SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

YouKneeK wrote: "Plus I like Star Trek. :) ."

That was why I chose to read Redshirts first.
Then I read the first 4 of Old Man's War.
I like Scalzi a lot and want to work through all his books.
Next up is Lock In then Fuzzy Nation and The Human Division.

I am reading Bitterwood by James Maxey on my Kindle https://www.amazon.com/Bitterwood-Dra.... Frankly I'm not sure if I like the book as it discusses genocide, ghettoes and pogroms. The plot has many twists and rapid changes so I keep going.

I am currently trying to get into Sword of Shannara. Please tell me this gets better!

I read all the Shannara books when I was a kid and enjoyed them greatly at the time. Unfortunately my taste and judgment when I was a kid is highly suspect. I later learned that many adult fantasy fans tend to disdain those books greatly.

Yeah, not sure how I feel about it so far. Will post a review when finished :-)

I’ve now finished Redshirts, which I really enjoyed. The plot was ridiculous, which would normally be a turn-off for me, but I enjoyed the characters and the story was fun. Here’s my review.

Later today I plan to start Watership Down by Richard Adams. I grabbed it when the Kindle edition went on sale a little while ago, after the author’s death. I’ve actually never read it, but I always intended to get around to it eventually.

It's been a busy few weeks and I've fallen behind on my reviews:

The Dispatcher - ★★★★☆ - My Review
Ninefox Gambit - ★★★★☆ - My Review
Moving Pictures - ★★★★☆ - My Review
Gemini Cell - ★★★☆☆ - My Review
Mona Lisa Overdrive - ★★★★☆ - My Review
Lumberjanes, Vol. 4: Out of Time - ★★★★☆ - My Review

YouKneeK wrote: "I’ve now finished Redshirts, which I really enjoyed. The plot was ridiculous, which would normally be a turn-off for me, but I enjoyed the characters and the story was fun. Here’s m..."

If it wasn't sort of ridiculous, it wouldn't be an fair homage to Star Trek, now, would it? :) Agent to the Stars and The Android's Dream both follow the same "silly and serious mixed in the same story" pattern. His other books are slightly more serious, but always with a certain lighthearted humor.

Watership Down, on the other hand, is far less silly and far more serious and darker than anybody would expect a book about rabbits to be.

David wrote: "If it wasn't sort of ridiculous, it wouldn't be an fair homage to Star Trek, now, would it? :)"

Ha, true enough. :)

Sarah Anne wrote: "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. "

I know, right?? I just finished it last night. Very puzzled about the title lol

Apparently it had something to do with a deal between him and his postman. If there was news from his publisher his postman would ring twice. It was something like that anyway. I was really irritated because I've spent something like 30 years wondering about the significance of the title.

I just finished A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I liked it and gave it 3 stars. You can read my review here if you're interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I'm starting A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin. Hopefully I will finish it by the time The Winds of Winter comes out! HAHAHAHAHA just a little GRRM humor there...

I'm still working on these:
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton
- The Dying Earth by Jack Vance
- The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
- The Circle by Dave Eggers

just finished reading Uprooted by Noami Novik, which I really enjoyed, and about to start Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho.

40% into the The Monstrumologist. Was about to put it down when it finally picked up about 100 pages in. I was finding the 2 main characters completely irritating until then.
Also reading Seveneves on my phone as my grab a quick reading moment book during a break or in a waiting room so I'll be in a good spot to finish it during the Feb group read.

David wrote: "Watership Down, on the other hand, is far less silly and far more serious and darker than anybody would expect a book about rabbits to be. ."

I went to see the film when I was 9. It was rated PG but it was a tough PG. The book was even more serious.

Esther wrote: "I went to see the film when I was 9. It was rated PG but it was a tough PG. The book was even more serious. "

They're doing a remake, apparently -- BBC and Netflix.

The book's author Richard Adams died this year. We lost a lot of good people in 2016.

Michele wrote: "They're doing a remake, apparently -- BBC and Netflix."

That's an interesting article.

Just finished The Fifth Season and absolutely loved it. Will try to start The Obelisk Gate by end of the week.

Hello all
Finished "The door into Summer" from Heinlein - and starting "Trigger Warning" by Neil Gaiman.

Let's see how it goes.

Best regards
FilipeAlves

I'm currently reading Theft of Swords. I finished The Crown Conspiracy, and now I'm reading Avempartha, which is the second book in the Theft of Swords Omnibus. So far it's great.

In a current read-athon of The Dagger and the Coin series by Daniel Abraham. Starting The Tyrant's Law.

David wrote: "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."

+1 on YouKneeK's answer. Star Trek and it's a stand-alone.

After finishing Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (which I LOVED,) I started Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits yesterday. It is fast paced and sharp as a tack. I'm going back to LoTR after this though (Two Towers,) and I think I will miss fast paced sci-fi. Maybe I should finally read Armada afterwards since I'm such a Ready Player One geek? (I've heard mixed things so I've been holding off.)

Here is my review of The Path of Daggers

I gave up on Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, after reading 3/4 of it.

I'm now reading Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older, which I was sure, somehow, was instead 'Half- Reservation Blues.' It's not,but it's fun.

My review of Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

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

Finished Mildred Pierce. Now reading Main Street -- quite good.

Michele wrote: "Finished Mildred Pierce. Now reading Main Street -- quite good."

Main Street was assigned reading in my American Studies class in college. It was a good way to get a glimpse into what America was like 100 years ago.

Last summer I was in Sinclair Lewis's hometown of Sauk Centre, MN, which was the inspiration for the book. The whole town is Sinclair Lewis this and Main Street that. It wasn't clear to me if they didn't grasp that they were making themselves a caricature of all the things Lewis disdained in the book, or if they knew and didn't care.

I just finished Magic Bites. I know a lot of people who love this book so I'll just say it wasn't what I expected.

Starting to enjoy Seveneves and its orbital mechanics (parts I understand). 30%.

16% in Mazirian the Magician (Dying Earth 1). Weird.

Allison wrote: "I just finished Magic Bites. I know a lot of people who love this book so I'll just say it wasn't what I expected."

That was my reaction :)

David wrote: "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 j..."

The Day of the Triffids is a bit tamer with the explicitness of the adult encounters, but there are a couple in there, but not overt or detailed descriptive. The story is the real deal maker for this one. A really ingenious tale of how the human race can be mastered by a group of what should be harmless plants. Very interesting, the movie is not nearly as good as the book, but that is the case in most everything I have ever seen Hollywoodized.

I just finished The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer. It was a really well written book but ultimately it was not for me. I'm too linear in my thinking :(

I'm starting Amnesia Moon on audio and I'm in the middle of The Machine.

Sarah Anne wrote: "Allison wrote: "I just finished Magic Bites. I know a lot of people who love this book so I'll just say it wasn't what I expected."

That was my reaction :)"

Unfortunate! I'm still on the quest for urban fantasy that I like as much as Dresden. I think it may be time to go back to the foundation.

Quick break from fantasy to check my privilege, and then I think a palate cleanser like Spin.

I recently read The Dark Half. This was my 50th King book read.

I also read The Hunter.

I recently finished The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America and Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances, and am almost finished with Lock In.

I haven't given much thought to what I'll read next, but it will be something from my TBR challenge.

Allison wrote: "Unfortunate! I'm still on the quest for urban fantasy that I like as much as Dresden...."

I really like the entire series that start with The Devil You Know (My all time fave!), Unclean Spirits, and Nightfall (except the fourth book, which was appalling.)

Then again, these are all about demons, which is kind of my favorite type of reading. Give me some demonic books and I am a happy woman.

Sarah Anne wrote: "Allison wrote: "Unfortunate! I'm still on the quest for urban fantasy that I like as much as Dresden...."

I really like the entire series that start with The Devil You Know (My all t..."

Yeah, you've already persuaded me! That's on the list for this year :) Maybe I'll bounce Iron Druid out of line and move this one up. Been hearing some things that make me think Iron Druid is just going to make me mad. I'm plenty mad without druids contributing to it.

Just finishing up The Shining Girls, I don't get why Beukes books aren't rated higher. I really enjoy them, nothing earth shattering but good writing and good stories.

In the middle of The Lions of Al-Rassan and on to Lock In soon.

I love The Shining Girls! It's my favorite by her. One of my groups voted it in for March and I will be doing read #3. I'm really glad you liked it.

I just started Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. We will see how this goes. The work is interesting so far :-)

Allison,

Some urban fantasy you might like more:

Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older, which I haven't finished reading, but am enjoying. It is set in Brooklyn.

Someplace to Be Flying by Charles de Lint is one of my favorites. It is set in a made up Northeastern Rust Belt city, Newford which is dirtier (and poorer?) than Toronto, but smaller than NYC.

Broken Monsters or Zoo City both by Lauren Beukes. The first is set in Detriot and the second in Johannesburg, SA, because Hank reminded me.

Welcome to Bordertown edited by Holly Black, which are short stories set where a human city is next to a fairy city, where neither magic or technology work predictably.

Julia wrote: "Allison,

Some urban fantasy you might like more:

Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older, which I haven't finished reading, but am enjoying.

[book:Someplace..."

Thanks, Julia! Broken Monsters sounds like it's maybe a bit heavy for me but the others look great! Can you please tell me (view spoiler)[ if there is a rape scene in Someplace to Be Flying? It makes it sound like there is and I prefer to know that before reading the book. (hide spoiler)]

Thanks again!! I'm optimistic about these :-)

Silvana wrote: "Starting to enjoy Seveneves and its orbital mechanics (parts I understand). 30%.

16% in Mazirian the Magician (Dying Earth 1). Weird."

It gets better. The first three stories are kind of...odd. After that it picks up.

David wrote: "Main Street was assigned reading in my American Studies class in college. It was a good way to get a glimpse into what America was like 100 years ago."

So far, quite a lot of what the small-town folks say could have been taken straight from today's conservative party :)

David wrote: "It wasn't clear to me if they didn't grasp that they were making themselves a caricature of all the things Lewis disdained in the book, or if they knew and didn't care.

The book certainly does a good job contrasting the liberal/progressive viewpoint with the conservative one. Easy to tell which side the author favored!

Kim wrote: "I recently finished...Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances.."

I really like Gaiman's short stories, and I thought this collection was pretty good. I really liked the introduction, too.

Azrael wrote: "I just started Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. We will see how this goes. The work is interesting so far :-)"

Now that's a commitment lol! Big book. I need to re-read it...

found a wonderful space opera called "dread empire's fall". am into the second book and loving it. anybody else heard of this one by Walter Jon Williams??

about the Felix Castor series, I loved the first two, DNF the third. there are some classic lines and world champion snarkiness.

My review of Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

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

Azrael wrote: "I am currently trying to get into Sword of Shannara. Please tell me this gets better!"

I tried with that book but had to give it up.... didn't like the characters or the story. But my biggest issue was the writing. I have tried his later works: The dark legacy of Shannara which I though was better.