SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Rollie wrote: "Just finished reading The Stars my Destination. Now working on The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne. Also reading the first ever issue of Galaxy magazine from 1950."

The thing about Mysterious Island is that it's a MUCH longer book than I expected.

I liked The Rook but it could have been 100 pages shorter.

Read another short story collection by Robert Sheckley, which also includes his novel, Immortality Inc - Robert Sheckley omnibus and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2103413460.

I did not time my holds properly again. Luckily, I will have a lot of downtime soon.

I finished Fledgling. It was good, but I'm afraid I didn't love it. A lot of disconcerting things to keep in mind even though the mythos was great.

Just started Childhood's End. I have to get through it quickly because I also have Station Eleven loaded and ready to go!

Since last week I finished:

Valerian: The Complete Collection, Volume 1 - ★★★☆☆ - (My Review)

The Stone Sky - ★★★★☆ - (My Review)

All These Worlds - ★★★★☆ - (My Review)

Currently: The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge, The History of the Siege of Lisbon (Non-Speculative Fiction) by José Saramago, Fatale, Vol. 2: The Devil's Business by Ed Brubaker, Cyberforce: Rebirth, Volume One by Matt Hawkins and X-Men: The End, Book 1: Dreamers and Demons by Chris Claremont.

Rob wrote: "Since last week I finished:

Valerian: The Complete Collection, Volume 1 - ★★★☆☆ - (My Review)."

Did you read the original French or a translation?
I understand that it is much better in the original but am wondering if my school-girl French could stand-up to the challenge or if there is a lot of slang/jargon.

Translation. I don't know French. I took 3 years of Spanish and the best I can do is ask where the bathroom/beer is at this point.

Took a break from SF/fantasy to read We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, but wasn't keen. Reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1837287820.

BetterNot wrote: "Taking a break from Alistair Reynolds and Peter Hamilton which if not to those two I'd probably wouldn't really know what a real science-fiction is all about!
But after almost a year of their heavy..."

Sounds like you need to learn to use Overdrive from the local library and get audio books for free.

I just finished reading The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest (it was just okay, gave it 3 stars) and If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home which I liked much more.

I just started reading The Civility Code which looks promising, and Stud Book Francais: Registre Des Chevaux de Pur Sang N Es Ou Import Es En France ..., Volume 3.........not exactly everyone's cup of tea for sure, but invaluable as a resource in my profession.

Just finished Slade House and Home (I may get to meet Ms Okorafore at the Decatur book festival this weekend. Cool!).

Then I went a bit nutty at the Library: Reading The Dragons of Babel, then the (literal, at my left hand) to read shelf includes 3001: The Final Odyssey, Spin, Her Smoke Rose Up Forever, Blindsight, Flag in Exile, and The Peace War.

When those are done, the next ones are books I own, The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Fourth Annual Collection, When the English Fall (By the guy who turned me on to Tom Waits in College, also going to be at the DBF), and, just for pure brain candy, Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium. Oughtta keep me busy for a couple of weeks.

I finished The Obelisk Gate and the first volume of the graphic novel, Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening. Now I'm moving on to volume two, Monstress, Vol. 2: The Blood.

Veronica wrote: "I finished The Obelisk Gate and the first volume of the graphic novel, Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening. Now I'm moving on to volume two, [book:Monstress, Vol. 2: The Bl..."

Do you often read graphic novels? I added Monstress to my list before I realized it was a graphic novel and I'm hesitant about it. I really want to know the story of Saga, Monstress and Sandman, but I've had trouble getting into the format before. Any recommendation on a strong starting point?

Allison wrote: "Veronica wrote: "I finished The Obelisk Gate and the first volume of the graphic novel, Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening. Now I'm moving on to volume two, [book:Monstres..."

Sandman and Watchmen both stand on their own as literature. I really can't stress enough how excellent the writing is in each of them.

upvote Sandman. my most favorite characters and story ever. I lost count how many times I've re-read it but I always try to fit in an annual read & always find something new to love.

JT wrote: "Allison wrote: "Veronica wrote: "I finished The Obelisk Gate and the first volume of the graphic novel, Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening. Now I'm moving on to volume two..."

I tried Watchmen years ago and it was one of the ones that was jarring for me to read. I'll have to try again at some point.

I guess maybe I'll try Sandman first as a sort of palate cleanser, then. Veronica, still curious about your thoughts!

Allison wrote: "Do you often read graphic novels? I added Monstress to my list before I realized it was a graphic novel and I'm hesitant about it. I really want to know the story of Saga, Monstress and Sandman, but I've had trouble getting into the format before. Any recommendation on a strong starting point? ."

Nope. I used to read comics back when I was in high school but that was over 20 years ago. This was my first graphic novel and I read it because I needed to read one to satisfy a reading challenge in another group. Following the panels wasn't an issue for me and I loved the artwork and the story. Now I'm looking into branching out more into this format with new titles, like Sandman because, of course, Gaiman.

Maybe the superhero-type stories don't appeal to you?

Veronica wrote: "Maybe the superhero-type stories don't appeal to you?"

Maybe! I'll keep this on the list then. It does seem right up my ally, content-wise. If it works for people who aren't generally comic readers, maybe I'll have a similar experience. Thanks!!

Jen wrote: "upvote Sandman. my most favorite characters and story ever. I lost count how many times I've re-read it but I always try to fit in an annual read & always find something new to love."

I don't know anyone personally who dislikes Sandman. It feels like such a commitment though! It's like 11+ books yeah?

Sandman does indeed take up 11 or more volumes.

Fables might be a good jumping-off point as well... Depends on how you like your fantasy characters. Sandman is very allegorical, while Fables can be quite urban-fantasy realistic with some meta-commentary.

Also, the graphic novel adaptations of The Gunslinger Come to mind…. Or Lazarus for dystopian earth sci-fi…

Lazarus is now on my TBR list too and thinking about Fables.

Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile ? This one? That could be fun, too. Lazarus looks grittier, yes? I do tend to like gritty. HMMM! Decisions.

Allison wrote: "It feels like such a commitment though! It's like 11+ books yeah?"

Yea 10 main books in the story and then some spin-offs and a prequel. One thing I like about graphic novels is they can be read in a sitting or two. Its not the 8-10 hour commitment of a novel.

Jen wrote: "Allison wrote: "It feels like such a commitment though! It's like 11+ books yeah?"

Yea 10 main books in the story and then some spin-offs and a prequel. One thing I like about graphic novels is th..."

Ah okay, that's less daunting then. I'm gonna do it! Next year can be a graphic novel adventure!

It's a brave new world, Allison! Go forth and conquer! :-)

Rob wrote: "Translation. I don't know French. I took 3 years of Spanish and the best I can do is ask where the bathroom/beer is at this point."

Donde esta la agua del fuego, por favor?

Allison wrote: "Veronica wrote: "Maybe the superhero-type stories don't appeal to you?"

Maybe! I'll keep this on the list then. It does seem right up my ally, content-wise. If it works for people who aren't generally comic readers, maybe I'll have a similar experience. Thanks!! "

There are a ton of great graphic novels which have nothing to do with superheroes. Lots of SF and Fantasy, Horror, and such. If you need recs for genres, sing out.

Thanks all! I will dip my toes in with some of these I think and then if that goes well, "I got ya numbas," as my people say. Numbers here being the recommendation folder :-D

I started Saga recently and that stuff is addictive!! I wasn't really a graphic novel reader before but I'm hooked now.

Fables is a ton of fun and Lazarus is a fave of mine. It was House of Mystery, Volume 1: Room and Boredom that got me going on them. before that I didn't get the appeal. I tend to like horror. Revival, Vol. 1: You're Among Friends and Coffin Hill Vol. 1: Forest of the Night are favorites of mine. Zombies and witches? It doesn't get any better ;)

Have fun, Allison.

Rob wrote: "Translation. I don't know French. I took 3 years of Spanish and the best I can do is ask where the bathroom/beer is at this point."
I used to be fluent and enjoyed reading in French but I read classics like Camus and haven't spoken the language in decades so am not sure I could handle anything too modern.

I wish I had taken learning a second language more serious, and not just something I had to pass for school. It would be nice to be fluent in more than one language.

Am about halfway through THE STONE SKY, final book in Jemisin's Hugo-winning trilogy.

You should both definitely continue in language! Just keep wordreference.com up while you read (or leodict, or some other favored language dictionary) :) The classics are likely about as difficult as modern day things as the expressions and vocabulary have changed (like with English and Shakespeare), so you'll have to look up idioms etc. anyways, likely. On y va! Vamanos! Los geht's!

And thank you for all the graphic novel recs! I flipped open Sandman last night just to look at it, and it's a bit overwhelming to my linear mind but gosh darn it I want to know what happens! And it is very pretty.

Rob wrote: "I wish I had taken learning a second language more serious, and not just something I had to pass for school. It would be nice to be fluent in more than one language."

My daughter has taught herself the basics of Russian, French and Italian using Duolingo, a language app.
https://www.duolingo.com/

Being fluent in a second language was a requirement at my school and I did love French but since I moved here Hebrew has taken-over. It is the mother-tongue of my husband and our two children.
Technically I am bi-lingual but in English I sound reasonably intelligent and well-read, with a decent grasp of grammar whereas in Hebrew I sound like some oaf on a street corner and this is not helped by the fact that the only things I read in the language are tabloids and tax law!

Esther wrote: "My daughter has taught herself the basics of Russian, French and Italian using Duolingo, a language app..."

I recently found that my uncle passed from Alzheimer's, and that multi-lingualism has been found to delay the onset of the disease. I'm trying to pick up languages, starting here in my second half-century.

DuoLingo has some disadvantages, that I find are balanced by MemRise (https://www.memrise.com/) and to some extent Lingvist (https://lingvist.com/)

BUT, DuoLingo has Klingon (coming in September) and High Valyrian. F&SF fandom.
For.
The.
WIN.

Mike wrote: "Esther wrote: "My daughter has taught herself the basics of Russian, French and Italian using Duolingo, a language app..."

I recently found that my uncle passed from Alzheimer's, and that multi-li..."

I'm sorry to hear about your uncle. It is amazing that Duolingo is doing that though! How great will it be if the "twist" to the idea of the "common tongue" we always hear about in SFF is that it won't either be English or pidgin, but Valyrian or Klingon? (OR PIDGIN VALYRIAN/KLINGON!!!!)

I speak some French, Spanish, and Romanian. I'm currently working with the Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It method.

The first language is the hardest because it teaches you that languages work differently from English. Once you know that, it's all downhill. Until you get caught up in something that annoys the crap out of you. That's a temporary snag, though. And someday I will learn the eight different endings for the word "boy" in Romanian. Really, I will. And then it will all be downhill again.

For our language learners there are a couple of sites that may be useful. On lang-8.com you can submit writing samples, like an essay or whatever, and native speakers correct them for free. italki.com is set up so you can Skype with teachers or tutors in your target language. The prices I've seen were $9-$30 per hour depending on the person. Most offered a discount for a pack of 10. On fluentforever.com you can buy pronunciation trainers for about 15 languages. If you install these on a flashcard app called Anki you can learn how to make the sounds so that you learn the language right the first time around instead of trying to correct pronunciation later.

I'm from Ohio. I can barely speak English. :p

I was using Duolingo to learn Italian, but when there's a polyglot in the room who constantly shouts out the answer it becomes difficult to absorb. I need to learn "stuff a sock in it".

Sarah Anne wrote: "Really, I will. And then it will all be downhill again."

LOL! Yes. I'm sure, just like I will stop confusing genders in French and German. Truly, I am sure one day I will intuitively remember which sexless objects change genders when you cross the Rhine.

Great tips on practice tools!!!

Trike, you don't have to go that far! Just use the worst accent you can and pepper in some spanglish until the horror of it drives them away!

Sarah Anne wrote: "I speak some French, Spanish, and Romanian. I'm currently working with the Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It method.

The first language is the hard..."

Big fan of Fluent Forever! Unfortunately, language is sixth in line for me (after fitness, The Youngster, housework, work, and The Ess Oh)

Mike wrote: "Sarah Anne wrote: "I speak some French, Spanish, and Romanian. I'm currently working with the Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It method.

The first l..."

Pssht. Cajole the signifo and the small human into speaking a language with you, or listen to lessons while you run. Then you're a multi-tasking multilingual who makes the most out of me time, and I won't even charge you for that resume stunner of an alliteration.

There's a technique for learning gender in Fluent Forever using mnemonics. It's extremely easy. Since I've now blown up a dog and set fire to a cat in German I'll never forget that those are masculine and feminine. And shattering a horse makes it neuter. Poor critters.

Oh my. I uh...I'll have to check it out?

It works amazingly well. It turns out duolingo actually has Romanian. It's really hard to find so I appreciate the tip.

Allison wrote: "....and I won't even charge you for that resume stunner of an alliteration. "

Also stealing "the signifo".

Sarah Anne wrote: "There's a technique for learning gender in Fluent Forever using mnemonics. It's extremely easy. Since I've now blown up a dog and set fire to a cat in German I'll never forget that those are mascul..."

I like those nice mnemonic choices. Completely unrelated, have you considered counseling?

Allison wrote: "Oh my. I uh...I'll have to check it out?"

Techniques from Fluent Forever. Use a distinctive vivid action imagery on nouns to associate an abstract concept like gender.

I think there was a similar technique for verbs, putting a particularly distinct person in a scene to mark a verb tense or aspect....