Beyond Reality discussion

Wow, we've all been reading a lot of Elizabeth Bear!

I've been reading Babylon Babies by Maurice G. Dantec for what seems like a month.It's a tremendous book: a near-mid-future cyberpunk thriller with military and geopolitical and organized-crime aspects, switching between Eastern Europe, Siberia and the Free Province of Quebec. Dantec is a French science fiction writer with very few other works translated into English. Dantec even manages to write himself into the novel in that very post-modern way, as scince fiction writer-cum-plotter Boris Dontzcik (I know I've misspelled this name). Very cute work, but the character is essential.
This is heavy going but so worth the effort. And fun to read SF that isn't based on one Anglophone culture or another.

I started The Martian Chronicles as an audiobook and I love it because Bradbury talks/rambles after most of the stories. I think I'm enjoying his comments as much as the stories.

Finished The Stars Blue Yonder and back to reading Diamond Star. I took a break while not feeling 100% as Asaro's books tend to put me through the emotional wringer. Getting a bit nervous as I get towards the end. It's time for something to go terribly wrong.

Kathryn wrote: "I started The Martian Chronicles as an audiobook and I love it because Bradbury talks/rambles after most of the stories. I think I'm enjoying his comments as much as the stories. "

I just checked my library, they have it on audio tape, I'm really excited. Thanks for the recommendation.

The Martian Chronicles was the first book I ever listened to. It was a wonderful experience.

Finished Bright of the Sky last night - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

Started Young Miles before I went to bed.

Just started a collection of short stories, Live Without a Net edited by Lou Anders, from 2003. The idea was to commission stories that don't involve the Internet or virtual reality or today's and presumably the future's ubiquitous cheap computing power (when greeting cards and guinea pigs have microchips, computers really are everywhere). So far, great stories by Michael Swanwick, Paul Di Filippo, Stephen Baxter and Chris Roberson. Others still to read by David Brin, Adam Roberts, Charles Stross, SM Stirling, and mike Resnick and Kay Kenyon, and some names I don't recognize. Apparently there is also a story by Rudy Rucker, but I bought the book anyway.

I finished To Ride Hell's Chasm by Janny Wurts, and loved it. I put a brief review on the book's page. After that I started reading a non-fiction book called Idiot America How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free (which is okay so far), and I'm also finishing up the collected short stories of C. J. Cherryh.

Just got my copy of To Ride Hell's Chasm today, but will resist temptation and put it aside while I finish up my current titles.

Just finished Swordspoint (which I'm pretty ambivalent about), and think I'm going to do Faerie Lord next.

Kerry wrote: "Finished The Stars Blue Yonder and back to reading Diamond Star. I took a break while not feeling 100% as Asaro's books tend to put me through the emotional wringer. G..."

Diamond Star was a good one. I'm always so doubtful every time I'm about to start one of her books. Once I start though I don't stop until the book is done. :)

Stefan wrote: "I finished To Ride Hell's Chasm by Janny Wurts, and loved it. I put a brief review on the book's page. After that I started reading a non-fiction book called Idiot America How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free (which is okay so far),...

Stefan, have you read Paul Fussell's book called "Bad: The Dumbing of America"? It's from 1992, well-written, and probably relates to "Idiot America..." Fussell also wrote a useful guide to the American class system, called, oddly enough, "Class".

I started The Man Who Was Thursday A Nightmare today. It's interesting...

I have started Miles Errant by Lois McMaster Bujold

Finished The Warrior's Apprentice this morning - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I'm going to continue on through the omnibus edition Young Miles because I just can't put it down.

I'm still slogging through Consider Phlebas and hope to finish it this weekend.

I am reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

Stuart wrote: "I am reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman."

I wanted to like this book, but I really didn't care for it much. It will be interesting to read your reaction/review.

I read American Gods twice. I missed so much the first time.

I'm now reading The Graveyard Game by Kage Baker. (I don't know why it's not showing up when I try to use the add book/author link.) I'm also reading Dead Beat by Jim Butcher.

I also read American Gods twice. It's one of those that needs to really sink in...

The Graveyard Game is such a good book --- that's the one that really opens up the series to the larger plot, rather than just focusing on the individual missions of the first 3 books. And the scene in the Ghirardelli's chocolate store is hilarious :)

I loved American Gods.
I finally started The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, finished Swan Song (nothing spectacular), and am loving The Man Who Was Thursday.

Kathi wrote: "Stuart wrote: "I am reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman."

I wanted to like this book, but I really didn't care for it much. It will be interesting to read your reaction/review."

I think it will be very positive, though I can see why it possible to not like this book as it is quite graphic in parts and uses strong language. So far I think it has worked.

I wanted to like this book too. And I usually don't mind graphic prose -- for instance, I loved "Consider Phlebas" -- but I didn't care for "American Gods", and it sort of turned me off of Neil Gaiman, which is a shame because so many people like him -- and he just won the darned Hugo.

I suppose I shall try him again sometime. But I think not "American Gods."

Stuart wrote: "Kathi wrote: "Stuart wrote: "I am reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman."

I wanted to like this book, but I really didn't care for it much. It will be interesting to read your reaction/review."

I..."

Stefan wrote: "The Graveyard Game is such a good book --- that's the one that really opens up the series to the larger plot, rather than just focusing on the individual missions of the first 3 books. And the sce..."

I finished it today. Of the first four, it is the best. I've already read The Life of the World to Come and The Machine's Child. It really tied in well with what comes in those two books, especially The Machine's Child. It gets really confusing trying to figure out reading order on these books because they're not necessarily on a linear timeline.

Nick wrote: "I wanted to like this book too. And I usually don't mind graphic prose -- for instance, I loved "Consider Phlebas" -- but I didn't care for "American Gods", and it sort of turned me off of Neil Ga..."

I must admit I am enjoying reading American Gods and I really like Consider Phlebas. The latter I found very exciting.

Finished Young Miles last night.

I'll be starting Left Behind today at lunch and will try to finish Consider Phlebas sometime this week.

After putting it off for awhile, I'm finally reading Faerie Lord and am really enjoying it and glad I finally got around to it.

Kathryn wrote: "I loved American Gods.
I finally started The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, finished Swan Song (nothing spectacular), and am loving The Man Who Was Thursday. "

I also liked American Gods. Was the first Gaiman novel I tried after reading Sandman.

I'm waiting for a copy of The Three Stigmata...to come in at the library. Getting impatient! Nearly grabbed Swan Song off the TBR shelf last night...picked up Witchblade Vol. 1 instead. Beautiful artwork.

Once I finish Casino Moon, I'll be starting either Kingdom Beyond the Waves
or The Magicians. I'm excited about both of them, especially after the Hard Case binge I've been on.

Too many comments to try to add in the quotes from previous messages...
OK, I didn't like American Gods, not because of the language or anything. I just didn't like the story and my lack of familiarity with many of the gods left me feeling like I was missing a lot of the richness of the story. I had the same feeling when I read Lord of Light by Zelazny, although that story still stuck with me for a while. I've read a couple other Gaiman books and liked them--
Neverwhere A Novel and Stardust.

I have acquired many of the Kage Baker books and look forward to reading them at some point in the future. Also have picked up most of Jim Butcher's Dresden books but haven't read any of them yet, either. Lots to look forward to.

A current one I have been reading is as I had recently watched the 1971 movie again. The Andromeda Strain

Trying to read more SF, just started on Schismatrix Plus

Recently read an old interview of Charles Stross where he said this,

"Here's a random example: go and read or re-read Bruce Sterling's
"Schismatrix". I assert freely that "Schismatrix" is one of the great
SF novels of the 1980's. It's better than "Neuromancer". It reinvented
space opera and was so revolutionary that half the reviewers didn't
understand what they were reading. Al Reynolds has got most of a career
out of building on what Sterling laid the foundations for in a single
pyrotechnic throwaway and a handful of short stories."

The interview itself is great to read: The WELL: Charlie Stross, _Singularity Sky_

(Also loved American Gods, but I could get how someone not familiar with the stuff in it might feel a bit meh about it. I'm big into mythology and philosophy and such, and it had such great ideas in it, it was impossible for me not to enjoy.

Also enjoyed Faerie Lord, which I finished last night, though it was a bit weird...)

Started The Name of the Wind this morning. Only got up to page 18, but it has a promising start.

Blackrose

I think you will like the Name of the Wind. Its a good one.

I just read David Weber's latest book in his new series and re-read the first two so about 2100 pages

So now I am reading some short mysteries to balance out

Plan to read the new Joe Abercombie novel Best Served Cold in the near future.

Just finished The Warrior's Apprentice and am foregoing the short story and next Miles book in order to finish a different series I've been reading, so next up is The Sword and the Flame by Stephen Lawhead.

@Jeffrey: I really only picked it up because of all the good things I've heard about it from various goodreads members. If I don't like it, I shall never be able to trust goodreads again! *grins*

I am getting very tired of waiting for the sequel to Name of the Wind. If he's going to take this long to write his books, I'm going to forget what happened in the first one, and so on. And I generally don't re-read books, too many new books to read!

Sisimka wrote: "I am getting very tired of waiting for the sequel to Name of the Wind. If he's going to take this long to write his books, I'm going to forget what happened in the first one, and so on. And I gen..."

Ever heard of a dude named George R.R. Martin?

Oh, don't get me started...

*gnashes teeth*

Good thing Steven Erikson writes novels so quickly!

While Melanie Rawn fans are still waiting for the final book in the Exiles trilogy, the second book came out in 1997 so that's 12 years and counting :(

Just starting Fool's War by Sarah Zettel. I really liked her book The Quiet Invasion and have had this on the pile for a while. Good start, interesting characters and funky politics in the first hundred pages of this one.

Anomander wrote: "While Melanie Rawn fans are still waiting for the final book in the Exiles trilogy, the second book came out in 1997 so that's 12 years and counting."

This is exactly why I stopped reading Melanie Rawn. I loved her first series, was apathetic about the second series and had high hopes for Exiles.

Oh well.

Ron wrote: "Just starting Fool's War by Sarah Zettel. I really liked her book The Quiet Invasion and have had this on the pile for a while. Good start, interesting..."

Nice to see someone giving this author a mention! Sarah Zettel's work is first rate, whether SF or fantasy.

Janny wrote: "Nice to see someone giving this author a mention! Sarah Zettel's work is first rate, whether SF or fantasy."

I really enjoyed Kingdom of Cages by Sarah Zettel.

Sisimka wrote: "Janny wrote: "Nice to see someone giving this author a mention! Sarah Zettel's work is first rate, whether SF or fantasy."

I really enjoyed Kingdom of Cages by Sarah Zettel."

I've got that in the stack, as well as Reclamation.

I just finished Threshold 1 The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny & started on Power & Light, the second. This 6 book set is supposed to contain every short story & piece of poetry he wrote. Each piece has explanations, comments & when/where it was published, if it was. So far, they're a fantastic read & should be for the price, $30 each. I have the first 4, the last 2 aren't out yet, but should be by the end of the year.

I don't want to carry these books in my lunchbox, so I'm also reading a paperback, Old Man's War by John Scalzi. So far it's very good. I've never read anything by him before that I recall.

Ron wrote: "Just starting Fool's War by Sarah Zettel. I really liked her book The Quiet Invasion and have had this on the pile for a while. Good start, interesting..."

I've had this on my shelf for a million years too. One day I'll get to it. When I'm retired or bed-ridden I suppose (neither of which look to happen anytime soon, but you never know, right?)

Just started Slanted Jack last night and was immediately swept back into the world of Jon and Lobo. I really love these two characters, I hope Van Name writes another one soon!

I've read everything of Sarah Zettel - Kingdom of Cages was my least favorite, but it was still extremely well done. She remains one of my favorite SF writers, along with R. M. Meluch and the one first novel by Katie Waitman, The Merro Tree.

Meluch's newest works are toward fun and space opera - read very quickly and with a lot of humor. Some of her older works have more reach and astounding depth.

Jim - I've read the Old Man's War, too. It was entertaining. But did not resound to the depths the authors I just mentioned have, for me.