SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Dj wrote: "Pascal wrote: "i've finished Eye of the world (Wheel of time#1) and yes As i promised myself I continue in the historiographic master piece"

Best of luck with that. I keep thinking I should start ..."

"Shiny" LOL Sorry I just couldn't resist that there. After all, there was a character in one of the Baulder's Gate games that had that line.

Allison wrote: "Ashley wrote: "I’ll read Alanna: The First Adventure with y’all too! I actually just ordered a copy the other day! I should get it this weekend."

...welp. I'm sufficiently distracted ..."

That happens to you allot lately doesn't it Allison? Ok, folks, you twisted my arm you keep me posted on when we're going to read it and I'll grab a copy and join in with the group. Not like I don't have a couple hundred books on my TBR list whats one more. LOL

John wrote: "Allison wrote: "Ashley wrote: "I’ll read Alanna: The First Adventure with y’all too! I actually just ordered a copy the other day! I should get it this weekend."

...welp. I'm sufficie..."

My will is strong, just not very focused ;-)

HAPPY TEN YEARS, friends and book lovers! The club is a decade old this month! May your reading bring you joy and wisdom, your shelves be heavy, your illumination of choice be light, your TBR enticing, and your feed full of good discussions!

Allison wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "Ashley wrote: "I’ll read Alanna: The First Adventure with y’all too! I actually just ordered a copy the other day! I should get it this weekend."

...welp...."

LOL i know what you're saying there. Just keep me posted on when we're going to read Alanna: The First Adventure. As I'm up for it with everyone else.

Allison wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "I'm currently reading Trickster's Choice Which is 1st of a two book read. Once this is finished I'll have reac..."

Hi Fanncisca, I'd love to do a buddy read with you if your interested. I'm about 4% into the Tricksters choice if your interested.

I just finished An Unwelcome Quest by Scott Meyer, which was silly and most definitely fun to read. After finishing Ready Player One, I had a hankering for similar light reading material. I then balanced all that out with two books in which technology is almost non-existent -- Paying Guests by Sarah Waters and Disobedience by Naomi Alderman.

Ashley wrote: "I’ll read Alanna: The First Adventure with y’all too! I actually just ordered a copy the other day! I should get it this weekend."

I recently read that for the first time. So fun!

John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "I'm currently reading Trickster's Choice Which is 1st of a two book read. Once this is finishe..."

I was actually thinking of restarting from the beginning of the series - I'll probably start around the 11th (when I will be free of exams, hurrah!)

Francisca wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "I'm currently reading Trickster's Choice Which is 1st of a two book read. Once th..."

Now, which one is the beginning of the story? AS the books don't say at all.

The first series is the Song of the Lioness quartet, which starts with the aptly named Alanna the First Adventure :-)

Francisca wrote: "The first series is the Song of the Lioness quartet, which starts with the aptly named Alanna the First Adventure :-)"

Ok, then I'll put off the rest of Tricksters Choice and start reading one of the many others for which I've got to read. Remind me around the 11th And I'll pick up the quartet. That way we can read it together.

Sorry didn't know you were in the midst of exams. But you were the one for which brought up the buddy read. LOL

This month I'm reading:
The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Rama II by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee

And I'm trying to finish them all by the end of the month, along with Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie.

Randy wrote: "This month I'm reading:
The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
Doomsday Book by [author:Connie Wil..."

GOGOGOGOGOGO!!

Well I'm not to worried about making my 20 I'm kinda between reads currently as Francisca wants to read the "Alanna: The first Adventure together starting around the 11th. And with the way for which I've been reading books it's shouldn't take me but a few days to read it. I've got to figure out which one of my TBR to read in the meantime.

Ok I guess I'm going to read The Red Sword so that I have something for which is safe to read til we start reading Alanna The First Adventure. After all I need something to read and this one seems a safe bet. Waiting to hear back from Jeff Wheeler before I start on another one of his Trilogies.

Francisca wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "Allison wrote: "John wrote: "I'm currently reading Trickster's Choice Which is 1st of a two book read. Once th..."

I should get my copy of Alanna tomorrow, but I’m okay with waiting till the middle of the month to start it. Gives me time to finish a couple others.

Congrats on the anniversary Allison! Ten years is a great achievement!!!

Allison wrote: "GOGOGOGOGOGO!!"

:)

Phrynne, thank you! And thank you for being a part of it!

Alanna readers, if I don't see a post started for it in the next week, I'll post it, but I'm really hoping y'all feel empowered to splinter into as many buddy reads as you can find books and buddies! That's why I joined GR, anyways--not enough people want to discuss books all day in the real world :)

Randy, how's it goin'? Gonna make it??

Allison wrote: "Phrynne, thank you! And thank you for being a part of it!

Alanna readers, if I don't see a post started for it in the next week, I'll post it, but I'm really hoping y'all feel empowered to splint..."

I agree. I’m so glad I found this group! I have really no one to read and talk books with anymore.

Ashley wrote: "Allison wrote: "Phrynne, thank you! And thank you for being a part of it!

Alanna readers, if I don't see a post started for it in the next week, I'll post it, but I'm really hoping Y'all feel emp..."

Ok, the reason for which I agree to wait till the 11th on the Allana Book was that Francisca is in the middle of finals or midterms. There are a few others that posed an interst as well. I'm reading another book I just started but I'll be done by the 11th.

Your right there isn't many to talk about books anymore that's why I'm glad I found this group. I've only been here a little over a month and have over 300 on my TBR list and I am currently reading my 20th book.

@Allison you going to join in on this one?

John wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Allison wrote: "Phrynne, thank you! And thank you for being a part of it!

Alanna readers, if I don't see a post started for it in the next week, I'll post it, but I'm really hoping..."

I think so! I don't know that I'll actually be able to read, but I think a large part of why my memory is so terrible is that I've stuffed my head with Tamora Pierce lore, so I'm down to follow along :)

Allison wrote: "John wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Allison wrote: "Phrynne, thank you! And thank you for being a part of it!

Alanna readers, if I don't see a post started for it in the next week, I'll post it, but I'm ..."

Alright never heard of that happening before.

Ancillary Mercy was a great finish to the trilogy, and I need to review my ratings for the first two. I didn't like the first book all that much when I read it, but the story kept circling in my brain, and I kept picking up the next book to see what happens next. I don't feel compelled to finish series just because I begin them, but when I don't immediately forget a story I thought was just so-so, I tend to re-think my first reaction.

Yesterday I read Artemis which I liked ok. The comparison to The Martian is inevitable, and for me there is no comparison. The Martian was way better.

Tom wrote: "I usually don't read two similar books at the same time but I was reading both of these at once recently and found quite a few similarities that made keeping them separate in my mind a bit challenging. BTW: Six Wakes was the better of the two. "

Tom, I kept waiting to find similarities between Artemis and Six Wakes after your remark, but beyond the name Artemis, and their being surrounded by the cold vacuum of space, I didn't find them to be similar at all.

Last night I started reading Sunshine based on the recommendation of several members in one of the threads here. So far so good. I also have Six of Crows waiting in the wings.

Jen wrote: "Ancillary Mercy was a great finish to the trilogy, and I need to review my ratings for the first two. I didn't like the first book all that much when I read it, but the story kept c..."

As for the book Sunshine I've yet to figure out what category for which falls into sci-fi or fantasy as the Blurb don't say much of nothing at all.

I'd expect Fantasy/Horror. Its a vampire novel.

Jen wrote: "I'd expect Fantasy/Horror. Its a vampire novel."

Oh ok thanks fof the information.

I noticed what we're going to be reading in January! Ninefox! <3 I can't deal, I may have to reread, altough I was saving it for when the next one comes out. It's going to get so many 1 star ratings and DNFs! :D

edit: And I also just noticed that Revenant Gun has a title, cover and release date! (June 2018). I can't wait!

Anna wrote: "I noticed what we're going to be reading in January! Ninefox! <3 I can't deal, I may have to reread, altough I was saving it for when the next one comes out. It's going to get so many 1 star rating..."

LOL! What a way to finish that recommendation(?)!

It did seem to have a love/hate following, but polarizing books make good discussion, no?

Allison wrote: "It did seem to have a love/hate following, but polarizing books make good discussion, no?"

Yup, I can't wait to see what everyone thinks!

I know - Revenant gun (I’m your gun!)
I definitely thought Ninefox was the best book I read that year. Complicated enough to hold my attention!!

I finished California Bones - ★★★☆☆ - (My Review)

and The Desert Spear - ★★★★☆ - (My Review)

Allison wrote: "Randy, how's it goin'? Gonna make it??"

As of now I am on track to finish maybe even a day or two early...

By the way, here's an update on how much I'm liking them all:
The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber - pretty bad for a Hugo winner, and it's a shame because I love Lieber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser stories - looking like 2 stars or potentially even less
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein - I dig this one, probably my favorite Heinlein, but I'm only 30 pages in - probably 4 stars
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis - slow going but some interesting ideas - could easily have been edited to half its current length - probably 3 stars
Rama II by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee - very dull with the occasional interesting moment or idea - probably 2 stars
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - easy read and amazingly fun especially considering it's about to celebrate its 86th birthday - probably 4 stars

My review of Provenance by Ann Leckie

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

Randy wrote: "Allison wrote: "Randy, how's it goin'? Gonna make it??"

As of now I am on track to finish maybe even a day or two early...

By the way, here's an update on how much I'm liking them all:
[book:The ..."

I love Agatha Christie. Her and the Nero Wolf books are comfort reads for me. Strange that murder can be so enjoyable. I wonder if you'll have the Heinlein Moment I find in all his books, where it's all great and brilliant and then there's that one line/paragraph where he goes off the rails. I hope you continue to enjoy it, and that the slower reads either end soon or recover :)

I am currently reading and enjoying We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Recently I've finished/ tried to read:

Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker by Gregory Maguire, which wasn't for me, so much that I didn't finish it.

I liked Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks a lot.

Survivor Cafe: The Legacy of Trauma and the Labyrinth of Memory by Elizabeth Rosner will likely be on my best of 2017 list.

Heather, the Totality by Matthew Weiner I finished, but didn't care for.

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay and The Faery Handbag by Kelly Link are two unrelated pieces, one non-fiction essays, the other a wonderful short story that my RL book group are discussing tonight.

Allison wrote: "I love Agatha Christie. Her and the Nero Wolf books are comfort reads for me. Strange that murder can be so enjoyable. I wonder if you'll have the Heinlein Moment I find in all his books, where it's all great and brilliant and then there's that one line/paragraph where he goes off the rails. I hope you continue to enjoy it, and that the slower reads either end soon or recover :) "

(So strange to be talking about Agatha Christie in the SciFi and Fantasy book club :p) I tried Agatha Christie when I was young and couldn't get into her stuff at all. But a couple years ago I read some of her short stories and got a real kick out of them. This will be the first novel-length book I've finished of hers. From what I understand she's got more books in print than anyone but Shakespeare and God.

Heinlein has been problematic for me but I was probably reading the wrong stuff. I started, not sure why, with Job: A Comedy of Justice then later read The Cat Who Walks Through Walls. Last year I finally got around to The Moon is a Harsh Mistress which I enjoyed although I didn't quite love it. So far Starship Troopers looks like it could be my fave.

Doomsday Book is starting to pick up now that (view spoiler)[people are starting to die (hide spoiler)] - I like it, just don't quite love it. The other two books are probably hopeless. I should just kick them but I already kicked The Rook this year after getting a severe case of italics poisoning so pride is kind of making me stick with these.

"italics poisoning" XD

SFF knows it is my true love, it doesn't mind if I talk about my other friends. I do recommend more Christie and Nero Wolf of you enjoy murder mysteries!

Moon is a harsh Mistress was the first non - dragon sci-fi I ever read, and (fortunately or unfortunately) gave me lots to think about. I'll have to try (try again?) Starship troopers.

Mother of Learning - 4*
my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Between packing up our public library for renovations and my personal home for moving, I've been trying my best to complete Morning Star since I have to return the library book before I move. I'm also listening to All These Worlds during my short commute and/or running around town. Really enjoying both series!

So I finished: I won't be writing a review, since it is either the 2nd or the 250th book in the series, depending on how you are counting. But I have to say it was a fun book and how can you not be roped in with situations where they argue about killing a monster based on it being on the Endangered Moster List?

Mike wrote: "Hey, Dj, my phone won't show pictures (I think most phone GR users don't see pictures in posts.)
So, what book is it that you are reading?"

The Dark Prophecy, by Rick Riordan, it is the second Apollo book.

Currently working my way through The Stars Are Legion, not far from finishing. Struggling with The Core. I've been waiting for this final book for a long time and now it's here... I'm disappointed. It's so slow and dragging.

Just finished Time and Time Again, really liked it. I have a whole Kindle folder full of alt history/time travel books recommended by members that I'm working through.

Anna wrote: "I noticed what we're going to be reading in January! Ninefox! <3 I can't deal, I may have to reread, altough I was saving it for when the next one comes out. It's going to get so many 1 star rating..."

Quick question - I thought we voted on the monthly reads? Did I just miss the poll or did something change? I did just join, so I'm not sure how things work :)

Francisca wrote: "I thought we voted on the monthly reads? Did I just miss the poll or did something change?"

January is different, it was explained in the newsletter, but maybe you didn't get it if you just joined? Normally we nominate and vote, that will continue in February.

Francisca wrote: "Anna wrote: "I noticed what we're going to be reading in January! Ninefox!

Quick question - I thought we voted on the monthly reads? Did I just miss the poll or did something change? I did just j..."

We totally usually vote. But it was determined (notice my blame-shifting passive voice!) that this January we'd bring back mod choice. Don't worry, we promise not to get comfy with all this power! Polls will be back starting February, and there will be a chance to vote elsewhere for a book to read in January, but I'm playing that close to the chest for the time being. More to follow next week!

Allison wrote: "...there will be a chance to vote elsewhere for a book to read in January"

I'm so excited! At least if it's what I think it is :D

Thanks for clarifying Allison! I must have joined after the notification :)

And Anna - you’ve now gotten my curiosity thoroughly piqued!! :D

After finishing Oathbringer, I started reading Brandon Sanderson's novellas:

Legion
Skin Deep
Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell
Snapshot
Perfect State

They are quick entertaining reads or listens. I particularly enjoyed Snapshot and the Legion books.

I submerged my self in history tryin to read the I Kershaw biography (wich i started several times) from Hitler This time i will try to end both 800+ Pages volumes Which me luck