scarlett Johansson is in the starring role https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4VmJcZR0Yg
Prityazhenie (tentative English title, Attraction) is a Russian film. It will be released in January in China and Russia only. It looks good. There are several trailers, but this one has English subtitles. I hope it gets released here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bYzbzYOVYY
Two other promising movies out now Life and Passengers.
I gave up on Mars is My Destination. After a few pages, I lost interest.
I am now reading a Science Fiction Romance, believe it or not. Not great, but I'm reading it anyway. A decent alien invasion story, but with it comes with a lot of steamy, hot episodes. The lead guy is a just a teensy bit overprotective of both his girlfriend and his squad mates and blames himself for everything that goes wrong. That should be enough to make me gag and trash the thing, but I haven't. Go figure.
I haven't decided what I am going to borrow from the Lending Library yet. There are a couple of possibilities, including Evan Currie's latest in the Odyssey series and one that is an offshoot of the series. I think I saw something new from Hugh Howey; I'll have to check. Then, for print book reading, I can pick up the next Odd Thomas or go to the Liaden Universe.
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I've now read another review of Hag Seed, very enthusiastic, leaving me with the feeling that I ought to try it, but will be totally unable to appreciate the subtleties that the reviewer loved.
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The other day I got reminded of Two Steps from Hell, not a group but a company which does music for TV and movies, including advertising and trailers. The combo of the music and the art is just awesome in this clip, IMO. It must be the mood I've been in, combined with all the SciFi I've been reading. What an adrenaline rush! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwJj2EpC8vg
I love their logo and motto, "Music Makes You Braver." Their website: http://www.twostepsfromhell.com/ For a list of their movies, go to the menu and click on Credits.
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Pat, Pat, Pat! I am so excited. Jack Campbell is back writing a new military scifi called Vanguard (The Genesis Fleet). It will be the first of a new series set prior to The Lost Fleet and centers around how the Alliance came to be. The book won't be out until May 16, 2017.
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Yay! I await eagerly.
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I've just finished the first of the Crimson Worlds series called Marine. I had trouble putting it down. The author, Jay Allan, wrote the first book in the first person with the main (Erik Cain) telling his story. The background of off world fighting and space travel is incidental to the real story. This is mostly about the training, camaraderie, duty and honor, and of the battles and their toll in lives and on the psyche of the participants.
Next is Cost of Victory. Here he is switching up by writing in the second (or is it third) person and focuses on the fleet and Admiral Augustus Garrett. I will shortly find out if this picks up the story where Marine left off in time or it it goes back over the same time span but from the fleet perspective.
Allan has put some real thought into personal and political backgrounds, the dynamics of war and warriors, and the toll it takes on those who fight, both physically and mentally. I am surprised to find no mention of a military background. Instead, I find that his started his writing career in non-fiction, is an investor, and loves to read SciFi.
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The Cost of Victory(Crimson Worlds 2) is slow going so far. I am not liking the political intrigue so much. All the sneakiness and backstabbing and power grabbing bothers me in this one, perhaps because of the more detailed focus. Politicians, power mongers, spying, and manipulation (and murder) of unknowing innocents is getting to me. Maybe it is a combination of the recent seemingly, undying election and recently finishing two Red Sparrow novels that make this a little too much right now. This series, it turns out, goes on for nine books.
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Nine books--everybody can betray everybody else several times over. I've never had much taste for too elaborate political intrigues, and end up having trouble keeping the characters straight. And like you, real life politics has been getting to me.
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Fortunately, the author is flipping back and forth between the space battles and the political shenanigan's back home. Right now there is an assassination attempt. It seems that one of the power hungry jerks in intelligence deems the admiral and the general, who are considered heroes and have their troops' undeniable loyalty, a threat to the power base back home. The powers that be want to reign in the independent colonists and prevent the space navy and marines from defending the colonists if and when the time comes.
Does all this sound familiar? Shades of this kind of intrigue have been played out in real life over and over again. When I read that the troops were more likely to be loyal to their commanders than earth, I was reminded of the Roman generals and their armies. And don't forget the assassinations of various emperors and kings by their own inner circle and guards.
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Well, I guess Mr. Allan is a history buff. In the forward to his third Crimson Worlds saga, A Little Rebellion, he says he took his inspiration from the American Civil War and the French Revolution. He hopes to convey the struggle between wanting to keep safe and wanting freedom and the fight for that freedom, the division between family and friends, the lengths people go to salve their consciences or rationalize their decisions, some wanting to believe in falsehoods rather than deal with reality. I must say that this series is well thought out and thought provoking.
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Pat, I am now reading Little Fuzzy, the whole way through this time. The last time I couldn't get interested. I think reading Scalzi's Fuzzy Nation helped a lot with that.
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I read Little Fuzzy eons ago, probably when it first came out, so after reading Fuzzy Nation, I dug out my father's vintage copy and reread it. It's interesting to compare. Scalzi modestly says that Piper's book is much better, but I don't think so; I prefer Fuzzy Nation. I have one of the sequels too--Fuzzy Sapiens--but I didn't bother to reread it.
I've read one of Piper's unrelated books--Space Viking. It isn't any better than you'd think, with a title like that, and is full of a very elitist political attitude toward the universe.
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Oh? I didn't know there was a sequel, and I see there is listed in Google there is a whole series of Fuzzy Sapiens.
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I am now reading something called Out of Edom by J. Patrick Sutton. It is a somewhat complex story that involves those who embrace new tech and those who would ban it beyond a certain level. This includes genetic manipulation and integration of bio-tech as well as A.I., advanced communications, and other advanced tech.
The rulers of the hegemony are split into three branches, civil government, military, and religion (as best as I can tell). Key governmental players are the Auspix (think Pope here) and several of his priests, the head of the Cabil (which I gather is similar to our Congress, but also seems to have something to do with the trade guilds), the Director of Intelligence and his assistant, the Lady of the Admiralty, and a woman who appears to be the of government. The other key players include a not quite normal little boy who is headed towards being the catalyst for what is to come, his uncle, and their small group of friends.
Aside from an unknown outside threat with superior tech, there is also a covert power grab in the works. Meanwhile, the priests are investigating a possible warning of doom to the empire for so many inhabitants falling away from the Proscriptions. The book is written with dialog and narrative interspersed with excerpts from journals, the Commentaries, and Proscriptions (religious book of no-nos), and other "historical" documents. Very interesting, long, a bit confusing as in, hard to keep straight with who is who and what is what. I suspect it will benefit from a second read in the future, but not right away. Did I mention the book is loooong?
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An interesting quote from J. Patrick Sutton's, Out from Edom: "Every question is a ghost; every answer a chimera."
I just noticed that Sutton also wrote an earlier series called Tales from the Middle Kingdom which is not medieval but listed, for some reason, as a technothriller/mystery rather than science fiction on Amazon. I recognized the planet name listed as the world setting from Out from Edom and the publication date is prior to Edom. BTW, Edom is another book that spends time with questions of morality, faith/beliefs, discrimination, and the perils and advantages of future tech.
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More quotes that give pause for thought. From Dean Koontz's Forever Odd, I found these two gems.
"The joys of life can e found anywhere. Far places only offer exotic ways to suffer." For those who have not read Odd Thomas, Odd has very rarely set foot outside of his town limits and never outside of his county.
"This world, which has the potential to be Eden, is instead the hell before Hell. In our arrogance, we have made is so."
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Just finished Raymond Lalonde's Origins (Spinward Fringe Book 0). Interesting story with lots of action, interesting, mostly likeable characters. I had to suspend my belief to think that a ship would be given to a group of gamers who hacked into fleet training exercises because the commercial games became boring. Some of the hackers were former military or fleet, while others were civilians. They were recruited via the "if you don't join up, you go to jail" pressure. The ending was a good one. I think there are seven books to this series. Unfortunately, the most of villains seemed rather flat, characterwise, and some of them "sounded" much in the same voice (tone?) as the lead character, making it difficult to get a real bad guy feel from them. The other books go off in a direction that in some ways I didn't expect. They appear, from the short descriptions, not to include most or all of the crew of the first book. This series is another with corporate run worlds at war with each other over resources and runaway technology (AI/Clones that have, you guessed it, decided that humans need to be eliminated).
Now I am starting Evan Currie's King of Thieves: Star Rogue which is a spinnoff of his Odyssey series. You might remember that Currie one of my top picks of newish authors. I say newish because he has written enough books now not to be new, IMO.
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I am finding that I keep being haunted by the ending of Raymond Lalonde's Origins (Spinward Fringe Book 0. It left me somewhat sad. Now I want to know how the lead character fairs in his new life even though it looks like most of the characters in the first book are left behind. I expect the "bad" some of the "bad" characters in the first book will get filled out better in the second. Don't know when I will get to it though.
More on Evan Currie's King of Thieves: Star Rogue . I am a little disappointed with this one. He spends much time explaining gravitational issues like gravitational lensing, paying more attention to related technical and scientific issues than usual (not so much a bad thing, but kind of hard for me to follow, for some reason). More disturbingly, he introduces massive, nasty dragon-like creatures which are taking up a good bit of the story. I am not a fan of space monsters, so don't usually read or watch movies that include them in a major way. The beginning sequence of a rescue attempt to retrieve two marines looks like very like something I read before somewhere. Most of the action takes place in the interior of a man-made moon and in the dark. Bumping into scary monsters, in the dark is too close to childhood nightmares. Maybe that is why I normally stay away from horror stories.
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I went and bought the next Spinward Fringe book which has the next two stories in it, and two more of J. Patrick Sutton's Irredente Chronicles series. I really didn't want to add them to my once a month borrow list because I already have a bunch stacked up.
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Okay, gang. I'm feeling mighty lonesome over here.
I just finished the second of J. Patrick Sutton's Irredente series. What a far ranging set of circumstances and characters that all seem to be intertwined. Sutton frequently uses words like obtuse, abstruse, and obfuscate which pretty much describes the whole. People and things are starting to come together, here at the end of book two.
Now I need to go catch up with Cranford before I dig into Sutton's third book, which is probably just as lengthy and commanding of attention as the other two.
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Mostly it's just the two of us now, and I'm mostly rereading things before going to sleep.
I saw the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One. If you like that sort of thing it's pretty good, a prequel to the original Star Wars movie, episodeIV. It's hard to keep the factions straight, and the air battles are pretty confusing, but the story is good, and it has some of the feel of the early movies. I saw it with my SIL, who had already seen it, and he found a lot of things clearer the second time.
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Remember when I talked about John Scalzi's book, Locked In? BBC News has an article about new progress in helping people with Locked-In Syndrome. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-38761461 I am very excited about this development.
Also, I watched a YouTube video of a person operating a robotic hand via a band connecting his arm to his prosthetic lower arm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk1NkWl_W2Y There are more clips of various robotic prostheses, including, if I remember correctly one about making these things on 3-D printers.
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I have finally finished with the three tome Irredente trilogy. The author is/was a lawyer, so that probably explains his love of obscure, arcane, esoteric, obsolete words, as well as some Latin. I noted that many of the ships were named after Roman or Greek characters. One of the characters had a name very Welsh/Celtic sounding and some of the characters ended sentences with the word "like" just as my cousins did when I visited them way back when. The "sailors" often sounded like caricatures of old sea films. Vague references, mostly by other names, to our myths and religious history were sprinkled throughout. The last few chapters of the third book seemed a bit rushed compared to the rest of the story. The Epilog was mostly a fizzle and unnecessary as far as I am concerned. I am sure I missed a whole lot in the telling. If I really want to spend the time (my e-reader said about 33 hours per book at my reading speed) I think it worth rereading. Some of the ideas/philosophies taken up in the book include the use of technology so advanced nobody knows how it truly works, sentient or sentient-like computers, bio-mechanics, genetics and genetic manipulation (the promise and the abuse there of), compassion and tolerance of the others, some called non-conforms, from birth defects and accidents to the genetically manipulated. Bravo to Mr. Sutton for such an engrossing, and not tedious, story.
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Locked-In syndrome seems like a truly terrifying thing. I wonder if knowing someone with it sparked Scalzi to write the book?
The Irredente trilogy sounds like the sort of thing I like, but it's a formidable time investment. I didn't know e-readers estimated reading time--useful.
In the Cranford discussion we talked about sesquipedalian (using big words). I'm definitely sesquipedalian, and have even used that word in conversation, though only with equally sesquipedalian relatives.
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I can have my Paperwhite give me the time left in the book, the percentage of the book read, or the location of the book. It doesn't hold its setting very well though. I notice, especially when I change chapters, it wants to go blank or set itself to another setting. Don't know why it does that. The setting on my Paperwhite is in with the fonts settings.
I couldn't find any reference to Scalzi knowing anyone with Locked-In Syndrome when I looked it up a while back. I keep thinking the title to the book is Locked-In, but it is in fact, Lock-In. Anyway, I still can't find any reference to what inspired Scalzi to write the book. Someone probably asked that in one of the extended talks/interviews on YouTube, etc., but I am not going to watch them all to find out. I did, however, discover that he made his lead character gender neutral. I hadn't noticed, when I read it, that he never mentioned whether Chris was female or male. Oh, and I discovered that back in 2014 or 2015, some outfit called Legendary TV bought the rights to make thin into a TV show. Haven't heard a peep since. Will check it out on IMDB in a bit.
Well, I am all set for the next Amazon Lending Library scifi read, books 4-6 of the Crimson Worlds series by Jay Allan. In the next few books, the space Marines will be fighting robotic forces. This is a development which, the author says, was not in his original plans for the series. Meanwhile, I must catch up with Cranford - again.
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Interesting--I didn't notice either. What does it say that I thought Chris was male?
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We're going to read the remainder of Cranford,and talk about it as we want. I still have stuff to say about this section.
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I assumed it was a male too. The article I read, by Scalzi himself, I think, said that most men thought it the character was a male while quite a few women thought it was a woman. He chose the name Chris because it was ambiguous.
I thought I saw the Legendary logo before, this bunch has been busy with some good TV shows and movies under their belt, including The Great Wall and Colony but not a peep on their site about Lock-In since they bought the rights. I guess either they are sitting on it or no one was interested in it as a TV show.
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I miss Steph! Today I drove down a road I haven't been on for a while. There, in front of the horse stable, instead of a sign with a horse on it was a Corgi, big as you please. Now I am wondering if the horses are out and Corgis are in. I will have to look carefully the next time I go by if there isn't any traffic to watch.
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I miss Steph too. I wish I thought she'd come back, but I don't. SeniorLearn was a cozy comfortable place for her, and when it went through a short crabby phase she kind of got caught in the crossfire, and I think that spoiled it for her.
I enjoyed hearing about her corgis and her walks, and her house on the hill, and she had a different set of sci-fi interests that rounded out things here.
Horses to corgis is a big change.
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I'll have to take a closer look next time. There weren't any horses or dogs out when I went by. The place sits on a rather rather steep slope that the occupants had been steadily modifying to make it more level, or at least, less steep. I see they've added a gate at the road end, done some paving and generally improved the place for both horses and humans. I always thought it was a strange bit of land to put horses on if you wanted to do any training or real exercising.
Ok, back on to off-world interests. I ran across a quick rundown on Space Law, yesterday, on You Tube. When I did a search, I came up with a bunch more, so you know what I will be doing this morning. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Space+law The gist of what I saw was that the treaties and what have you have been around a bit longer than I thought (owing mostly to forgetting just how long I've been around :D ). Anyhow, no one appears to have thought about private enterprise. All the treaties, etc. are geared to governments. While governments can't claim any of the property for their own, mining resources and such are either allowed or not addressed. Now that the likes of SpaceX and others are in the game, I am sure the implications and work arounds are not lost on the government. I expect that the treaties are going to have to be reworked and that we will regardless, as is with humans, have future conflicts leading to skirmishes, and it wouldn't surprise me, wars.
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Yes, no sci-fi fan would be surprised at wars.
Frybabe, we're trying to decide on the next book discussion. Can you think of any sci-fi books that would be of fairly general interest, and have enough meat for a discussion?
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Well, let me think on it. But here are a few thoughts:
Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon. You've heard me describe and heartily recommend this one before. Here is a review https://www.sfsite.com/05b/rem33.htm Still, I don't know if we can make a whole four weeks of it.
A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I won't be surprised if you tell me it has already been discussed. Hulu is going to be running, beginning in April, a 10 part miniseries. I don't get Hulu, so won't see it, but I did read the book and saw the movie which starred Natasha Richardson, Faye Dunaway, and Robert Duvall. I actually liked the style of the movie better. The book is written like a diary which was found some time after the events.
Is Cloud Atlas too long and maybe a little confusing?
Too bad the Irredenti series I just finished is sooooo long. Each book is a tome. Lots to dig into regarding religion, morals, ethics, genetic manipulation and bio-mechanics, politics, tolerance, and such. Yes, there is some military conflict but it is not the main thrust of the books.
I don't think people are likely to want to read something like Ender's Game or The Dispossessed or Dune right now. Too much conflict, too much dark moodiness. So I am looking for something upbeat and or brighter future types, like some of Arthur C. Clarke's works.
This is not real easy is it? To find a book that has enough substance, too narrowly focused, and not with a lot of technical stuff, worthy of a month long discussion. Heck, there are people who couldn't get through The Martian because they thought it was too technical. They haven't read technical until they've tried to read Neal Stephenson's SevenEves.
Has anyone read The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon? It is one I have been wanting to read and, thought I bought already, but I guess not. http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-345-44755-5 This will definitely be of interest to those who are interested in or have relatives or friends who are autistic.
I'll keep thinking.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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Frybabe, thanks for taking my question seriously. Yes, it's not easy and a lot of people don't realize that just because you liked reading a book doesn't mean it would make a good discussion.
It's not necessary to make a book last a month; we often do shorter discussions.
I read Remnant Population some time ago at your recommendation, and agree that it would make for a good discussion, and people would relate to it well. The only problem is, is it too similar to Velma Wallis' Two Old Women, which we recently did. (Moon acknowledges her debt to Wallis.) What do you think?
Dark is definitely a problem. Except for that, I would gladly lead Octavia Butler's Kindred. Have you read it? A black woman writer living in San Francisco in 1975 keeps getting shifted in time to a Maryland pre-Civil War Maryland farm. She eventually realizes that her role is to keep saving the life of the spoiled son of the owners, who will be her ancestor via one of the slaves. It's very good, very powerful, but also very dark, and, since it describes slavery conditions accurately, very brutal.
Your idea of a classic is a good one. I'll have to think what might fly.
Anyway, thanks. All suggestions are welcome.
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I didn't know about the acknowledgement Moon gave to Wallis, or at least, it didn't register when I read the book.
I am not a time shift fan, so I haven't read any of them, including The Time Machine. My sister read it when we were still teens and thought it was excellent. She was never much of a reader back then so that is saying something. Her only other high recommendation was Ivanhoe.
Looking as some lists of Optimistic SciFi, I see several include le Guin's The Dispossessed.. Well, I suppose some of it was optimistic. We could probably read one of hers or a Margaret Atwood. They always seem to have plenty of social commentary.
Did we do Arthur C. Clark's Childhood's End?
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel looks interesting, but I haven't read it so really can't comment on suitability. It may offer some comment on the value of art and culture.
I'd like to take a look at some international SciFi writers. Cixin Liu's The Three Body Problem may be a bit much for our group in the science area, but I like his writing (which is mostly short stories).
Will look at more later.
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International sci-fi writers: except for British writers, I haven't read all that many, and I should. I've read some Jules Verne. I've read some of Polish writer Stanislaw Lem. He wrote Solaris, which was made into a movie twice, a Russian movie in 1972, and an American one in 2002. The Russian one is better, even if it doesn't have George Clooney in it, but they both are a lot different from the book, which has a lot of tedious (probably both political and satirical) philosophical speculation. He also wrote a detective story, The Investigation, which is kind of a cross between Kafka and Inspector Maigret.
There's a Russian fantasy writer I like, Sergei Lukyanenko. His trilogy, Night Watch, Day Watch, and Twilight Watch, takes place in post cold war Moscow, and deals with the conflict between good and evil, which has been reduced to a stable bureaucracy. They've got magic, and vampires, and witches, and legendary characters, definitely not playing to our audience.
All that isn't relevant to my problem, but I realized I maybe didn't ever share comments on those writers.
I didn't notice Moon's acknowledgement either, until we read Two Old Women. It reminded meof Moon's book, and I looked at it again and saw her comment.
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Jack Campbell is starting a new series about the founding of the Alliance in the Lost Fleet universe. Vanguard (Genesis Fleet) will be out in May.
Another book discussion thought: Lucas Bale's The Heretic (Beyond the Wall series). This can be read as one because the author changes up to new characters (for the most part) in the second book. The third also introduces new characters and begins to bring the separate stories together. I'll take a look at the ending again to see hat it can be read as a stand alone. Themes are of isolation, repressive government overseers, and religious persecution as I recall, in the first one. Very well done. http://www.lucasbale.com/the-heretic/
It is available through Kindle or as a paperback on Amazon. Unfortunately, I don't see it available elsewhere.
I was going to suggest Mars Endeavor by Peter Cawdron, but I see that both Amazon (which lists the paperback as out of print and the ebook not at all) and B&N have pulled it. It was only just published in 2016. I checked Amazon.au (he is Australian) and .de and it is pulled from them as well. What a shame! Wonder why. Nothing on his website or anywhere else to explain. So far, Amazon has not disappeared my ebook copy. What a shame! It is a good one for anyone interested in a pretty realistic view of survival in a permanent scientific community on Mars and the problems they encounter. Check out the video clip anyway.https://thinkingscifi.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/mars-endeavour/
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I took a look at Kindred; it looks interesting. My library has only one print copy (the 2003 25th Anniversary Edition) which is out until the 27th and one CD.
I can see some similarity in the theme between Two Old Women and Remnant Population. In the first, the two women were cast out, in the other the lone woman chose to stay behind. In the first, the two women ended up teaching their returned tribe some of the old lost skills of survival; in the second, Ophelia introduces new advanced skills into a group of very low tech but intelligent beings. One book looks back for survival, the other looks forward to advance a beginning intelligent civilization.
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Kindred came back early to the library and is now ready for me to pick up.
Meanwhile I am still on book V of the Crimson Worlds series. I may not continue too much farther in the series. The author is padding the books out big-time by many, many repetitious look-backs and "historical" background and of previous events is which is beginning to annoy me. Also, I am not interested in a subplot involving political maneuvering and assassinations, not to mention a super-secret project to grow a clone army (I think that is what he is doing at the point) to go up against the Marines. The meglamaniac, sociopath wants to take over the world and destroy the hated, tough, very capable Marine Corp. which, at the moment is in the middle of saving humanity from a robotic alien force. The author is packing everything he can into this series (overpacking if you ask me) and it is wearing me down just as much as his main characters (those that survive) are being worn down.
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While we're between book discussions, I thought it might be fun to fill in the gap by reading a science fiction/fantasy short story or two, just for fun. I've put up one; here's the link:
http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=5050.msg305084#msg305084 (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=5050.msg305084#msg305084)
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Marco Kloos' next in a series of his I am reading was just released on Feb. 28. Naturally, it was my pick from the Lending Library for March. The "Lankies" have made it to Mars and overrun the place. They are also making small incursions onto the Earth. The Earth forces are trying to put together a force large enough to invade Mars and take it back. The Lankies like it warm, humid, and with a high CO2 atmosphere. If they don't kill you outright during an invasion, they eventually get you by terraforming the planets they invade to their liking.
Ken Liu's anthology of new Chinese short stories, Invisible Planets, arrived in time for me to pick it at the library yesterday.
PatH, is the new SciFi Short Story discussion in lieu of the SciFi book discussion you were looking into or in addition to?
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I was just looking at the Table of Contents in Invisible Planet and noted, with interest, that there are three essays on Chinese Science Fiction. The shortest of the three titles is "What Makes Chinese Science Fiction Chinese?" The other two are "The Worst of All Possible Universes and the Best of All Possible Earths: Three-Body and Chinese Science Fiction" and "The Torn Generation: Chinese Science Fiction in a Culture in Transition." I am excited about these enough to read them before the short stories. The 13 short stories "focus on visions of the future from China" per the book cover.
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Frybabe, the short story discussion was meant to be a fill-in while people figured out what book to discuss next. I have no idea how this will play out. I'm very grateful for your contributions;they keep things going, and besides I like the stories. I emailed the anarchist bee link to daughter Cathy, a sci-fi fan who actually knows something about anarchism.
I have more to say about it when I get a moment. This business in Portland is turning out to be rather time-consuming.
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Sigh, I have finished Marco Kloos' latest in his Frontlines series. Sigh! I guess it will be another year before the next one comes out.
I really like the characters. I like Kloos, too; he likes to write his stories out long-hand, pen to paper. In one of his blogs on his webpage, he says he purposely does not describe the lead character's physical features. He wants people to fill in from their own imaginations. Maybe that is part of the reason I like the series so much. Kloos makes his main character and narrator, Andrew Grayson, feel personal and personable; he could be any one of us ordinary folks, the guy next door, your best buddy, your co-worker, a relative, or you or me in another life. His other characters are similar in that respect.
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I am reading Craig A. Falconer's e-book, Not Alone. Wonder of wonders, it isn't a Military SciFi. Here is a guy who works in a - wait for it - bookstore. He is also a firm believer in extraterrestrials and has been since he was at least eight. He finds a stolen government folder which appears to point to a government cover-up of downed alien space ships (not Roswell, more than one in several countries around the world). He releases the most of the info anonymously, or so he thought, on the net. So begins the denials and accusations and attempts to discredit him by the government, other political figures trying to detour folks who are after their heads for other things, and the instant fame and the attendant new media frenzy. There is a PR person who almost instantly shows up and offers her services (very smart gal, knows people). I'm a little bit suspicious of her. It is a nice story, a nice change of pace.
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http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/03/remembering-great-french-comic-artist-jean/?cdi=13F0CB1F062E09D7E0534FD66B0A73BA&ref=PRH2028E2388CC9
Unbound Worlds article about Sci-Fi Artist Jean ‘Mœbius’ Giraud who passed away a little over a year ago.
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I made an attempt to read John Wood Campbell's Invaders from the Infinite, giving up after reading about 10 pages. To my mind, it read like a 1950s SciFi movie.
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Interesting article about the consequences of long-term living in an enclosed environment (remember the Biosphere experiments?). http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/03/meg-howreys-wanderers-americas-first-outer-space-mutiny/?cdi=13F0CB1F062E09D7E0534FD66B0A73BA&ref=PRH2028E2388CC9
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SciFi Book News:
John Scalzi has a new one out called The Collapsing Empire which looks intriguing. The discovery of "The Flow" enables FTL travel and everyone is now dependent on it. That's a problem, because it is changing and, as a result.], interstellar civilization is about to collapse. I've seen several comments that comparing it to Dune, but with the Scalzi touch. Here is Ars Technica's review. https://arstechnica.com/the-multiverse/2017/03/the-collapsing-empire-is-rip-roaring-space-opera-with-a-conscience/
The HUGO Award finalists have been announced. The list is here: http://www.tor.com/2017/04/04/2017-hugo-award-finalists-announced/ Cixin Liu is on the list for best novel for his third in the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy which is called Death's End. I haven't read it yet.
Yea! Jack Campbell's latest book will be out in May. His new series, The Genesis Fleet, will be in The Lost Fleet universe, but is set in the years leading up to the founding of the Alliance. The title of the book is Vanguard. Can hardly wait.
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Thanks for the Hugo list, Frybabe. I'm getting awfully behind on the newer writers; most of these are unfamiliar to me. Only Liu in the novels, Bujold (who I like) and Mieville (kind of so-so) in the novellas, none of the novelettes, only Carrie Vaughan in the short stories. (I read a so-so novel about superheroes by her.)
I certainly want to read the LeGuin, and among the screenplays, I thought Rogue One was pretty good, and i haven't seen it, but Hidden Figures is obviously good too.
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Scalzi seems to like making civilizations collapse. It's touch and go if his Old Men's War universe is going to survive. We didn't settle it in The End of All Things, and there's another four-part End of All Things book coming out.
I'm eager for the new Campbell too.
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Oh, no! I didn't know The End of All Things wasn't actually the end. I was actually a bit disappointed in that one.
The Scifi I am reading right now, is called Corsair by James Cambias. With a title like that, you would think it was a spaceship, but it is not. The action is almost entirely on Earth. Unmanned cargo transports bringing in mined raw materials (in this case, Helium-3) are targets for nefarious types to hijack, via hacking the systems, these vehicles and divert them to another landing site. Big black market business. The hackers and thugs are duking it out via computer (mostly) with the Air Force and NASA contractors. The Air Force has satellites in place to intercept, but oddly, they don't carry weapons because of concerns over weaponizing space, a big fat no-no politically speaking. Although I am not too attached to any of the characters, it is a good, interesting read, if not spectacular.
Cambias has a new book out, only in e-book form, which has two stories in it called Outlaws and Aliens. I think I will take a look at it. He has also written a number of short stories, some published in anthologies and some published in magazines, the only title of which I recognized is Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine.
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Many Books is featuring some SciFi books with unusual settings. http://manybooks.net/articles/6-books-with-the-most-unusual-settings Aside from the poor editing of this article, there are a several interesting books I might look into. Graham Edwards' Stone Trilogy beginning with Stone & Sky, the Deepscape Codex series beginning with Scar Night (not a very interesting title IMO) by Alan Campbell, and Larry Niven's The Integral Trees. Have you read any of them?
Oh, and maybe, Clive Barker's Weaveworld. I have never read any of Barker's books or seen his movies. I've always associated him with horror works, not something I like much.
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I haven't read any of those authors except I'm pretty sure I've read something of Larry Niven. He's kind of an old tried and true author.
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This morning I learned that Elizabeth Moon has returned to the SciFi genre with Cold Welcome. Yay! I get the newsletter, Unbound Worlds, from Penguin Random House. In it is an article titled "5 Women Writers Who Have Made Space Opera Their Own" with a link to a 50 page excerpt of the book. https://www.scribd.com/document/343656154/Cold-Welcome-50-Page-Friday#from_embed
Here is a link to the article: http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/04/5-women-writers-made-space-opera/?cdi=13F0CB1F062E09D7E0534FD66B0A73BA&ref=PRH2028E2388CC9
John Scalzi's new book is now out. It is called The Collapsing Empire. I might have mentioned it earlier.
Patiently (or not so) waiting for the release of Daniel H. Wilson's new novel The Clockwork Dynasty due out in August. Goodreads has pre-publication reviews of it already. Fox has optioned the book, and Dreamworks has his Robopocalypse in development. If either of these see the light of day, I'll be interested in seeing them. They should think about doing his Amped too.
I am a big fan of all three of these authors.
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Frybabe, your 50 page sample worked, but the link to the 5 women writers didn't. Who are they?
The sample looks good.
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Elizabeth Moon, Lois McMaster Bujold, C. J. Cherryh, Kameron Hurley, Karen Traviss.
Of course there are many more women SciFi writers that just the five that Unbound Worlds featured. Because there are so many, I just never put it together just how many - a lot, I am just showing the google page. It has some lovely portraits of many of our favorites as well as those I never heard of. https://www.google.com/search?q=list+women+Science+Fiction+writers&ie=UTF-8&sa=Search&channel=fe&client=browser-ubuntu&hl=en&gws_rd=ssl
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Thanks. I like Moon and Bujold a lot. Cherryh is an author I can't seem to get into, but suspect that one day when the mood is right I'll read and enjoy her. My daughter likes her a lot. I never heard of Hurley and Traviss.
Of the Grand Masters, I like Norton, LeGuin, and Willis a lot, went through a McCaffrey phase.
Willis has a series about time-traveling historians. To Say Nothing of the Dog is a lighthearted, funny take-off on Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat. In Doomsday Book, a historian accidentally goes to the time of an epidemic of the Black Death. This is contrasted to a present time epidemic of unknown origin. It's very good, but somewhat of a downer.
Lots of books left to read in those lists. I've read 14 out of the hundred and 10 out of the 23. The one book I read by Catherynne Valente, Palimpsest, was disfigured by a number of scenes describing in relentless detail some of the most joyless sex I've ever run across, with, in my opinion, no redeeming features to make it worthwhile putting up with it. I wouldn't have finished it except i was reading it for a discussion.
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I am not surprised that you haven't heard of Karen Traviss. Most of her works are book tie-ins to gaming venues like Star Wars and HALO. She has taken considerable criticism for her focus in both. Mostly, I saw that the hard core gaming fans were unhappy about her interjecting morals and moral consequences into mix, making the heroes look less than heroic and more morally flawed. I don't know about Star Wars, but in HALO there are a lot of moral grey areas, especially regarding the Spartan program. As much as I liked the HALO book series, I stopped reading most of it when I got to her books. They just didn't seem true to the game.
Having said that, I read that the new HALO game (5) is taking a lot of criticism too. It seems that they have taken The Fall of Reach (the first book in the series, but I don't know about the original game) and changed things so much that, as one critic said, the original has been "invalidated". Many long term HALO followers are not happy about recent changes, saying the game developers have lost their focus. I couldn't say, I never played the game. I just like the books and especially Eric Nylund's writing. I am going to see what he is up to now because he is no longer with Microsoft, having migrated to Amazon. Apparently they have a new gaming studio. I didn't know that. I wish he would write more good books rather than mess around so much with gaming.
Oh, back to Karen Traviss, she wrote a six book series called The Wess'har Wars, the first of which made it to the finals of the 2005 Campbell Awards. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Pearl You can see from the description where her focus lies (morals, environmental issues).
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John Scalzi's new book, The Collapsing Empire, is in the library. In fact, the system has three (I could hardly believe it) copies. Oddly, neither Bosler or New Cumberland have it. Those are the two that have the largest SciFi collection. Our branch, at East Pennsboro, is pathetic. Most of our small collection is fantasy, and Teen fantasy at that.
My sister and I are going shopping next week, and one of the stores we will go to is Barnes and Noble. I am in the process of figuring out what I want to get there. The only thing on my list so far is a Roman history, assuming it is in store, which it probably isn't.
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The only thing on my list so far is a Roman history, assuming it is in store, which it probably isn't.
Alas, that sounds like the Barnes and Noble near me. They're reasonably big, and I try to patronize them, but they always seem to be out of things they think they have.
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Well, that was fast. Scalzi's new book is already waiting for me at the library. It is all I can do to wait until Monday to pick it up. I need to go up to the township building on Monday to order delivery of some compost so I will make one trip instead of two.
Oh, nuts! I will be out shopping with my sister on Monday. Guess I will go up now. Don't want to wait another day.
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I envy you, Frybabe. Enjoy.
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Olivia E. Butler is featured in this week's Off the Shelf.
http://offtheshelf.com/2017/04/dawn-by-octavia-butler/?cp_type=OfftheShelf&rmid=OFF_THE_SHELF_WEEKLY&rrid=75537362
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PatH, I am disappointed in this new Scalzi to the point that I am not likely to finish it. For one thing, there are a lot of f words in the book. The other is that it just doesn't have the feel of something Scalzi had written. I may give it a couple of days and try to read on, but I am not connecting at all with the characters or the story line. Maybe the younger readers will take to it.
I was somewhat disappointed with his last book, too. That one seemed a bit lackluster. I hope this isn't a trend. In his acknowledgements for this new book, he stated that he was late submitting this book and the last to the publisher. Hmm. This time, he blamed the elections as too distracting. Well, yes, they pretty much distracted everyone. I checked his list of publications and discovered that I've read all but two of his early works.
Question to Mr. Scalzi: How would you like to write a book of short stories?
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Thanks for the article, Frybabe. I read Octavia Butler's Dawn many years ago, so the memory has dimmed, but it has a strange, weird feel to it. And although it's pretty flawed, it's somehow compelling, so you keep on reading. It didn't have the particular effect on me it did on the reviewer, since i was at a different, more settled, stage in life, and on comfortable terms with my family.
Too bad about the Scalzi; let's hope he recovers from his slump, but not all authors stay good forever. Old Men's War has a lot of f--s in it too, but you put up with them because they are appropriate and the story is good.
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You are probably right about the f word in the Old Man's War series. I must have passed over them because they seemed in character and such. Or, I am just being more sensitive to it lately. Well, I'll give it a few days and then go back to it. Sometimes that helps.
Tomorrow I can borrow another book from the Amazon Lending Library. I am probably going to catch the next installment of the Ember Wars series, if I can remember which book I read last. I am really going to have to write down where I stopped on these things.
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Scalzi's book is another one I had to put down and settle before going back to it. I am getting a better picture of what is going on, now, with the second chapter. BUT, the foul language has not abated. I counted as many as six a page, and there was something on the majority of the pages across three seperate threads. Yes, this is another one that takes several threads and eventually weaves them together. The Scalzi humor is there, but I think understated, perhaps wry or facetious at times.
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Ok, finished the Scalzi. My overall take: His usual sense of humor started to shine through after a few chapters, the foul language didn't slow down much, there were quite a few raunchy bits (most of these last two being generated by one character), the ending is setting up for a sequel which may be worth following.
The end of the Empire is at hand, not due to aliens, but to the impending collapse of a cosmological feature called the Flow which connects far ranging colonies. The Flow is the means of getting to these far apart places. There are a few that are trying to take political and commercial advantage of the not at all general knowledge of this upcoming event. There are those who want to save humanity, or as many as possible,by preparing them for the coming isolation or evacuate them to the only self-sustaining world available. Most of the colonies are not self-sustaining, but depend on commerce with other colonies to sustain their own. And then there are those who are bent on taking advantage of the coming chaos to set themselves up as the next political top dogs as well as for control of commerce. Power and Greed.
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For Dragon lovers, fantasy writer Marie Brennan has a series of dragon novels known as A Memoir by Lady Trent. A Natural History of Dragons is the first in series. http://www.swantower.com/writing/natural-history-dragons/
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I'm kind of neutral about dragons. The dragon story I mean to read sometime is Jo Walton's Tooth and Claw. It's a family sagainvolving a highly mannered society, only they're dragons, with a few gory customs in addition to their polish.
I've read another of her books: Farthing. It's the first of an alternative history trilogy. Churchill didn't come to power at the beginning of WWII; instead, Britain made peace with Hitler, and sat out the war in an increasingly totalitarian and antisemitic society. There's a murder mystery, and political intrigue, and we're left hanging at the end of the first volume.
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Just released two days ago, I forgot to mention, is the latest Liaden universe novel, The Gathering Edge by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. It looks like this thread follows Theo Waitley; I think the prequel to this one is Alliance of Equals.
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heading
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Goodness, I'm falling behind; haven't read Alliance of Equals yet. I wonder where they're going to go with Theo now.
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Andy Weir has a new book coming out in November and the movie rights have already been sold. The story seems a bit less interesting to me, but it is sure to appeal to the younger set. http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/05/film-rights-already-sold-martian-author-andy-weirs-artemis/?cdi=13F0CB1F062E09D7E0534FD66B0A73BA&ref=PRH2028E2388CC9
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Hmm. This one is more character and plot driven than science driven. Those were the weaker sides of The Martian, but Weir is an evolving writer--seemed to me he improved as The Martian went on--so I don't know what to expect, but I'll certainly give it a chance. It's not too surprising the movie rights were snapped up. You could coast some on the first one no matter what it was like.
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I just picked up two Poul Anderson books from the Friends of the Library Bookstore - The Van Rijn Method and it's sequel, Star Trader. I am sure I've read some of his short stories, "High Treason" is one I particularly liked, but never a full length book.
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Now reading: Jack Campbell's Vanguard: This is starting with Robert Geary and a new colony without means to defend itself because the Colony Counsel didn't think they would have to. Hah! A colony in a neighboring star system is already empire building.
Also: Lost Time: Part 1 [SECOND SKYN] by Damien Boyes. This is an interesting story about a guy who had his memories, etc. transplanted into a synthetic human body at his death. He and his wife were given an insurance contract for which gives the holder a form of immortality with their process (Second Skyn is the name of the company). Unfortunately, he would rather not have had it and to make matters worse, his wife didn't live long enough for rescue workers to secure her for the transplant (such that it is). What started out as a search for the guy who caused the hit and run accident is turning into so much more. I am enjoying this one. Five book series.
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I looked for High Treason for the s-f stories discussion, but couldn't find it online. I found others, though, and will try to pick one. some are too long.
It's been decades since I read anything of his.
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oops! I misremembered. The one I read was "The Highest Treason" by Randall Garrett which was published in Analog Science Fact & Fiction, January, 1961. I think that one is a little too long for here. I can't believe I've never read any of Poul Anderson's works. I am going to have to take a closer look at the two books I got; it appears they are omnibus reprints of his Nicholas van Rijn stories within the Technic Civilization Saga.
Project Gutenberg has only a few of his stories listed and they all look long. I recognized the illustrations in two of them so I must have at least attempted to read them. They must not have made a great impression.
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I stayed up late last night to finish Jack Campbell's book. It reads more like the Lost Stars series than Lost Fleet.
This first book is mostly a get acquainted with the characters and the new colonies - world and character building. I had expected the new series to start at the beginnings of the war with the Syndics, but it begins far earlier, to the events that will eventually lead up to the star systems and planets that form the Syndic and the Alliance empires.
It's a good start and a good read.
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That's good to hear. I was afraid it might be just ho hum fill-in.
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Right now I am beginning the third of the Crimson Worlds: Refugees series. As with his original Crimson Worlds series, the story and characters are interesting - up to a point. The author, Jay Allan, insists on padding out his material with constant repetitious ruminations by his characters over memories and decisions made (past and present), etc. Very annoying, made all the more annoying by the grossly poor editing on this series. I saw such things as doubled words not removed, past tense where present tense was needed, missing words, comments in conversations that are attributed to one character when it was obviously the other party making the comment, and word misuse like 'they'll' where it should have been 'there will'. There was even an instance of failure of logic (unless I badly misread a bit, which is possible) in the story line, but I no longer remember what exactly.
The library is ordering Daniel H. Wilson's Clockwork Dynasty at my recommendation. I have high hopes that it will attract the attention of alternative history, steampunk, and scifi fans alike. This one is a little different than his usual robot/AI books. This one centers on human form mechanical characters. Think all those wonderful mechanical birds, trolleys and such of the Renaissance. https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/daniel-h-wilson/clockwork-dynasty.htm
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I decided to try Alastair Reynolds, so I picked up his The Prefect at the library. I'll start that after I finish the ebook I am reading (which will be shortly). The library has all of his books except for Galactic Nbioorth which is a collection of his short stories. Maybe I can find that on at the Free Library of Phila.
Interesting biographical info. Reynolds is Welsh and for about 14 or 15 years he worked at the European Space Research and Technology Center (part of ESA) before he turned to writing full time.
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I see The Prefect is the last of the Revelation series. I read one of the others, not sure if it was the first or not. It was OK, but I didn't end up reading more. I'll be interested to learn what you think of it.
Interesting career move; I wonder about the reasons.
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Pat, from what I gathered the first three of the Revelation series are a trilogy. The others, while set in the Revelation universe can be read as stand-alones.
I also got Ben Bova's The Hittite, which is a tale wrapped up in the events of the Iliad. I always thought of Bova as a Science Fiction writer and editor, but it looks like he has written some others.
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Spaceships, Black Holes and Welsh mythology? I might just have to look into this trilogy.
http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/06/listen-c-a-higgins-on-black-holes-spaceships-and-welsh-mythology/?cdi=13F0CB1F062E09D7E0534FD66B0A73BA&ref=PRH2028E2388CC9 The podcast is interesting. The author has a background in physics and what inspired her to write the trilogy.
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I am getting overloaded with reading again. This morning I discovered that Tolkien's Silmarillion is free to read with my Amazon Prime Reading, so I downloaded it. My hard copy is nowhere to be found so I think it got purged with my other already read Lord of the Rings and Tolkien Reader.
Our library system has the first of C. A. Higgin's trilogy, Lightless, so I ordered it.
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I found Silmarillion pretty heavy going. good luck with it.
I just finished Dragon in Exile, the next in line (for me; there's an even later one out) of Lee and Miller's Liaden series. It's a bridge, carrying on the problems of Clan Korval on Surebleak, settling one or two things, starting some more things, and carrying on middle sections of most of the issues. It wouldn't make much sense if read out of order, but it's welcome for anyone following the series.
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Here is the updated reading order list for the Laiden Universe.
http://sharonleewriter.com/correct-reading-order/
So far I have read Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, Carpe Diem, Plan B, and I Dare. What I have on hand to read are: Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon, Balance of Trade, Local Custom, Scout's Progress and Fledgling.
Hah! If I don't quit borrowing books from the libraries, I'll never get back to them.
I've started reading The Prefect. It is going to be a long read. The library sent me a mass paperback which is around 560 pages of small print "tightly packed". I need good light and no pesty cats to get through it. It is a kind of space detective, crime procedural story.
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That's a remarkably useful listing, Frybabe. I see I've read all but the last three (Alliance of Equals, The Gathering Edge, and Neogenesis). The five you've read are the best, but many of the others are almost as good.
Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon tell the story of Cantra yos Phelium and Jela, ancestors of Clan Korval, their fight against the menace attempting to destroy the universe, the successful flight led by Cantra to a parallel universe and the founding of Liad. They're good, except for the chunks of Crystal Soldier that are taken up with an intolerable description of the forming of powerful entities eventually leading to the dramliz.
Balance of Trade stands by itself, taking place sort of halfway between the original migration and the main body of stories.
I Dare ends with the appearance of young pilot Theo Waitley, asking help for a complicated problem just as Clan Korval is packing up to leave Liad, and Fledgling and its sequels are her story, a fiesty woman, with a talent for getting into complicated situations.
Local Custom is the weakest of the lot, but fills in the meeting of Anne Davis and Er Thom.
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I ran across Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire while working at the Library yesterday, and here this morning I find a review in my latest Unbound Worlds newsletter: http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/06/excerpt-among-sticks-bones-seanan-mcguire/?cdi=13F0CB1F062E09D7E0534FD66B0A73BA&ref=PRH2028E2388CC9 I am not much interested in Gothic/Horror/Fantasy, but oh my, do I love the cover and title of this book.
Unbound Worlds also has a review of The Women of Soleri by Michael Johnston. Again, I was attracted by the title. Amazon lists it as an Historical Fantasy. OOoookay. This is not something that particularly attracts me except that the reviewer said of the novel, that the author used "Ancient Egyptian mythology and the Shakespeare play King Lear" as the basis for the novel. http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/06/the-women-of-soleri-inside-look-at-michael-johnston-new-novel/?cdi=13F0CB1F062E09D7E0534FD66B0A73BA&ref=PRH2028E2388CC9
These new fantasy offerings brought to mind our former Senior Learn friend, Steph. I wonder if anyone had kept in contact with her and wonder how she is doing.
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I thought of Steph too, when we were talking about the Liaden series--a favorite if hers. I miss her, but haven't kept in touch.
Those two links didn't work for me--rejected by my system.
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Try this Pat. http://www.unboundworlds.com/category/books/ You can scroll down to find the reviews (and an excerpt from Women of Soleri on the two books I mentions as well as others.
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The Prefect is strange, or more precisely, the environments and the "people" are often surreal.
I am also in the middle of Outsystem by M. D. Cooper which has its own version of bizarre in places. This is also primarily an investigative story centered around incidents which are meant to slow down or stop a colony ship from being completed. The main character is a security officer who was hired to stop the perpetrators. The incidents include an attempt to blow up the ship, viral attacks on ships AI, cargo being stolen or destroyed, and attempted kidnapping or assassination.
Both books are okay enough to keep reading.
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Elizabeth Moon's Speed of Dark is much more engaging than I thought it would be. I already expected some exceptional talent from the main character, but to find out that he takes fencing lessons kind of clinched it for me.
The characters pose some interesting questions about how much you might change and how much relationships might change if you could be cured. I am guessing this is similar to some of the questions raised by those who were born blind or deaf. Then there is the question of whether or not dark has a speed like light. Is is faster, or is it static? I think of the book of Genesis and how God created the light and then separated it from the dark. It is an interesting philosophical question. But I think, with quantum math/physics and the mysterious nature of dark matter, it may be a question for science too.
At one point, I was startled to see the same comment about saying you are sorry regarding some event/problem you had no hand in that George used to say to me. In fact, I stopped telling him I was sorry that he was not feeling well, for example; he would ask why I was sorry because I didn't make him sick. He isn't been a smart***; he is serious. I don't even say I am sorry to "hear" there is a problem, lest he think I don't want to hear about the problem.
The book also includes vignettes of the possible problems that arise for autistics in coping with prejudice, talking to strangers, interpreting imprecise wording or slang we often use when we engage in conversation, and so on.
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New move to be released July 28, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. It is based on the French comic created by writer Pierre Christin and artist Jean-Claude Mézières with Evelyn Tran-Lé doing the color work. It was published in Pilote magazine from 1967 to 2010. It certainly is colorful and looks like a lot of fun. Hear what Luc Besson has to say about his movie creation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwsFbShTPDg I think I am going to have to go see this on the big screen.
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My latest lending library pick for the month, accidentally, is Quantum Lace ~ Book One by Leigh (Bella) St John. Amazon's blurb says it is based on real science, real people and real events. So, do we call this Historical SciFi? Looks interesting but is short at only 105 pages.
My intended pick was Noa's Ark, by C. Gockel, which is the second of the Archangel Down series. Amazon mixes the Lending Library picks in with the Prime Reading offerings. Since Quantum Lace is apparently listed in both, downloading it keeps me from downloading this one. Some of the Prime Reading books are not in the Lending Library so I can still download those if I want. Strange set-up if you ask me, but hey, I already have more reading than I have time for now. Noa will have to wait for next month.
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There is a new genre category - LitRPG, Literature Role Playing Game. Well, kind of new, it apparently has been around for about seven or ten years. This seems to be mostly a subgenre of SciFi but it probably includes a few others, perhaps mysteries and adventures.
According to Wikipedia, the criteria for being a LitRPG book is that it at least one character must be aware that they are playing a game, that there is a real world and a gaming world. If that is the case, I wonder why I don't see Ender's Game listed. Maybe because they only thought they were playing a game?
So far, the only books I ever heard of to be listed in this genre are Ernest Cline's Ready, Player, One and Daemon by Daniel Suarez. I have had Daemon for several years but haven't read it yet. I just downloaded one called Awaken Online Book 1: Catharsis It is about some guy who starts playing a video game and discovers that he is being guided towards being the villain in the game.
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I've read Ready Player One. It's pretty good. The stakes of the game are high--winner becomer the heir to someone with a big powerbase in the dysfunctional world. The games are all throwbacks, demanding obscure knowledge of early computer and arcade games.
I agree about Ender's game. Ender and the others didn'know what they were doing was real.
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Valerian and the City of the Thousand Planets does look promising. I liked Besson's work in The Fifth Element.
From the trailer, it looks like the movie owes a lot to Star Wars.
I can surely get my SIL to see it with me when it comes out.
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The Fifth Element is one of my favorite movies; I lost count of how many times I've seen it. Another favorite, also seen lots of times, is The Chronicles of Riddick.
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Downbelow Station by C. J. (Carolyn Janice) Cherryh should be waiting for me at the library on Thursday. I didn't realize until just now that it was published way back in 1981. It won a Hugo Award in 1982.
All these books that project corporate exploration and ownership in space remind me of the novel I just read involving trapper/hunters and Indians near the end of the war between the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company over hunting and trading territories.
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All these books that project corporate exploration and ownership in space remind me of the novel I just read involving trapper/hunters and Indians near the end of the war between the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company over hunting and trading territories.
That's a really interesting observation, Frybabe. Of course you're right, and I never thought of it. I'll have to read up on Hudson's Bay Company; my knowledge of it is somewhat dim. Those corporate ownership sci-fi novels kind of depress me--an only too likely scenario.
I started Downbelow Station some time ago, but got sidetracked. It's good, though, and some day I'll get back to it and enjoy it. She has written many books, which my daughter and SIL like a lot.
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Hudson's Bay is the only company I remember hearing/reading about in school. That North West and HBC were on fighting terms let alone forced to merger, and that both companies still exist today, albeit in greatly evolved forms surprised me.
I am glad to hear that Downbelow Station is good. I've barely started it. While reading it, I can almost hear the voice of the narrator of some of those old films that began with a voice over narration of sorts or maybe some of those old science programs with the narrator sounding kind newsy, kind of dramatic, in an almost but not quite monotone/straight voice. Wish I could think of an example right now.
Are you getting settled into your new abode okay?
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I'm not even close to getting settled. What I've done so far is finally decontaminated the apartment of the paint smells that were bad actors for the chemical sensitivities I acquired from working in the lab. Next stage is to get some minimal furnishings in and see if I can tolerate longer exposure without getting breathing problems. Then I have to clear out here and move whatever is left.
I did have a good session in Powell's Books. I found a used paperback of some hard to come by short stories in Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series, and the woman who was also going through her books recommended another book by Bujold, out of series. It's The Spirit Ring, and it's not my usual sort of thing, wizardry, not sci-fi. But it's pretty good. It's an action story, taking place in 16th century Italy, in the midst of the complicated political infighting between the Guelphs and the Ghibelines. Fortunately you don't have to keep any of that straight, since I've never been able to make any sense of it. The father of the heroine is strongly based on Benvenuto Cellini, but with some magical abilities. In the courtyard of his house, we see a massive clay mold of a statue of Perseus, waiting to be cast. So I was waiting to see what she would do with the casting, which was pretty dramatic in real life. She didn't disappoint.
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PatH, I just found Downbelow Station on YouTube, the full audiobook.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8ViFnHTd_I
This is going to be a lot easier than trying to read the small, dark, dense print on yellowed pages that are hard to read in all but the best of light.
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One of the gals on Seniors and Friends posted this article from the NYT. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/science/film-clip-stored-in-dna.html?_r=0 Wonder where this will lead in the future.
BTW, I saw some print articles about the proposed creation of a US Space Corps. This one happens to be from CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/07/politics/space-corps-bill-trnd/index.html Hmmmm! Jumping the gun a bit or do they know something we don't. I've seen a bunch of stuff out there via the UFO bunch about "Space Warden", a super hush-hush government program that has been around a while. In fact, some of the newer ones said the government would be making a big announcement soon. Well, this isn't a big announcement, but it is something.
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Wow. Information storage of that size in DNA. Science progresses amazingly fast. I wonder how stable that information is.
Frybabe, I think you and I are in agreement about how crucial rapid development of space travel is for mankind's survival. A space corps seems a little premature, but it's fun to watch the turf war for it between different service branches.
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Defense News had a more recent article about the Space Corps. It appears that the Chinese and Russians have already reorganized their military to accommodate a space corp. Also, it was pointed out by some in the House that the Air Force has been pilfering the budget for their Space Command to pay for other things. So, perhaps instead of thinking ahead this time we are actually behind the 8-ball again.
One of the reader's commented that he thought the US Space Corps should be under the Navy's wing, not the Air Force. His reasons included that the Navy and Marines already work together and that Navy pilots are more highly trained than AF pilots, and that the majority of NASA astronauts are Naval or Marine pilots. Personally, I wouldn't want to go against all thoseSe SciFi writers who have their space fleets under Naval command.
I am not sure that just because the bill will allow for the creation of a new corps, means necessarily that the must create it. And, if they do create the new corps, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be funded or well funded. Things I have to look up, oh, and who I need to write to in support of this endeavor.
Here is the subcommittee's Press Release: https://armedservices.house.gov/news/press-releases/mark-release-subcommittee-strategic-forces
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Two more links for anyone interested in following the bill:
https://armedservices.house.gov/news/press-releases/mark-release-subcommittee-strategic-forces
If you want to watch the subcommittee report, it is up on YouTube. Or, you can watch it here: https://armedservices.house.gov/legislation/markups/hr-2810-national-defense-authorization-act-fiscal-year-2018-0
You can probably tell, I am pretty excited by the prospect of a space corps.
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Pat, Downbelow Station is slow going. I am having trouble keeping characters on Pell and Downbelow straight at times; new ones keep popping up. Cherryh's writing sytle is interesting. It is very matter-of-fact, and I would almost say compact. She doesn't seem to pad or waste words though the book itself is long. I am half way through now. What I found works best for me with this book is to listen to the audiobook while reading the book.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy
| (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/graphics/scifiphoto.jpg) __________________ | Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.
Come in, sit down with us, and tell us what you are reading or have read, what you like or dislike.
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Links:
Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 30,000 authors (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)
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Discussion Leader: PatH (rjhighet@earthlink.net)
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That's an interesting technique. I mostly do better reading than listening, but I've never tried both at once.
I've forgotten now why I halted in Downbelow Station, but it might very well have been character overload. I felt I would get back to it someday, though.
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Amazon calls it immersive reading. I seem to be able to concentrate better using both or this book. This is the first time I've tried it. I'll have to try it again, sometime, on other particularly dense/difficult books. I wonder if it would have helped with SevenEves which was hard to get through without frequent breaks.
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I took a break from reading today and went to see Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets on its opening day. While I think the story itself was okay but not great, the kaleidoscope of bright and dazzling colors and CGI were super. Oh, and I picked out a couple of things that appear to have been "related" to The Fifth Element: the temple exterior (slightly different via added coloration from what I remember from Element, the statement "showtime", and it looks like they reused part of the costumes from the alien guardians. There is a lesson in there about war and owning up to the deliberate destruction of a people and a world as collateral damage in a war that said people had no part in.
Luc Besson has already written a script for the second and is in the middle of doing one for the third. This is a long time dream and labor of love for him, so whether or not the two get made into movies doesn't matter as much as working on his dream project.
I should soon be seeing the three Valerian related offerings that the library manager ordered. They are being released today also.
In the meantime, I am almost done with Downbelow Station. It has gotten even more interesting as I got further into it. What a mess. First an influx of a great number of refugees that strains the station, then the sabotage, murder and deliberately incited riots, and a less than compassionate military that are themselves stressed by losses and short supplies. I am anxious to see how it all turns out and who survives in the end. I would very much like to see several people get their much due comeuppance, and hope the good guys prevail against stacked odds.
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Pat, just a heads-up. Don just announced that Aug. 20 will be his last Reid's Records program. He decided it was time to retire.
I've finished Downbelow Station. Good book, but you have to be prepared for grim and grimmer for quite a while. Such a breakdown of civilized behavior in the face of shortages and changes in governmental control. I got to liking several of the characters, particularly Josh. I felt a bit sorry for him and was surprised at which direction he chose at the end. The book is apparently the first of three, but on inspecting the next two, I didn't see any of the characters in the first mentioned. I would really have liked to see more of them. I guess the series is more like separate stories in the same universe (possibly over time). I am going to see if I can get the other two.
Not sure what I am going to read next. There is a new historical Roman series that I might try or go back to EM Foner's Union Station series which is fun, but I it has been so long I forget which book I stopped at.
There is a new movie being released Dec. 8 called The Shape of Water that looks interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFYWazblaUA A Wrinkle in Time is set to release sometime in the spring. Oprah is in that one and it does look colorful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4U3TeY2wtMA Wrinkle in Time i
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Frybabe, thanks for alerting me about Don. Your analysis in S & F of why I haven't been around was correct, but I'll be sure to go in and explain.
The Shape of Water looks worth trying to catch. The only other movie of Guillermo del Toro I've seen is Pan's Labyrinth, which is very good, very strange, and rather disturbing.
The Washington Post's reviewer of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets found the story soporific, the acting ho-hum, and the visual effects stunning. But I couldn't detect that he was any sort of sci-fi fan, and it still sounded like something I would enjoy.
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Yes, my sister and I noticed the bad reviews from some. Here is one that more or less coincides with my thinking on the movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tdsDcleWGQ The only thing he didn't say is that there was no swearing or sex (other than a peck on the cheek or two).
It is a fun movie for the younger set. IMDB gave it seven stars and IGN gave it 6.8. Rogerebert.com gave it four stars, just a hair more than Dunkirk which is also playing now. There are just as many or more that didn't, and those are the ones that are getting the attention and being passed on. Yes, the acting was secondary from the visuals, but it didn't distract from the spectacular visuals. I don't know what the movie review panners were expecting but the movie met mine.
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That review coincides with my notions of what the movie will be like. He sees the point of something that is good in some ways, even if flawed.
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UCP (Universal Cable Productions) is interested in bringing Hugh Howey's Sand to the TV screen. It is a good book, but I am not sure how it will translate into a TV movie/show. Well, maybe yes, if they use lots of CGI. I would have thought his Silo series would have been easier to do. They've tapped Howey for an Executive Producer. We shall see how far it gets.
IMDB has nothing on Sand, but it does show that 20th Century Fox, after some "fierce" bidding, acquired the rights to Wool in 2012. It doesn't look like they've done anything with it.
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I am reading Artemis Fowl. It is one of those Teen books that I got curious about. I like it. Easy read, kind of fun.
A week earlier than I expected, the library notified me that Daniel H. Wilson's The Clockwork Dynasty is here. Of course I had to go get it as soon as the library opened today.
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I am thinking about reading Iain M. Banks' book Excession, but I see that it is the fourth of in his Culture series. Am I correct that I do not have to read these in order?
Still reading both Clockwork Dynasty. It is interesting, but not on the same level, IMO, as his robotics series for edge of your seat action. The female human lead, who is supposedly a research specialist on automatons, is a little slow to pick up on what the other characters are. I thought that made her a little less convincing and an expert in the subject. Otherwise, I like the story.
I finished Artemis Fowl last night. It is an entertaining and fun story. Since I am not up on Fairy lore, I am wondering about some of the relationships and behaviors attributed to trolls, fairies, pixies, and leprechauns in the story.
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While I am thinking of it, and even before I finish Clockwork Dynasty here are my thoughts. Make human-like automata, breath some life, anima if you will, into it, add a generous helping of philosophy (think Plato), an ancient history, yin and yang, a little mythology, and superstition, oh,and maybe a little horror scene or two, and you come up with a very interesting tale. All of that and you might think it is a bit much, but Wilson pulls it off.
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Next SciFi read is Joe Haldeman's Forever War which won the Nebula (1974), Hugo (1975) and Locus (1976) awards. I had no idea that this book was written so long ago; I thought it was a relatively recent novel. Knowing that Haldeman was a Viet Nam vet may help explain the title and, perhaps, some of the action.
More amazement! John Scalzi wrote the forward to this edition of The Forever War. In it he says that it and Starship Troopers were "the two cornerstone works of military science fiction." He also mentioned that many people thought his Old Man's War was a rip-off of The Forever Wars. Scalzi said he did not read it prior to writing his and, in fact, put off reading it for quite a while. While I thought the first part of the forward was a little self-serving, the rest of it was a somewhat powerful commentary on the horrors of war and the alienation/disassociation vets feel (felt) on coming home to a society they feel they can't quite fit into anymore.
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I really ought to read Starship Troopers sometime to complete my education, though I'm mostly not a Heinlein fan.
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Well, so far I can't see what people see in Scalzi's Old Man's War that people thought he ripped off from Joe Haldeman. I guess I will have to read it again; it has been a long while. For now, I see more of Haldeman in the Marko Kloos' Frontlines series (boo,hoo! I have to wait until Jan. for #6 to release). All three start with raw recruits and follow them through as they advance in rank. The lead characters in Kloos' series and Haleman's Forever War spend time back on Earth, and both describe a very dismal outlook regarding the quality of life on earth in the future. Haldeman's characters spend most of their time locating and pursuing the enemy, while Kloos' characters spend more time defending Earth and the colonies. As I recall, Scalzi's books are more about extending colonies and defending them against aggressors (be they human or alien) with an end promise of becoming a colonist at the end of the tour. The other two give no such recruitment promises.
The really interesting and different things I see about Haldeman's book are breeding heterosexuality out of the population with a view to control population growth, the rampant use of recreational drugs and "free love" (back to the hippy days), and the use of space time vs relative time. This last shows is interesting not only because of the aging differences between Earth and those who go into space, but because it also shows the enormous time it takes for orders to come down from command to those in distant locations and how the time differences affect fighting in the local present. Too bad they didn't have Ursula la Guin's ansible.
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It's interesting to see how different writers handle the time lapse problem. Scalzi has an ansible equivalent, but he ignores the time disconnect you get from traveling fast in regular space. Bujold uses wormholes you travel through in 5 dimensional space.
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Wormholes are nice, speedy devices to get around physically, but if you don't have an ansible like device, long distance communications is more than sluggish. Even using physical couriers would be slow because of the time it takes to get to a wormhole in the first place. Command would have to be close to the action and even then, communications would be slow. Haldeman has set up a scenario where you are out in remote space fighting a war that to those who are back on Earth, it has been over for centuries. Or, you are now fighting a war that to others seems to happen in their future. Pretty confusing, but like a lot of other SciFi, if you ignore trying to figure out the math and physics of such a possibility, the story is good.
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Bujold has people squirt messages at light speed to couriers waiting at the wormholes, but there are still delays from the frequency of couriers, especially after a few jumps.
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Too bad we won't be around to see how they solve communication and other space/time related problems in the future. Well, at least not as we are now.
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We could wake up to find ourselves being thawed out in another star system.
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I am finally getting back to the Laiden Universe, starting at the beginning with Crystal Soldier.
Also, I am perusing the three Valerian graphic novels that the library ordered. Not that I am into graphic novels, but I did recommend them and feel I need to look them over. If I don't read all the comics, I at least want to read the front matter and history of the comic and whatever else the intro discusses. Valerian and Laureline is a much loved French comic and not widely known here.
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Pat, I ran across an article several days ago on BBC, but here is a YouTube about some new medical nanotech we've read in SciFi lately. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sn_G8TglL-w
Since the Valerian GN's are large sized and my current Laiden read the Crystal Variation edition which also includes Crystal Dragon and Balance of Trade, I have had to add an ebook, M. Forbes' War EternalBooks 1-3 edition. I previously read the first one, but am rereading it. Can't read the two print books when the cats decide my lap needs constant, rotating attention. On top of that, Lucy, in her eternal quest for plastic has decided my library book covers are fair game. I disagree.
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Here is something interesting. I am reading the first three books of M. (Michael) R. Forbes' War Eternal series. As a plot device he uses a time loop. It is a similar concept to a causal loop. In a causal loop nothing changes nor can it change. A time loop, on the other hand, loops back on itself and while everything starts over again exactly as before the future can be changed - if there is a catalyst (be it a person or event) to cause that change. Then the loop resets to the new future.
In his universe, time cannot go backwards, only forwards. So, in order for someone from the future to "go back" he/she must go forward following the time loop until they get to the next past iteration, "The future past". Each successive loop leaves a wee bit of memory from the last loop. Interesting concept, kind of like remembering past lives, deja vu or the like. Kind of reminds me of the movie title Back to the Future.
Right now, this is mostly a plot device, but there are some scientific papers speculating on the nature of spacetime that address the possibility.
Back to the book series, I do like the characters and the story. I had read the first book a few years ago and thought it was interesting but not interesting enough to go on with the series. I am glad I reread the first, Starship Eternal. I am guessing here, but there are things in this rereading that I swear weren't in the original I read. A bit more explanation I think, and things that certainly helped me to understand the broader nature of the series. I can't imagine that I missed that much reading it the first time. But hey, like I said, I read it several years ago. Forbes recently published the seventh and last of this series. I am now well into the next book, The Fall of Liberty.
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I was cruising around space.com and found their reading list of science and science fiction books. Here is the SciFi page https://www.space.com/33062-best-science-fiction.html
Have you read any of Simmon's Hyperion series or Frederick Pohl's Gateway? Gateway really sounds interesting. I am not so sure I could handle much of Hyperion.
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Frybabe, you've brought up a lot of things I want to talk about, and I'm packing for a trip to Portland, so I'll dribble comments in as I have time.
I read Hyperion, for my f2f book club, or I probably wouldn't have finished it. It's got a certain fascination to it, but there's a lot wrong with it, and it's poorly written. The pilgrimage is to a world which has been ravaged by the brutal creature the Shrike. If you come at the right time, with exactly the right number of people, each on a mission to achieve something, the Shrike may grant ONE of them his/her wish. The others don't come back. Some of their stories are fairly gripping, some less so, and one of them will turn out to be a spy. (That isn't a spoiler; we know it, but not which one.) The universe consists of a small fraction of well-off people (like one whose mansion has each room on a different planet--instant travel, anyone?) while there are whole planets full of miserable, downtrodden masses. By the end of the book, they haven't even gotten to the Shrike, and there are 3 more books to go.
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Pat, have a good trip out to Portland. My sister and her husband are planing a trip out there for next year to see their youngest son.
I am well into Crystal Dragon now. It amazes me, sometimes, how invested in a character I can become. Although the reader is warned of M Jela's fate way in advance, I still held out hope for a last minute reprieve. Two days after the event, I am still saddened and feel a sense of loss.
Half the time I don't have a good handle on what the dramliz are up to except for their ultimate goal. The book defines them as wizards, but they are more elemental than that, I think. Sometimes they remind me of the Fates. Also, the dual relationship with one being dominant and one submissive reminded me of B&D. And did you notice that the dominants are all women, and apparently sisters. Women play a strong role in this series. If I recall correctly from my earlier readings in the Liaden Universe, the family line is traced through the female side.
These first in chronological order (not first published) certainly clear up or explain origins and events alluded to in the first books I read. In fact, I may go back and reread at least Agent of Change at some point. Next up will be Balance of Trade.
A note on ley lines: These are not, as I thought, an original construct of the authors, but part of ancient lore,myth and legend of which I wasn't aware. I was never big on reading tales of wizards and fairies. I certainly don't remember Tolkien making use of them, nor did I pick up on them watching the first few Harry Potter movies.
http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/leylines.htm
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I had the same reaction to Jela's death.
I got a bit too much of the wizards, but like your analysis. Some of the couples in the main series have some of the feel of the dramliz pairs, though I think the lineage goes more by clans than either strictly male or female.
I don't recall ley lines in Tolkien either. I know they are not in any of the Harry Potter books, and I've read them all. But you see them in other books. An example: Michael Scott has a series, starting with The Alchemist, dealing with Nicholas Flamel (remember him from the first Harry Potter book?) and a pair of modern-day twins, who might or might not be the ones predicted to save the word. Ley lines figure prominently, along with practically every mythical, historical, magical, legendary, ancient religion, etc figure you ever heard of; very cluttered books.
Flamel was a real historical figure, and led pretty much the life described in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, except probably not really making the philosopher's stone and living forever.
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I haven't read Pohl's Gateway, but he's kind of a reliable author of his time, might seem dated now, but that isn't always bad. One of his I mean to reread is The Space Merchants, written with C. M. Kornbluth. It's an indictment of the advertising system, with companies controlling people through ads. It seemed powerful when I read it in the early 50s, then when I reread it later, in the culture of the "organization man", it seemed that life had caught up to the book, and was running ahead of it. I want to see what it looks like now, when everything we do is saturated with clever ploys to get us to spend money we don't have on things we don't need, carefully engineered to make us not even notice how much money we're shelling out.
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Pat, I don't much care for the shopping websites targeting us with things their computers decide will interest us due to our recent spending. I don't like getting, "oh gee, since you bought that, you might like to buy this similar or same item too". I always think it is an attempt to diminish other similar or same type of options, not to mention things entirely different. If I (or anyone) don't look beyond the computer generated "recommendations", I am blindly going where the computer (marketers) want me to go and am in peril of shutting out other choices that may be more suitable or of more interest. I certainly do not want to be in lock step with what the computer (or whoever controls the programming) says I want or need. Just think of other areas where this type of manipulation (and it can be construed as manipulation) can and is being used.
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Balance of Trade is turning out to be an interesting story with incites to the economic and social underpinnings of the Laidens. In some ways, where trading for goods and services either for money or other goods and services, the story reminds me of those old computer space trader games. The Laidens take it right on through to their social behavior where they count "balance" in trading information and good turns for same, and where insults and bodily harms also need the "balance" addressed. Strict rules of social and business conduct apply to avoid harm and misunderstandings that might call for "balance". It must be a real lawyer's paradise regarding some of these dealings. I am very much enjoying the segments where Jethri learns the grape growing and wine making trade. The cat, Flinx, and it's behavior is a delight.
Well, looks like we are getting our promise thunderstorm. Better shut down for now.
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Yes, Balance of Trade is fun. It's amusing to watch Jethri struggling to cope with the vicious, straight- to-the-jugular Liaden good manners. There's a sequel, Trade Secret, which carries Jethri a little farther in his career.
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Yes, I've just started Trade Secret which I have in hardcopy. Trade Secret is not in one of my omnibus editions so I shouldn't have too much trouble reading around the lap cat relay team. I am still searching for the next ebook read to grab my interest.
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Trade Secret doesn't seem to be a favorite of some because there isn't enough action for them. I like the book because it concentrates more on background in social mores and etiquette, and trade rules with some comparisons between the Liaden and Terran.
The "private" segment between Gaenor and Jethri reminded me of the sex therapist and associates that I met while studying for my psychology degree. Not prostitutes at all, but those willing to help phobic, extremely shy people or those who were uncomfortable with their sexuality, for example, to assimilate better into a normal but important part of normal life. It didn't always, and not as often as you'd think, include the actual act itself. The scene in the book was fairly close to some of what they talked about including setting the mood, taking it slow, learning to relax and what is and isn't appropriate.
And now, I am just beginning the segment where Jethri has gone off with the Scout. Much to the surprise and disgust of the Scout, he finds he has to teach Jethri basic piloting skills, particularly emergency procedures, because Jethri was never taught any of it as he should have been.
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Interesting that Lee and Miller got the therapy aspects right.
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As you can see from the Jethri books, the Uncle managed to escape the disintegrating universe and is still pursuing his dubious ways. Arin escaped too, but meets his end here.
I think you haven't reached that point yet, but he's still around in Val Con's time, with Dulsey by his side, a fate she could not have predicted from her origin.
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I must not have gotten to the bit where Arin is still around, thought I am about 90% done. Yes, I saw Uncle and Dulsey are still there. That would make them pretty darn old. I don't remember Uncle with Val Con - at least not in Agent of Change. At any rate, I intend on rereading that and at least the next. I really took a liking to Val Con, but I don't think he "haunted" me like Jela did. Is Uncle where they stayed on that out of the way planet while hiding out? Carp Diem maybe or Plan B?
I noticed that Jethri is introduced to the Terran version of Google glasses in Trade Secret. 8)
Local Custom (a phrase that the Scout let drop a few pages back in my reading) will be up next in the chronology, then Scout's Progress followed by Mouse and Dragon .
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Jethri's father was named Arin, but was killed in an accident before the book opens. I just assumed he was the same.
I think Uncle doesn't appear again before Saltation, the second in a series dealing with Theo Waitley (who first appears on the last page of I Dare).
IMHO, Local Custom is the poorest of the books, but Scout's Progress comes back up to standard.
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Sorry, I must have misunderstood you about Arin. I thought you were saying that he showed up live again at some point before dying a second time.
I see the term scout's progress showed up at the end. So there are two book tie-in terms.
I am divesting myself of Comcast on Friday and having Verizon's FIOS installed. It appears I am saving a few bucks while gaining back channels I lost when I had to downgrade my Comcast to help maintain budget. Not only that, my internet speeds will jump big-time, and my phone is also included in the package. For now, I am going to rent the router for now, but plan on buying one within the next 3-6 months.
Microsoft, along with 343 Industries among others, is sparking some new life into a TV series for HALO. It will be distributed by Showtime Networks. I am only guessing here, but I won't be surprised if it is a CGI production rather than a live body production. The only writer listed so far is Joseph Staten who wrote at least on HALO book. Steven Spielberg is involved as Executive Producer. Well, I'll believe it when I see it since since they have been dragging their feet over a move since 2003.
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I can see why you might think Local Custom is a bit poor what with a Liaden who is almost totally out of character for a Liaden (IMHO) and a woman who, though supposedly an expert in Liaden literature and should know something of the customs from her reading, is more than a little emotional and distrustful. Also, I keep trying to picture as a pair a man so much smaller than the woman. She is supposedly something like six feet so I guesstimate he is only around five feet if his hip is at her thigh. Just can't picture it at all.
I have a few weeks yet, but I have no clue what my next Lending Library book will be. I am all caught up on Marco Kloos and Evan Curry among others - again.
Still waiting for Lucas Bale to release the final Beyond the Wall book. Apparently he has been a busy beaver writing other books, some in collaboration with others. It tool some doing but I discovered that Lucas Bale is a pen name and he is apparently going to retire it. His real name is Andrew Mazibrada and he is editor of Sidetracked Magazine, travel and adventure writer as well as SciFi writer. Sounds like he is leading a very busy, and perhaps, hectic, life.
Hugh Howey's next book is a collection of short stories called Machine Learning. Having an interest in book printing, I was interested in his latest blog. http://www.hughhowey.com/what-a-book-is-worth/ He includes his experience doing his newest up in a special print-on-demand edition complete with photos of the cover creation in progress. This is truly hand-crafted rather than the leather-bound (and in some cases, faux leather) manufactured book sets offered by several specialty outfits (names escape me at the moment). You bet this is on my list.
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Some news!
Pat, I think you said you like Charles Stross. He has a new book out called Empire Games which, I think, the blurb said is set in the Merchant Princes universe. It now resides in my library wishlist for future reading. I take it I don't have to read the series for this one.
Got an email from one of the independent scifi writers I managed to sign up with. There is a free online conference coming up Oct 3 to Oct 7 called Space Science and SciFi Summit. The guess speakers include Andy Weir, Matthew Mather and Ann G. Merchant. There are others whose names I don't recognize but who are writers, photographers, media people, astronomers (professional and amateur), an astrophysicist, an aerospace engineer, well you get the picture. https://spacesummit.net/free I plan on signing up, but I want to set up my new email account first.
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Frybabe, I do like Charles Stross, but the only series of his I've read is his Laundry Files, so I don't know about order for Merchant Princes. Laundry Files had definitely better be read in order.
That online convention certainly has a lot of interesting participants. I wonder how such a thing plays out online. In my youth I went to a couple of local sci-fi conventions with my father. He was a big fan, and knew some writers through L. Sprague De Camp. (De Camp was a patent lawyer in private life, and my father was a big gun in the Patent Office.) So I got to shake hands with a few writers, and watch Isaac Asimov being a totally stuck up egotistical snob. (To be fair, I think I saw him at his worst.) So with an online convention you would miss the fun of seeing the writers in person, but you would gain some things too. I await your report eagerly.
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Okay, I admit it! I am lost in the Liaden Universe. (or I am going through a second childhood?). Three quarters of the way through Mouse and Dragon. I do adore Daav.
Now, I find myself playing lots of Two Steps from Hell songs while reading these books. The music seems to fit. Here is one that speaks of passion and love, of tragic love perhaps, souls lost to each other yet the yearning remains across time and space. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk-Sauafa6Y
STAR SKY lyrics
Here we are
Riding the sky
Painting the night with sun
You and I, Mirrors of light
Twin flames of fire
Lit in another time and place
I knew your name
I knew your face
Your love and grace
Past and present now embrace
Worlds collide in inner space
Unstoppable, the song we play
Burn the page for me
I cannot erase the time of sleep
I cannot be loved so set me free
I cannot deliver your love
Or caress your soul so
turn that page for me
I cannot embrace the touch that you give
I cannot find solace in your words
I cannot deliver you your love
and caress your soul
Age to age
I feel the call
Memory of future dreams
You and I, riding the sky
Keeping the fire bright
From another time and place
I know your name
I know your face
Your touch and grace
All of time cannot erase
What our hearts remember stays
Forever on a song we play
Burn the page for me
I cannot erase the time of sleep
I cannot be loved so set me free
I cannot deliver your love
Or caress your soul so
turn that page for me
I cannot embrace the touch that you give
I cannot find solace in your words
I cannot deliver you your love
or caress your soul
Two Steps From Hell - Battlecry 2015 Composed by Thomas Bergersen Female vocals Felicia Farrere
Bergersen and his production company specialize in Epic music for movies, gaming platforms, etc. The Two Steps from Hello motto is: Music makes you braver.
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Frybabe, thanks for the Two Steps clip. It's good you gave me the lyrics, since I found the vocalists very hard to understand, and the lyrics were good.
I don't know if it's better to have a lot of a series available at once to binge on, or to have to wait eagerly for the next in line. I got part of both. When I started reading the Liaden series, the first 5 had been written, Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, Carpe Diem, Plan B, Scout's Progress, and I Dare. They were available, but the authors were in the midst of a publisher change, and those of the background stories that had been written were hard to find. Those 5 make a complete phase of Korval's history; the following books add many new characters to the old, and go in several directions. I've been working through them as they come out in paperback, am currently reading Alliance of Equals.
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Pat, I've just finished rereading Conflict of Honors, and a good thing I did. There are things I'd forgotten (like where the writers actually made a comment about how the Liadens seemed similar to elves), and things that were made richer or were clarified by reading the "earlier" books by timeline. Now, although I hated to say goodbye to Daav and now Shan and Pricilla, I am anxious to reread all about Val Con and his escapades.
Are you liking the Theo Waitley section? I read some of the brief descriptions of them and see they get more modern what with her interfacing with AI and all. Not sure I want to follow that route. Theo was just briefly introduced in I Dare (if I remember correctly). I will have to find a copy of Saltation before continuing along her line. I physically have Fledgling, Ghost Ship and Necessity's Child; the rest I will need to get my hands on when the time comes.
The Warden is going to be a nice respite, if ever so briefly.
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Interesting list of underrated SciFi/Fantasy books. http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/09/26-underrated-sci-fi-fantasy-gems-shouldnt-miss/?cdi=13F0CB1F062E09D7E0534FD66B0A73BA&ref=PRH2028E2388CC9
I have seen at least four of these that I have never read. The only one I have read is Elizabeth Moon's The Speed of Dark which I am sad to see is on the list. It is worth reading.
I am now progressing through a reread of Plan B. One more book featuring Val Con and Mire, I think, and they it switches to Theo Waitley? Picturing Miri and some of the larger characters in the series seems almost comic, especially as she is also described as child-like in appearance. I don't even want to picture the more intimate moments between Val Con and her. It is not something that bothered me the first time I read it, but with all the awareness/media coverage of pedophiles, sexual predictors and offenses, I am now a bit uncomfortable with it, even though the character is around 28 years old. But a tiny, child-like female bossing around big, bulky men does make me laugh.
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My computer rejected your link, saying to check with my administrator. What were some of the titles on the list? Elizabeth Moon is definitely underappreciated.
Val Con is only tall for a Liaden, so he and Miri probably aren't that disparate. But it's amusing to see her totally bringing Nelirikk under her thumb, even though she has to stand on a box to look him in the eye.
You're right; one more book before we switch. I Dare spends a lot of time with Val Con's cousin Pat Rin, previously not a factor. Then we switch to Theo completely in Fledgling and Saltation, then the two stories start to recombine again.
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What a shame you can't get the link. Here is the list:
Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Daughter of the Empire by Raymond Fiest and Janny Wurts
Heroes Die by Matthew Woodring Stover
The Devourers by Indra Das
The Mark of Ran by Paul Kearney
The Lion of Senet by Jennifer Fallon
(The previous two are first books of a series)
The Echo by James Smythe
The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling
The Sparrow Mary Doria Russell
(I may have this one on my library wishlist or almost picked it up to read)
Lamentation by Ken Scholes
The House of Shattered Wings by Annette De Bodard
The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
The Hidden City by Michelle West
The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
The Grass Dancer by Susan Power (Native American themed)
House of Stairs by William Sleator
The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway
The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (I put this on my library list)
White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi
The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman
The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherynne Valente, Illustrations by Michael Kaluta (folklore inspired stories)
Od Magic by Patricia A. McKillip
Wytches by Scot Snyder and Jock
list by Keith Rice in the September 20, 2017 edition of the webmag,Unbound Worlds
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Pat, I decided to read Fledgling next in accordance with the overall timeline. It answers the question (kind of, so far) as to who she is, and I get the background before she shows up at the end of I Dare.
I am into Chapter Six now. So far, I don't care for Theo's mother, I certainly do not like the school she is stuck with, and Daav (aka: Jen Sar) is a faint shadow of himself as the story opens. This is the first time I've seen the word "texting" in the series and don't remember previous mention of moving walkways. The book seems a bit disconcerting to the mood of the series (or my mood and attitude toward Liad). Lee and Miller may be bringing the Korvals up-to-date with the more advanced SciFi writings as, I believe, later on Theo gets involved with AI.
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Well, things progress. Daav seems back to himself. The space liner trip (where I am now) is most interesting. I do dispise academic politics with all its infighting and backstabbing, and yes, sometimes deceit, fraud and theft of other's research. I have known at least two people, personally, who were victims of such maneuvers and what it cost them. So I read this book with a hard glare and grumble.
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The whole Delgado culture is unappealing, with its totally risk-averse setup combined with cut-throat academics. Theo does get out into the wide world, and does get involved with AIs, and it's not clear yet as far as I've gotten where this will lead.
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Every once in a while I check on the status of upcoming books in a series I am reading. In the case, I have once agailooked into Lucas Bale's fourth of the "Beyond the Wall" series. Bale (pen name for Andrew Mazibrada) had mentioned it would be completed back in 2015. So far, it has not been published. However, he has been a busy beaver as he continues as editor of Sidetracked Magazine) under his real name and does some traveling connected to it. He also has co-authored two of Matthew Mather's New Earth series books. I am beginning to lose hope of seeing the concluding book for the Beyond the Wall series. A shame, because I thought it an excellent series.
I took a break from Liaden universe and am suffering for it. I am almost done with Forbe's fourth in the War Eternal series and will probably go no further. Also started reading for our newest book discussion.
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I just learned that we are in the middle of World Space Week (Oct 4 - Oct 10) They have a website. http://www.worldspaceweek.org/ The few events I checked out seem to be aimed at grade and middle school students.
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Interested in a little Pioneer/Saturn history? Here is a pamphlet put out by NASA which includes pictures and charts as well as a list of experiments and their principal investigators. My how far we've come. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/55695
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I just finished Dragon Ship and realized that I read that out of order, kind of. Necessity's Child probably should have been next, but I think there is some overlap in time for these. Some new developments in Dragon Ship show interesting potential for later books.
When I opened Necessity's Child I noticed the book had the authors' signatures. At first I thought it was printed because it seemed so smooth on the signature page, but when I turned the page I could definitely feel and see the slight indents made by hand signing. Usually when there is a signature, the book seller charges a bit more. I guess I got lucky. As with some of the others, NC is starting out a bit strangely and with some new characters.
Pat, you may have noticed I gave up on Barchester Towers pretty quick. I enjoyed the first chapter and then things seemed to get confusing and I wasn't up to reading the tons of info the group is posting. I am guessing I am not that interested in the ins and outs of church doings. When I bought The Warden years ago, I didn't know what it was about and certainly wasn't thinking church.
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It's cutthroat church politics without much Christianity visible--a real power struggle. Makes one appreciate the wisdom of separation of church and state.
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Necessity's child is rather strange, and doesn't have much to do with Dragon Ship. I kind of think it came after, but not sure.
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Finished Necessity's Child last night. It is the least interesting of all the series so far. Now on to Dragon in Exile. Looks like I only have two more books to catch up before the newest one is realeased.
BTW, nature surprised me with a birthday present last week. A five week old long-haired ginger kitty who I named Shan. He is too young for shots and flea treatment. I must wait until the first week of Nov. for that. He is in very good shape, no ear mites or worms (amazingly). Unfortunately, he must still stay out on the unheated, uninsulated, enclosed porch until I get the ok to lift quarantine. To be on the safe side I have ordered flea treatment for Oscar and Lucy who have never had to deal the the little nasties. I do not ever, ever, want to have to go through the nasty episode I had once upon a time that included vacating my house for a day to bug bomb the place. Other than defleaing my three cats at the time, I cannot remember what I did with them for a whole day while we waited to get back in the house.
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Shan yos'Galan's namesake, at six weeks old. Taken this afternoon.
(https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/gallery/59-241017143555-509907.jpeg)
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Wow. Gorgeous, and worthy of the name. But watch out. The luck runs roughly around that clan. ;)
I've been traveling, and coming back yesterday, the middle aged man sitting next to me on the plane was reading the second of Dan Simmons' Hyperion series. He seemed surprised when I mentioned I had read the first--guess you don't expect people who look like me to read that kind of thing. He was rereading it, having read the whole 4 book series, and said that everything gets well tied up at the end. Good thing I didn't start off with my impression. I used my standard comment: "I had issues with it but liked (fill in the blank)", which lets us talk without annoying each other.
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I've caught up with all the Liaden books, now I have to wait for the next to release.
I sure like Tolly. Shan (the character, not my kitty) had a very close call. Ren Zel hinted at his death, but nothing came of it in this last book.
I tried reading another of Marion Zimmer Bradley's books, The Planet Savers, and a short story by Robert Sheckley, "Watchbird", but couldn't get interested in them.
Next week I hope to be reading Evan Currie's latest in his On Silver Wings series. For now, I am continuing with Wind in the Willows and a few short stories.
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It appears I misspoke. I missed The Gathering Edge which comes before Alliance of Equals. I'll have to download that in a few minutes. I thought Theo got dropped from the story rather abruptly.
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No, The Gathering Edge comes after Alliance of Equals. It won't be out in paperback until next July, and my library doesn't get the series, so I haven't read it yet, but indeed, it gets back to Theo.
One of the many collections of fill-in short stories and scraps that Lee and Miller have put out has the story of how Ren Zel was kicked out of his clan--unfairly, you will not be surprised to learn. I can't quite imagine the details of his hinted end, but whatever happens, it will be spectacular.
By the way, I have a friend named Steve Miller. He's never read any sci-fi, and was surprised to learn he has a literary namesake, seemed totally uninterested in reading any.
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Pat, along with The Gathering Edge, I picked up the two short story, Due Diligence. I want to get a hold of the 2nd and 3rd Constellation volumes of short stories; Constellation vol. 1 doesn't interest me so much. The Liaden books are never put on sale as far as I can tell, and the newer used print books are often as expensive (sometimes more) than buying new. Admittedly, I didn't look too hard this time. My library also doe not carry the series. So, I bit the bullet and bought the last three or four for my Kindle. These, Jack Campbell's books, and some of the Halo series books are the only ones I have paid for at full price.
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Reading a fun sci do mystery. "We Have Lost the Coffee"by Paul Matthewsa. In 2045 Britain, there has been a revolution and the Royals kicked out out. Rogue members of the royal family are plotting a counterreolution. Meanwhile, due to the Coffee wars, Enngland is a out of coffee, and people are getting desparate, and resorting to crime. The government's secret supply has been stolen, and our secret agent is on the trail, steaLing coffee sips as he goes.
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Joan, is that the author who wrote We Have Lost the President? Amazon has been featuring this book for a while now and I just saw the one you are reading a few days ago. Catchy titles.
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Yes. I assume it,a part of the same series. They are free on Amazon unlimited.
Their
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I finished reading Evan Currie's Open Arms the other day. It was not particularly compelling. I will probably not continue with this series. I get the impression that even Currie was unsure of the book from a comment of his I read, I think, in his forward. What did interest me was the cover art. It very much reminds me of some of the Liaden Universe covers. Some of the elements are similar.
Currie's Open Arms cover: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/evan-currie/open-arms.htm
Liaden covers: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/sharon-lee/dragon-variation.htm
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/sharon-lee/crystal-variation.htm
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Definitely similar, though I think they're different artists. Possibly a current style?
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Just starting Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space. I am surprised to discover characters from The Prefect in it already. I thought it was set farther back in the timeline.
BTW, Reynolds has re-released The Prefect with a new title, Aurora Rising to better complement the sequel to it. As far as I know, he did not change the text any, just the title. I wonder if he is going to continue more of Panoply and its inspectors. I hope so; I did really like the story.
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I am glad I am reading Revelation Space. Some of the history of the universe is in The Prefect but Revelation Space explains it all in more depth. Also, I know know where the title for the first book and series comes from. Still, it is almost as confusing at times as The Prefect was.
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It's been a few years, so I've forgotten a lot, but I found Revelation Space somewhat confusing. It kept me reading, though.
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Unbound Worlds list of four (only four? Really?) books about living on the moon. I am so glad that the editor included The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
I forgot that Elizabeth Moon is returning to science fiction with a new Ky Vatta series. Her first book in the series is Cold Welcome (Vatta's Peace). I very much liked her Vatta's War series so I am hoping I will like this one as well.
Just put holds on both Artemis and Cold Welcome (Vatta's Peace) at the library. I may have a chance at getting Cold Welcome before Thanksgiving. It looks like a longish list for Artemis, at least for now; the library is still processing it or has it on order. We have it in Audio CD, Large Print and regular print. Weir has already sold the rights to Artemis to 20th Century Fox.
Did I mention that the DVD for Valerian: The City of a Thousand Planets is now on pre-order. Don't remember the release date. Want something light, very colorful, and with no swearing or sex, and very little violence (and at that, mild)? This will do just fine. I really liked it despite the less than stellar reviews.
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Frybabe, thanks for the update on Elizabeth Moon. I'm stuck for library books now, since the only branch I can get to by public transportation has closed for renovations.
Thanks also for the news about the Valerian DVD. I really wanted to see it, but it wasn't around much here. And since the opening 20 minutes or so is supposed to be pretty spectacular, I'll be glad to be able to replay.
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Cold Welcome was at the library on Sat. for me to pick up. Now I have to read furiously to finish reading Revelation Space, and read the non-fiction book I borrowed from the Free Library of Philadelphia, as well as this one before I must attempt to renew any of them.
I must say that the Calvin beta and Dan Sylveste in Revelation Space are two very arrogant characters and not likeable. I don't much like Pascale either, who Dan married even though he knew she was deceptive and not quite trustworthy. "this a case of "keep your friends close (not the Dan has any of those), but keep your enemies closer"? The Ultras are more than a little strange and a pretty nasty bunch. In fact, I think that most of the book is focusing on nasty people dealing with other nasty people. It does serve to explain the Ultras more fully than in The Prefect.
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I am close to 80% done with Revelation Space, and I've gotten to the big confrontation (mutiny?) within the ship over bombing the suspicious "planet". What I noticed is that it is the guys vs. the gals in this struggle.
Another observation is that the Melding Plague reminds me of a cancer and the struggle to find a cure(s) for it. Reynolds has incorporated the struggle at a viral level where the virus is able to adapt and overcome attempts to kill it off.
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Almost done. The book narrative has turned into one of those horror/blood bath on a spaceship things which I so very much dislike. However, I persevere since I am so close to the end. All in all, I liked The Prefect (now called Aurora Rising) so much better.
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I am about a quarter of the way through Cold Welcome now. It primarily, so far, about sea search and rescue, and survival in foul weather conditions. Moon supplies a large dose of survival gear, prep and procedure for lifeboats, and survival until rescue, as well. Also, there is some info on tidal and weather conditions that affect probable/possible search areas.
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Sounds like something I would like.
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Ah, now we get to how to survive an arctic winter and one or more saboteurs who are still about, and how to communicate with and be rescued by the good guys before the bad guys show up.
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Heading
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The last night of my Portand stay, one of my SILs rented Valerian for me and the other daughter to watch. Very enjoyable, even if it has some flaws. I was glad to watch it on his super big screen; the fancy scenes were worth it.
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I agree Pat, it is the exceptionally colorful scenes that I was quite taken with. The story would be a bit less than ordinary otherwise. There is a whopping big difference between the original cartoon sequence of City of a Thousand Planets (it was one of the cartoonists' early strip sequences) and the movie. The cartoons themselves were much less colorful and more disjointed, but they captured the hearts of the French for many, many years.
Almost done with Cold Welcome. Artemis should be available to me next week. In the meantime, I've borrowed Chasm City and another (forget what just now) from the Free Library of Philadelphia.
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Artemis is at the library for me to pick up.
Because I was being nice not to disturb the newbie's nap, I was temporarily separated from my Paperwhite. SO, I started Chasm City.
Now we are upstairs and he is being very "helpful" with my typing. Sound asleep half on and off the keyboard. ;D
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Since I only had only two days left to read Chasm City, I am renewing it for another three weeks; I am only to Chapter Six. (Angle of Repose took longer that I expected to read it.)So, I decided to read Evan Currie's latest in his Odysseus series, Odysseus Awakening before continuing. It will not take me very long to get through it, and I only have til the 25th until my free Kindle Unlimited month is up. I don't know if the books I selected will disappear when I cancel before the 30 day free trial is up.
Uh, Oh! My typing buddy had arrived ::)
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My sister just told me about We Are Legend (We Are Bob: Bob Universe 1) by Dennis E. Taylor. She is big on audiobooks. I just listened to an excerpt on Amazon. The reader is fantastic! The book is a riot! Too bad I already used my two free credits for Audible and I'll be cancelling the service before my trial is up. The library system has one print book. Too bad they don't have the CD. Take a listen. https://www.amazon.com/We-Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse/dp/1680680587/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513549058&sr=8-1&keywords=we+are+legend+we+are+bob
okay, my typing buddy had arrived and is now chewing and licking my fingers. Thrilled.
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That's a tough book to read aloud; he is good. Sounds like an interesting story line too. What happens when your unlimited trial is up? Do you get a lesser number of books, or have to buy them?
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PatH. For Kindle Unlimited, there is a monthly fee for access to more books for you to borrow, and you can borrow more than one a month vs. the one a month restriction for the Lending Library. For the Audible, you pay a monthly fee for the privilege of being able to buy Audible books (I am not sure if they are discounted or not) with credit rewards toward free audio books. If I don't unsubscribe they start billing me the monthly fee. I am happy enough with my Prime account. I don't need to pay additional subscription fees for things I have no time to read anyway, and Audible is a bit more pricey than I care to pay, especially since I rarely listen to audiobooks. But, this guy is so good I may make an exception by getting the mp3/CD version.
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Well, I broke down and ordered a three month subscription to Audible. They offered the monthly fee at half price to keep me on for three months. There are a few more audible books I'd like to listen to, including We Are Legion.
I cancelled the Kindle Unlimited yesterday because I am okay with just getting my monthly Kindle Lending Library fix with Amazon Prime. Which means I have two days, including today, to finish Odysseus Awakening. Any Kindle Unlimited books I have tagged (I think there are three altogether) I will lose access to when my 30 day free trial ends. I've only been able to get to read this one, and I am only half-way through it.
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A Many Books list of five Science Fiction books, at least two of which I am almost certain are short stories, rather than books. http://manybooks.net/articles/5-free-science-fiction-books-about-alien-encounters I have not read any of these.
Did you know that Murray Leinster is a pen name? I didn't, nor do I recall ever reading or seeing anything by William Fitzgerald Jenkins.
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Surprise! Surprise! Jack McDevitt has another Priscilla Hutchins book releasing in on April 17, 2018, called The Long Sunset. I really thought StarHawk was the last.
I would have hoped for another Alex Benedict book since that series is my favorite, but any book from him is welcome.
Speaking of Jacks, Jack Campbell began a new series, The Legacy of Dragons, this year. It is an offshoot of his Dragons of Dorcastle. The best I can tell is that this is a combo steampunk/fantasy/scifi universe. Doubt I will read it, but I see I missed picking up his Genesis Fleet: Vanguard that released in May. Need to do that.
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Frybabe, thanks for that link--not familiar stuff. I forget whether I read all of The War of the Worlds or not, don't remember reading any of the others. Leinster is the only other familiar author. I could very well have read The Aliens when it came out, but certainly don't remember it. I'd forgotten that Leinster was a pen name until you said it. Certainly he isn't as memorable in his Jenkins identity.
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List of non-fiction books on UFOs etc.
http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/12/truth-5-books-ufo-buff-life/?cdi=13F0CB1F062E09D7E0534FD66B0A73BA&ref=PRH2028E2388CC9
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Firefox won't let me open the UFO link.
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This is the second time this week that my links aren't working for people. Huh! I can get into it just fine. Wonder what is up.
Try this http://www.unboundworlds.com/2017/12/truth-5-books-ufo-buff-life/ All that other stuff on the end must have something to do with the email from which I got the first link. This on is more direct. The last two book on the list look interesting enough for me to see if I can find a copy.
I am back to reading Chasm City and see that the character who attaches himself to the main character claims to be composer. He mentions the symphony he wants to work on will be Shostakovitchian like. Of course I thought of you. I haven't warmed up to the characters very much but I do want to see where th is goes especially with the Sky Haussman sequences. How does one become both a hero and get executed as a criminal for the same acts? Hmmmm! Probably a very silly question.I am trying to refrain from making comments and comparisons to some current and historical figures.
I did get to finish the M. R. Forbes book I was reading after my Kindle Unlimited expired. I had it downloaded so it didn't disappear off my Fire until I turned on my wireless link. Another book I have, but haven't started, is still on my Paperwhite, but did disappear from the other two Kindles, because I haven't linked to the net. It will not be my next read, however, because the next of the Marco Kloos' series will release on January 9. By that time, I will have finished Chasm City.
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More comments on Chasm City.
It finally dawned on me that Chasm City itself is very steampunkish. The cable tcar system is seems very tenuous, not something I would like to try in the least.
I am a little more than 60% through the book. The narrator is describing the Escher Heights district has having chrystalline shapes in "glorious pinks and blues and greens". I immediately thought of my mineral sample of bismuth which is in silvery pastels and the structure looks like a mini high-rise city. I turned the page and see that the author had muscovite, tourmaline and quartz in mind.
Reynolds spends a lot of time detailing the people, culture and the physical city. A little more so than I care to read, but read it I am. I am waiting to see what happens when the two threads (Sky Haussmann and Tanner Mirabel) intersect. My suspicion is probably way off.
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I've finished Chasm City. This has to be the top book that I've read for the number of twists and turns in it. I was able to follow along fairly well though. At first I didn't see the parallels between Haussmann and Mirabel (et.al.). Who Mirabel ended up being, finally, did surprise me a little. What a convoluted and bizarre story. The only one I had any sympathy for was the grub.
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Busy month for SciFi reading.
A reminder that Alastair Reynolds' new Prefect Dreyfus book, Elysium Fire, set in the Revelation Space Universe, is due to release on January 28. I am happy that he decided to add another Prefect Dreyfus book; I really like the character.
I have downloaded both Jack Campbell's Genesis Fleet: Vanguard and the latest in the Liaden Universe series, Neogenesis.
Waiting for the January 9 release of Marco Kloos' latest, Points of Impact (Frontlines series) to download for my monthly Lending Library read.
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I just finished a short book called Starseed by ? already deleted the book, which I probably downloaded from one of the independent SciFi author book sites. Now I can't remember the author's name. Anyway, it is such a bizarre book, I thought I'd make a brief comment on it. I really thought I was reading the rantings of a Schizophrenic with delusions of god-like behavior. The ending did surprise me. When I looked the title up on Google, I could not find the book I read, but there are others titled or about Starseeds. Who knew. Larry Niven was mentioned in a few of the Google returns, among others. There are even groups devoted to Starseeds. Again, who knew. Not I. It is partly a new age thing, I think. Here is one site that lists the attributes of a Starseed. https://www.gaia.com/lp/content/are-you-a-starseed-27-starseed-characteristics-that-might-give-you-an-answer/ I didn't read the whole thing, but I think many of these attributes fit some psychological disorders.
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Oh, dear. Seems pretty disordered to me. Clearly I'm not one, certainly not an awakened one.
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People will make an opera out of almost anything. Have you read Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower? It's a really depressing dystopia, with everything falling apart, even those with jobs having trouble getting food, and living in fear of getting mugged. The heroine, a young adult black woman, and what's left of her family, are making their way to the California coast where they think they can find relative safety. It ends with everyone pretty desperate. I haven't read the second book, but I'm told things get worse. Butler died before she could write the third.
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No, I haven't read it Pat.
I am in the middle of Points of Impact (Frontlines series) by Marko Kloos. This volume includes the problems of burnout and PTSD. Our intrepid narrator, Andrew, who is nine years into the war, has been showing signs of disaffection and burnout for the last book or two, and is now beginning to recognize he is in trouble. The series started out with Andrew in the PRC (high rise slum areas) and follows him through enlistment, training, battles, and a few tours back on Earth as an instructor in between. He is now married and his wife (a drop ship pilot) is a stabilizing force in his life. It is interesting to see this character grow as he ages and gains experience (wanted or not) and rank. Can't wait to finish it; dread finishing it, then it will be another wait for the next.
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I am wondering if Points of Impact is the last of the Frontlines series. The ending sure seemed like an ending. I'll have to check Kloos's webpage.
Now I am reading Jack Campbell's Genesis Fleet: Vanguard. I was shocked to find that I have already read it, but since I didn't originally buy it, I must have gotten a book to borrow from somewhere. While the text is very familiar as I am reading it, I don't remember the story at all. It is a good thing I am rereading it because the second in series is due out in May.
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Thanks for the reminder, Frybabe; I haven't even read the first one yet.
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Here is an odd volume, a booklet, published in 1915 called The Mania of the Nations on the Planet Mars and its Terrific Consequences (A Combination of Fun and Wisdom) http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/56445
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Revelation Ark just arrived from The Free Library of Phila. I plan on starting it today.
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My Portland visit to Powell's didn't help any with finding books to discuss here, but did enable me to snag the last remaining two of a series--Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga. This space opera involving Miles Vorkosigan, heir to nobility on a backward planet with a supermilitary culture, damaged in utero by a poison gas attack on his parents, compensating for his disabilities in a culture with a horror of mutations by being a hyperactive overachiever. His achievements are theoretically possible, though unlikely, and you keep wondering what crazy thing he's going to do next. Like the Liaden series, shuffling of publishers put some books out of print for a while and now has them combined differently, so it's hard to get them all.
I got the one remaining unimportant outlier story, plus the latest one. That's probably going to be it, since all the characters are older, getting slightly stuffy, and settling down.
It was Steph who brought these to my attention. She also introduced the Liaden series. I'm sorry she's not still around.
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I haven't run across the series, Pat, but I'll check into it.
As for Steph, I do miss her too and hope she and her Corgi's are doing well.
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I just finished Alastair Reynolds' Redemption Ark. What a strange turn that book took. The ending would seem to be a good series ending, but no, I think there is one more. Before I read it though, I have Le Guin's Lavinia to read.
Neither my library system nor the Free Library of Philadelphia have the first Vorkosigan Saga book. I am going to see if I can do an interlibrary loan or find it used.
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In order of time, the first one, Cordelia's Honor (made up of Shards of Honor and Barrayar) tells the story of Miles' parents and his birth. I actually read The Warrior's Apprentice first, since some of the books were hard to find, but it's better to read them sort of in order.
I should warn you that some of the villains are rather sadistic, though they seldom manage to succeed in anything on the main characters, but it comes close to my tolerance level.
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I checked up on Cordelia's Honor as well. It is also not available to me through my library system. However, the FLP is a member of both Overdrive and Hoopla, and Hoopla does have an e-audiobook version. I would need to recommend the book to FLP with no guarantee they would add it to their collection. Now I am wondering if I should sign up with Hoopla with my FLP card in addition to Overdrive. Since most of my ebook borrows are from FLP (and Amazon), I may actually get access to a few more books, etc. Sigh! Just what I need more access to more books. Of course, there is always recourse to using ILL or buying the book. I not only read the Amazon excerpt, but listened to the audio excerpt.
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My Unbound Worlds newsletter led me to The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch. https://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2018/02/review-the-gone-world-by-tom-sweterlitsch The novel is a time travel crime mystery/detective story involving the NCIS. Fox bought the movie rights to it and assigned the director of District 9 to the project before the book was published. Looks like they are serious about making a movie. We'll see. The Criminal Element website is one I am not familiar with.
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The Gone World looks like just the thing for the director of District 9. I liked that movie, even though it was too bloody for me.
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You know, Pat. I started watching District 9 once and for some reason I didn't click with it. Time to try it again.
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The South African accents didn't help--I understood it better the second time around.
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Two SF books that look interesting:
The Cold Between: A Central Corps Novel by Elizabeth Bonesteel First of a series, it is another military SF/romance.
The Night Market by Jonathan Moore. It's a detective mystery/thriller. This is part of Moore's San Francisco series. He is primarily a Mystery/crime writer.
Moore's book reminds me that John Sanford wrote a SF novel, called Saturn Run, which I enjoyed very much. I do wish he would collaborate to do another SF.
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Oh lucky me! I discovered that Amazon Channels has Shards of Honor in its current online streaming SciFi section. I listened to Chapter 1 last night. Now I don't have to buy a used book or see if I can get it through the ILL feature at the library.
I took a closer look at The Cold Between and some of the reviews. I think I will pass, but I am still interested in The Night Market.
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Some interesting developments in Absolution Gap, the fourth of the Revelation space series.
I would never have thought to consider religious devotion/fervor/fanaticism as the results of a virus. Not sure I care much for the idea of it, but it sure does move the story along. Then there is John. I really liked the image of him forming an image of himself as he originally was for Antoinette. While I hadn't thought too seriously about him in earlier books, except that his transformation could be for good or ill to the crew/passengers, I really took an instant liking to him all of a sudden.
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Final thoughts on Absolution Gap. I wasn't as interested in the religious sections, but it did pull the story along rather well. I was sad to see some of the characters go, especially Clavain and Captain John. I rather liked John, a very reluctant hero indeed. While not my favorite character, Scorpio did try his best in the situations he found himself. I was most interested that Reynolds included the multi-verse theories of Brane (for membrane) and Bubble universes, although the Bubble universe theory was not expanded on.
Reynolds' new "Prefect Dreyfus" book is out. It is called Elysium Fire. I am going to have to see if I can get it through the library because it isn't available through Prime Reading or the Lending Library. I think I will go and borrow his Galactic North too. For some reason I had that on my wish list then took it off. Oops! Maybe I didn't take it off. It doesn't seem to be on the FLP list anymore.
I should soon be near the end of Shards of Honor and have placed a hold on Barrayar . The only version of it I could find, free, is in mp3 format. I am hopeful I will be able to listen to it through the music app on my Fire. If not, I should be able to listen on my laptop. It is not an audible file, so I am not sure what I will need to download and listen to it. It may be that I have to listen to it while connected to the internet.
Next up is L. Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth and Charles Yu's How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, or something close to that.
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I've read the introduction to Battlefield Earth so far. It is interesting in that it contains a bit of history about Astounding Stories (later Analog) and Jack W. Campbell.
Did you know that Lois McMaster Bujold wrote another book following the original (Cordellia branch) series which was published in 2016? It is called Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen , the description of which raised my eyebrows a bit. Tantalizing. Wikipedia says that Bujold designed the cover herself.
I watched, this morning, the replay of yesterday's SpaceX launch of the PAX satellite and then a clip of Neil DeGrasse Tyson, among other old school space types, criticize Musk and his efforts. It upset Musk that some of his space heroes who inspired him to make the effort were among the critics. It appears the critics think the only people qualified to make the upcoming attempt for manned missions to Mars are the overly wasteful and slow government agencies. They both have a place. Are these people jealous? Oh, and Tyson's argument about governments being the only groups that do the heavy, dangerous work may have some play, but what does that have to do with the present? So what if business steps in after governments open the door? At some point governments begin to hold things back and open the door (sometimes reluctantly) for businesses to take over the major expenses and burden. BTW, SpaceX and their counterparts would not get off the ground if not for government sanction and support.
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Frybabe, I don't envy you tackling Barrayar in audio form because of the names. All the nobility have Vor tacked on to the front of their names, which makes them sound a lot alike. I had to keep looking back to try to keep the good guys and the bad guys straight, and it gets complicated. It's an action-packed read, though. Or listen.
Yes, I've read Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen. It's the one I referred to as probably the last. Cordelia does appear in many of the books, but not usually as a main character.
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I feel very strongly that we need to push exploration of Mars, and eventual colonization. The way we're trashing our planet, we're going to need somewhere to expand. The government role is most important at the stages where nobody sees a profit, so there's no commercial interest. But the more players the better.
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Pat, I quite agree with you there. It's on my agenda for my next life, assuming there is one. I just don't feel that I am done yet. I coasted through this life somewhat rudderless. What comes next feels like action. I guess this is what comes of reading too much SciFi ;D
John Michael Godier is something of a partypooper with this web cast, but he does promise the rebuttal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU9iJB0ATpk I like Godiers' casts. He does his research and often shares links to scientific and speculative papers he has read. His end tags are often funny, and sometimes a little self-conscious snarkiness regarding himself creeps in.
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Charles Yu's How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is a bit confusing. The character claims to be a Time Machine Repairman. Quantum physics is so convoluted. The TM-31 is his home, his transport and his workplace. I am on the edge of giving up, but not just yet; it might get clearer in a few pages. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Yu I think I'd like to try his book of short stories, Sorry Please Thank You: Stories .
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Ran across what looks like will be a fun book to read, called Special Offers by M. L. Ryan. It is listed as a Paranormal Fantasy/Romance/Mystery/Thriller. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0077ZJNRW?tag=viglink125204-20 Paranormal isn't something I often read but the first few paragraphs of this one have my attention. A Kindle is featured in the story. It is first of a series.
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During my usual morning YouTube cruise, I discovered this little gem which is to be a synopsis of the entire Dune saga. The first is an overview with an in depth look at each book. So Far, it looks like the people who put this together have done only the first book, but also have posted shorts of different aspects of the Dune universe. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRXGGVBzHLUdsgN_vFaZmfjc6bXxPqajV I have only ever read the first book. I was surprised to discover that the saga spans 5,000 years. I did try to watch the TV mini-series which covered several books, but lost interest. The 1984 version of Dune remains my favorite movie version.
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That looks like a rather good job, Frybabe. Just what I need today--hours of youtube watching. ;)
I also only read the first book. My children tell me it's the best. It's been a long time, but that video certainly brings it back.
My economist daughter was much taken with the spice-based economy.
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How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is turning out to be a rather funny read, once I figured out what he was about. Learning new words like diegetic, which means a narrative or plot according to The New Oxford Dictionary. From that we also get diegetical, extra-diegetical and the Theory of Chronodiegetics. So a "force that is diegetical in nature" I take to mean plot driven. Extra-diegetical I thought might be outside the plot, but I've decided it must mean sub-plot. And of course, chronodiegetic would almost have to be plot-line (or the plot through time). The whole sequence on diegetics is precious. So yes, I am continuing to read it now that I've started to decipher his convoluted quantum wording.
I continue to think of quantum physics/mechanics as somebody's joke or a cosmic puzzle game to keep us busy.
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Oh, dear, another sub-genre pops into my consciousness -- Gothic Space Opera. It includes Hyperion (Dan Simmons), Solaris (Stanislaw Lem) and Blindsight (Peter Watts). First time I've ever heard the term.
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First time I've ever heard the term too, but oddly, I've read all three of those books. I see some similarities, but not anything I would call Gothic. Do they give a definition?
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Here are two sites that seem to do a decent job of trying to describe Gothic Space Opera.
http://bestsciencefictionbooks.com/gothic-science-fiction.php
http://www.unboundworlds.com/2018/02/want-read-gothic-space-opera-heres-start/
I am trying without success (so far) to find out how long the term has been "out there".
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I am thrilled to discover that John Scalzi has written a sequel to Locked In. However, the subject matter of Head On is sports related (violent sports, no less) and will not likely interest me in the least. https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7653-8891-9?utm_source=Publishers+Weekly&utm_campaign=fe522451a2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_03_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0bb2959cbb-fe522451a2-304806741
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I got notice that the MP3 of Barrayar was ready to download. It was easier than I thought; it downloaded to my Tablet with the Overdrive app. so I don't have to stream it.
Another new experience for me is using the "Experimental Browser" on my Paperwhite. I had never tried that feature before in all the years I've had a reader. An Independent SciFi writer, Robert Scanlon, gave good directions to use it to directly download his free offerings. One, I believe he said, is a pre-release book that he offered to his newsletter followerI s. One is an anthology of SciFi stories and the other is a short story. His name is familiar, so I checked, and sure enough he has Kindle books listed on Amazon. It may take a while til I get to reading them.
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Several things this morning.
Steven Hawking just passed away at age 76.
If I haven't mentioned it before, Alastair Reynolds newest Prefect Dreyfus (Revelation Space universe) has been out since the end of January. I needed that reminder to go see if it is available on Overdrive yet.
I began watching some of Isaac Arthur's science videos on YouTube. I don't know anything about Arthur except his is listed as a physicist and futurist. The last one I saw, called Orbital Infrastructure, was about what things would/are good or better done in space. Also saw ways to reduce space junk, power or both space stations and earth. Here is YouTube's main page for his videos. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=isaac+arthur
I am semi-reading Graig Falconer's Terradox, but can't get too interested in it - skipped a big chunk and discovered I don't seem to have missed much. Just finished Joel Sheperd's Renegade which is first of a series. Of course it was another action-packed Space Military story. I like the characters. Pretty much ignores engineering and focuses on bridge staff and space Marines. The second in series does not sound overwhelmingly interesting, but the third does. Will be adding the rest to my TBR wishlist.
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Thanks for the news, Frybabe, I hadn't heard it, so I read the Washington Post's copious online obit.
I'm not reading much at the moment, shepherding the book discussion, dealing with downed trees, and packing for Portland.
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So, Pat, when are you going to settle permanently in Portland?
I think everybody is in the book discussion right now. Haven't seen any posts anywhere else.
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I don't know when I'll finally be cleared out here. The more I do the slower it seems to go.
Frybabe, your post was the first in several days, and since then there have only been two from Barb. The book discussion was nearly over. I'm hoping things will pick up then.
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We just lost veteran science fiction writer Kate Wilhelm. I hadn't realized she was also a mystery writer. Have you read her mysteries?
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/kate-wilhelm/ (https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/kate-wilhelm/)
She was married to sci-fi writer Damon Knight.
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I don't recognize any of her works, Pat. I looked up her husband's bibliography and can't say I recognize any of his either. He must have had a sense of humor considering some of his short story titles, for example: "A Eye for a What?", "A Big Pat Boom".
NASA is a bit farther ahead on it's food growing in space and on Mars and the Moon than I realized, mostly because I wasn't paying attention. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=NASA+Mars+food+growing I watched one of their webcasts this morning where they put together a soil that matched as best they could from the Martian soil analyses from the rovers. Great news, there appear to be a number of veggies that grow well in Martian soil (potatoes do fine, but produce small and apparently not real tasty tubers). Not only that, but earthworms do just fine in the more jagged type of Martian soil; the scientists had expected the jagged edges of the soil to be a problem for the earthworm's gut to handle. I don't think the narrator mentioned if the nutritional value of the crops was up to snuff. Terraforming Mars, under dome at least, looks more and more feasible.
I am 3/4 of the way through Elysium Fire and still waiting on The Warrior's Apprentice, the first Miles Vorkosigan which is in audiobook form, which is on hold but getting close. Of, BTW, one of the newer Issac Arthur episodes features Revelation Space. I haven't gotten to that one yet.
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Finished Elysium Fire. I wasn't sure where the book was going when it started out with two threads seemingly not related at all, but it all came together nicely with a rather dramatic ending. Aurora showed up again, even as she is still battling the Clockmaker in cyberspace. Drefus and Aumonier has some difficult decisions to make.
Right now i am into the last of M. R. Forbes War Eternal series, called The Edge of Infinity. It is, of course, a space war epic between malevolent AI and humans and cycles through a series of time recursions to try to change the past to help defeat the AI invaders. While I thought some of the technological features/abilties a bit "out there" I did like the characters a lot.
Still waiting on the Bujold audiobook. Gosh, it should be available soon.
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Just a note for Matthew Mather fans, his book, CyberStorm, is in development by 20th Century Fox for an upcoming movie. Mather's background, before becoming a writer, has been in cybersecurity, nanotechnology, and his most recent work prior to his writing career which was at the McGill Center for Intelligent Machines. I assume that organization is associated with McGill University, where Mather got his degree. His books have sold over 1 million copies in just four years and have been translated into 18 languages. It appears Cyberstorm was his first novel. I am more familiar with DarkNet, though I have not read it. If I remember correctly, I have his Nomad (first in the New Earth series) in my e-book pile.
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Ready Player One is now out as a movie. I don't know if I want to watch it or not. The book involves a dystopian future in which most of the characters live in squalor, but live much of their life, including their schooling, in virtual reality. The plot involves a contest to gain a lot of power in this system, played out in virtual reality, involving detailed knowledge of the early computer games and their quirks. It was a decent read, but I suspect the movie visualization of it would be tiresome.
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Ready Player One is a popular book but it never appealed to me. I am not particularly fond of dystopian stories nor am I a gamer. I do like some of the game themes that are out there, most particularly HALO, but only read the books. Funny that it wouldn't appeal to me be cause I do like (still) Hackers and Tron. The movie topped the box office take over the past four-day weekend at $53 million here in the US. According to an AP article, internationally, it grossed $128 million, over $61 million of that from China.
My sister is very much interested in VR especially for virtual traveling. Too bad it wasn't around years ago when I was into fencing. I had difficulty finding a fencing partner who would fence with someone at the beginner level once I finished with a township sponsored class. The local fencing club was mostly made up of college or older, experienced fencers who fenced within their little group of friends or were practicing for local competitions.
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Just got word that Jack Campbell's newest Genesis Fleet book, Ascendant, will release May 15.
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And there is more: Unbound worlds has posted their list of the best new Science Fiction and Fantasy being released this month. Among them is a new John Scalzi book featuring another group of Haden's Syndrome people and a sports game. I don't know yet if it features the same main character. Since I am not into sports, so I probably won't read it, but I did like the first book.
Also a it reminds me that Jack McDevitt's latest Patricia Hutchins book, The Long Sunset , releases in 12 days. I do wish for a new Alex Benedict book though.
Ian McDonald's, Time Was, looks very interesting, and the latest short story anthology is always welcome.
http://www.unboundworlds.com/2018/03/best-sci-fi-fantasy-books-april-2018/?ref=PRH60A24D6C1FAC&linkid=PRH60A24D6C1FAC&cdi=13F0CB1F062E09D7E0534FD66B0A73BA&template_id=8831&aid=randohouseinc21235-20
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PatH, you might be interested in this non-fiction work by Adam Becker, What is Real? The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics. https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780465096053 I've put a hold on it at the library. If I haven't already mentioned, I am inclined to think that Quantum Physics is some cosmic entity's idea of a joke, but some of it seems to actually work.y
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I just finished the short-stories published by D. M. Pruden in a free book called Future Vistas. http://www.prudenauthor.com/ They are soft SciFi and pleasant reading. Pruden has four books on Amazon, but not this one. It doesn't surprise me that his Mars Ascendant series involves terraforming and its consequences since he was a geophysicist for 35 years.
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Big Brother is watching me. I just got an ad from Amazon for What is Real? Have you started it yet? I kind of agree with your take on the subject.
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Yes, I have started it, but haven't had a lot of time to read it (not to mention the practical impossibility of trying to read and keep Shan out of trouble or hold the book over the cats. As soon as I sit down lately, they rotate lap duty. Oscar is the easiest. Lucy burrows under and gets her face into mine. Shan steps right over the book and gets into my face.
Okay. Back to the book. It is, so far, easy to understand, but, the first chapters are mostly historical background. I am learning a little more about the physicists behind the Quantum theory.
Do you remember Peter Sellers' movie Being There? Becker's description of Neils Bohr and the relationships he had with his students and colleagues remind me an awful lot of Seller's character, Chance. His discription of Bohr leaves me wondering just how much Bohr knew or how smart he was. According to the book, Bohr was soft spoken and mumbled a lot, making it hard to understand what he was saying. His writing was very difficult, so says Becker, to understand. Bohr often used very long, very convoluted sentences. He also had a lot of trouble understanding a concept, leaving his colleagues and students to be at pains to explain things until he did finally "get it". And then, again, he seems to have been good at restating a problem back to its originator. In all of this, I am of the opinion that his colleagues and students, because they had to work so hard to get him to understand the problem, actually became better at stating their cases. I have to wonder how much Bohr actually contributed, other than being a sounding board, for which he was credited. I am probably being to harsh here. I think I will see if I can find a bio of Bohr; it might help counter this odd opinion of him I am getting.
Made quick work of three SciFi books. One, I discovered, I had already read and decided not to read it again. The other two were mediocre enough for me not to finish.
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Interesting news, PatH. Dan Harmon (never heard of him) who is apparently associated with the TV channel, Adult Swim (never watched it) has optioned Kurt Vonnegut's Titans of Saturn for a TV series. It is listed as in development, which means it could be a long time, if ever. Harmon is yet another guy who has apologized for sexually harassing someone.
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There's an adult swim channel? Seems like overkill.
That's probably Sirens of Titan. Have you read it, Frybabe? It's hard for me to believe it would make a good TV series. It's got some rather confusing time travel, the world isn't a very appealing place, and the whole story is a sort of cosmic joke. It definitely has the wry Vonnegut touch, though.
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Oops! Remembered the name wrong. Adult Swim, to the best of my understanding, is a TV channel devoted obnoxious, off color, perhaps satirical, Noir type programs. I assume its target audience is the 20 to 35 age group, but I could be very wrong. None of it appeals to me. Maybe Vonnegut would fit right in.
I actually haven't read any Vonnegut that I can recall.
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In WWII, Vonnegut was a prisoner of war, in a German camp in Dresden. He survived the firebombing by a fluke, having been shut into a meat locker with some other prisoners. Afterwards, his job was to help shovel up bodies and dispose of them. This experience gave him a rather sour outlook on life. His best known work, Slaughterhouse Five, is a rather surreal collage of this story with his supposed kidnapping by aliens, becoming an exhibit in their zoo, and other stuff. The aliens know the future as well as the past, or maybe live it all simultaneously, and the narrator now does too, so he's living, or at least thinking about all of his life simultaneously. It's very good, if you can tolerate it, and rightly became a cult classic.
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John Scalzi's new book, Head On, is out and my library has it. I've put that one and another which slipped past me, The God Engines, which was published in 2009. The last, sounds a bit bizarre, put I expect no less from Scalzi.
I noticed that since I requested the library buy Lock In when it first came out, the library system now has most of Scalzi's books. That is a big jump from the two I remember when I first looked him up in the catalog. While checking McDevitt, I recalled that I haven't yet read The Casandra Project, either that or it was forgettable. Anyway that is on my list now too. I'll have to check the status of his latest Priscilla Hutchins, not sure that has released yet. Still waiting on the latest Jack Campbell. I have that one on pre-order from Amazon.
I still need to finish Adam Becker's book on Quantum physics. I hope I can renew it. It comes due back to the library on the 6th.
Finished reading a book I started a year or so ago and didn't like the first time I tried reading it. Called Cosega Search, by Brandt Legg, it is about an archaeologist who was seeking an ancient artifact told of in old church prophecies. With the US Government and the Vatican after it and him, he is on the run while trying to decipher the meaning of it. This is the first of a series. It was just okay. It grew on me enough to finish it, anyway.
Oh, almost forgot. I watch an Isaac Arthur episode last night where he mentioned Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space series has his favorite. He also featured We Are Bob: We Are Legion by Dennis E. Taylor. I believe I mentioned it earlier. It is a regular riot, especially if you listen to the audio book. Ray Porter is the fantastic narrator for the series. It is about self-replicating probes sent out to find habitable planets to colonize. Of course, as the probe and its AIs copy themselves more and more, they begin diverging from the original making for some interesting situations and characterizations.
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Forgot to mention that I managed to stay awake to watch AMC's new show, The Story of Science Fiction, hosted by James Cameron. He mostly interviews and talks about SF movies. In this first one, he talked to George Lucas and Stephen Speilberg, and there were clips of Will Smith, Sigourney Weaver and Whoopie Goldberg among others. It was okay, interesting but not much new info at this point. http://www.amc.com/shows/james-camerons-story-of-science-fiction/season-1?dclid=CP-NpfSm5doCFRINNwodkaUB9w
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PatH, you might be interested in watching this Isaac Arthur episode. He deals with mind augmentation and includes ideas featured in the Revelation Space Universe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQpYOVvU17Y
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I've just started reading Peter F. Hamilton's The Reality Dysfunction. I do like the way his descriptive writing. It flows so nicely.
Campbell's new book drops on the 15th. I think I said the 9th.
Waiting on my next Miles Vorkosigan audio-book, The Vor Game. Also placed a hold on Sirens of Titan. If I am not careful, I am going to have a ton of books again dropping on me at once. ;D
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I don't think I will get to finish Hamilton's The Reality Dysfunction. It turns out that it is 1239 pages or there abouts. Not only that, it is part of a trilogy with the other two being over 1000 pages each. The description sounded interesting. It is a future history of two very advanced tech and bio-tech civilization groups, Edenists and Adamists and their conflicts. Somewhere in all of this, I just discovered, according to Wikipedia, is that the core plot is about the souls of the dead coming back to possess the living, and the living fighting back. Ugh! In that case, it doesn't sound like I care to finish that part anyway. Still, Hamilton's writing has an appealing flow to it that I like so I will chug along for the time being.
Also, on tap, Jack Campbell's newest is now ensconced on my e-reader along with Hugh Howey's book of short stories called Machine Learning. Evan Currie's latest, Odysseus Ascendant (Odyssey One Book 7) is available, but that will have to wait for two months. I want to finish the Richard Phillips The Rho Agenda:Inception series, Dead Shift which is part of the Amazon Lending Library (only allowed one a month). Of course, that still leaves the audio book of The Vor Game when it drops.
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Just discovered R. E. McDermott's Under a Tell-Tale Sky: After the EMP, part one of his Disruption Trilogy. It is a post-apocalyptic work with a different venue than the usual. It is set on a ship, the Pecos Trader. It is dedicated to the men and women of the United States Coast Guard. I am adding it to my very long to read list.
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Sirens of Titan just arrived. I think I will pause Reality Dysfunction to read it since it is a much shorter book.
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Pat, I am really loving the beginning of The Sirens of Titan.
The disclaimer at the beginning, is precious.
All persons, places, and events in this book are real. Certain speeches and thoughts are necessarily constructions by the author. No names have been changed to protect the innocent, since God Almighty protects the innocent as a matter of Heavenly routine.
Again, in his explanation of Chrono-synclastic Infundibula he writes
There is room enough for an awful lot of people to be right about things and still not agree...there are so many different ways of being right.
That is a rather startling insight. It depends a lot on how you define something, or look at it from your world view. It very much reminds me of something George once said to me. Paraphrasing, it goes something like this, "It is not what you intend to say, but how I take it (or interpret what you say)". George often thought my conversation was inarticulate, not precise enough. With George I have to be very clear and never ask two questions at once, he will only ever answer the second. I no longer ask two questions at once, but I don't think I ever accomplished being precise.
Thanks for recommending the book. I hope it doesn't get too weird later on.
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I didn't really recommend it. Here's what I said in the Library:
Barb, I can't see The Sirens of Titan as the Vonnegut to pick either, though it's kind of an amusing cosmic joke. Slaughterhouse Five is much better, and some of his others are better too.
But it has its points, though it does get weirder. Slaughterhouse Five is his classic, though it's rather grim.
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Grim is not what I really wanted to read, which is why I went for Sirens. I did enjoy that book.
I just finished up the first of the Codebreakers series by Colin F. Barnes. It is a posthuman/transhuman series, which kind of reminds me of Matrix or even Tron. Interesting, a bit breathless in speed and continuous action.
I've started listening to The Vor Game.
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Glad you liked Sirens. And now you know why we're here. ;)
I'll be interested to learn what you think of The Vor Game. I forget--have you already read The Warrior's Apprentice, in which Miles creates the Dendarii mercenaries?
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Yes, I have read Warrior's Apprentice. I thought maybe Bujold would run with that for a few books, but The Vor Game is set somewhere else and not with the mercenaries. I wasn't sure I would like it, but it is shaping up nicely. I am only just at Chapter 9, but I suspect an ulterior motive for Miles being sent there that what he was told about. He is new to the base, not known (to those who sent him) for his strict adherence to orders, his curiosity and apparent inability to keep his nose out of other people's business. Of course, I could be misleading myself. ::)
Also reading the second book of the Code Breakers series. Still non stop action featuring cutting edge and future tech.
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I've given up on Cetaganda; I thought it boring. I checked a chronological listing and discovered that Brothers in Arms is next, so I put a hold on it and cancelled Mirror Dance for now.
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Good. If you read Mirror Dance first it will spoil Brothers in Arms badly.
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Oh, this is too precious. Author Tom Shepherd has started a "Star Lawyers" series. Well, someone had to do it. So far, there are two books in the series. Someone dubbed it "Star Trek meets Law and Order." There is a free short-story prequel for free on his website. https://pr.bookfunnel.com/zgavlw#getbook
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Sad to report that Harlan Ellison passed away on the 27th of June at the age of 84. http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-harlan-ellison-20180628-story.html
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Locus Award winners announced: https://locusmag.com/2018/06/2018-locus-awards-winners/
Congratulations to John Scalzi, one of my favorite authors (yes, I read the book), et.al.
The Non-fiction pick is one that I am going to look for. Luminescent Threads: Connections to Octavia E. Butler, Alexandra Pierce & Mimi Mondal, editors
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Thanks for the list, Frybabe. Wow, I'm way behind on my Scalzi. Now that the only library branch accessible to me is open again, I'll have to check out what's available.
I see Ursula K. LeGuin gets a posthumous award for her Hainish series--well deserved. I just read an essay of hers about the Sartre Prize--awarded to people who turn down prestigious prizes (Sartre turned down the Nobel Prize). She always wanted to be offered an award she disapproved of enough to turn down, so she could be in the running for the Sartre. Don't think she would have turned down this one, though.
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Just discovered Cory Doctorow's 2017 book, Walkaway. It looks interesting, in that it is a novel involving Post-Scarcity society and the end of death, a subject that Isaac Arthur explores in his podcasts. Going to check if my library system has it.
Great, both my library and the FLP have it. I put a hold on the one with FLP so I have a bit of time to get on with what I already have. I still haven't put a hold back on Mirror Dance yet. Turns out I already did Brothers in Arms, just forgot.
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The only Doctorow I've read is the YA "Little Brother", which I thought quite good.
Harlan Ellison was never a favorite, but he was a good, important writer.i have a movie script he wrote of Asimov's "I, Robot". It was never made into a movie--I wonder if the fantastical staging was even possible then, though it would probably be easy now with current techniques.
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So there IS a Gothic (Horror) Space Opera sub-genre. Huh!
http://www.unboundworlds.com/2018/02/want-read-gothic-space-opera-heres-start/
I noticed that Hyperion is listed among them.
Then there are the Vampires: http://www.unboundworlds.com/2018/03/5-novels-featuring-vampires-space/
All of which gets me to wondering what Peter Watts is writing these days. Must remember to check that out.
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So I guess I really don't have a feel for what Gothic Space Opera is, though I've read three of the six examples--Blindsight, Solaris, and Hyperion. You have some sort of futuristic version of the haunted mansion of Gothic novels, but almost any travel in which you come across a hostile alien life form would fit. But I can see that mostly it isn't my kind of thing.
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A Goodreads' Gothic Space Opera bookshelf also lists Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space series.
Ah, Peter Watts has a new novella out called The Freeze-Frame Revolution which is part of his Sunflower Cycle, none of which I've read.
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I just found, on Project Gutenberg, a very old Science Fiction novel: Omega: The Last days of the World by Camille Flammarion. I don't know when I will get to read it.
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I'll be watching for this, possible Amazon series of The Three Body Problem in the works:
https://www.tor.com/2018/03/28/amazon-may-pay-one-billion-to-adapt-cixin-liu-the-three-body-problem/
Also, Showtime has given the go ahead for an initial 10 episode series version of HALO, the very popular video game and book series. You know who will be shelling out money for Showtime when it hits the screen. Production doesn't start until 2019, with a target of 2020. Gosh, what a wait. Spielberg is on board, and I saw that Ridley Scott may do a few episodes. Can't beat that!
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I've just finished listening to Mirror Dance. It went was absorbing in more ways than one. I dropped reading just about everything, including don't some Latin, to finish the book. It is due back tomorrow.
I was horrified by the torture/psychological conditioning that Mark went through. Very surprised to find he ended up with a split personality which I don't think showed up until he was put under such supreme duress. It is somewhat different from Miles as Lord or Nesmith. In that case, he took on another persona to be able to do what he loved, ultimately resulting in an alter-ego.
Previously, I finished Jack Campbell's latest in his prequel series to the Lost Fleet.
I just checked up on Marko Kloos to see what he is writing now. He is supposedly going to have a novella in the Frontlines series out soon. Unfortunately, he is now working on a series called Wild Cards. Looks like it is Chicago Crime type series. I don't think any of these will be released in the US until next year. Why do authors like to release their works in the UK first? He mentioned also writing a new series called The Palladium Wars, but I have absolutely no idea what is is about. Hoping for another SciFi.
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Frybabe, I could barely stand to read the torture descriptions in Mirror Dance. In fact, I did just skim them at first, but then I had to go back and read them anyway, since what happens in them is important to the rest of the book, and to understanding Mark in general.
No brutality in the next book, Memory, nor the following few.
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Couldn't get past the first few pages of Walkaway. Doctorow is so ifsy to read. Some of his stuff is good, others not so much. This one starts out with seems to be "new" English, tech style, or new slang which leaves me thinking these people need to learn proper English. I think this is written for the new technically "plugged in" young people. It kind of reminds me of the Hippie days with their psychedelic, weed smoking, free love, burn your bra language/slang only I could understand most of that even while not participating.
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Audible is having a sale on SciFi and Fantasy. Lo and behold, they have Falling Free on the list, as well as Hyperion. I ordered both. However, Hyperion seems to have dropped off my screen. I have to check that out as I have paid for it.
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I assume Audible is audio books? Good luck keeping the characters straight in Hyperion without something written to refer back to. I wouldn't be able to.
Falling Free takes place several hundred years before the Miles series, in another part of his constellation of worlds. It's a good yarn, and will be relevant in a later Miles book, Diplomatic Immunity.
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Yes, audio books.
Hyperion is going to be a whopper to listen to, over 20 hours. Maybe someone has a character list up on the net. There are several readers, four I think, so that might help keep some of the characters straight.
I've been re-watching Babylon 5. I thought I missed the first year, but no, I remember some of them. I am picking up on things I don't remember noticing when I watch it years ago. You probably already know that Harlan Ellison was the "conseptual consultant" for the series and the five TV movies. I didn't know there were TV movies. I wonder if I saw them. Did you know he wrote two of the 1998 episodes and acted in three (two of which were voice only)?
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Almost everybody is better than I am at keeping characters straight, so you'll probably be fine. In one sense, Hyperion is kind of Canterbury Tales for sci-fi, a bunch of pilgrims and their stories, but that's only part of it.
Babylon 5 occurred at a time when I wasn't watching TV much, so I missed it, don't know anything about Ellison's part in it. But in re Ellison's ability, I do have a book of a screenplay, written jointly by Ellison and Isaac Asimov, for I, Robot. It's very good, taking the original, a loosely connected collection of short stories, and fusing it into a good story. When I read the screenplay, it struck me as impossible to produce because of the special effects needed, but it would probably be easy enough now.
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PatH, I've started listening to Falling Free. Of course, I fell asleep on it and missed at least two chapters. It was on Chapter 4 when I woke up. Now I have to go back and re-listen to just about everything. The beginning is interesting, but so far not particularly compelling. I expect it ot pick up later.
Not SciFi, but Science, Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang will be releasing in September. https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-393-06444-5 I'll be interested to read it. My impression from a clip or two of interviews with Tyson is that he is not a fan of the US developing a separate Space Corp. I don't know where he stands on the development of space defense programs which I believe will soon become much more important to us as a nation.
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The review makes Tyson and Lang's book sound like a valuable read. I can see why he might be against a Space Corps; if it starts out military, it's sure to be used more that way. I'll be interested in your comments when you read it.
Falling asleep would be a constant problem for me with audio books.
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I am at it again. Two of my holds came in yesterday. One is yet another anthology of SciFi short stories, called Infinite Stars, which includes some of my favorite authors including Jack Campbell, Elizabeth Moon, Orson Scott Card, Lois McMaster Bujold, and David Weber. The other is Bujold's Memory.
I've just discovered Cat Country by Lao She, which is translated by William A. Lyell, PhD.
The intro is written by Ian Johnson, who is a writer who has been living in China for 20 years. I found this interesting interview in Yale's The Politic: http://thepolitic.org/an-interview-with-ian-johnson-pulitzer-prize-winning-writer-on-china/ It is not about the book, but is interesting none-the-less. Dr. Lyell, who passed away in 2005, taught Chinese literature and language at Stanford University for around 30years. Cat Country is characterized as Dystopian Science Fiction. I've also seen it referred to as political satire. It is on my wishlist.
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Did you know that Baen Publishing has weekly podcasts? https://www.baen.com/podcast
I haven't listened to any yet. Bookmarking page. Too bad I don't see an app with which I can link to the podcasts.
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I was delighted to discover that Bujold's Borders of Infinity, which is a novella) is included in the short story anthology I am reading. It was an engrossing story. I still have yet to read Mountains of Madness if I run across it. Now I can go on to read Memory. Falling Free will have to wait.
Worth a mention, Tobias S. Buckell has a new book out called The Trove. It is a retelling of Treasure Island, but in space. Buckell has written a number of books, several of which are for the HALO franchise, and short stories. Might make an interesting read.
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Actually, it's The Mountains of Mourning. (The Mountains of Madness is a florid and unconvincing horror story by H. P. Lovecraft.) You'll meet some of the characters from Mourning briefly in Memory.
Mourning may be about to get more findable; they seem to have finally reissued it. About time--it's a neat little self-contained story, and explains something about Miles' mindset.
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I stand corrected. What was I thinking. I don't care for Lovecraft. Aside from Mountains of Mourning, I still must read "Labyrinth" and "Dreamweaver's Dilemma".
After Memory, I read that the story line veers off in another direction. I believe the writer of the article considered everything after Memory to be a secondary sequence. I hope they are as good.
Amazon released the short, "The Flowers of Vashnoi: Vorkosigan Saga", on Kindle in May. Her last book, released in Sept 17, Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, looks particularly interesting. Miles must investigate his own mother.
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I don't care for Lovecraft either. His horrors seem unconvincingly silly to me, though The Mountains of Madness starts off sounding like a standard Antarctic exploration story before it loses credibility.
Yes, Memory is kind of a turning point in the lives of some of the characters, but although the following books are uneven in quality, there are still plenty of good ones left.
The Flowers of Vashnoi is new to me, but I see from the description that you don't even want to read what it's about until you've read farther in the series, or it will be a spoiler.
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Pat, have you ever read any of Nnedi Okonafor's works? I just finished reading her Binti. It won her the Hugo and Nebula Awards for best Novella in 2016. It is the first of a series which is about Africans (yes, Africans, not African-Americans) in space. Okonafor is an American born of Nigerian immigrant parents.
I am just a paragraph or two into Linda Nagata's short story, "Region Five", which is linked to, but not part of her The Red series books. It has my attention. I may just look into reading The Red series.
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There seems to be a wave of African s-f writers, about whom I know almost nothing. One more thing to get around to, and I don't seem to be getting around to much at the moment.
Christopher Tolkien has put out one more book assembled from his father's notes. He says this is the last, but he said that of Beren and Luthien too. But he's now 94, so maybe he's ready to stop. I'm not a fan of these peripherals to The Lord of the Rings--to depressing and complicated for me, though I'm very fond of the original trilogy. A lot of people will be happy for one more though.
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I just finished A Civil Campaign. What a bizarre combination of personalities. Fun read. My favorite bit was when Cordelia sat Koudelka and his wife, Drou, down on an old sofa brought down from the attic just for that purpose of a nonverbal snipe at backward/old school thinking. I got the subtle reference right away. Since my ex is transsexual, I was interested in how the character Lady Donna/Count Dono played out. The Byerly character was, it turned out, ingenious - an undercover, dirty-tricks op. HAH!
I guess I am going to have to pass on Winterfair Gifts,. None of the libraries have it. I can't find a library copy of it, the Irresistible Forces anthology it is in, nor Miles in Love which includes it. So it is on to Diplomatic Immunity in a week or two, after I get the Jack McDevitt book read. Also, Latin classes start next week(?) as well as our next book discussion (I already have the book).
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I believe that if I had realized that Diplomatic Immunity was located in Quaddiespace, I would have listened to Falling Free first, even though it was set 200 years before the Vorkosigans showed up. Oh, well. I guess i will listen to it after this and then go on to Captain Vorpatril's Alliance. I am really interested in seeing what Ivan got himself into.
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Frybabe, you're not going to miss a lot from not having read Falling Free first. And I found it hard to keep up my interest in Falling, ended up skipping around, and going back to fill in what I'd missed, a dubious technique, and hard to do with an audio book.
You're really tearing through the books at a fast pace, something I couldn't do. When I started reading them, not all had been written, and it was a null space, when Baen Books had let a lot of the earlier ones go out of print, even though the new ones were best sellers. Seems dumb; you'd think they could swell the market for the later ones. Anyway, I had to read them when I could find them, many from Powell's Books. Now they've pretty much all been reissued, mostly in combination volumes.
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Your assessment of Falling Free is noted, Pat. That is the only book I actually had to pay for. Hope I like it well enough.
I came to the conclusion, when most of the way through Diplomatic Immunity, that Miles and I have something in common. We tie our brains up in knots when thinking which often paralyzes us from action for a time with indecision as to what to believe, what action is best taken, etc. He has Ekaterin, now, to keep him from spinning his wheels too long.
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Come to think of it, I'm somewhat like that too. But Miles has the gift of recognizing the tactical moment, the one chance you have to take because it won't come again, and I don't.
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I have to say that I laughed more reading Captain Vorpatril's Alliance than I did with Diplomatic Immunity. The snarky interplay between Byerly and Ivan (and Ivan's comments to himself) kept me amused. The cats might have thought me a bit odd when I startled them several times by heartily laughing out loud.
On Chapter 6 of Falling Free and finding it interesting. Just this morning, Cryoburn became available to listen to. I am not sure, but I think the only one left now is Captain Jole and the Red Queen which takes us back to Cordelia as the main character.
So, now that I am almost caught up on the Vorkosigans, I checked in on the Liaden Universe. It looks like the next full novel is due to release this coming January. It will be called Accepting the Lance. In the meantime, it looks like they've added a few novellas and short story anthologies. Those short story anthologies always require a careful look at before buying to keep from duplicating stories I already have. They seem to like to include some previously printing stories from earlier publications.
Ready to start a new series by Elizabeth Bonesteel. The first of the Central Corps novels starts with The Cold Between Us. It is billed as a mystery/romance scifi.
Jack McDevitt's latest book, A Voice in the Night, out since Aug. 31 is a bunch of short stories. I was interested to see the Amazon blurb says that McDevitt was greatly influenced by Chesterton's Father Brown books.
Jack Campbell's next Genesis Fleet, Triumphant, will be released in May of next year. Sigh! In the meantime, he has been spending some time on writing another fantasy series involving dragons for the YA age group.
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I tried to read John Scalzi's bizarre novella, only a little less than 140 pages, The God Engines. The story seems to be about faith, hypocrisy, testing faith. Set on a spaceship which is apparently powered by a lesser god. The shipboard priest acts as what we could think of as a political officer making sure that the crew is adhering to their faith in the main god. The lesser god (along with other lesser gods on other ships) tries to rebel and suborn the crew. Much of the dialogue is between this lesser god, the priest and the captain of the ship. I stopped reading at page 37, but the darn book is calling me back. I actually picture the ship more like a galleon in the era of the Inquisition that a spaceship. So far, I have not discovered how the lesser god actually powers the ship.
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Finished Cryoburn but it wasn't too appealing. I do think Falling Free is interesting.
Elizabeth Bonesteel's The Cold Between, so far, isn't too appealing either. It is supposed to be a military scifi, but so far, seems more like a romance. The lead female character spends a lot of time ruminating over several former affairs, and has a mildly erotic encounter with a man who is/was a member of a group that is looked on with suspicion and bigotry. No real science, so far, in this book. Military structure and protocols seem to be very lax. There are some odd goings on and a murder that may or may not be related to them that are just beginning to cause concern. Maybe it will pick up some. I'll read a little longer, but not sure I will finish it. This is the author's first novel and the beginning of a series.
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I've started watching The Expanse beginning with season 1 and have put on hold the first book of the series that inspired the TV series. Also on hold is Pierce Brown's Red Rising in audio format.
John Scalzi's second of his new Interdependency series, called The Consuming Fire, is due to release on Oct 16. I thought the first, The Collapsing Empire, interesting but not as exciting as the Old Man's War series. It is set in the same universe.
I started Matthew Mather's Cyberstorm, which starts out with family tension between a husband and wife. She is looking for a job and he is, I believe, a hedge fund manager or something like. So far, not interesting except for how Mather intersperses newscast items in the background with the tension filled conversations/arguments between hubby and wife. I hope the story picks up soon.
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New anthology of classic SciFi written by women will be released in just over a week. The Future is Female. http://womensf.loa.org/
Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture . Non-fiction. This is the book I have on hold. It should arrive at the library for pickup on Monday. There are other books on Afrofuturism, including a some SciFi anthologies which I plan on looking into later.
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Peter F. Hamilton just last month released the first of his new Salvation Sequence series called, what else, Salvation. I have his Pandora's Star (Commonwealth 8 book series) on my library wish list.
While I am interested in this new series, I want to read the Commonwealth series first. Also, I have have Corey's Pandora's Star on hold, which is the inspiration for the Expanse TV series (or so I read somewhere). I have just watched the first to episodes of the first season so far.
So much reading, so little time.
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Another author to add to my list of SciFi books to find: Julie E. Czerneda. I am not yet familiar with her books, but her Web Shifter's Library series looks like a fun read.
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"So much reading, so little time."
Actually, Frybabe, I continue to be amazed at how many books you do find time to read.
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That, Pat, is because I don't do a whole lot else. I am home most of the time with the cats. I don't socialize much except for my sisters and George, and I am comfortable with that.
At any rate, the last four books I picked up from the library went back without being finished, including Afrofuturism.... I don't think I was in the mood for that one just yet, and I disagreed with one of her premises (assuming I interpreted her correctly) that the few blacks in SciFi were treated as villains; she pointed to some old SciFi movies as examples. Meanwhile, what I discovered is that even with some of the older SciFi books, that Blacks did place some major supporting roles, if not the lead, in quite a few books. This going back to at least the 80's (and don't forget Star Trek from the mid-60's on, where Blacks were major players). Most of the books described characters with black hair and eyes with various shades of colors such as mahogany, mocha, dark-skin, though, rather than just come out and say Black. Of course, much of my SciFi reading involves military so I think the books reflect that there are a lot of Blacks in the military. I don't recall reading any books where Blacks were portrayed as villains. I think if she was using the old movies as an example, then she should look to the casting crew rather than the intent of the writer. Many writers simply decline to describe any of their characters as white, black or pink with purple stripes and yellow polka-dots, leaving the reader wide-open to imagine the characters any way they want. You can bet any of the old SciFi stories I read now, I will be on the lookout for such discrimination. Maybe she is looking for SciFi where blackness is writ large; she may have a point there. At any rate, I plan on going back to the book and giving it another chance in the future. Like many books, I just didn't read far enough into it for it to "catch" me.
Right now, I am reading the first three of Raymond Weil's Galactic Empire Wars series. The story is interesting, but there are a lot of "holes" where the science and technology is just "there" without any description of how they managed it all. Like, how do they manage to manufacture things or build things when the earth is no longer a support source. Other than taking sending crews to scavenge what they can from an Earth in the throes of a nuclear winter/deep ice age, there is no (or so very little) mention of how they manage to develop/manufacture what they need to build ships, building materials, and everything else in what appears to be a very short time to make room for refugees from the planet. Oh, and then there is the English. I thought i would scream if I say just one more "lucrative" which was very frequent in the first half of the first chapter. And from then on, the author seemed to be in love with "upon" instead of "on" no matter what. My I am getting so picky. Nevertheless, the human interest and basic story-line is good.
It looks like Pierce Brown's Red Rising and James Corey's Pandora's Star will be a while in the hold cue.
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I don't see Blacks in sci-fi as being mostly villains either. You do see some self-conscious pointing out that a character is black to show the author isn't prejudiced.
Early sci-fi for me starts in the mid 1940s, when I started reading it as a kid. The problem for me wasn't blacks, it was females. If I identified with a character, it was almost always a male, since the women never did much except get rescued.
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I am starting John Scalzi's Head On today. The sports theme is something of a put-off for me, but since it is a sequel to Lock In, I decided to give it a try.
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I see I am behind in my postings.
Okay then. Head On by John Scalzi. I finished that a while back. Scalzi did not disappoint. In this one, he and his partner try to determine if the supposed suicide of a sports figure was in fact a suicide, and if not, how he was murdered and who did it. The sport itself is fictional but is interesting because Haydens victims control real live robots playing on a real field in front of real fans. Big money has taken notice of the growing number of sports fans and are sponsoring different teams. There are also those who want the teams opened to non-Hayden's players. Plenty of possible suspects.
I do hope he writes more of his Lock-In series. The series is a SiFi police procedural which follows FBI agents Chris Shane and his partner Leslie Vann. Chris' body is confined to a hospital bed, but he gets around via a neural link to robots and the internet. His partner, Leslie, is also a victim of Hayden's Syndrome (similiar to the real-life Locked-In Syndrome, also called pseudocoma) but has recovered her ability to function more or less normally.
Now I am reading James S. A. Corey's first book in The Expanse series called Leviathan Wakes. I am enjoying it every bit as much as the first two seasons of the TV series (which is based on the books, not the other way around). Season 3 of the TV series is pay to watch. Amazon has picked up Season 4. I am not sure when they will start releasing episodes or if they will charge. I don't think they have charged for any of their originals yet, but I expect this might be an exception. Back to the book. The first book, unlike the TV series, just follows Jim Holden and crew. The TV series intersperses the different factions; I expect the next book will follow a different faction. There are some minor differences between the book and the TV show; none change the flow of or the emphasis of the book's story-- so far.
I've got Jack McDevitt's A Voice in the Night which is a book of his short stories. It includes one or two about Priscilla Hutchens and Alex Benedict. I am especially keen to read the one with Alex and Chase. It might be a while until I get to it though.
That's about it for now.
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For fantasy fans and especially Ursula K. Le Guin fans, Simon and Schuster just released (Oct. 30) a complete illustrated anniversary edition of the Earthsea series. http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Books-of-Earthsea/Ursula-K-Le-Guin/Earthsea-Cycle/9781481465588?cp_type=end&rmid=20181104_TheBooksOfEarthsea&rrid=8613437 The book includes the Intro, seven novels and five short stories.
I've just started the second book of the Expanse series.
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I got Leviathan Wakes a few years ago for a book club, and ended up getting impatient with it and skipping around some--not a good plan with this kind of story line. Pulling it out to re-check it after your post, I find I like it better. I'm still skipping around some, missing a lot of the earlier parts about Miller. (I'm not much of a noir fan.) In an interview in the back of the book, Corey says he deliberately constructed Holden and Miller to have their opposite views of the ethical use of information: Holden, the idealist, the "holy fool", who thinks if people have all the information they'll do the right thing, and Miller, the cynic, who uses information as a tool to manipulate people, and doesn't trust anyone else's call. He puts them together so they can argue, and feels they're both right and they're both wrong.
I can see all sorts of ways further books could go.
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I've got four of the Earthsea novels, and I thought I had the short stories, but don't see them on my shelf. Probably in a pile somewhere.
I picked up Head On at the library, but will have to wait a few days to start it. I'm allergic to perfumes, and about half the books I borrow, smell of the same scent. The librarians claim they don't know where it comes from. Usually a few days with the book propped up, fanned open, takes care of it, though once I had to put a book inside a plastic bag to read.
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Pat, I noticed that the later part of Book 1 and definitely in Book 2 of the Expanse series, the narrative diverges more between the books and the TV program. Both are done very well and reading the books is helping to explain a few things in the TV program. I honestly can't say which I like better the TV version or the book version of the temporarily diverging parts. This has only happened to me two or three times during my reading life.
I've got two more SciFi series books waiting patiently in in wings, the Expeditionary Force series and the Galaxy's Edge series. I can read both free from my Amazon Lending Library, but it will take quite a while as it only lets me download one a month. My sister is listening to one of the series on Audiobook and recommends it; I forget which one.
Right now I am getting used to a new pair of glases. There isn't too much difference from my old in the prescription, so it shouldn't take long.
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The 2018 British Fantasy Awards list and winners:
https://www.sffworld.com/2018/10/news-british-fantasy-awards-2018/
I recognize two authors and three titles (none of which I've read) on the list. Oh, and two of the TV/Movie titles, also not seen.
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Okay, I don't want to get too hung up on The Expanse, but I did discover this analysis of the persons and governments represented in the series. It is interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNjrI0YvZYA It looks like someone has gone to the trouble to explain the books/seasons and also did a comparison of the books to the show. I may actually look at those later, although I pretty much don't need an "interpreter", at least not for the first to books which are basically books 1 and 2. I think the two kind of go together to fill in gaps in both the TV series and the books.
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Thanks for the video--a useful summary. The characters I've met so far don't look much like I pictured them, but that's a common problem.
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The TV production didn't follow the description of the characters very well.
Bummer, it's clouded up here, again. Fortunately it was clear early this morning so I took me and my new glasses outside to look the stars before the sun came up.
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Yea! Yea! Jack McDevitt has a new Alex Benedict book being released next spring. Can't wait.
Just downloaded the third in series of the Expanse. Been watching clips on YouTube.
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Did you know that Dan Simmons, the guy who wrote the Hyperion series, also wrote The Terror which was recently made into a TV mini-series?
I must be slipping. I just picked up two first of series FANTASY Audiobooks: Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan and Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence. Also, I downloaded a free offering of the first three books of The Emperor's Edge series by Lindsay Buroker. The one I've just started reading is called The Fortune Chronicles (boxed set) by Kathleen McClure. I am not sure if this is Science Fiction or Fantasy. it looks like it might be a cross-over.
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I've come to the conclusion that The Fortune Chronicles series I am reading is in the Steampunk genre. Very well written and edited. Fortune, BTW, is the name of the planet with almost all place names taken from corporations, like the City of Nike, where most of the action in the first book takes place. Aside from being well written, the characters are very likeable. The conversational style, including the periodic 'talking to one's self' episodes make for a fun read.
The first book focuses on Gideon Quinn, set up and wrongly accused of treason. The second focuses on John Pitte and his crew of an cargo airship called The Errant. John was relieved of command of a warship and dishonorably discharged for disobeying an order to shot at Quinn's squad who were fighting on the same side. These stories intertwine in both books a little. I expect a similar relationship with the third book I have yet to read.
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I just finished the first of another series written by Kathleen McClure and have come to the conclusion that I like her characters and her stories. This one is the first, and so far the only, of her Zodiac Division series. There is a book of two short prequels for the Zodiac Division which which she dubs Operative Histories.
In the Zodiac Files series both protagonists, Ray and Harry, are former military that are now operatives for ConFed Intelligence. Harry is more the straight forward spy/intelligence gathering type, while Ray is ostensibly a Space Marshall but is covertly person finder and, I take it, an assassin, depending on the assignment.
I expect to be reading more of McClure's books.
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McClure sounds like an author I would like, and I could use a new series.
I've been trying to read Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. It's supposed to be his best, and for somehow I never got around to it. I'm not getting very far with it now, though. The premise is interesting enough: social scientists have predicted a collapse of the galactic empire, followed by a lengthy dark period, similar to what happened to Europe when the Roman Empire collapsed. The story deals with a group effort to limit the length of the dark period by preserving knowledge. But the writing is a bit clunky, and the book is dated, and it doesn't hold my interest. Maybe some other time.
I recovered by reading Scalzi's Head On. Like you, I found it a very good read.
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PatH, I discovered that McClure only has two books out so far of the Fortune series and a short story or two. The Zodiac series consists of one book so far and a short story. She also has a few other short stories available.
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Wow, my library system was amazingly quick to pick up multiple copies of John Scalzi's second of his new Collapsing Empire series, The Consuming Fire, and Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Moon. I noticed that just about every library in our system, except my local one, has both books which were just released in mid-October.
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The Collapsing Empire is now history. I finished reading it yesterday. Well written story, but be warned that two of the characters cannot speak without every other word beginning with F (only a slight exaggeration here), and a bit more ruthless violence than I remember from his other series books. There were several short spots that reminded me of scenarios from other author's books, which raised my eyebrows a little. Of course, I can't pick them out now. While I couldn't put it down, it didn't strike me as anything special. In other words, while Scalzi's writing, as always, is a pleasure to read, palace intrigues and political maneuvering are not my favorite subjects, and that is mostly what this book focuses on. The cast of characters include those who want to find out as much as possible about the predicted collapse of their interstellar transportation system (the Flow) so that they can make plans and adjustments to help as many as possible to survive it, those who would use the upheaval to gain power and wealth, and those who refuse to believe the predictions and want things to stay the same (ostrich head in sand syndrome) -- until they aren't. Interesting that many of the power players are women. The book is a necessary element to what comes next in the series.
Next up is Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Moon which has me hooked from the start. Other than that, I can't say anything about it yet.
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Okay, this is a little exciting and scary at the same time. I've read a few SciFi stories using something similar to this. It is called Optogenetics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYx3Lix4LaU
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It is scary, and it's hard for me to believe they can be precise enough, but who knows?
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PatH, I learned little later yesterday that human trials for this were approved in 2016 to help blind people to see again. I remember something about that, but didn't know it by the name optogenetics. I'll have to research into it more. Meanwhile, I found this interesting article written for the younger set and more my speed these days for understanding the basic concept. I just love the color illustrations. https://kids.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frym.2017.00051
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I am about half-way through Robinson's Red Moon but may quit before finishing. I wouldn't call this primarily a SciFi but rather a Social/Political Thriller (and not very thrilling at that). It does include scenes on the Moon, a main character who is a technician for a high tech company (and who is into quantum mechanics), and an AI. The AI is a passive observer tracking the movements of the tech unbeknownst to him. I can't discern a reason for the tracking other than as training for the AI to become more intuitive and forward thinking, and to make more accurate predictions. A lot of the story is just following the two main characters around as they flee from those who would do them harm. The other main character is a TV celebrity and poet. All three of these main characters spend too much time, IMO, in social, political or philosophical conversations. In other words lots of filler that doesn't seem very pertinent to the action.
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Thanks for the warning, Frybabe. Definitely doesn't sound like my kind of thing.
I'm still visiting JoanK and having a blast. You can probably hear our laughter. One of my great nephews mentioned H. P. Lovecraft yesterday, which reminded me I haven't read the latest two in Charles Stross' series. Theyy were getting less interesting, but I really ought to persist and find out if the world gets taken over by horrible monsters from other universes.
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Well, I did go and finish the darn book. I was geting mighty tired of reading yet another "I don't know" from one or another character, the AI seemed to fade into the background near the end leaving me to wonder what the real why it had such a promonent part in the beginning, and without any mention of how, the bad guys kept finding the two "runners" who kept moving around to avoid capture. One more notch against it; it had a non-ending.
One bright spot is a poem on pages 343-344 called "Source of the Peach Blossom Stream" by Wang Wei. This translation is so much nicer than the other translations if found variously also under the titles, "The Peach Blossom Spring", "Song of the Peach Blossom River", "Peach Blossom Journey", "Journey to the Source of the Peach Blossom River", "Source of the Peach Blossom Stream", and who knows how many other variations. Each translation has slight variations, but I like the tranlastion in Red Moon the best.
The fourth of the Expanse series books, Cibola Burn, just became available. And, as this is the first of the month, i now have two more Kindle borrows to read. Both are first of series that my sister recommended. I did listen to the Audible versions and loved the narration, but free is better, so now I have Legionaire (Galaxy's Edge Book 1) by Craig Alanson and Colombus Day (Expeditionary Force Book 1) by Jason Anspach.
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I can't believe it has been over a month since I posted here. I've gone through a couple of good, but nothing particularly special, SciFi's and several other genre books.
This morning I ran across Yevgeny Zamyatin. Have you heard of him? His SciFi, We, is credited with directly inspiring Aldus Huxley's Brave New World and George Orwell's 1984, among others. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yevgeny_Zamyatin I checked, Amazon had lots of We translations and at least one analysis of the book, as well as a book of his essays. I doubt my library has a copy, but I will check. It is going on my read list.
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Frybabe, I haven't posted here recently either. I've mostly been rereading, which doesn't make for conversation.
Yes, I knew of Zamyatin's We. I just pulled out my copy, which I originally bought for daughter Cathy. I haven't read it, partly because the translation seems stodgy. Maybe now's the time.
I have read some other Russian sci fi, and I like Sergei Lukyanenko's fantasy series starting with Night Watch. Imagine the traditional conflict of good versus evil, spells, vampires, magic powers, etc., reduced to opposing bureaucracies following strict rules. I saw the Russian movies made of the first two--enjoyable, though not following the books at all closely.
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I'll look for Lukyanenko's writings, then too. The only Russian stories I have read are Boris Arkunin's detective series (which I need to continue at some point) and an attempt at Crime and Punishment. I see a Russion SciFi movie this past year in Russian (no English dubbing or subtitles) that someone posted on YouTube. I want to see the English language release ofAttraction now that I know it was released hereC in 2017. Attraction 2 is in post-production, so I expect it will release this year.
My most recent SciFi reads were the first of series for Galaxy's Edge, Legionaire by Jason Anspach, and first of series for Expeditionary Force, Columbus Day, by Craig Alanson. Both are decent reads, a bit on the light side and with some humor, although the Galaxy's Edge series seems more serious. For those who like audio books, the narrators do a great job, according to my sister (and the audio samples I listened to).
From the library, I am waiting on my next Expanse book to become available, and a SciFi short-story anthology edited by James Patrick Kelly should be ready to pick up very soon.
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I am still waiting for the next book in the Expanse series. They seem to be stuck on me being #3 on the list.
In the meantime, and in between the book challenge Barb and I are doing, I have been reading two series books from my Amazon Lending Library, which means I can only read one book each month. I am alternating them. This will take a while.Both have funny, snarky moments, but the Expeditionary Force series (by Craig Alanson) is by far the funnier of the two. Well, it includes hamster-like and lizard-like opponents, an extremely advanced (and thousands of years old) AI that is housed in what looks like a beer can. Said beer can thinks a lot of himself and refers to the lowly humans as monkeys. Lots of quantum physics action, but without the technical stuff because, I assume, we monkeys aren't advanced enough yet to understand it yet. Skippy the Magnificant (beer can) is right. The author manages to write an interesting and entertaining series.
The other series is more serious, but there is still lots of humorous reposte between the characters. The Galaxy's Edge series is written by Jason Anspach and Nick Cole. In the first book the main characters are part of a military force fighting insurgents on the edges of the galaxy. The first book kind of reminds me of the fighting in the middle-east and Afghanistan. I think that later on the survivors become either mercenaries or rogues later in the series. Not sure.
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Oh, almost forgot. I picked up Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Constellation 1 book of short stories and novellas. The very first story is about how Val Con met the Turtles. I am DELIGHTED. These are all stories that never made it into the books, but most have been published in magazines or as chapbooks, which I think, are published as Adventures in the Liaden Universe #_.
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I've read 3 of the 4 Constellations, and a couple of the dozens of chapbooks. Quality of the stories varies all over the place, but even some of the poorer ones are useful fill-in.
The story of Val Con and the turtles is particularly nice. I miss the turtles; they haven't been around since Korval moved to Surebleak. Of course for a turtle, that's no time at all.
I just finished The Gathering Edge, #20 in the series. That just leaves Neogenesis, which won't come out in paperback until the end of March. It must have been over 10 years ago that I started reading the series, because Fledgelingdidn't come out until a couple of years after I started. Lee and Miller were between publishers then, and some of the earlier books were hard to find. Time flies when you're having fun.
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I agree about the quality of the shorts. You are right. The turtles haven't been around for a while. I've read Neogenesis, so I am all caught up. I am thinking with the way things are going, the authors are moving into a new generation. Time marches on... I haven't quite gotten used to nor taken a fondness to many of this new batch of characters. Some of the "adventures" are leaving me with mixed feelings, but I think that has to do with all the new characters and having to get used to their stories (and background). The "new blood" in the tales may appeal more to the younger set. I think the title Neogenesis may portend new directions the general story seems to be taking. Not good or bad, just taking awhile to adjust. Let me know what you think then.
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As of now, I totally agree with you, Frybabe. The early stories had a spark that's dimmer now. It must be hard to keep up that level for 21 books.
I wish my library would stock the books, especially the chapbooks. Amazon sells them, but buying all the chapbooks would cost way too much.
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I just finished watching Season 3 of The Expanse. I am not sure I liked it near as well as the previous two seasons, but then I didn't care so much for some of the new characters and story-line in books 3 (Abaddon's Gate won the 2014 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction) and 4, so it follows I wouldn't like the TV version much either. Season three had some expanded or modified material and a bunch of stuff that was left out. Their depiction of the action inside the center sphere within the ring left something to be desired, too. They did such a good job on the Eros special effects that I was fairly disappointed in the sphere sequence. I just downloaded book 5, which I will start soon.
I read most of the Liaden Constellation 1 short stories, passed over one, Balance of Trade, which I already read, and read the second half of one. I didn't care too much for the Moonhawk stories. The Pat Rin story that told how he got started in the gaming business and how Nova discovered her powers was very interesting. I was lucky to have some credits towards an ebook, which certainly helped.
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The BSFA short list is posted: https://www.sffworld.com/2019/02/news-bsfa-shortlist-announced/
I don't know any of these authors except for Martha Wells. She wrote the Murderbot seris of which Exit Strategy is the latest. I have had the first of the series, All Systems Red, on my library wish list for months.
I've am almost finished with Nemesis Games, fifth in the Expanse series. It is a bit intense. The crew go their separate ways during a lengthy repair and overhaul of their ship. This is is a united we stand/divided we fall kind of book, where each chapter flip/flops between characters and the very serious and possibly deadly situations in which the find themselves. It is also setting up for adding additional crew. Book six, Babylon's Ashes, is on hold at the library and should soon be ready.
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You're one better than I am, Frybabe. I don't know any of them. Maybe I should start reading Interzone again.
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Frybabe, although Game of Empire is fun because of the analogy to Kim, it definitely seems outdated stylistically.
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I am about to add another book to my long, waiting to read Scifi list. It is called Starshine by G.S. Jennsen. I just can't resist the opening line, "The end of the world began with a library query." That may be the only or almost only reference to a library in the entire book, but that is all it took for me to download this freebie. I've been trying to stay away from downloading first of series books until I get more of my already downloaded books read. It isn't working.
The Expanse book 7 just became available at my online library. Now that makes five books I need to read this month. Not going to happen. Fortunately two of the books are three week borrows. Still, doubt I will get to finish any of them before I need to renew or send back. I am also in the middle of doing my taxes. It is a very good thing that Spring Break in Latin class is a whole month this time.
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I just got an ad from Amazon that the next Liaden book, Accepting the Lance will come out in December. I didn't read the description, because it looked like it would have some spoilers of Neogenesis.
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Thanks for the heads-up!
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Huh! It appears I am all caught up on the Expanse series. Book 8, it turns out, won't be released for six more days, then I have to wait-see if the library picks it up. Book 7 takes a real interesting and intense turn. Can't wait to see how it resolves. Our group of heroes are getting old.
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The Expanse book 8 was released three days ago. The library has it already. I am 33rd in line. I guess it will be a while until I get to read it. Season 4 of the TV series is done filming and should be reading to air soon. Still no date: June is expected.
Meanwhile, the HALO TV series with Showtime is slogging along very, very slowly. They still haven't cast anyone yet and don't expect filming to begin until June.
I have read several nothing-special SciFi books lately, but with the beginning of the month, I will be picking up the third of the Expeditionary Force series, Paradise. Slow going, since I am alternating it with the Galaxy's Edge series.
New to my audio book collection: On the fantasy side, yes, I said Fantasy, I now possess the first two of Michael J. Sullivan's Riyria Revelations series, and his The Age of Myth , which I believe is related. I also just acquired is A Long Time Till Now by Michael Z. Williamson. It is a time travel story about a platoon of soldiers who suddenly find themselves in the Paleolithic era.
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Now that I have finished rereading the first of Joel Shepherd's Spiral Wars series, Renegade, I am going to have to remember to continue on with the series when I finish the Expeditionary Force/Galaxy's Edge series' rotation.
In the Audible department, I've added a bunch more of Michael J. Sullivan fantasy series novels, a Michael Williamson scifi, A Long Time Till Now, Mark Lawence's Prince of Fools, and a John Scalzi called The Dispatcher. I now have 45 audio books, of which I've only listened to six and a quarter so far. I may have to drop it for a while to catch up, but not yet.
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I see that we lost fantasy/sci-fi writer Gene Wolfe a few weeks ago. I haven't read his New Sun series, which seems to be thought of as his best, but I've liked some of his other books, and some of his short stories.
Have you read Soldier of the Mist? It's a rather unusual fantasy. It's supposed to be the text of a scroll, written in ancient Latin, by Latro, a mercenary soldier, now a prisoner, wounded in the battle of Plataea (479 BC) fighting on the Persian side against the coalition of Greek states. (This was the final battle of that particular war; the Persian army was badly defeated.). Latro's head wound has resulted in amnesia--his memory of the past is fragmentary, and every morning he has forgotten what happened the day before. He keeps this diary to remind himself of who he is and what has happened to him.
The story is told in a naive and clueless way, as we follow Latro around various parts of Greece and adjacent lands. His wound has also given him the ability to see ghosts, spirits, and the gods and goddesses, further distorting his viewpoint.
Wolfe makes you work hard for your story; Latro doesn't know much about what's going on, and places and people are mostly not called by names we know, though there is some help at the back of the book. But if you're willing to put up with that, it's an enjoyable story.
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I don't think I've run across any of Gene Wolfe's works, PatH. Right now I am in the middle of H. Beam Piper's "The Last Enemy".
The Galaxy's Edge book 3, Kill Team, was a short but intense book. I say short because it only took me three days to get through it. My Kindle told me it would take me around three hours to read it, which doesn't sound right for a 334page book, but sure enough, i zipped right through it. Part of the book involved a deep cover spy called Tom who was starting to lose his real self to this person he was to pretend to be. Very touch and go for him to remind himself he has another "real" life and that this "Tom" is not who he really is. And then he must live with the guilt of becoming part of and participating in the deadly activities of an arms dealer to rebels and terrorists.
Only three more days until Jack McDevitt's next Alex Benedict book drops into my library.
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PatH, I am almost 3/4 of the way through Octavia Gone. It took me a wee bit to warm up to it, but since then it is okay. Not great, IMO. McDevitt managed to get a little bit of an archaeological find in it, and a discovery that will go undisclosed by request, but the main mystery is the disappearance of and renewed search for an experimental station, not to collect artifacts, but to discovery what happened.
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Well, Jack Campbell's latest dropped into my library yesterday. Of course, I have to put off reading it because the latest Expanse book finally was ready for me at the online library. So, now I've stopped what I was reading to start on that. There is a time gap between book 7 and book 8. The new Empire appears to be well established now. Still waiting for Amazon to start showing Season 4 episodes, the production of which finished more than a month ago.
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I did a marathon read yesterday and finished the Expanse Book 8, Tiamat's Wrath. The series spans decades. Jim Holden is somewhere close to sixty now by my reckoning. More new characters are introduced and several characters are lost. One crew member, though killed, comes back modified. My sister will like that since she likes the Undead type of stories. This opens up a whole new phase in the evolution of the saga, I think.
It is almost time to pick up another Lending Library read. I expect to switch back to book 4 of the Expeditionary Force series. Gosh, this switching back and forth a pain, but since I only get one a month, I don't want to get too far behind in either story lest I forget where I left off in the story-line. That also means, with my other reading, I am likely going to have to drop reading the Star Nomad series that I started for a while. Actually, I was rereading the first of that series when I stopped for the Expanse book.
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Frybabe, I realize I never told you what I thought of Neogenesis. I'm with you in being less interested in many of the younger characters, and that includes the rejuvenated Daav and Ailliana, who so far don't have much character. I've got other quibbles too. Lee and Miller are overdoing some of their standard tricks. The Tree is way overdoing its role of deus ex machina, and being absurdly prescient about what's going to be needed. There's also a lot of people turning their minds inward, seeing swirls of color, maybe marred with dust, and tweaking them mentally to do everything from catch a person's mood, to healing them, to trouble-shooting a computer, to saving the universe. Perhaps I was crabby when I read it. My knee was still hurting a lot.
That said, I enjoyed the book enough to want to continue reading the series. I hope we don't have too many AIs as characters though; some of them didn't have very interesting personalities.
Kamele is evolving in an interesting way. It must be unnerving to learn that a lengthy liaison was constantly overlooked by one's partner's lifemate.
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Can't disagree with you Pat. The younger set is into magical superpowers, so I guess Lee and Miller are trying in a minor way to incorporate something similar. But I could be wrong. Anyway, the bunch of books I got are all in the older, more traditional (if there is one) settings.
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Pat, I gave up real quick on Hyperion in audio book form. I think I need to read that in print so I can take a little time deciphering what they are talking about. All that tree/leaf stuff at the beginning had me confused (or annoyed) from the getgo.
Oh, just the other day, I listened to The Dispatcher by John Scalzi. I got it free on one of Audiobook's monthly promotions. It is only between 2 and 3 hours in length. What an interesting concept. If you are killed or about to die you get a chance at getting your life back through the services of a dispatcher. Of course there is the legal side and then there are the shady deals. I liked it. I see he will be a featured author at the American Library Association, June 20-25. He will also be in DC for the National Book Festival on August 31 as a feature author. I occasionally think about going to the National Book Festival, but always talk myself out of it. My library system used to sponsor a trip, but for some reason the last two years, they went with a cultural and craft fair on the Mall.
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Soooo, Pat, I found these on YouTube. They thoroughly convinced me that I did the right thing about returning the Audible version. This book really needs to be read rather than listened to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owAhwfJ-Z5Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLy_ksIjaq8
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Frybabe, I could never listen to that book. Even reading it, I had to keep looking back in an effort to keep everyone straight. I wouldn't stand a chance with audio. And after watching that first video, I wonder if it should even be a movie. Its weirdness and awfulness is hard to stage.
I thought I didn't like it, but it definitely has something, and looking at that video, and recalling memorable bits makes me think it's one of those books I have to read twice to get it.
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I got Scalzi's The Dispatcher out of the library. Yes, it's an interesting concept. I like the way Scalzi takes oddball concepts like that and uses them as the basis for investigational novels.
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I am hoping that Scalzi writes a few more of his Lock In series.
I finished reading Jack Campbell's latest Genesis book, Triumphant, ends that offshoot in the Lost Fleet universe. According to his web post last year, he is giving Black Jack a break while he works on other projects, like another trilogy set in his fantasy series The Pillars of Reality. It also looks like he is working on ideas to continue the Lost Fleet series and including some of the characters of the Lost Stars series. Looking forward to that, but I don't expect to see anything for a year or two.
So now I am back to catching up on some of the Liaden Universe short stories and novellas. I just finished a novella called Degrees of Separation which is about Don Eyr and Serena who I honestly don't remember from their main line of books, but is set partly on Liad in Low Port. This is a prequel to a short story, "Block Party", which is set on Surebleak. I just now skimmed that one and will likely go back and read it a little later since there it is free to read up on the Baen site. It actually looked a bit uninteresting, though, at first glance.
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I just got my hands on the Liaden Constellation IV, which contains both those stories. Block Party doesn't start off very interesting, but it's just getting going. I don't remember those characters either.
I'm finally going to read the Genesis series--got the first one from my library, along with one of the later books in Charles Stross' Laundry series, which is kind of deteriorating.
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Pat, if you haven't run across "The Beggar King", when reading the Liaden shortstories, it is a great little piece that describes how Daav and Clarence O'Berin met. Clarence, you may recall, is the Juntavas Boss of Lower Port.
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I haven't been reading any science fiction the last week or so. There have been other things that caught my attention. But, as I continue on reading the historical fantasy, River of Stars, I've gotten more and more interested in the characters, the culture and events of China still under the influence of the bureaucracy built by Confucius, the rituals and moral tabboos.
Because I want to reread Marco Kloos' Frontline series, I decided to spend the money to by the whole series. I did not want to tie up my once a month Lending library with it. I am still working through the Expeditionary Force and the Galaxy's Edge series' which I have been alternating each month. Marco Kloos has a new series out called the Palladium Wars. It follows a former prisoner of war who is trying to find his way home. The prisoners are being released with a limited-time pass to get out of the winning side's territory and some money. The prisoners find and pay for their own way home, and of course, the scalpers are ready and waiting to accommodate them at a greatly increased price. Of course, I have to read the rest.
Just found news this morning that the The Expanse Season 4 will premier on December 13. Now if Showtime would only get off their butts and get moving with the HALO mini series. They have their directors/producers and such, but they only have two characters cast so far.
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I finally got around to starting Jack Campbell's Genesis Fleet series, by reading Vanguard. Nice read, finishing with one of his "it's a long chance, but it's possible we could have won this way" battles. It's amusing to see the forebears of familiar characters too. My library system has enough copies that I'll be able to finish the series slowed down mostly by the slowness of moving held books to somewhere I can actually get them.
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This is in "the things you run across" department.
I've been watching the shipping webcams on the St. Clair River. Last week I noticed a "pleasure boat" named Plan B plying the river. Naturally, I thought of Clan Korval. Now yesterday, one of the posters in the chat discussion used the word proly instead of probably, just like the Surebleak characters.
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That's amusing, Frybabe.
I finished the Genesis Fleet trilogy. It's amusing and a little sad to see the Alliance starting out as the way to save the colonies, when by the end of the two Lost Fleet series it's increasingly overrun with evil politicians who nearly destroy everyone with an automated fleet run amok.
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I decided to try out Martha Wells and her Murderbot Diaries series. All Systems Red is narrated by a Cyborg security unit who named itself Murderbot. What a depressing nickname to give oneself. I expect there will be an explanation at some point. What I got from the description of the books is that the stories involve an identity struggle regarding what it means to be a cyborg and its desire to become autonomous. I've seen the books described as pretty standard fare, but fun to read. I'll let you know.
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Okay, looks like a whole month has gone by already.
First, some news. We have an actually SciFi reader now up on the Library Bookshelf in SeniorsnadFriends. He is a friend of SoPBubble's and is from Brazil. If you have a chance, go over and say hi.
Now for the books. I have finished the second of the Murderbot series and have the third on hold. Interesting character, and like I said a fast, easy read - both of them.
I am not into the sixth of the Galaxy's Edge series I am reading. Interesting characters who deal in military ops, black ops and spying. Lots of who do you trust issues and
"Murphy" strikes again just when you think everything is going well. This latest book seems to be setting up one character for super powers. Not into that.
Downloaded Patricia Cornwell's Quantum a few days ago. This one comes with embedded video and animation, so I'll be checking that out later in the month. Amazon actually classifies this one as a thriller.
Gotta go, the critters are looking for a snack.
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Frybabe, thanks for nudging me to welcome Waltermar. I feel like I want to tell him everything at once, which would be overwhelming, but I'll try to feed in suggestions gradually.
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After Altered Carbon, it took me a while to come down off that "high" and finally settled on reading Alan Nourse's Star Surgeon. It is an interesting but not complex story that follows a trio of provisional doctors on their first patrol without supervision. The success of the patrol will determine whether or not they are given permanent status as doctors. Of course, one of the provisionals is not from Earth and has to deal with discrimination, bigotry and prejudice, and down-right hatred.
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Well, this is interesting. I was looking at other works by Alan Nourse and discovered that he wrote a book called Bladerunner. It is not to be confused with Blade Runner the movie, which mostly just used the name. I read this article from Wikipedia about the book. Now I am going to have to sit myself down and read that book as well as read the Philip K. Dick's Do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep?, and the two short stories by Dick, "Imposter" and "Minority Report". I do not remember reading Dick's book but I did read John Scalzi's spoof novel. Other than clips, I have not seen the Blade Runner and Minority Report movies, and I never even heard of Imposter.
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Dick's book is quite different from the movie, not so much in the dystopian background world as in plot. I read the book first, and I think that's the best way. About a dozen movies have been made from Dick's stories; at the moment I can only think of Total Recall and A Scanner Darkly in addition to the ones you mention.
I recently read The Other Wind, Ursula K. LeGuin's final winding up (that makes two) of the Earthsea trilogy. Earthsea lovers, which I think you are not, will want to read it, but although it has the mystical atmosphere of the other books, the story is pretty thin.
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Pat, I gave up on Do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep? real quick. I had better luck with Scalzi's spoof of the book, but even that seemed a convoluted romp, not making a whole lot of sense. I think Scalzi's sense of humor helped me get through his book. I didn't know Total Recall was written by Dick until a week or so ago. I have only read a very few of Dick's short stories long ago and wasn't overly impressed as I recall.
I read Alan Nourse's Star Surgeon last week. I rather like his stories.
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PatH, here is a description of the newest Laiden Universe book being released in December. https://www.baen.com/accepting-the-lance.html
I am, at the moment, between SciFi books reading a bit about ancient commerce and economics, and the first of the Tier One thriller series, as well as listening to a non-fiction book by Brigadier General (Ret) Robert Spalding which I think I mentioned in the Non-Fiction section. My listen to Starship Troopers did not last very long. The story is okay. The narrator was okay, but didn't make the story seem very interesting or exciting. I finished Martha Wells' Exit Strategy which was the fourth (and final, I think) of the Murderbot series. Also finished the second of the Altered Carbon series by Richard K. Morgan, Broken Angels. This last one, is not Noir like the first. It focuses on an archaeological find and all the players who hope to gain from the new technology found.
On hold are Invisible Planets, translated and edited by Ken Liu, and the next of the Altered Carbon series, Woken Furies.
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Thanks, Frybabe. That's not a very useful description, is it. Either of us could have written it from what we already know. It'll be a while before I find out more. My library doesn't think Lee and Miller are worth buying, I'm not willing to pay $25 for a hardback, nor sacrifice the space, and I don't do ebooks. Am I right in thinking the title comes from one of the Clutch Turtle dance/martial moves?
I finally got around to reading John Scalzi's The Collapsing Empire and The Consuming Fire. They're pleasant enough reads, though I had to work hard to keep the alliances straight. Maybe when the third one comes out it'll be easier, since a lot of the characters have already killed each other off. The different ways sci-fi writers get around the speed of light in travel amuse me, and this is a nice variation.
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You are not wrong, Pat. I went on the hunt because I couldn't remember, but here it is on Fandom's site. https://liaden.fandom.com/wiki/Clutch_Turtles The end of the last book left the Clutch Turtles ship hovering over Surebleak. Sniffing around the ARC readers comment site, it look like all out war with the Department, and I saw a reviewer mention that a lot is going on with old friends and new showing up in the book. Sounds intense.
I don't think The Collapsing Empire series is among Scalzi's best work. After reading the first book, I wasn't sure I wanted to continue the series, but did anyway. There is a new one scheduled for next year. I really hope he is working on another Haden's Syndrome book. Head On was just as good as Lock In , and I don't even care for sports.
While waiting to pick up Ken Liu's Invisible Planets I read two of Arthur C. Clarke's short stories. The first was "Travel by Wire", his first published story, and "How We Went to Mars" which is a riot.
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That's quite a site. We were both saying we missed the turtles. Maybe they heard us. I hope the book is intense. I've felt the books were losing their touch somewhat.
You're right about the Scalzi. Not his best, but it was OK for fill-in reading. The first one, especially was thin in actual plot. And although it fitted the characters well, I didn't appreciate 10% of the words beginning with f. Plus the second ended with some deus ex machina touches.
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Sunday's New York Times Magazine had a very good article about how sci-fi writer Ken Liu's translations have transformed the impact of Chinese sci-fi on the western world.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/magazine/ken-liu-three-body-problem-chinese-science-fiction.html (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/magazine/ken-liu-three-body-problem-chinese-science-fiction.html)
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Great article, Pat, and long. His short story book, Invisible Planets is ready to go back to the library. “The Fish of Lijiang” is one of the stories in it, along with several that I had already read elsewhere.
I am now reading Accepting the Lance which was released on Dec. 3. Lots of things going on in this book. They added new characters and brought back some of the older characters for the show down between the Department of Interior and Clan Koval. I don't know whether the fight between the two will be resolved in this book or will continue. Suffice it to say that new alliances are being forged or strengthened. It is definitely not disappointing.
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Coincidentally, I just got my hold request for his Broken Stars from the library.
I thought of you when I read of Liu's reaction to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. What a hoot.
It's good to hear Accepting the Lance is good. I may not be able to wait for the paperback.
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Oh, Dear! ;D
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Well, I see I started a thriller that I forgot I started, along with Spalding's audio book which also has not been touched for a while. My audio time is being taken up by L. Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth, all 248 chapters of it. I must say the pace is frantic and does holds my interest. I am half way through it now.
I finished Accepting the Lance. One character I expected to see was the Uncle, but he didn't show up, nor was he mentioned.
The only other SciFi I am reading right now is a first of series freebie I got a while back called Prototype D, by Jason D. Morrow. It is about a scientist and her project to program emotions into robots for the military. So far it is holding my interest but that's about it. I'm not very far into it yet.
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Have you ever heard of Hugo Gernsback? I don't remember the name, but it turns out he founded Amazing Stories. His Ralph 124C 41+: A Romance of the Year 2660 was originally published in Modern Electrics in 1925. This one is the second, updated edition. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60944 The two preface and forward paragraphs are particularly interesting. Well, it is now in my enormous collection of TBRs.
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Yes, I have heard of him, though I think I've never read any of his stories. The Hugo Award is named after him. In my youth, Amazing was thought of as more pulpy than Astounding, but it gave a bunch of good writers a start. My father was a serious fan, and subscribed to just about all of the S-F magazines, so I got to read anything I wanted.
Let me know how he reads now.
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Battlefield Earth is almost done. Yea! What a story. The Scots play a very prominent part in the story what with their tenacious, can do, do or die, attitude. Love it!
Also, I am almost finished reading The Caledonian Gambit by Dan Moren. Huh! Yet another nod to the Scots and Irish through place and family names as well as lots of red hair and a penchant for riots and subversive (resistance) activities against the conquering empire. One of the main characters (a fighter pilot) is a little too wimpy and whiny for my tastes, but that is later explained, along with his fear of flying as PTSD. It is an interesting space opera type story without much science in it. Moren specializes in SciFi-Espionage stories. This is his first, I believe.
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I have been expanding my genre tastes. There are several fantasy series I have in my Audible collection now including some of Michael Sullivan's works. This morning I ran across something that looks very interesting indeed, the Legend of the Storm Hawks (Rootstock Saga Book 1) by L.H. Leonard. Here is a promo for the book with an excerpt from BookLife. https://booklife.com/project/legend-of-the-storm-hawks-rootstock-saga-book-1-43796 It is a whopping 704 pages. Scheduled release will be in January on KIndle, I hope an Audible version will be released eventually.
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I finished two freebie Targon Tales series books by Chris Reher. These are squarely in the space opera genre. Her stories are nicely done and the characters are personable. They are light , enjoyable reading and not unreasonably long. Here is a little about the author. https://www.chrisreher.com/about.html I am tempted to shell out real bucks to read the rest since they are not available to borrow.
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We can always use some more good space opera. Thanks.
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I finally finished Battlefield Earth. My very favorite sequence was that of the dealings with the galactic Factors (investment bankers/lawyers). My favorite character names were Terl and Rotodeeter Snowl, pronounced like now. The narration was overall very good, but I could have done without so much grunt as background sounds. Music was just so-so, not my style.
The other oversized audio book I have is the complete Barsoom (John Carter) series at a little over 52 hours. It is not next on my listening agenda. Battlefield Earth as just over 46 hours.
Today, I'll be downloading the next Galaxy's Edge series book to read. After that, the next SciFi will likely be to continue reading the Targon Tales series.
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PatH have you ever run across J.-H. Rosny aîné? His books are precious scarce to find in English (which means they are expensive). Early Belgian SciFi writer who, not unsurprisingly, wrote in French. He is compared to H. G. Wells. His book The Quest for Fire was the inspiration for the movie (1981) of the same name. i remember seeing that. I think it was Ron Perlman's first movie. I don't remember him in it, but I do remember Rae Dawn Chong. If I remember correctly the movie got lots of acclaim for the costume/makeup crew and the guy who created the language.
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No, Frybabe, I don't think I ever heard of him. I don't remember the movie, either. It would be interesting to track him down, but as you point out, too expensive.
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I see Amazon has a few reasonably priced paperbacks of some of his other books, but not of A Quest for Fire. And Abe Books has a ton of cheap copies of La Guerre du Feu. We just need to brush up our French.
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As predicted, I didn't wait for the paperback of Accepting the Lance. I got it at Powell's on the latest Portland trip. As you said, lots of things going on. I wondered, on finishing it, if it was to be the last. They wind up a lot of things, and leave Surebleak and Korval headed toward a new identity. But there are lots of loose ends, and possibilities for future events. Besides, it's hard to imagine that Lee and Miller can stop tinkering with the Liaden Universe.
I have my answer already. Fantastic Fiction has now announced Trader's Leap, to come out in December 2020. I remember the phrase from Balance of Trade, but here it seems to mean a leap of faith into the future, and the book will deal with Shan's efforts to improve Korval's trade. We'll see in a year.
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Super, Pat. After seemingly waiting so long for the last one, we are getting another in relatively short order.
What I am reading now, finally, is Station Eleven. It is engrossing and at times the events are unexpected. The connections between the people are not necessarily clear at first and are sometimes surprising. None of the characters seem to stand out more than the others; what seems more important are the events surrounding them and how they (the events) weave in and out of the characters' lives.
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Station Eleven was engrossing as is the audio book I am listening to - The Faded Sun Trilogy by C. J. Cherryh. This is also a "social" SciFi story of sorts, though set off world. Even more than Station Eleven, if find the trilogy absolutely fascinating to the point that I spent most of yesterday afternoon and evening listening to it. I finally had to put it down at 11:30pm, and then it took me a few minutes to settle down. The narrator is excellent. His delivery is smooth, flowing and almost poetic.
When I went looking for a glossary of names and terms, I discovered I had read another Cherry novel several years ago - Downbelow Station - which, it turns out is also part of a series. I've ordered the two books that, storywise, come before it. These two were repackaged into on volume, but it was less expensive to buy the two separately.
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I didn't want to bore everyone in the Library about my SciFi reads, so I am elaborating here on the book very interesting novel I just finished called The Universe - or Nothing by Meyer Moldeven which the author released on Project Gutenberg via the Creative Commons. When I went looking for info on the author I found this interview. https://www.govloop.com/member-of-the-week-meyer-moldeven-a-93-year-young-member/ Another book, The Interstellar Slingshot, appears to be the same, but with a different title and maybe a few differences, like the main character's name which is Brad in Universe is Jesse in Slingshot. At any rate, the book comes with an epilogue and an afterward, and includes an appendix and references. The appendix includes "Principles of Governance Among Nations in Space" written by the Associate General Counsel for the Smithsonian Institution and reported in The Futurist, page 60, May-June 1990. I found the issue, but this article was not listed on the preview page for back issues that I found. So, I don't know if the article is real or not. Considering the name of the Asst. General Counsel is not listed, it is suspect. Nevertheless there are and have been for quite some time, treaties and such regarding space law (Astolaw), rules of conduct and territorial issues that may come up. The book can also be found on ManyBooks.net Good story, worth reading.
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That's an interesting bio, Frybabe. Since he was 93 in 2010, he's very likely no longer around. I wonder if he knew my brother-in-law, who also worked at Wright Pat after WWII, having become an engineer via the GI Bill.
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I just got hold of Ken Liu's book of stories, The Hidden Girl. which our library just got. For once I was almost at the top of the hold line.
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Let me know how you like it. I need to put it on my list.
I am in the midst of the last of the first Galaxy's Edge series, Retribution, and still listening to Age of Myth (Book one) of a fantasy series mentioned in the Library.
Imagine me reading fantasy. It reminds me of Steph. What would see say? I still think of her on occasion, especially now that I am reading fantasy too.
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I sure am making a lot of typos lately that I am not catching. Bummer! My fingers seem to want to type a word other than the one I am thinking.
I've finished Retribution and with it the end of the first Galaxy's Edge series. There are two more series in the same universe to read. I am sure some of the characters will show up in them here and there. I also have a short story on both Ebook and Audible which i have read.
Now I am reading Rocannan's World. I had already read "Semley's Necklace" but here it is as prologue to the novel. I wasn't overly fond of the story, but reread it to refresh my memory. The necklace takes on something of an important role in the novel, at least in "Part 1: The Starlord".
As for The Age of Myth, it is finally drawing me in more tightly to the story. At first I was having more trouble following the action and characters. From the descriptions of the inhabitants the story seems to be set with at least one of the groups just getting into the Iron Age, but most of the descriptions seem to depict groups at the end of the Iron Age and the beginning of the Dark Ages, but prior to Christianity. I was surprised to hear the name Caractacus mentioned. The real Caractacus gave the Romans a very hard time when they invaded Britain under Emperor Claudius. He also was the head of the Silures who controlled southeastern Wales ;D and for a time, Cornwall. There are those who believe that the knights in armor are Gods, and they come with advisors and teachers who amount to wizards . The farmer/hunters have their foreseers who read the future in bones, and who believe in goblins, demons and such. Some are beginning to suspect such beliefs as nonsense. I keep falling asleep on the story so have to go back and relisten a little more than I'd like.
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I think Rocannon's World is the first of her Hainish series. She hadn't yet gotten slick about describing the anthropology of her worlds, but it's a good story. One of that series that I like, though it's short and hasn't made much of a splash, is The Word for World is Forest.
I make even more typos on my new laptop than before, because its touch is so light, and autocorrect adds some doozies. It's a good thing I'm still a compulsive proofreader, or my posts would be a mess.
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Yes, too short. I didn't want to leave Rocannon's world so soon. Now I am in the middle of Planet of Exile, which I am also enjoying. I think the next in the Hainish cycle is City of Illusions. I read the short stories in The Wind's Twelve Quarters eons ago, but will go back and pick out the Hainish Cycle and if they were not incorporated in the novels like "Semley's Necklace", reread them. i
I have finished Age f Myth and must now decide which audio book to listen to next, the next in the series or something else.
I suddenly have an urge to reread Elizabeth Moon's Remnant Population. I probably will not though, because I have so many worthy (and some unworthy) books that remain unread as yet. Sigh!
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There's nothing wrong with abandoning your TBR pile to read an old favorite, Frybabe. I do that a lot, especially with bedtime reading. And Remnant Population stands up well to rereading. I haven't read Planet of Exile or City of Illusions, though I've read most of the rest of the cycle. The one I could never get through is the greatly admired The Dispossessed. There is also Four Ways to Forgiveness, four loosely connected stories about a rather confusing two-planet civilization.
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Pat, I originally did not care for "Semley's Necklace", but since I reread it in conjunction with Rocannon's World it faired better. I had the same gee I want more feeling for Planet of Exile. In that one I could truly feel the struggles and fears of the people involved, and felt a strong empathy for them. Now, City of Illusions, so far, is not doing a thing for me. The stories I didn't care much for were from the Earth/Sea series, I think. It was so long ago that I started on the short stories in The Wind's Twelve Quarters that I forget what all was in there except for Semley. At any rate, a bunch of the stories I didn't care for and never finished, I see, them, only reading the first eight. I'll have to go through them again. The only other novels of hers I read are The Lathe of Heaven, The Dispossessed, and The Left Hand of Darkness.
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The Lathe of Heaven and The Left Hand of Darkness are two of my favorites. Lathe has the additional appeal for me of taking place in Portland, so a lot of the places are familiar. I always hoped I would spot her somewhere, as we would have gone to some of the same places, but I never did.
I wrote in the Poetry section of her translations from Spanish of the poems of Gabriela Mistral, which I like a lot.
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I tried listening to Larry Niven's first of series Ringworld. It just did not appeal to me at all. The narrator was fine, the beginning just didn't entice me to read further. Maybe I will try it again later. I know lots of people liked it.
I've finished rereading Way Station by Clifford D. Simak and Joe Haldeman's Forever War (first of trilogy), may or may not reread the other two. Haven't decided.
I am not trying out some old Scifi books. The first is called The Red Planet by William John Locke. Although I have it in my SciFi folder, so far it doesn't seem to be science fiction, but if following a disabled war Vet around his local neighborhood. I like the story. The second is called Space Viking by H. Beam Piper. I only read into it a page or two. It looks good too.
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Frybabe, I never got anywhere with Ringworld either.
I forget if you've read anything by Piper. He wrote Little Fuzzy, and several sequels. John Scalzi retold Little Fuzzy as Fuzzy Nation, an improvement over the original in my opinion. I see Space Viking is part of a series, which I didn't realize. I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.
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I didn't know that it was part of a series either. Will look into it.
Yes, I read both Little Fuzzy and Fuzzy Nation. In fact, after I read Fuzzy Nation, I went back and read Little Fuzzy again since it had been a while.
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Have you read Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice? What an interesting novel. Not so much because of the story itself, but the main character especially holds my attention. Now, I am not at all into Zombies, the Walking Dead or their equivalents, but it took a little while to figure out that is just about what the main character/narrator is, or at least, his body is. So, now I am hooked. Part of the "corpse corps" he/she/it once controlled twenty bodies at once, and before that a ship for around a thousand years. The story unwinds by swinging back and forth between past and present. The description of the character reminds me of something between the Borg and the adherents of the Underverse from Chronicles of Riddick. I have yet to get to how this mind got from "being" a ship, then a commander of 20 bodies, and then got disconnected from the rest. The book is also something of a gender bender.
Ancillary Justice, which was Leckie's debut novel won the 2014 Hugo Award for "Best Novel", the Nebula Award, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Locus Award, the BSFA Award, and four others. Quite an accomplishment. Her next two in the series, Ancillary Sword also won the BSFA Award , and both it and Ancillary Mercy garnered the Locus Award.
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Well, that didn't take long. I have finished Ancillary Justice already. Very well done. I highly recommend it for those who don't mind the narrator's present/past remembrance switches and attempts to fit into a "gender-blind" society. There is an interview at the end where Leckie explains how she came up with and dealt with the main character narration. In her Acknowledgements section, she had high praise for libraries stating that "...I'm not sure it's possible to have too many of them". I have the next in the series on hold. Her newest book, The Raven Tower, published just last year is getting some high praises also. It is a fantasy.
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Frybabe, I did read Ancillary Justice, and liked it, though I had a harder time than you in figuring things out, don't think I did as good a job. I mean to read the other two, but first must go back and reread Justice, to remind myself.
Somehow, I'm having trouble reading much, listening to music, too, which is silly, but this epidemic puts me into an odd, edgy mood, and it's hard to concentrate.
Speaking of music, I wonder what's with our sister site. I hope it's just something that has happened before, some administrative glitch with the provider. I'd hate to lose track of some of the people.
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Pat, I have not had any trouble as of this morning, but several people have complained about not being able to get in with Firefox or Chrome browsers. Right now, I am using Microsoft Edge and, surprisingly, liking it. Edge is now using Chrome technology.
One thing I noticed about Ancillary Justice is that, and Leckie acknowledged, she based some of the societal structure of the Radch is based somewhat on the Roman Empire. She was mainly talking about the religious aspects, but I thought the military structure was similar. The religious ceremonies reminded my more of Buddhist or Hindi ceremonies. I would have liked an explanation as to why it was so important for all the Radch to wear gloves, how they came about that custom. Yes, it is worth reading again.
I know what you mean about being a bit to distracted and fidgety to read/listen much. I went through that, too, even though my routine did not change much. Strange.
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I'm glad the website is still there. I haven't been able to get in for some days with Safari, which is all I have on my current computer and phone. I'll catch up when the problem gets solved.
I noticed the Roman-ness too.
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Well, I was mistaken. Safari is not working for one or two either. I suspect an incompatibility between the OS and the applications until one or the other catches up with an update. The gals over on Seniors and Friends suggest switching browsers. I believe Rammel is looking into the problem from the server end.
I was having a different kind of problem the day before yesterday, but it cleared up after I updated my drivers which MS said were up-to-date, but my HP support program said weren't. It still would not work right until I shut down and completely powered the machine off for a while. Must have been a bit stuck somewhere.
I didn't care for H. Beam Piper's Space Tug, so now I have waiting Jack London's The Red Plague which is his one and only novel considered a post-apocalyptic SciFi. I will probably bounce back and forth between that and Autumn Bridge the next book after Cloud of Sparrows.
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I am now well into the second audio book of the Michael J. Sullivan's Legends of the First Empire series. Now I can loosely narrow down the time period for this series to the end of the Iron Age and beginning of the modern. The author mentions Caratacus several times (mostly in the past tense). The real Caratacus was born around 15AD. Elves, dwarves, giants, wizards and mystics still exist in this world, but new ideas, ways of doing things, inventions (like saws circa 100BC-15AD), and weaponry are challenging the old ways and surpassing them. Collectively called The World of Elan, Sullivan has written four series which each include both books(about 20 so far) and short stories. Sullivan also wrote a stand-alone time travel SciFi novel, Hollow World. It might be worth checking into.
After starting and discarding several novels (SciFi and Thriller), I finally settled on Robert Silverberg's Hawksbill Station. It is, so far, keeping me interested.
I am also itching to pick up my hard copy of C. J. Cherryh's Hard Time to be followed by Hellburner, both of which are set in her Company Wars universe as is Downbelow Station which I've already read.
BTW, Elizabeth Moon's Remnant Population, which I like so much, will soon be out in audio book form. I may or may not get it depending on how well I think the narrator treats it.
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Now that I have finished the second of Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch series (Ancillary Sword), I am ready to start the third. This series is more what I would call social SciFi. The protagonist of the series must navigate, not only his ship, but all the social, cultural and gender norms of the different peoples he engages with. The gender references can be a bit confusing, so if you start the series, pay particular attention to the description of how the different cultures refer to themselves. Mostly, though, it seems regardless whether you are a he or she, they seem to refer to everyone as a she. The business of wearing gloves in public was a little odd, but the why of that got explained in book two. I already downloaded book three, but will start that after I finish up the first of Greg Alanson's offshoot of his popular Expeditionary Force series, Mavericks: Deathtrap which follows the part of the force that was left behind at a planet they call Paradise.
BTW, while the Expeditionary Force series is fun and has an number of memorable characters, I think Ann Leckie's series give you more to think about regarding cultural norms, not only in the books, but in real life too. It also reminds you that direct translations of different language can sometimes get you because of differing cultural understanding of the word in question. Some words while the direct translation may be "correct" in literal terms, the word may be an insult in another culture.
I haven't listened to my audio book the last few days--must get back to that, too.
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Frybabe, you've convinced me that I should reread Ancillary Justice, then go on to the other two. I think I'll get it more completely the second time. Now all I have to do is find the book.
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Pat, the Leckie series reminds me that I probably should reread Le Guin's The Left Had of Darkness which also covers gender and cultural differences. I did get around to reading her Rocannan's World and Planet ofExile, both of which I really liked. Can't remember if I read City of Illusions, think I did but can't quite remember what all it was about. Well worth reading again, too.
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The Left Hand of Darkness is definitely worth rereading. I see you were in the discussion we had of it ten years ago. That's the last time I reread it, maybe it's good for another, if I can pull out of my reading slump.
For a whole lifetime, I've been trying unsuccessfully to get JoanK to like science fiction, but she liked that one. Perhaps it appealed to her sociologist training, or her love of reading about mountaineering.
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Continuing on with the fantasy series I am listening to, Age of Swords is pretty exciting. I already decided that this whole series is going to get a re-listen in the future, and I am only on the third entry now. The narrator is fantastic. How he manages to keep all the character voices straight is beyond me. The story and characters are memorable, and I love hearing some of the names.
Finally, I have picked up my hard copy of Heavy Time by C. J. Cherryh which has been staring at me for several months. I mistyped the title on my last post of May 14. It is set in the same universe as Downbelow Station. The other SciFi read I started is Sector 64: Ambush by Dean M. Cole. It started out well, but it is starting to lose its appeal already. It is another of the benevolent vs. bad guy alien books in which the humans of the newly discovered Earth become involved in an alien war. I don't think I am in the mood for that just now.
I see a group of scientists from the University of Nottingham are now estimating that there are 36 intelligent life forms in our galaxy. Even Forbes is reporting it. I guess that will be of interest to all those marketers who hope to expand their product territories. ;D
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It's even quieter than usual on SeniorLearn. I finally ran across my copy of Ancillary Justice, and have put it in my bedside pile. We'll see if I reread it.
I see that Scalzi's The Last Emperox is out now. It's going to have to wait until library books are easily available--not worth a special effort.
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What a story Heavy Time is! I finished it yesterday. Fantastic storytelling. Once again C. H. Cherryh had me totally engrossed in the story and the characters. A tale of corporate greed and malfeasance on a ore processing and shipbuilding station, Cherryh brings together a cast of characters ranging from young newbie, naïve ore prospectors to the old hands, from those who are suppressed by "the system" and find ways to work around it as best they can to those who know how to "play" the system, from political activists to don't rock the boaters. It is a tale of murder, cover-ups, and the psychological, physical and financial damage wreaked upon those unknowingly caught in the middle.
Yes, I have had my eye on The Last Emperox also. I agree the series is not worth a special effort. IMO, it is a rather "ordinary" series, good reading but not outstanding. I am sincerely hoping he does another in the Lock-In series. I can find no clue as to what he might write about next. His daily blog is always well thought out and interesting. https://whatever.scalzi.com/
Andy Weir's next book: https://www.tor.com/2020/03/27/andy-weir-ryan-gosling-the-hail-mary-science-fiction-mgm/ Another person/group saves the world book. Not sure I will be interested.
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I've flubbed my chance to read The Last Emperox. When my library started adding back services, I neglected to see where they were with resuming filling hold requests. Since I was #1 in line, almost a first for me, I immediately got a chance to get it. Safe ways of getting anywhere are a rare and precious commodity for me, not to be wasted on a lukewarm book like that. Too bad I didn't suspend my hold. If you do that, when they reinsert you it's at the same number you had, so I could have gotten the book later with very little notice. Somehow I'm not crying over it.
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I still have it in my wish list for now and have not put it on hold yet. Right now I have three non-fiction books to read, two of which I have started.
In my daily Project Gutenberg rummage, I discovered a Mary Wollstonecraft dystopian novel that looks interesting. It is a plague story called The Last Man.http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18247 I don't know when I will get around to reading it though.
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Frybabe, I'll be interested to see what you think of The Last Man. I own it, but only read a fraction of it before getting bogged down. The characters are based on the group of intellectuals Shelley was a part of, and continue all the arguments the group used to have.
According to Wikipedia, the book was inspired by an earlier work, Le Dernier Homme (1805), an interesting take on the end of humanity, with a religious component.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Dernier_Homme
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PatH, I thought you'd like a partial report on Scalzi's The Last Emperox. The first few pages of the Epilogue reminded me so very much of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It sound so much like Douglas Adams "voice". Most of Book Two I skipped. I had forgotten about the foul-mouthed character from the second book. She was back in spades in that chapter. On to Book Three and I am now at into Chapter Nine, where I am back with the Emperox and her side of things. So, it is getting more interesting, but not yet especially compelling. One thing I did especially like was that in the prologue, we are given an itemized sequence of events of actions in the previous two books.
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Frybabe, that prologue is a game changer for me. Now I can take any chance I get of reading the third book, without having to reread the other two to remember all the different factions and characters, and who's still alive. Thanks.
Still, not Scalzi at his best.
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I agree, Pat. I just have not "bonded" with any of the characters in this series, although the whole premise of the story, the upcoming loss of "the Flow" travel lanes and how they are handling it, is interesting.
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I've finished with The Last Emperox. It did get better as I read further in. There was an "Awwww" moment which delighted me and the ending was somewhat of a surprise.
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Well, Frybabe, you've said enough to convince me that when I get a chance, I should read it. It'll be a while, though. I can't use up my precious few chances for rides yet.
I don't remember if you liked Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I was impressed at first, but it went off in a way I found tiresome, and I didn't finish it. She has now written a second book, Piranesi. The Post's reviewer, who liked the first book, likes this one too, but warns that it's effect is particularly vulnerable to spoilers, so I recommend that anyone who wants to read it take a chance without reading any reviews. (The Post's reviewer promised to be careful, but he'd already said enough to tell me what the book is like, so I stopped there.)
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Clarke's book does not ring a bell with me Pat.
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I am back to reading SciFi.
Just as I started Cliford D. Simak's Empire (only a coupte of paragraphs in) the next library hold dropped. So now I am reading A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine. A coincidence in names. Simak's Empire appears to be a tale of corporate power and greed. Martine's "Empire" appears to be more like political intrigue. So far, the tale is about a person(s) who is called upon to take over the ambassadorial duties to a neighboring empire at short notice. So here she is struggling to get used a new job with only a crash course on the Empire and the previous Ambassador, and unravel the death of her predecessor. I don't want to say to much about this one for fear of giving out spoilers. I am hooked. It is, of course, the first of a series.
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Just what I need, the first of a new space opera series. The book sounded familiar, and one look at her on Fantastic Fiction was enough. The book was a choice of the Politics and Prose fantasy/sci-fi f2f book discussion group I used to go to. Although I stopped going when I stopped driving, I've kept track of their selections, because they tend to be good, and this one looks promising. Now P & P is doing all their book groups remotely, but alas, the sci-fi group just stopped instead.
There should be quite a contrast between Simak, the classic old style giant, and Martine.
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I think you will like it Pat. The people of the Empire use often poetry or poetic syntax (is that the word I want?) to communicate, especially in "coded" messages.
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Yea! Jack Campbell has a new series set in the Lost Fleet Universe. The first, Boundless (The Lost Fleet: Outlands Book 1, will release in May of 2021.
Another of my library holds just dropped, Ken Liu's The Grace of Kings (The Dandelion Dynasty Book 1).
I am half way through A Memory Called Empire. The story remains intriguing. It is likely I will be sad to finish it.
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I finished A Memory Called Empire. It turns out that this is another first of series book. From the teaser chapter at the end of the first book, it looks like it goes on to the war with aliens threatening the empire. Initially there is no communication between the aliens and the Empire, so I expect the intrepid Ambassador will be called upon at some point to finally figure out how to communicate with them. I haven't checked the library yet to see if they have the new book.
Back again to Terry Prachett's BBC radio plays. This one was Guards, Guards which was quite a bit longer than the others so far. Robert Gwilym ,who plays Carrot, is Welsh. What a delight to here his accent.
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Even without Welsh connections, I find Welsh accents delightful to listen to. Guards, Guards is perhaps my second favorite Pratchett book, the first being the next in line, Night Watch.Two other particularly good ones come to mind: Maskerade and Monstrous Regiment.
You're the only one here who would even consider reading Trail of Lightning, which I mentioned in the Library, so I'll say a bit more. Not only is the Navaho nation a main survivor of the half drowned world, the ancient gods and spirits have awoken. The heroine is good at sniffing out and destroying monsters. It helps if you are at least a little familiar with the mythology and customs. I've picked up enough from Tony Hillerman's mysteries to help. The book is a decent example of its type, nothing special.
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Pat, I had to skip Small Gods, just didn't care for it. Night Watch is next up.
Dennis Taylor's fourth Bobverse, Heaven's River, is not residing in my Audible library. I'll be listening to that after I get done with Pratchett.
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I didn't care much for Small Gods either. Pratchett's books vary a lot in quality.
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I now have the Audible app set up on my laptop (Ubuntu Linux OS) and am having fun with their new free podcast offerings.. John Scalzi was interviewed mostly about a new upcoming novel and I started listening to the Hell Divers IV which is in my wishlist to get when it goes on sale. Now I get to listen free, but I have to get it done by 9/30. More about Scalzi's new efforts later. Suffice it to say it is not SciFi, but something more akin to what you might get from writers like Dean Koontz or Stephen KIng, more in the supernatural line.
2020 Dragon Awards:
Best Science Fiction - The Last Emperox.
Best Military Science Fiction - Savage Wars by Jason Anspach & Nick Cole. This is part of their Galaxy's Edge universe
Best Fantasy - The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Dragon Awards are open to those who register on their website to vote.
The 2020 Hugo Awards: http://www.thehugoawards.org/
I only just realized that A Memory Called Empire won for Best Novel. Not bad for her first novel. The second in this series is not due to release in March, 2021.
According to Wikipedia, "Martine said that the book was in many respects a fictional version of her postdoctoral research on Byzantine imperialism on the frontier to Armenia in the 11th century, particularly the annexation of the Kingdom of Ani." Arkady Martine is the pen name of AnnaLinden Weller, who is also an historian and city planner.
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This has got to be the a very good book for Kirkus to give it such a rave review. Have you read it perchance?
The Quantam Thief (book one of a series). It was released in 2011, but I only just heard of it. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/hannu-rajaniemi/quantum-thief/
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Those are strong words for a reviewer. No, I haven't read it, though it rings a faint bell. I probably heard of it when it came out. It sounds pretty complicated, but evidently the plot works.
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I am really enjoying Dennis E. Taylor's Heaven's River on audiobook with Ray Porter narrating. I didn't notice at first that the book is paying homage to a number of books, TV shows, movies, a scientist (but I forget who already), and probably a game or two, but I am not up on them except for HALO. I am definitely going to have to listen again and keep a notepad with me to write down all the references. Star trek and its offshoots get a lot of play, Skippy the beer can from Craig Alanson's popular Expeditionary Force series, the TV show Cheers. Much of the setting is an O'Neil Cylinder or Ringworld type of environment.
I gave up rather quickly on Simak's Empire BTW. Just wasn't in the mood for corporate empire bullying just now.
So, in between with the Scifi books. I should probably pick up my print copy of C. j. Cherryh's Hellbender. Every time I start to read it a library loan pops up after only getting a few paragraphs read. I've restart the thing three times already. I think I might be safe for now.
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I've discovered that Quantum Thief and its sequels are posted on YouTube for a free listen. Chapter One was a bit mind-bending, but I got through it with the help of recalling my minuscule knowledge of virtual reality and quantum anything that I picked up reading and watching scifi.
I am still looking for something that will be helpful in understanding Quantum anything without all the mind numbing math. This morning I checked out what Audible had and discovered an amazing number of books that have latched onto the "God particle" discussion as it applied to religion. One that looks particularly interesting explores a relationship between it and Buddhism.
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I found a glossary of terms and characters for Quantum Thief, et. al. I should have guessed, considering this is a quantum environment, that the object (a Q-Box) the thief is tasked to steal is a Schrodinger's Box. Everyone wears a watch because Time is used as currency. Interesting that some of the words are Hebrew or Hebrew based. Wikipedia's character list is great because it lists the main characters' iterations and lists the various factions and their associations.
Wikipedia on the themes of the story: Themes central to The Quantum Thief are the unreliability and malleability of memory and the effects of extreme longevity on an individual's perspective and personality. Prisons, surveillance and control in society are also major themes.
Yes, I am still listening to it. The narrator's voice is mesmerizing. [/size]
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I would have a terrible time keeping track of a book like that by listening. Even reading, I'm sure I would keep checking back to get something straight. It looks like a good read, though.
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Pat, I finished Quantum Thief yesterday afternoon and started the next, Fractal Prince this morning. Fractal Prince seems a easier to follow so far. A bare-bones synopsis of what went on in the first book is incorporated into the beginning in a very natural manner and reinforces some information/insights/assumptions/suspicions that I had come up with. The action in the second book will be on Earth for the most part.
Ken Liu's The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories dropped into my library yesterday. I look forward to reading it, but I am almost positive I read at least one, “Mono No Aware”, already.
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I've already read that one too. Don't remember where.
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I truly like, so far, the selections of short stories in The Paper Menagerie. I love especially Ken Liu's stories involving automaton.
The Fractal Prince is on hold for now. I kept getting too many interruptions, including falling asleep on it, to follow it well. So, I figure I will have to start over when I get back to it.
So now I have started listening, on YouTube, Cryptum by Karen Travis. I skipped her three HALO books a few years back because of the poor reviews by HALO fans. Her attempt to soften up the storyline and characters did not set well with the hardline military/war readers and gamers. So far it is so, so, but I am not very far in yet.
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This news is weeks old, but I get behind in following the real outside world. N. K. Jemisin has been awarded a MacArthur genius award. I've been meaning to try her books; this is one more prod.
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I haven't read any of her books either, Pat, but I have run across her books now and again.
Hellburner by C. J. Cherryh is now history. I wish she had written a third book. It just begs for a third. The main character is definitely suffering from PTSD, and late in the book, his reflections over his life lead me to believe he may believe that Dekker could be in the autism spectrum. He has definite trouble interacting and understanding people, but is very good with machines and described by some of the other characters as very intelligent. I read a forum page where someone listed her books with short notes describing many of them as being very loosely tied to the Union/Alliance universe. I really hadn't made the connection between her Faded Sun Trilogy (which I liked very much) and the others I've read.
The last of the Great Library of Alexandra series, Sword and Pen, dropped the other day, so I am reading that now.
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Frybabe, I don't know if you're interested, since I think you didn't read the first book, but a sequel just came out for Ready Player One, the dystopian future, with people living mostly in virtual reality and conducting a sort of treasure hunt involving the quirks of early computer games.
I haven't read it yet, but gave a copy to my SIL, who was enthusiastic about the first book and uses virtual reality in his hearing research. He said it starts out well, but has lots of amusing surprises, so I shouldn't read reviews that might contain spoilers. It's unsurprising title is Ready Player Two.
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I don't know why Ready Player One and the sequel don't appeal to me. After all, I did like Tron and Hackers (the movies), and The Quantum Thief, et.al. fascinated me. While not gaming per se, the series was set mostly in a post human virtual reality (or two or three). Another post human/human combo I liked was the Takeshi Kovacs series which started with Altered Carbon.
Oh, here is something weird (kind of). When I was out cleaning my car windows yesterday, I noticed a car parked next door which had a business logo on the door announcing The Umbrella Corporation "Our business is life itself". I never heard of the outfit so looked it up. It turns out that it is a part of the Resident Evil franchise. Well, I was a little surprised, but should not have been. After all, Daphne and Ken are into Zombies these days. It is a good thing Daphne gave up on the Christmas yard decorating or we may have ended up eventually seeing a Zombie Christmas display. This year, they had so many decorations for Halloween they opened their garage door and added a butcher scene.
The other day I listened to a novella called The Collector by Rhett C. Bruno. It is a prequel to his Children of Titan series which is a corporate vs. rebel thing. The main character is a corporate collector (aka: corporate bounty hunter). The story was interesting, but not interesting enough to read the series, I think. The first of series novel is called Titanborn which I think I started to read a year or so ago and very quickly lost interest. Bruno has a new book out called The Luna Missile Crisis which sound interesting. I may try that at some point.
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I can think of lots of reasons for non-appeal. The dystopia is depressing, and you have to care about the early computer games. I read it because my f2f discussion group was reading it, and did enjoy it enough that since my SIL Erick says the sequel is good, I'll read it eventually.
I miss that group. They were fun, and a good source of books I wouldn't have found otherwise. After I stopped driving I still kept track of their choices, but when the virus hit, all of Politics and Prose's groups either went virtual or shut down, and sci-fi and fantasy both shut down.
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I don't go to Facebook unless absolutely necessary, and I haven't been reading Sharon Lee's blogs, so I just found out yesterday that she has been battling breast cancer and has undergone a mastectomy and chemo treatments. According to Steve Miller in his forward to Ambient Conditions (Adventures in the Liaden Universe® Book 31), just out, Sharon has been teaching herself to write novels again after all that. A kind of writer's block maybe? I expect I would be a little muddled too, after all that. I wish her well and a speedy and permanent recover.
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Oh, dear, I hope she recovers well. Thanks for telling me, Frybabe; it would have taken me a while to learn. I think a certain amount of fuzzy-mindedness is a common side effect of chemotherapy. Don't know how long it takes to clear up.
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Pat, I just found out that Alistair Reynolds has written the fourth book in his Revelation Space series (what they are calling Inhibitor Space series these days). It is called Inhibitor Phase and will release in July of 2021. There is no description of the book yet. It seems, that Reynolds is keeping closed mouthed about the contents just yet. Another book to look forward to.
I never could get into his Revenger series, but really would like to see more, more, more of the Inspector Dreyfus books.
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Although I enjoyed the first Revelation Space book, and read it more or less straight through, for some reason I haven't tackled the others. Maybe I should try Inspector Dreyfus. My non-reading slump is lifting at last.
SIL Erick reports that Ready Player Two maintains its high quality all the way through, so I had better read it. I like the rare occasions when I can surprise them with a book they didn't know about.
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Yet another book library read just became available. I really like how I make sure to space them out according to when the library estimates a book will be available to me, and yet, they tend to drop within days of each other rather than the week's spacing I try to maintain. Sigh! Anyway, A Borrowed Man by Gene Wolfe is now waiting to be read. It is a first of series about, what else, books. It is billed as a SciFi/Mystery. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/gene-wolfs-a-borrowed-man-is-a-sci-fi-mystery-with-no-borrowed-ideas/ Interesting blog/review, it makes the book sound all that much more interesting.
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Well, it's been a while. My last post mentioned The Borrowed Man. I didn't care for it so I didn't finish it.
But I did, just this morning, finish Consider Phlebas. What an interesting book that turned out to be. And the ending! Well, it looks like it is going to be another of those loosely connected series like C. J. Cherryh's Company Wars series, which I like very much.
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Oh, here is something interesting. Elon Musk paid tribute to Banks by naming two of his autonomous drone ships after ones mentioned in the next Culture series book, The Player of Games. They are Just Read the Instructions and Of Course I Still Love You. Even so, the subject matter does not interest me much so I am checking out some of the others.
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I am now starting the third of the Culture series, Use of Weapons. This should be interesting. Told as a biography, the story is told in alternating chapters, where the timeline goes forward (listed as One, Two, etc.) time, and then backward (listed in Roman numerals) using "reverse chronology". Interesting. I will have to pay attention so I don't confuse the thread of each timeline. I have read books where a character "looks back" or where characters are followed on separate threads from chapter to chapter until they all come together at some point, but I don't think I have ever read anything with two opposing timelines for one character.
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Okay, so Use of Weapons didn't work out. I got bored with it almost half way through.'
The other day I succeeded in installing the Libby app on my oldest Kindle. It works fine, better than those apps that Amazon has what supposedly translate files to .epub or others that Kindle does not support. I can now borrow .epub files for books that Kindle does not have in their format, and there are some. In order to see if Libby really works well, I downloaded Darkover Landfall by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Once I adjusted the settings, it looks good. I read the first chapter so far.
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Frybabe, let me know how you like the Darkover. The only thing of hers I've tried (twice) is The Mists of Avalon, and I couldn't get into it. Something about the tone irritates me. But I think this wouldn't apply to something that wasn't fiddling with the Arthurian legends.
Have you gotten hold of Trader's Leap yet? I'm not enthusiastic about where the Liaden Universe is going, but I still want to read the books.
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PatH, oh my, I missed the pub date on Trader's Leap. I thought I had that marked for release notice but maybe not. That is the long winded way of saying, no, I haven't read it yet. I checked out the sample chapter. It doesn't inspire me to read it, but then like you, I am going to read it anyway. Many of the reviewers thought the beginning a bit "iffy" too, slow or hazy. The beginning is setting the pace for a story concentrating more on wizardry, something I am not particularly interested in reading. The ending promised to be interesting though, so I will soon be reading it.
I am enjoying Darkover Landfall just fine, so far. Never, been interested, for some reason, in reading The Mists of Avalon, but until now I was not interested in the Darkover series.
You've been kind of scarce lately. How are you doing?
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I'm doing fine, I think I'm just kind of worn down by living in plague times. I don't have much excuse for it either. I'm well personally, haven't lost any friends or relatives, though one friend got sick, and the weather was only slightly peculiar, not destroying crops or bursting pipes. And I'll get my second vaccine shot Thursday.
I don't write posts quickly, though, and with things like the challenges I get caught in the vicious cycle that by the time I get to posting the conversation has swept on enough to make my post not fit in. I've shifted a little desk to make it easier to use the computer more of the time. Maybe that will help.
Thanks for asking.
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I am happy to hear that you are doing well, Pat.
Too bad we don't have more folks interested in science fiction. A lot of the SciFi out now is not hard science, and a lot of that is more space opera where the locale is outer space, but gives the science in science fiction short shrift. I think social science fiction also uses SciFi as a venue. Either one often can be dropped into another genre with minor changes in backdrop (landscape, culture, clothing, etc.). Hard science fiction seems a very small part of the genre now.
I can see what you mean about Trader's Leap. While I continue to read it, I find it rather boring so far. It is not a major direction I care to go in further books that they might write. I wonder if I can get my money back? ???
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Well, if you lived in Portland, you could sell it back to Powell's, though I don't know how much they give you. Maybe I should try to hold out for the paperback. None of the directions things were going in Accepting the Lance interest me that much.
Yes, we could use a few fans. As you point out, a lot of current sci-fi could be easily approachable by non-fans, but people don't seem interested.
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I need a new long-running space opera to follow, now that my favorites have dwindled or stopped. They've had long runs, though, sixteen books plus some short bits for Bujold, and Trader's Leap is number 23. Maybe I'll find one when I get over the plague-induced reading slump.
I think I'm grouchy today.
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I finished Trader's Leap. Not their best, but then I am not into witches and wizards, etc. much, so my opinion is somewhat biased. The beginning was very off-putting, but the story did get a little better later on. The authors seem to have succumbed to a trend. lately, to mixing magic, superheros and space opera together. This looks like a new direction for the next several books. I wonder how the combo of Tinsori Light, AIs and people with "The Luck" will work out. I guess we will have to wait another two years.
Cixin Liu's short story book, Hold Up the Sky, is next up. These are some of his earlier stories.
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Drat. I'm not much into magic and superheroes either. And I find most of the AIs boring personalities.
I wonder how much Lee and Miller had their series blocked out ahead of time. When they created Theo, was she going to turn out the way she did? They remark somewhere that the Uncle became much more important than originally intended.
And they've never honored the original intention of the Tree, to preserve the species. Korval keeps seedlings on every ship, but they never plant any of them except as privileged gifts to allies.
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Hold Up the Sky went back to the library early. The stories were a bit too lengthy to suit me at the moment. I did read one about an attempt to create coal gasification directly in the ground instead of the dangerous process of mining coal. It reminded me that my Grandfather worked at a coal mine in Wales. And then there is nearby Centralia and it's ongoing coal mine fire. I remember passing through there several times before they closed off a section of Route 61 because of the danger. Here are two pix showing the buckling and cracking. I have seen pix of the road almost completely painted over with graffiti now, so I don't think these are particularly new.
https://i1.wp.com/destinationsunknown.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/highway61-0001.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080
https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2020/02/640/320/iStock-Centralia.jpg?ve=1&tl=1
Right now I am reading Embers of War by Garreth W. Powell. It won a BSFN award several years years ago. The first of a trilogy, it is a novel that follows several people and a decommissioned warship in the aftermath of a war.
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Those are pretty impressive pictures, Frybabe. I guess I hadn't realized it was still burning. I can just imagine the potential for disaster if anyone actually tried to use the coal in situ.
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There are plenty of mine fires around the world. One article noted that there are hundreds of such mine fires in India and China. There is one in Germany which has been going since 1688, if I remember correctly. But the one that takes the cake is Mount Wingen (aka: The Burning Mountain) in New South Wales. They claim is is the oldest continuous coal seam fire in the world at an estimated 5,000+ years old. Administered by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, the area surrounding it is a designated nature reserve. It is open to visitors for hiking on designated paths.
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How's the air quality?
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Accuweather is reporting Fair today. The government relocated most of the inhabitants years ago, but there are still a few who insist on staying. In the open most people can tolerate small amounts of fumes that reach the surface, at least in the short term. Long time exposure to these fumes can cause respiratory problems and cancer, not to mention in sufficient amounts being deadly. Another major factor in relocating the people is ground subsidence and sink holes created by the fire. Byrnesville, about six miles away, was also abandoned and razed when the fire spread that way. The government gave up the right of way to the closed section of Route 61 last year. That means responsibility and liability revert to the current landowner which is a corporation (but I don't know who). They buried the road with dirt and are discouraging visitors.
Oh, this is interesting. A video showing before and after shots of the town https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=coal+mine+fire+in+centralia+pa&view=detail&mid=D9C699F7231C36BF7C37D9C699F7231C36BF7C37&FORM=VIRE
Interesting tidbit. Of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, only 12 are listed as having moderate levels of Radon, and only one is low. All the rest, including my county are listed as high potential risks.
Now, to the books. I am enjoying Embers of War . Most of the characters are dealing with the emotional aftermath of a war. The story centers around a former warship converted to search and rescue missions and its' crew. The narrative of each chapter rotates between the different characters as the tale unfolds. So far, they are the ship itself, two of the four person crew, an intelligence agent, and the object of agent's quest who have a voice. Nevertheless, it is not hard to follow and not confusing. There are two more books in this series.
Next, Elizabeth Bear's Ancestral Nights just became available from my hold list. I am looking forward to reading it.
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Nebula Award Finalists were announced last week:
Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Network Effect - Martha Wells (a favorite of mine)
Black Sun - Rebecca Roanhorse
Piranesi - Susanna Clarke
The City We Became - N. K. Jemisin (Amazon named this one Best Science Fiction Novel of the Year)
The Midnight Bargain - C. L. Polk
Every one of these finalists for Best Novel is female this year.
The Deep by Rivers Solomon and Daveed Diggs, read by Daveed Diggs, won the Audio award for Science Fiction
The City We Became also won the two Audio Awards:
Best Female Narrator and Fantasy, read by Robin Miles
The Ray Bradbury Prize finalists are:
Lakewood - Megan Giddings
The City We Became - N. K. Jemisin
Piranesi - Susanna Clarke
The Only Good Indians - Stephen Graham Jones
Where the Wild Ladies Are - Aoko Matsuda, translated by Polly Barton
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I am in the middle of reading Night Train to Rigel by Timothy Zahn. It is your not so typical detective/investigator thriller set on an intergalactic train route. The suspects are varied and numerous, including the aliens that hired him and the assistant he was provided. The farther I read into it, the more I am enjoying it. It is the first of five in series. Although he has written quite a few novels, short stories, and "shorter works", I don't think I have ever come across him before.
In addition, I now have another of Iain Banks Culture series books to read, Look to Windward. It looks like I skipped three of the books, State of the Art, Excession, and Inversions . I am not worrying about it though since the books seem to be very loosely related. I'll get to them eventually. Right now they are out, and I do not want to add to my hold list right now.
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Hope you are doing well, PatH. I got something for you to read, maybe. Beyond the Farthest Star: Restored Edition (Complete and Unabridged) Paperback – Abridged, September 1, 2021 It is on Amazon and in Audible, which I have in my wish list. How odd is that! it is newly restored, complete and unabridged, but then it says abridged. They don't have a peek under the covers yet. The review and reader comments are interesting. I doubt it will hit the library for a month of so if that.
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Yesterday i received an email notifying me that author Matthew Mather died in a car crash earlier this month. https://www.fox3now.com/matthew-mather-author-of-cyberstorm-and-writer-of-science-fiction-died-in-a-car-accident/
I haven't read it, but I have read his New Earth series (Nomad, et.al).
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Not posting this on the Library discussion and I didn't want it to get lost among the extensive Murdough murders chatter. Something I have absolutely no interest in.
I discovered, a while back, and decided to share with you now, Quinn's Ideas https://www.youtube.com/@QuinnsIdeas
He has tons of video with lots of interesting commentary on Sci-Fi books and movies in general as well as focused series Sci-Fi conceptions and on books such as the Hyperion Cantos, The Three-Body Problem, Dune, and Foundation. He does some of the best synopses, commentary and explanations I've seen on the subject. Watch a few. Let me know what you think.
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Thanks, Frybabe. The first video is very promising. I'll check out some more as I have time. I'm especially interested to see what he has to say about Hyperion and Foundation. a I've started to read Foundation several times, and although the idea is interesting, and it's an important series, I always get stalled by the bad writing.
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Hi Pat. I read Foundation years ago, but don't really remember anything about it. The few clips I saw of the TV version leave me less than likely to reread it. Hyperion, on the other hand, I may try to read again once I have seen a few more of the various clips explaining the darn thing.
Right now I am reading another military Sci-Fi that I thought was going to be another ordinary story. The first eleven chapters of William Frisbee's The Last Marines series, however, was written so well that I felt like I was right there in the trenches in Southeast Asia with them. Chapter Twelve starts out 400 years later. Other than the communist type of government/alliance relentlessly spreading throughout the solar system against all opposition, I don't yet see a connection between the two sections. So far. Meanwhile, the first section reminds me of Joe Haldeman's Forever War series which has been cited as anti-war and showing the futility of war. Haldeman was a combat engineer during the Vietnam War. Frisbee served in the US Marines. I don't know if he had any combat experience, but he did serve during the collapse of the communist states.
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I ran across the Outlaw Bookseller on YouTube this morning and promptly watched two of his videos about The Elements of Science Fiction. While I had a little trouble keeping my focus at times, especially through the first one, he did a good job of making me actually want to read The Man in the High Castle, and he introduced me to Christopher Priest and his books. He has other videos that I intend on watching, especially the Welsh ones and some of the ones focusing on specific authors. https://www.youtube.com/@outlawbookselleroriginal
I have to agree with him that a lot of which are termed Science Fiction, simply because it involves being out in space and neglects the science bit, is not true SF. Interestingly, he includes alternative history in the genre, but he does have an interesting reason for that. I don't necessarily agree with his reasoning unless it involves a scientific breakthrough or discovery of some kind.
Having finished with William Frisbee's first of series mentioned in my previous post, I am continuing on with the second book in spite of it turning into what I would call Horror SF. I kind of like the prime character and the banter between him and his remaining squad, especially the with the young Private.