SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

I'm reading the Elves series by James Barclay. Finished the first one after struggling through the first couple of chapters (lots of names and places get thrown at you right at the beginning ,which also starts with an attack that doesn't explain much, so it confused the hell out of me). Once you get through the beginning everything starts making much more sense and soon you get sucked into a fantasy world that puts a new spin on the elves- humans conflict.

In this world elves don't have access to magic so when humans invade they are near-unstoppable. Luckily, there are small groups of "super ninja elves" (stole that term from another reviewer) who lead the counter-attack. Unfortunately they completely underestimated the size and ruthlessness of the invading force...

Once I got into it I really enjoyed it. Lots of action, memorable characters and a world that feels like it has a history and a geography that is both similar enough and different from ours that you can identify with it without finding it predictable.

Started with the second novel, Rise of the TaiGethen, and it's straight back into the action!

Probably my last read for 2016: Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. 7 hours and 20 minutes to go, says my Kindle.

Happy holidays, folks!

Am reading The Lord of the Rings, Words of Radiance, and Dragonriders of Pern. All astounding worlds.

My final book to meet my goal of 90 is Practical Demonkeeping. Ending off an iffy 2016 with a bit of humor.

Kyla wrote: "Am reading The Lord of the Rings, Words of Radiance, and Dragonriders of Pern. All astounding worlds."

Good lord. Those are all amazing books, but thinking about trying to keep them straight at the same time feels like some sort of endurance or mental fortitude type training!

my book i just finished was After the cure by Deirdre gould,
i absolutely loved this book and cant wait to read the full series.

Just finished The Grace of Kings and now I'm working on Babylon's Ashes. I've also been reading The Particle at the End of the Universe: How the Hunt for the Higgs Boson Leads Us to the Edge of a New World (nonfiction science) on and off.

I'll have to finish these up soon, because I've already got 1639 pages of book-club reading queued up for January, on top of whatever else I might read!

Dark Matter and The Anatomy of Fascism

Am listening to The Black Prism on audiobook, and reading Halo: The Flood. Have mixed feelings about the second one.

I finished The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. My review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Right now I'm almost halfway through with The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid, Loving the idea of a Pov from a robot like servant\bodyguard\assassin.

Currently reading the companion to The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, A Closed and Common Orbit, and really enjoying it. I'm also listening to Lab Girl by Hope Jahren on audio.

My December reading is finished, I think. I might complete Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente before the first, but I won't push it, this book is just far too lovely. So, December round-up is as follows:

Behold the Man by Michael Moorcock
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
Everfair by Nisi Shawl
Margaret the First by Danielle Dutton
Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson
Central Station by Lavie Tidhar
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch
Crosstalk by Connie Willis

I also read the two group selections and enjoyed them both. December was probably my best reading month and it's probably because of how much I hate Christmas. Happy reading in 2017!!

Reading River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay. A really nice book but not in the same league as its predecessor, Under Heaven. Up next: the last book by Will McIntosh. He's been writing one great book after another so looking forward to it.

Also listening to Queen of Fire by Anthony Ryan. I really liked the first book in the series but it's been going downhill. This latest book is still fine but not nearly as good as the first one.

I just picked up The Echo, which is the sequel to The Explorer. I hope it's good because I really loved The Explorer! Also listening to Absolution Gap finally.

Andy wrote: "...listening to Queen of Fire by Anthony Ryan. I really liked the first book in the series but it's been going downhill. This latest book is still fine but not nearly as good as the first one."

I quite liked the first two books, but felt the third one didn't live up to them.

Kyla wrote: "Am reading The Lord of the Rings, Words of Radiance, and Dragonriders of Pern. All astounding worlds."

I love Middle Earth and Pern. Don't know the other one, but what a great line-up :)

I finished listening to The Island of Dr. Moreau and reading The Tombs of Atuan. I'm glad I read/ reread them, but they didn't send me.

Now I'm reading Cat's Cradle.

Julia wrote: "I finished listening to The Island of Dr. Moreau, but they didn't send me."

Read the Island of Dr. Moreau two years ago but it didn't click with me. It just felt too outdated.

I am about to start reading Postcards from the Edge

That's a good idea, Esther. It is comforting to know that when authors and entertainers pass on we can still enjoy their works.

I have just finished Ringworld's Children. Now starting Luna: New Moon.

I just finished The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett. I liked it - review here if anyone is interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm still working on Catalyst - A Rogue One Novel by James Luceno and I should wrap it up in the next few days. I enjoyed the Rogue One movie but this book is pretty boring. Review to follow soon.

I recently started A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I'm not very far into it yet - it's obviously meant for young readers but so many friends have given the book great reviews that I feel like I need to read it. I'll probably give it to my 13 year old daughter when I finish it.

I'm still working on:
- Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition ed. by Rich Horton

My December reading included The Lions of Al-Rassan (5), House of Suns (3.5), and Crux (5).



I am currently reading Gardens of the Moon and Karen Memory.

Here is my review of Lords of the North

Here are the last books I've read in 2016 since my last post:

1. This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch It by David Wong. This was the sequel to John Dies at the End, a book from our group shelf. I was surprised how much I enjoyed these books, although I’d be afraid to recommend them to anybody. My review.

2. The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett. This is the 6th Rincewind book in the Discworld series. I thought it was fairly average, although Rincewind always amuses me. People who are more familiar with Australian cultural references may enjoy it much more, because I’m sure many of the jokes went over my head. My review.

3. The Dreamblood Duology by N. K. Jemisin, which includes The Killing Moon and The Shadowed Sun. This was my first time reading Jemisin’s work and I was really impressed. The second half of the second book got a little too romance-heavy for my tastes, but I enjoyed the story and the characters. I thought the world-building was very interesting.
My review of book 1.
My review of book 2.

4. The Sea and Little Fishes by Terry Pratchett. This is a short, 44-page story featuring Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg from Discworld. The story can be read for free here. My review.

Now I’m reading Carpe Jugulum, the 6th and final book in the Witches subseries of Discworld.

Currently reading Great Expectations for the first time. Enjoying it a lot -- it's much funnier than I expected. I like that Joe's remedy for Pip's woes is always more gravy.

Chris wrote: "My December reading included The Lions of Al-Rassan (5)..."

I love that one. Next to his Fionavar trilogy, that might be my favorite. Though I do like Tigana, too.

At last I have got round to Fuzzy Nation and now I know why everyone likes it!!!

Phrynne wrote: "At last I have got round to Fuzzy Nation and now I know why everyone likes it!!!"

That's such a fun book. The audio version is amazing too if you get a chance to check it out.

YouKneeK wrote: "Here are the last books I've read in 2016 since my last post:


I enjoyed The Sea and Little Fishes. Thanks for the link!

Loved Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Phrynne wrote: "At last I have got round to Fuzzy Nation and now I know why everyone likes it!!!"

I love Fuzzy Nation!

Finished Great Expectations. Now re-reading the dystopic/apocalyptic Gibbon's Decline and Fall -- finding it rather more terrifying than I remembered, due to current events :P

Michele wrote: "Finished Great Expectations. Now re-reading the dystopic/apocalyptic Gibbon's Decline and Fall -- finding it rather more terrifying than I remembered, due to current event..."
How did you find Great Expectations? I read it a while a go and enjoyed it. A Tale of Two Cities is next from Dickens on my list. I just finished The Stand... extended edition. Now, that was a project ;)

S.C. wrote: "How did you find Great Expectations? I read it a while a go and enjoyed it."

I liked it very much indeed. There was so much more humor in it than I expected -- certainly more than in any other Dickens I've read. The bit near the beginning where Joe keeps giving Pip more gravy in an effort to make him feel better had me cracking up. Some wonderful secondary characters, too. I especially adored Joe Gargery (just a really sweet, kind man, so lovely that (view spoiler)[he ends up with Biddy (hide spoiler)]!) and Mr Wemmick, with the Aged Parent, the little cottage with the drawbridge, and the cannon he fires off every day lol!

What did you think of The Stand? Your first time reading it? It's one my favorites, and a regular re-read. I even did a paper on it for a conference a few years back.

Finished Gibbon's Decline and Fall, SO good. Tepper is one of my favorite authors; so sad that she died this year.

Now, reading Rage by Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King) which I have never read! He let it go out of print on purpose, apparently, and I can see why :/

Michele wrote: "Finished Gibbon's Decline and Fall, SO good. Tepper is one of my favorite authors; so sad that she died this year.

Now, reading Rage by Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King..."

Tepper is one of my favorites as well and Gibbon's Decline and Fall was one of the first things I read by her. It remains one of my favorites.