Author Topic: Science Fiction / Fantasy (Read 486470 times)

PatH · « **Reply #360 on:** September 09, 2009, 09:11:43 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

mrssherlock · « **Reply #361 on:** September 09, 2009, 11:37:48 AM »

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.

Babi · « **Reply #362 on:** September 10, 2009, 08:17:43 AM »

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.

PatH · « **Reply #363 on:** September 10, 2009, 09:06:57 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #364 on:** September 10, 2009, 01:09:20 PM »

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.

Babi · « **Reply #365 on:** September 11, 2009, 08:05:26 AM »

Did a quick check. Apparently no Lynne Abbey books at my library. (sigh)

mrssherlock · « **Reply #366 on:** September 11, 2009, 08:59:28 AM »

Babi" Try "Lynn Abbey". It worked for me.

Babi · « **Reply #367 on:** September 12, 2009, 08:37:10 AM »

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.

)

Steph · « **Reply #368 on:** September 12, 2009, 09:58:49 AM »

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.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #369 on:** September 20, 2009, 03:00:41 PM »

Charles De Lint is one heckuva storyteller. Alice Hoffman, from the jacket of his latest, The Mystery of Grace, says

Quote

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.

PatH · « **Reply #370 on:** September 20, 2009, 03:45:20 PM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #371 on:** September 21, 2009, 07:48:39 AM »

Scored a new Pratchett just recently. Another story about the Wee Men, who I love.. and their favorite witch in training.

Babi · « **Reply #372 on:** September 21, 2009, 09:17:59 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #373 on:** September 22, 2009, 10:07:14 AM »

I read De Lint some years ago, Have to find some new ones.

Babi · « **Reply #374 on:** September 23, 2009, 09:24:03 AM »

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.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #375 on:** September 23, 2009, 02:23:44 PM »

Babi: You are going to have so much fun!

Steph · « **Reply #376 on:** September 25, 2009, 03:07:47 PM »

Still having fun with the Terry Pratchett.. His Wee small men are banding together to make one normal man.. The description is truly funny.

PatH · « **Reply #377 on:** September 25, 2009, 03:14:06 PM »

Steph, what's the title of your Pratchett?

mrssherlock · « **Reply #378 on:** September 25, 2009, 07:45:18 PM »

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.

Babi · « **Reply #379 on:** September 26, 2009, 08:47:32 AM »

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.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #380 on:** September 26, 2009, 11:25:09 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #381 on:** September 26, 2009, 02:49:52 PM »

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.

Babi · « **Reply #382 on:** September 27, 2009, 09:13:22 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #383 on:** September 27, 2009, 09:57:51 AM »

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.

Babi · « **Reply #384 on:** September 28, 2009, 08:41:20 AM »

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.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #385 on:** September 28, 2009, 11:09:29 AM »

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.

PatH · « **Reply #386 on:** September 28, 2009, 08:27:49 PM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #387 on:** September 29, 2009, 08:51:01 AM »

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.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #388 on:** September 29, 2009, 01:05:46 PM »

You can't judge a book . . .

Steph · « **Reply #389 on:** October 01, 2009, 07:54:11 AM »

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.

Babi · « **Reply #390 on:** October 01, 2009, 08:46:31 AM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #391 on:** October 02, 2009, 07:52:45 AM »

Having raised two sons,, I understand the father exactly..

mrssherlock · « **Reply #392 on:** October 06, 2009, 09:09:59 PM »

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.

Frybabe · « **Reply #393 on:** October 06, 2009, 11:06:20 PM »

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.

Steph · « **Reply #394 on:** October 07, 2009, 08:33:00 AM »

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.

JoanP · « **Reply #395 on:** October 11, 2009, 10:22:29 AM »

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 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

Steph · « **Reply #396 on:** October 19, 2009, 07:51:32 AM »

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..

mrssherlock · « **Reply #397 on:** October 19, 2009, 01:18:22 PM »

Spider Robinson's Callahan's books have delightful puns. One series uses flower names; for example, "I thought this was an Iris bar".

PatH · « **Reply #398 on:** October 19, 2009, 02:24:05 PM »

Sounds like my kind of book. I love dreadful puns.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #399 on:** October 19, 2009, 03:27:33 PM »

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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Author Topic: Science Fiction / Fantasy (Read 486470 times)