Author Topic: Science Fiction / Fantasy (Read 385172 times)

Frybabe · « **Reply #2160 on:** July 06, 2014, 09:09:03 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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Discussion Leader: PatH

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.

PatH · « **Reply #2161 on:** July 06, 2014, 04:33:03 PM »

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.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #2162 on:** July 09, 2014, 12:26:49 PM »

Finished City of Bones last night. Could hardly put it down. Next up City of Ashes.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2163 on:** July 09, 2014, 04:42:16 PM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #2164 on:** July 10, 2014, 08:54:42 AM »

Aha two converts. yes, the Cassandra Clare series is hard to put down and I still marvel that it is supposedly young adult.

PatH · « **Reply #2165 on:** July 11, 2014, 09:02:33 PM »

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.

PatH · « **Reply #2166 on:** July 11, 2014, 09:06:15 PM »

I picked up City of Bones today, but won't get a chance at it for a few days.

Steph · « **Reply #2167 on:** July 12, 2014, 09:07:09 AM »

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.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2168 on:** July 12, 2014, 11:04:19 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #2169 on:** July 13, 2014, 09:35:37 AM »

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.

PatH · « **Reply #2170 on:** July 13, 2014, 02:18:02 PM »

Oh, dear, that doubles your grief. ((((((hugs))))))

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2171 on:** July 13, 2014, 02:47:53 PM »

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

Frybabe · « **Reply #2172 on:** July 13, 2014, 04:07:20 PM »

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.

PatH · « **Reply #2173 on:** July 13, 2014, 08:25:49 PM »

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.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2174 on:** July 13, 2014, 08:58:05 PM »

I did read Fahrenheit, back in my other life, about 50 yrs ago.

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

Frybabe · « **Reply #2175 on:** July 14, 2014, 07:27:27 AM »

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?

Steph · « **Reply #2176 on:** July 14, 2014, 08:55:12 AM »

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.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #2177 on:** July 14, 2014, 02:04:28 PM »

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

Frybabe · « **Reply #2178 on:** July 14, 2014, 03:10:35 PM »

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!.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #2179 on:** July 14, 2014, 04:24:38 PM »

I love Scalzi!!! Just recently reread Old Man's War. Evan Currie is new to me; Salem Library has one book, Homeworld.

PatH · « **Reply #2180 on:** July 14, 2014, 04:37:31 PM »

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?

Frybabe · « **Reply #2181 on:** July 14, 2014, 09:40:23 PM »

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

Steph · « **Reply #2182 on:** July 15, 2014, 07:59:54 AM »

using The Fifth Elephant as my bed book just now. Poor Sam,, roped into politics.

PatH · « **Reply #2183 on:** July 16, 2014, 11:23:39 PM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #2184 on:** July 17, 2014, 09:03:47 AM »

It always seems that most libraries are not heavily into science fiction or fantasy other than vampire stuff.

PatH · « **Reply #2185 on:** July 17, 2014, 01:57:08 PM »

My library is spotty--it has some good stuff, but is missing blocks of other things you'd think they would have.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #2186 on:** July 17, 2014, 05:41:12 PM »

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

Steph · « **Reply #2187 on:** July 18, 2014, 08:51:33 AM »

After the end... will look for it.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2188 on:** July 22, 2014, 10:48:36 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #2189 on:** July 23, 2014, 08:44:36 AM »

Amy Plum.. Hm, my book swap site has about five of hers all on long long wish lists..

PatH · « **Reply #2190 on:** July 23, 2014, 02:19:33 PM »

It would be nice to know the demographics of the two libraries with all the good stuff.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2191 on:** July 24, 2014, 06:54:09 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #2192 on:** July 24, 2014, 08:58:43 AM »

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.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #2193 on:** July 24, 2014, 02:51:15 PM »

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.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2194 on:** July 26, 2014, 08:32:18 AM »

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

Frybabe · « **Reply #2195 on:** July 28, 2014, 10:30:44 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #2196 on:** July 29, 2014, 08:18:33 AM »

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.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2197 on:** July 29, 2014, 10:40:38 AM »

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

Steph · « **Reply #2198 on:** July 30, 2014, 08:49:48 AM »

Ah, the last one shows promise. Will check into some of the authors.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2199 on:** July 30, 2014, 03:58:49 PM »

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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Author Topic: Science Fiction / Fantasy (Read 385172 times)