SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Trike wrote: "Tom wrote: "I love this conversation! I migrated from Colo to Cali a couple decades back and really miss the snow. Or at least that is what I tell myself until I remember that it took a good two ye..."

Snow is all of those things until you have to shovel it. Which is why I am quite happy to live in Portland OR, I can go visit snow anytime I want, it only takes two hours or so. Thank you, Mt. Hood

Sarah Anne wrote: "Snow is beautiful when it's first fallen. Then it gets gray and dingy and looks worse than the dog poo."

This is where “wilderness” comes into play. The snow stays pristine all the winter through, except on the roads and parking lots.

Travis wrote: "Sarah Anne wrote: "Snow is beautiful when it's first fallen. Then it gets gray and dingy and looks worse than the dog poo."

Touché! Even in the beautiful mountains of beautiful California this is ..."

I remember him discussing this in an interview. He cut the scene about all the faun feces. Haha!

Trike wrote: "My friends who visit Ohio from California always wonder if there’s been an accident because everyone drives so slowly. :p"

I swear Ohio has the slowest drivers. I lived in NE Ohio for several years and it seemed like I was always getting stuck behind somebody going 20 mph under the speed limit while on some curvy, two-lane road with no opportunities to safely pass.

Then I moved to the Atlanta area. Now I’m usually stuck on large, 10+ lane highways, going at least 20 mph under the speed limit thanks to all the traffic. I’m not sure there’s really much difference in the grand scheme of things. :)

On the bright side, since this area has no idea what to do with snow, my whole department works from home if at least one weather forecaster so much as mentions the word “snow”. I once was told to work from home on a slightly cold day when it did nothing but rain. In Ohio, I just brushed a foot of snow off my car every morning and headed on into work...

Travis wrote: "Sarah Anne wrote: "Where were you? I was in Truckee."

Indian Falls, just under two hours northwest of you. So good to run into others from the CA mountains!"

I just had to look this one up. We used to go to Lake Almanor back when I was living down there.

YouKneeK wrote: "On the bright side, since this area has no idea what to do with snow, my whole department works from home if at least one weather forecaster so much as mentions the word “snow”. I once was told to work from home on a slightly cold day when it did nothing but rain. In Ohio, I just brushed a foot of snow off my car every morning and headed on into work... "

They take their snowstorms very seriously in Atlanta.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_KJo...

Whew, I have a long list here due to vacation and lots of downtime to relax on the beach and in the mountains:

almost up to date on Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series:

Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twenty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Plum Spooky
and working on Hardcore Twenty-Four

also working on Joan Hess' Maggody Series finishing
Malice in Maggody
Mischief in Maggody
and working on Madness in Maggody

also finished:
The Color of Fear
Bones Never Lie

and in the Fantasy realm, I finished
Shadowmarch
and am half way through
Shadowplay

and my bathroom read is now
Kushiel's Dart

CBRetriever wrote: "and my bathroom read is now
Kushiel's Dart ."

Careful, you’ll go blind.

too late but at least Kindles have adjustable fonts

To all you people who are in the snow - here in Sydney it reached 42 degrees Celsius today and we are melting:)

My review of Children of God by Mary Doria Russell

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

Phrynne wrote: "To all you people who are in the snow - here in Sydney it reached 42 degrees Celsius today and we are melting:)"

I like Sydney quite a lot, but that’s way too many degrees in a row. When I was in Kakadu it was 39 and I thought I was going to die. Although it’s -7C here now, and I thought I was going to die when I was walking the dogs earlier. (Much earlier. It’s 2:55 am here.)

Points for being able to say you have been to Kakadu. Not many people can say that:)

I've spent three winters on Middle East (Qatar), rainless and snowless, with average temperature above 40 degrees Celsius most of the year, so I really miss white winter and hot cocoa while reading book tucked under blankets... I believe that most of you who hate winter would actually like it after months spent in desert :)
Now I'm in Amman (Jordan), every few years there's one snowy day and I hope it will happen this year :D

I'm suspicious that the weather we're around has nothing to do with our preferences. After all, the same weather that gave me such a powerful aversion to the snow caused my brother to move to Colorado, after a year spent in Michigan's UP.

I thunk he's nuts, especially since he got stuck with the shoveling when we were kids.

Phrynne wrote: "Points for being able to say you have been to Kakadu. Not many people can say that:)"

I also read The Darwin Elevator while actually in Darwin. :D

Last night I started Cloud Atlas and I'm excited to finally be getting to this one, its been on my radar since the film.

This morning I read the prologue of Red Sister and I can already tell I'll be splitting my reading time between these two.

I'm in Pennsylvania, and already our winter snow is off to a good start. A decent snowfall last weekend, and another 2-3 inches last night. Its beautiful, my dog loves it and we romp around in the woods together. I'm hoping for a cold snowy winter, the ticks in this region have been terrible the past two years because of mild winters, and lyme disease is a real concern here. Down with climate change, we need predictable seasons.

Trike wrote: "My friends who visit Ohio from California always wonder if there’s been an accident because everyone drives so slowly. :p."

I moved to CA after 11 years in Germany and had the same reaction.

AndrewP wrote: "Trike wrote: "My friends who visit Ohio from California always wonder if there’s been an accident because everyone drives so slowly. :p."

I moved to CA after 11 years in Germany and had the same r..."

One of my all-time favorite car ads was for the Porsche 928 (for non-car people, that’s the one Tom Cruise drove in Risky Business) which said, “In Germany, this is an acceptable alternative to air travel.”

! was scrolling through this thread thinking the same thing about snow, cool weather, wow. I am inland of Newcastle and we reached 43 C yesterday. a good day for a retired person to put on the air con and read!!!!

Even had the dog inside all day and he usually hates being inside ( cattle dog) .

I got my next book in the John Conroe series of Demon Accord, so really enjoying it. Its one of those series that you think he cant possible make up a different story line for the next book and <<<<< yes he does.

I just finished reading: The Red Sword And I need to do a Review on it.

I'm currently reading: Alanna: The First Adventure With Franceska and others. I am 1/2 way done with it and I'm enjoying it.

Some light snow in New Jersey, but it's due to melt off in the next few days; I can't wait to go home to Idaho for Christmas.

Thanks to the weather and holiday excitement I'm reading Hogfather on the side, but I'm getting a jumpstart on my 2018 52 books challenge by mainly reading The Eyre Affair, which sadly is devoid of Christmas.

Since my last post I've finished Dawn by Octavia Butler, Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones, and Lhind the Thief by Sherwood Smith.

Dawn was quite good and thought-provoking, definitely unsettling at times. I'm not sure if I want to continue the series or not.
I loved Lhind the Thief. I tend to adore anything by Sherwood Smith, though, so that was no surprise. It was perfect for a cold (no snow here, just cold and gloomy) Saturday.

Abigail wrote: "Some light snow in New Jersey, but it's due to melt off in the next few days; I can't wait to go home to Idaho for Christmas. "

Mm-mm, potatoes!

...and that’s the extent of my knowledge about Idaho.

(Just kidding. Sacajawea is the other thing.)

I've just started listening to Bimbos of the Death Sun. So far, so good.

I just bought Neuromances. Can anyone whose read it give me some feedback.

Ok I finished this one today. Great read so far and looking forward to the next book.

@Allison did you ever start a Topic for this one like you said you were going to do? As I can't find it.

John wrote: " Ok I finished this one today. Great read so far and looking forward to the next book.

@Allison did you ever start a Topic for this one like you said ..."

It is Tortall Buddy Read, you were on the right discussion few minutes ago. Today we are finishing 1st book, and tomorrow starts second.

Aleksandra wrote: "John wrote: " Ok I finished this one today. Great read so far and looking forward to the next book.

@Allison did you ever start a Topic for this one l..."

I hate when that there happens. Ok, Thanks for enlightening me on that. Now I will go and purchase the 2nd one. I take it that we are going to read them all?

John wrote: "I hate when that there happens. Ok, Thanks for enlightening me on that. Now I will go and purchase the 2nd one. I take it that we are going to read them all?"

I think so :) I will definitely read, probably others also.

Aleksandra wrote: "John wrote: "I hate when that there happens. Ok, Thanks for enlightening me on that. Now I will go and purchase the 2nd one. I take it that we are going to read them all?"

I think so :) I will def..."

Well, you can count me in as well. After all, I like it so far and curious where Peirce takes Alanna and her brother and if they ever see one another again. Nobody tell me now if you know. I do know that there will be some shocked folks around when the truths come out about a few things. LOL

John wrote: "Aleksandra wrote: "John wrote: "I hate when that there happens. Ok, Thanks for enlightening me on that. Now I will go and purchase the 2nd one. I take it that we are going to read them all?"

I thi..."

Haha! For sure ;-)

I've just finished Alanna: The First Adventure with the Tortall buddies and it really is truly charming. I'm very excited to send this as a Christmas present to some of my friends' kids and am hoping they love it as much as I did. Also finished Who Fears Death which was fascinating, but also just too much for me. It just about got a BINGO on freaking me TF out.

I am now hoping to finish Red Sister while I wrap presents and decorate cookies (I know, best Christmas story EVER haha!) and start The Raven Boys tonight.

And for those trying to keep straight where we are in all of our various reading groups and challenges:

We're finishing Red Sister and The Stars Are Legion. We just started a re-read of The Goblin Emperor and Cloud Atlas.

You've got about 2 weeks left to finish your 2017 TBR challenge, Read All the Books challenge and make your last roll(s) in monopoly!

In January we'll be reading Touch and Ninefox Gambit with the group. We're nominating the options for the February sci-fi book (theme: Involves a moon) now.

Then we're diving right in to our 2018 Read All the Books challenge, the TBR challenge, the Owned Books challenge AND the Inclusivity Bingo event. Whew! Gonna be a busy year. I'm really enjoying seeing what books people pick for their TBR challenge and why.

Allison wrote: "And for those trying to keep straight where we are in all of our various reading groups and challenge ..."

No Monopoly again next year?

Mike wrote: "Allison wrote: "And for those trying to keep straight where we are in all of our various reading groups and challenge ..."

No Monopoly again next year?"

I think we're gonna try Bingo this year and see how that goes. The board will still be around if anyone wants to keep playing!

Sounds like a plan!

Persepolis Rising - ★★★★½ - (My Review)

The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter - ★★★★☆ - (My Review)

Wow!! So jealous you have read the new Sullivan *and* the new Corey books!! And written reviews. Very impressive!!

Karen wrote: "I've just started listening to Bimbos of the Death Sun. So far, so good."

I hope you enjoy it. I found it...amusing.

MadProfessah wrote: "Wow!! So jealous you have read the new Sullivan *and* the new Corey books!! And written reviews. Very impressive!!"

I do a lot of audio, or I'd probably wouldn't be done with both. It was tough debating which to listen to first (since they came out the same day). I went with Expanse, which turned out to be the right choice for me, but both were enjoyable.

Claudia Rankine, Citizen: An American Lyric. Sharp in all the ways. I cannot believe how much it does in such a slim number of pages.

Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer. This series. This amazing glorious series! It's a good thing we have a couple of years before the next one. I need the time to catch my breath.

Greg Van Eekhout, California Bones. Fun magic system and setting. Brought back fond memories of visiting the La Brea Tar Pits as a kid.

Rivers Solomon, An Unkindness of Ghosts. This book is the first time I felt like a science fiction novel captured slavery in a way that felt true to the world described in antebellum slave narratives. An inexact description: but imagine Harriet Jacobs writing a science fiction novel about plantation slavery without any need to cloak in euphemism that world's many varieties of violence and degradation.

Karl Ove Knausgård, Autumn. I've had a hard time with his loooooong autobiographical fiction, but the short essays here are so keen and insightful. I just loved reading them. There are also letters to his unborn daughter that brought me a few happy tears. The writer has some unexamined phobias of his own femininity, which at times came through. Reading these moments felt a bit uncomfortable (should I turn away?) but also fascinating.

Finished Who Fears Death - it was way too rapey for me. AND THE SPIDERS! I should have listened to the many kind souls who warned me that I couldn't handle this book because you were right. Oh well! Now I know what people are talking about.

Alanna: The First Adventure helped me recover my composure.

Now reading The Raven Boys at the recommendation of a friend, and planning my revenge upon her for it. It's not bad, it's just not the urban fantasy myth retelling I was promised, and my tolerance for love stories is low.

Read The Lives of Christopher Chant number 4 in the Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne Jones, which is set years before the first one, and enjoyed it more - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2210202653.

Pam wrote: "Read The Lives of Christopher Chant number 4 in the Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne Jones, which is set years before the first one, and enjoyed it more - https://www.goodreads.com..."

How odd, the source I am using calls it Number 2. It is an interesting book though.

Dj wrote: "Pam wrote: "Read The Lives of Christopher Chant number 4 in the Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne Jones, which is set years before the first one, and enjoyed it more - https://www.g..."

Yes, the one I shelved calls it number 4. Someone did say DWJ suggested reading it second.

Read Gate of Ivrel by C J Cherryh and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2219392175.

A short read by M C Beaton - A Highland Christmas - which I've reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2219430295.

Norton wrote: "I just bought Neuromances. Can anyone whose read it give me some feedback."

If you mean Neuromancer by William Gibson, it's one of my all-time favorites. It's not quite as amazing now as it was 30 years ago, and some modern readers don't enjoy it, but I think it's Gibson's best work. Shades of Neuromancer appear in many SF movies such as The Matrix. Also, it's hard to beat a ninja with detachable thumb connected with microfilament wire! That's the problem with Gibson's later work...not enough ninjas.

I have several books in play right now. I'm reading Magic Bites, White Night, The Godfather, The 42nd Parallel, and Dune.

So I've recently finished or stopped reading or started reading these books.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo I liked it. It's the tenth book of the twelve I said I'd read this year from the Science Fiction & Fantasy Bookshelf.

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez I picked up to meet the Book Riot Challenge #4 Read a book set in Central/ South America. I didn't finish it, I wasn't loving it.

I do an A-Z Challenge with the author's last name. Today I decided to count The Right Side by Spencer Quinn. I was reading it last month and enjoying it, when I lost it. I'm counting it because it was the last book on that challenge. I'll finish it when I replace the library's copy.

Last night I started Carry On by Rainbow Rowell for the Read Harder Challenge #20 Read a LGBTQ Romance novel. It's also fantasy and YA.

Finished my last book on Read All The Books 2017: A New Hope; an awesome book, The Speed of Dark

Also finished Magnificent Desolation but still stuttering along on Purple Hibiscus and Batman: Prodigal and Orlando *

My electronic copy of Boneshaker came in, so I listen to that on the commute and during chores, and am almost through. Finally, I do two pages a night of Trillion Year Spree; it may be a while to finish, though!