SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Recently I was looking at the Locus Online site for its forthcoming books (http://www.locusmag.com/ForthcomingBo...). Now, I know the collective pain we’ve experienced vis-à-vis GRRM and A Dance With Dragons but I like to be an optimist when I can. I like to think that most of the books on these lists will come out on or about the projected dates.

Some of the titles that caught my eye were:

Cheek by Jowl: Essays, Ursula Le Guin: I’d read this woman’s grocery lists if she published an edition of them. This is one I’m particularly looking forward to.

Santa Olivia and Naamah’s Kiss, Jacqueline Carey: The latter is the beginning of a third series set in Terre D’Ange’s world. Even if it’s only as good as the second series, it’ll be worth reading (though we can hope it’ll capture the passion of Phaedre’s adventures).

The City & The City, China Mieville
Fall of Thanes, Brian Ruckley

Best Served Cold, Joe Abercrombie: Set in the same world as his Last Argument of Kings but with a new cast of characters.

Shades of Gray, Jasper Fforde
Wireless, Charles Stross

Dust of Dreams, Steven Erikson: Book 9 of The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Despite the fact that this is the UK edition and the US edition is a year in the future, I’ll be paying the extra to get this as soon as possible.

The Red Tree, Caitlin Kiernan: One of the more imaginative writers around today and a beautiful prose stylist (it’s not Elizabethan but her care with words and their rhythms rivals Eddison’s or Cabell’s).

Transition, Iain Banks
Iorich, Steven Brust
The Quiet War and Gardens of the Sun, Paul McAuley

A Memory of Light, Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson: Thank God – it’ll finally be over.

A Dance with Dragons, GRRM: I’ll believe it when I see it.

Terminal World and Thousandth Night & Minla’s Flowers, Alastair Reynolds
The Iron Khan, Liz Williams

I'm really looking forward to Shades of Grey A Novel.

Too bad Jasper Fforde's pushed Shades of Grey to January of 2010. Good Lord.

A Dance with Dragons, GRRM: I’ll believe it when I see it.

Tell me about it. I can't believe how long that man is taking on this book.

Oh, and I wouldn't count on A Memory of Light necessarily being the end of things... word has it they want to chop it into two books. Just fair warning :-).

Good stuff on that list!
We Never Talk About My Brother by Peter Beagle
The Women of Nell Gwynne's by Kage Baker
Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett, (although I wouldn't be surprised if the date for this book is pushed back.)

*Sigh* I hate waiting.

Laura, I didn't realise the next PTerry is supposed to be October of this year!

Whooo hooo!

I haven't read Nation yet, have you? I know it's not Discworld, but still...

The shameful truth is that I haven't finished Nation. I downloaded the audiobook (narrated by Stephen Briggs who does such a wonderful job with the Discworld books), but...I don't know, maybe it was just my mood. I'm definitely going to give it another try.

And I'll second your "Whooo hooo!" for the new Discworld novel. I'm really looking forward to wizards playing football in pointy hats and the Librarian. However, I think he's still working on it, so October '09 may be too optimistic.

Ah, the Librarian. He may be my very favorite.

Nation is also supposed to be YA. Perhaps the writing shift just ain't your thang. It's sitting here on my shelf and I haven't so much as glanced at it yet. Which I'm ashamed to say, since if it were Discworld it would have been devoured same day!

Oh Sir Terry.

I've been making it my mission to spread his writing around to the non-fantasy lovers. Two successes so far, and I have other victims in my sights...

I wish Jasper Fforde would give me a new Thursday Next already! Or even a nursery crime!

Michelle M. wrote: "I wish Jasper Fforde would give me a new Thursday Next already! Or even a nursery crime!"

I was so disappointed in the last Thursday Next book. I'll probably read the sixth one, when and if it comes out, but it had better be better than "First Among Sequels".

Oh, I love Jasper Fforde's Nursery Crime series. If you like audiobooks, try listening to the audiobook, it makes the puns even funnier.

Michelle - Good job on spreading the PTerry addiction! I swear, I had a horrible moment right after my marriage when my husband told me he didn't "get" the Discworld series. For a split second I wondered if you could divorce someone for lack of literary appreciation... (j/k)

Laura: Oh my. I might have gone for a trial separation til he saw the light! I've been giving people Going Postal because I think it's one that's most accessible to the non-fantasy folks. Breaks 'em in and then they're hooked. Try that one on him.

Sandi: I remember that it wasn't as good as the rest, but I must confess, I've read so many books in between, I forget my reasoning. He's still amusing no matter what though!

I keep waiting for the next Ice of Song and Fire... I'm also looking forward for The City & The City (Mieville), Impossible Stories (I liked what i've read from Zoran so far), and Finch (Vandermeer).