Author Topic: Science Fiction / Fantasy (Read 370229 times)

PatH · « **Reply #1120 on:** May 18, 2011, 06:53:17 AM »

Science Fiction / Fantasy

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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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Fantastic Fiction, bibliographies of 15,000 authors

Discussion Leader: PatH

Steph · « **Reply #1121 on:** May 19, 2011, 06:34:55 AM »

Yes, I did love some of the old authors and some of them turned out to be female..

PatH · « **Reply #1122 on:** May 19, 2011, 08:58:43 PM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #1123 on:** May 20, 2011, 06:08:37 AM »

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.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1124 on:** June 03, 2011, 08:05:33 PM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #1125 on:** June 04, 2011, 06:08:49 AM »

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.

Babi · « **Reply #1126 on:** June 04, 2011, 04:18:04 PM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #1127 on:** June 05, 2011, 06:21:15 AM »

I got mine used for .99 each, so did not mind.

Babi · « **Reply #1128 on:** June 05, 2011, 08:54:03 AM »

Hmm.. Where was that, STEPH? Amazon?

Steph · « **Reply #1129 on:** June 06, 2011, 06:11:17 AM »

yes
Amazon is a good source for me of used books..

Babi · « **Reply #1130 on:** June 06, 2011, 08:28:22 AM »

I'll take a look. Surely I can afford a couple of bucks, right?

roshanarose · « **Reply #1131 on:** June 06, 2011, 11:46:05 PM »

Babi - What a lovely coincidence. You and I have the same mantra!

Babi · « **Reply #1132 on:** June 07, 2011, 08:32:01 AM »

Is that what it is, ROSE?

Steph · « **Reply #1133 on:** June 08, 2011, 08:56:18 AM »

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.

roshanarose · « **Reply #1134 on:** June 08, 2011, 11:58:23 PM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #1135 on:** June 09, 2011, 06:03:16 AM »

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.

Babi · « **Reply #1136 on:** June 09, 2011, 08:46:43 AM »

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!"

roshanarose · « **Reply #1137 on:** June 09, 2011, 10:50:28 PM »

Babi - You wear it well, too. Being fine, that is.

Steph · « **Reply #1138 on:** June 10, 2011, 06:02:33 AM »

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.

PatH · « **Reply #1139 on:** June 10, 2011, 09:33:24 AM »

That's a lot of self control to keep them unread, Steph. Now it's paid off.

Steph · « **Reply #1140 on:** June 11, 2011, 06:07:45 AM »

I hoard the very best of sci fi.. I have two Terry Pratchett as well They are like good medicine for me..

Frybabe · « **Reply #1141 on:** June 16, 2011, 01:53:03 PM »

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.

Babi · « **Reply #1142 on:** June 17, 2011, 08:32:13 AM »

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?

Frybabe · « **Reply #1143 on:** June 17, 2011, 09:49:46 AM »

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!

Steph · « **Reply #1144 on:** June 18, 2011, 06:13:01 AM »

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.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1145 on:** June 18, 2011, 08:16:05 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #1146 on:** June 19, 2011, 09:26:03 PM »

Sci fi on TV has to be sort of violent to fit in.

roshanarose · « **Reply #1147 on:** June 19, 2011, 09:52:59 PM »

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!

Frybabe · « **Reply #1148 on:** June 20, 2011, 01:01:50 AM »

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.

roshanarose · « **Reply #1149 on:** June 21, 2011, 12:56:59 AM »

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.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1150 on:** June 21, 2011, 08:10:20 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #1151 on:** June 23, 2011, 06:20:38 AM »

I have many books as an app, but have not found anything current that I enjoy.

ANNIE · « **Reply #1152 on:** June 29, 2011, 08:33:53 PM »

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

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!

Frybabe · « **Reply #1153 on:** July 18, 2011, 07:01:28 PM »

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.

PatH · « **Reply #1154 on:** July 18, 2011, 11:50:36 PM »

Off to a good start.

Steph · « **Reply #1155 on:** July 19, 2011, 07:52:28 AM »

I like Elizabeth Moon.Will have to look that one up.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1156 on:** July 19, 2011, 10:42:10 AM »

Steph, I am enjoying the book. It is not nearly as technology heavy as most of the space type scifi I've read.

Babi · « **Reply #1157 on:** July 20, 2011, 08:40:24 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #1158 on:** July 21, 2011, 08:12:22 AM »

Yes, I skip some of the tech type sci fi.. I am more prone to alternate universes or fantasy about different worlds.

Babi · « **Reply #1159 on:** July 21, 2011, 09:20:37 AM »

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.

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Author Topic: Science Fiction / Fantasy (Read 370229 times)