SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Finished Chains of the Heretic. It was fine, but on the whole, I don't think this author is for me.

I won an ARC of Crossroads of Canopy in one o the giveaways here so I'll be reading that next.

I finished Ilium last night (and it's struggling to overtake Lock In in the poll) and it was good but I don't want to pick up Olympos at this point.

Started on Trigger Warning for the TBR challenge.

I read Motherfucking Sharks to start off this year and just finished The Windup Girl last night.

Currently reading The Day of the Triffids and The Mask of Sanity

I'm currently reading Damien's Workshop, a kind of time travel story where a woman sends her mind back into the mind of a man who is about to be hit with the Crusades. Wonderfully researched and written. Can't wait to find out what's going to happen next.

I just finished Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

My 3-star review is here if anyone is interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished The Shining late last year, so plan to tackle Doctor Sleep in the next few days.

Disappointed that it's taking me a while to get through these two reads: The Anatomy of Fascism and Dark Matter.

Reading the 300 numbers of HellBlazer. Wonderfull comic!

I recently completed a science fiction by a new author. It was called Starship Samudram. Quite an amazing read...kept me waking late in the night...now i have started on The Immortals of Meluha

Shikha wrote: "I recently completed a science fiction by a new author. It was called Starship Samudram. Quite an amazing read...kept me waking late in the night...now i have started on [book:The I..."

I just went to look up Starship Samudram because it sounded interesting, but the MC's name is Alistair Moody and I cannot help but picture ALASTOR Moody, from Harry Potter as a space captain.

He'd probably be great at the tactical stuff, but I think he'd have a hard time convincing a crew to stay on with him...

My review of Un Lun Dun by China Miéville

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

I finished Digital Divide and The Handmaid's Tale.

Both are near future looks at the United States but God I hope we end up with cyborgs and not Wives and Commanders and Marthas. Spangler's book is lots of fun with many moments that really drove home how strange it would be to live with a computer brain, and to be near to someone with a computer brain.

Atwood's book is beautiful, with zero fun and a lot more dire warnings, but is definitely the work of a master.

I would recommend both, for incredibly different reasons. Now, onto Kushiel's Dart!

I just finished Crossover (totally awesome!) and I'm starting Tiptree nominee Black Wine.

Allison wrote: "Shikha wrote: "I recently completed a science fiction by a new author. It was called Starship Samudram. Quite an amazing read...kept me waking late in the night...now i have started..."
Funny u mentioned that...lol...because thats exactly how the story unfolded...lot of chaos...although the moody in samudram is not as weird as the one in potter...but he's indeed quite a tactician...and a badass military commander...

Yesterday evening I finished Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. I had mixed feelings about it. It’s very impressively written, but it was an easy book for me to put down. I often enjoy character-driven books, but most of the characters in this book ranged from horrible to exasperating. Here’s my very long review if anybody wants a longer explanation of my reaction.

I’m starting The Science of Discworld next.

And started today Starship Troopers!!! And cannot wait to end it. Very good. Let's see how it ends!

Im on vacation so reading a lot. I devoured BABYLON'S ASHES much faster than I thought I would do now I have to read everything on my kindle app in my iPad. Tried NINEFOX GAMBIT for about 5 minutes but stopped.

Quite enjoyed Susie Steiner's MISSING, PRESUMED, which is a british police procedural.

Currently in the beginning of DARK MATTER by Blake Crouch. Have Liu Cixin's DEATH'S END on deck when I get home on Saturday.

Planning on finishing Golden Son today while I work in the garden. Hooray for audiobooks! I also hope to get further into A Darker Shade of Magic now that I discovered I own the audiobook. (duh me) Still working on The Ghost Brigades but so far it hasn't grabbed me and said "don't put me down." I like Scalzi so I'm going to keep plugging along. I started Gardens of the Moon last night right before bed and enjoyed what I was able to read.

Allison wrote: "I finished Digital Divide and The Handmaid's Tale....now on to Kushiel's Dart"

Allison, what interesting books you're reading! Some of my favorites :) Given your list, may I suggest Gibbon's Decline and Fall as something you might enjoy?

So far this year I've read Gibbon's Decline and Fall (scarier than I remembered, what with current events and all), Great Expectations (in a terrific 19th c. edition illustrated by Daphne du Maurier's grandfather, which I picked up at a used book store), The Bachman Books: Four Early Novels (lots of social commentary there), Washington Square (also in a cool 19th c. edition with neat designs on the covers), and most recently An English Ghost Story.

Just about finished with The Quick, a vampire novel with some rather new elements.

So far it's been Narconomics: How to Run a Drug Cartel, Karen Memory, and Caliban's War. I've just started The Geek Feminist Revolution.

Filipe wrote: "And started today Starship Troopers!!! And cannot wait to end it. Very good. Let's see how it ends!"

Turns out the guy's a Filipino (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

Here is my review of Ship of Destiny, although it took a long time for me to finish this book, but I loved every part of it.

I'm just re-reading Illuminae - I read Gemina recently, and was inspired to go back and revisit the first in the series.

Just love them.

Michele wrote: "Allison wrote: "I finished Digital Divide and The Handmaid's Tale....now on to Kushiel's Dart"

Allison, what interesting books you're reading! Some of my..."

Thanks, Michele! Added! I will need a little time before I can dive deep like that again, but this does look like the sort of book I'd enjoy!

just finishing an ember in the ashes, no idea what book to choose next

Filipe wrote: "And started today Starship Troopers!!! And cannot wait to end it. Very good. Let's see how it ends!"

In my humble opinion, it's the best story Heinlein wrote (and I love all his stories). Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Ryan wrote: "Filipe wrote: "And started today Starship Troopers!!! And cannot wait to end it. Very good. Let's see how it ends!"

Turns out the guy's a Filipino "

He's from Rio deJaneiro, which was destroyed by the enemy (mentioned early in the book).

Just started Young Rissa. It's been a long time since I last read it, and so far, it all seems new to me.

Currently reading the Odd Thomas-series by Dean Koontz. Soon finished with book 3 - Brother Odd. Love it!

Al wrote: "He's from Rio deJaneiro, which was destroyed by the enemy (mentioned early in the book). "

And if you've read the end you'll have seen that Rico's native tongue is Tagalog. The Filipino diaspora is alive and well in the grim future of Heinlein's book.

Working my way through the last book in the Mistborn trilogy, The Hero of Ages. Then reading Wastelands II: More Stories of the Apocalypse and Scouting for the Reaper in between.

My first book of the year was The Oilman's Daughter. So far not starting out too bad!

My review of The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

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

Ryan wrote: "Al wrote: "He's from Rio deJaneiro, which was destroyed by the enemy (mentioned early in the book). "

And if you've read the end you'll have seen that Rico's native tongue is Tagalog. The Filipino..."

I had to read through that passage 3 times to figure out who was talking at what time, but you're right.

Yesterday I finished Machine Man by Max Barry. It's fun, creepy and sometimes funny, as well as horrifying. I started Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. Yes, they are both books on the list. (I hope.)

Julia wrote: "Yesterday I finished Machine Man by Max Barry. It's fun, creepy and sometimes funny, as well as horrifying. I started Annihilation by [author:Jeff Vand..."

They are :) I still haven't read Machine Man.

I finished Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel. My review:

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

Finished StarShip Troopers. Incredible!!!! It was written in 1959 (I was not aware of that - and amazed me that it did not showed any sign of being written almost 60 years ago). Just left with a feeling to grab my power suit and go bug hunting :). It was very good indeed.

Started now another of Heinlein - A Door into Summer. Let's see how it goes.
Cheers!
FilipeAlves

Finished The Quick. Now reading Mildred Pierce for a group read over on Literary Darkness.

By happy chance, my version is in an omnibus volume called Cain x 3, so I also get to read Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice. I always had the idea that Postman was about a serial killer who stops and rings people's doorbells. Turns out it's about a drifter, a Greek guy who owns a diner, and the Greek guy's wife. Who knew?

I just finished reading The Science of Discworld, which is a brief Discworld story interspersed with real-world science. Parts of it interested me and parts of it bored me. Here’s my review.

I’m now starting on Redshirts by John Scalzi, my first Scalzi read.

YouKneeK wrote: "I’m now starting on Redshirts by John Scalzi, my first Scalzi read. "

I'm curious why you picked that one first. Old Man's War is most people's first Scalzi.

David wrote: "I'm curious why you picked that one first. Old Man's War is most people's first Scalzi."

Because Old Man’s War is part of a series, with at least one more book contracted to be written in the universe. Since I typically read a series more-or-less all at once, after it's entirely complete, I'd rather try him out with a book that stands completely alone. Plus I like Star Trek. :)

Michele wrote: "I always had the idea that Postman was about a serial killer who stops and rings people's doorbells. Turns out it's about a drifter, a Greek guy who owns a diner, and the Greek guy's wife. Who knew?..."

And there is no postman and no damn doorbell ringing. That drove me totally insane. I've wondered about that title since I was a kid.

YouKneeK wrote: "Because Old Man’s War is part of a series, with at least one more book contracted to be written in the universe. Since I typically read a series more-or-less all at once, after it's entirely complete, I'd rather try him out with a book that stands completely alone. Plus I like Star Trek. :)"

That's fair. I have a few series I'm avoiding for the same reason.

But for what it's worth, if you do decide to try more Scalzi after this, the currently-written books form a completed story with no loose ends. Scalzi doesn't generally plan to write series; he writes standalone books and then writes sequels if the market demands it and he can come up with a story for one. The Human Division was his only book that ended with the clear expectation that there was more to come.

David wrote: "But for what it's worth, if you do decide to try more Scalzi after this, the currently-written books form a completed story with no loose ends. Scalzi doesn't generally plan to write series; he writes standalone books and then writes sequels if the market demands it and he can come up with a story for one."

Thanks, that’s good (and interesting) to know. I’ve read the first 20% of Redshirts and so far I’m really enjoying it, so I expect I’ll want to read more of his books eventually.

I’m a little odd about my series reading, though. Even if the individual books stand alone, I still prefer to read them together when possible. I feel like I appreciate the nuances and references better when I have the entire storyline fresh in my head. I don't do much re-reading since there are too many new-to-me books I want to read and too few reading hours in the week.

If I didn’t already have so many books I want to read that I consider to be complete, then I would relax my criteria, but I give books priority if I believe they're either part of a complete series or not part of a series at all. I emphasize “believe” because it’s impossible to be sure an author is ever really done with a world, especially when the authors themselves don’t always know.

Redshirts is my only Scalzi novel to date.

Fuzzy Nation is the best. Fuzzies!!!

Just finished Fifty Shades of Grey and started The Day of the Triffids. Hoping for less explicit sex and abusive relationships in this one.

Ryan wrote: "Just finished Fifty Shades of Grey and started The Day of the Triffids. Hoping for less explicit sex and abusive relationships in this one."

Okay, I've just got to ask: what inspired you to read that in the first place?

It sounded like hard science fiction.