Play Book Tag discussion

I had more books on my TBR that fit space opera than either of the the other two tags (although betrayal may have added more books to my TBR after recommendations and reviews.)

Red Rising is my first choice for this month's tag. It was one of my chose Prosperity books and has been amply recommended on this thread.

Ancillary Justice is also a strong contender if I decide to go for two. I'm also eyeing Consider Phlebas or Shards of Honor.

A title I would like to throw out as a recommendation is Joan D. Vinge's The Snow Queen. It's been decades since I've read it, but really enjoyed it at the time. It has multiple strong female characters and could also be characterized as a coming of age book. Hugo award winner in 1981.

This is the first time I missed voting on a tag, but I probably would have voted for this one! I've got The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet on my shelf, this would be a perfect time for it!

Have to say I am not a fan of the Barque Cats series by Anne McCaffrey - too saccharine and corny for my taste. But if you like cats and schmaltz, you may enjoy it.

Ender's Game is always good. Asimov is always good (Foundation).

For military space female characters: I love book 1 of David Weber's Honor Harrington series, On Basilisk Station. Also enjoy Elizabeth Moon's Herris Serrano series (book 1 is Hunting Party); her other series, Vatta's War, is not as good IMO but still ok (book 1 is Trading in Danger). But my favorite female kick-ass space marine is Torin Kerr, and you can't go wrong with book 1 of the Confederation series, Valor's Choice by Tanya Huff. I was not impressed by Mark Sheperd's Kris Longknife series - I thought it was trying hard but falling short.

Just started Red Rising. At 20 pages, 5%, and two chapters in, I can say "holding my nose and opening the book" was quite right. This is going to be an alien slog. I have noticed that hitchhiker's guide is under 200 pages. Binti is 96. I may try to read a lot for this tag, so I get a wide range of exposure. I'm really stretching here, guys....

Amy wrote: "Just started Red Rising. At 20 pages, 5%, and two chapters in, I can say "holding my nose and opening the book" was quite right. This is going to be an alien slog. I have noticed that hitchhiker's ..."

This does not bode well for me!

Amy wrote: "Just started Red Rising. At 20 pages, 5%, and two chapters in, I can say "holding my nose and opening the book" was quite right. This is going to be an alien slog. I have noticed that hitchhiker's ..."

If you're not enjoying it, I wouldn't force yourself to get through 3 books. This is supposed to be fun and stretch us to find some new things that we like. But if you're slogging through something, it seems like you know you aren't enjoying it. I'd put Red Rising aside and try the shortest one just to do the tag and then pick up some enjoyable reading for the rest of the month! Too many books.....

Amy- if you don't like it then don't read it. Why waste your reading time on a book that is a slog? Try Binti. It's really short and quite different from red Rising. Ancillary justice is pretty good too and interesting in they way it plays with gender. You might like "the space between the stars." This was not a book I liked too much but I think you would like it more. It's set in space and earth but the focus is on themes that may be of interest to you rather then space exploration/conflict.

I'm with these ladies. Ditch it if you don't like it. Hitchhiker's is the same. If you don't like it in the first few chapters then it's not for you.

That's good advice, friends. I've actually never ditched a book. Worth considering. But maybe it will pick up, if I get into it. Other people find it highly popular. Barbara, you may likely find you appreciate it more than me. I may just be a stick in the mud for earth related themes.

Amy wrote: "That's good advice, friends. I've actually never ditched a book. Worth considering. But maybe it will pick up, if I get into it. Other people find it highly popular. Barbara, you may likely find yo..."

I'm at approximately the same place as you, Amy. I would describe it as still in the setup phase. In sci-fi (or space opera), it's typical for the book to take a little time to describe the parameters of the world/situation. Hopefully, the action will pick up soon.

Susie wrote: "I'm with these ladies. Ditch it if you don't like it. Hitchhiker's is the same. If you don't like it in the first few chapters then it's not for you."

If you do choose Hitchhikers, the audio is great. I enjoyed that, but doubt if I'd have liked it half as much in print--and it's short. But, not for everyone!

I am a fan of romantic space opera and love this tag. I highly recommend anything by Linnea Sinclair. Ann Aguirre, S. L. Viehl, Pauline Baird Jones are others I like.

I just picked up a used book that fits the tag: DarkShip Thieves by Sarah A. Hoyt (new author to me)

I also have several Hitchhiker's volumes yet to read and the Ender's Game series on my shelves

annapi wrote: "This is the first time I missed voting on a tag, but I probably would have voted for this one! I've got The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet on my shelf, this would be a perfect time for it!
..."

Great suggestions! I could use more of Moon and Huff heroines, and Kerr would be new for me. I had hopes for Rachel Bach, but she didn't get me A ratings. I am fascinated by Kathryn Rusch's Retrieval Artist series, but I stopped with 3 stars on the first. But that first Weber I think a recommendation that would work for many people. I have nostalgia for all the days of readinfg of the career of Honor Harrington (as with Hornblower more pleasurable when a young officer instead of an admiral.

Amy wrote: "That's good advice, friends. I've actually never ditched a book. Worth considering. But maybe it will pick up, if I get into it. ..."

This is me, too, Amy. I think I've put aside 1 or maybe 2 books in my entire life. ("The Mill on the Floss" was one, and I think I gave up on "Frankenstein", both around the same time frame, 20ish years ago!)

I always (for some reason) have this hope that it might get better!

I also have on my shelf Downbelow Station and Cyteen by C.J. Cherryh.

LibraryCin wrote: "Amy wrote: "That's good advice, friends. I've actually never ditched a book. Worth considering. But maybe it will pick up, if I get into it. ..."

This is me, too, Amy. I think I've put aside 1 or ..."

Unless they're library books I tend to keep them on the side table for months before I finally accept it's not going to happen.

I used to never be able to "not finish" a book. But once I hit the big 5-0, with some health issues and a TBR at about 1500 books, I did the math and realized I couldn't read them all. For some reason, my basic math calculation has now made it possible to put them aside.

(Although, I still have Gone with the Wind and Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel downloaded to my phone even though I stopped listening to them months ago )

Sushicat wrote: "Unless they're library books I tend to keep them on the side table for months before I finally accept it's not going to happen. ..."

That sounds like a good way to go.... maybe I could try that sometime, to see if I actually pick it up again. We'll see. I'm not even sure if I'll "let" myself do that, but it might be a way to ease into setting books aside if not enjoying them!

Michael wrote: "I could use more of Moon and Huff heroines, and Kerr would be new for me. "

Kerr is the character of Tanya Huff's Confederation series, so you're good to go! If you'd like ecopies of Moon's or Huff's books, let me know, I can email them to you.

annapi wrote: "Michael wrote: "Kerr is the character of Tanya Huff's Confederation series, so you're good to go! If you'd like ecopies ..."

Thanks for the consideration. I now see I read #1, 2, and 5 of that series (with #2 the most stars) and that my local library has the other two.

For people who do Netgalley books, Weir of "The Martian" fame has an ARC there set on the Moon-- AArtemis.

Sushicat: Downbelow Station a great choice for me as I never tried her Hugo Award winner. Can't believe I'm coming up short with no read for this month's tag. I got caught between Netgalley catch-up with ARCs and centuries old classics from LibriVox for my commute.

About the refusal to finish a book, I came close with Lev Grossman's the Magicians. I skipped whole chapters with a skim, just looking for something compelling to happen. Someone in PBT just said they were interested in reading it, and I didn't know what to say. I think I said I didn't care for it. I felt similarly to one Hundred Years of Solitude. Red Rising isn't like that. At 20/25% in, I can say I'm not a fan of space. But it's tolerable. They are making him gold now. I'd take that over 15 Auerlinos.

What great timing! Apparently it is sci-fi and fantasy week and the Goodreads Blog has a post about it: https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/9....

For those still looking for a book that will fit space opera, there might be some ideas there!

Amy wrote: "About the refusal to finish a book, I came close with Lev Grossman's the Magicians. I skipped whole chapters with a skim, just looking for something compelling to happen...."

I gave up on it. It was a huge disappointment after the hype I'd read, and IMO it was a piece of trash.

I didn't care for The Magicians either. I finished it but it was a drag.

Susie wrote: "I didn't care for The Magicians either. I finished it but it was a drag."

Oh dang, I just got this book and am looking forward to starting it!

Fingers crossed you love it more than I did Joi!

Yeah, it's not looking good for you Joi on the Magicians front. Put it this way - I'm taking to Space Opera more than that thing.

I am at a loss for this tag as I have never heard of it. I did not get to vote this month, which is unusual for me. There are some great recommendations in this thread so I will at least try to read a space opera book - this is so outside my realm of comfort I can say that I have never read a science fiction book!

I was going to post all the August stuff this morning, but am having trouble accessing Goodreads from anything other than my phone. So it will have to wait until later in the day when I again have time. So sorry for the delay!

Good to know it's not just me...

All of the posts in the group are marked as new suddenly. *sigh*

Nicole R wrote: "All of the posts in the group are marked as new suddenly. *sigh*"

I think it is fixed now. Only the new ones were new for me. I hope it stays that way.

No disturbance on my trusty little phone.

Booknblues wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "All of the posts in the group are marked as new suddenly. *sigh*"

I think it is fixed now. Only the new ones were new for me. I hope it stays that way."

Not fixed for me yet, but I know they are working on the problem.

Nicole R wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "All of the posts in the group are marked as new suddenly. *sigh*"

I think it is fixed now. Only the new ones were new for me. I hope it stays that way."

Not fi..."

I am able to login now and interestingly don't seem to be having the "new" problem that you are seeing . . .I hope they get it fixed for you soon!!

Now it showed every comment on this thread as new. When I first logged in it showed discussions as they should be, but once a thread is entered it changes back to all new. :(

Interestingly enough --- it was fine when I logged in this morning. Then, I clicked on an email with more comments in this thread. It took me to the correct place (ones that I hadn't read yet), but when I look further up the thread, then everything is set to new.

I voted with the space opera tag but it isn't cooperating with my summer road trip challenge. First, a lot of the space opera books are long. Second, since they are set in space, I have to use the author to align with the state ---- that is surprisingly difficult. Luckily I'm listening to (and really liking) Binti, which is very short. I'm going to try to get to Ohio before the end of the month so I can read a Lois McMaster Bujold book. But sadly, I might only get one book read for the tag. (I usually try for at least 2)

JoLene wrote: "I voted with the space opera tag but it isn't cooperating with my summer road trip challenge. First, a lot of the space opera books are long. Second, since they are set in space, I have to use the author to align with the state ---- that is surprisingly difficult. "

Elizabeth Moon (Hunting Party, 384 pages mass market pb) was born in Texas, and David Weber (On Basilisk Station, 432 pages in Kindle, which is now free on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Basilisk-Stati...) was born in Ohio. While those may still be long books for you, they go by really fast IMO. (Unfortunately my favorite books of this genre are by Canadian author Tanya Huff).

Booknblues wrote: "Now it showed every comment on this thread as new. When I first logged in it showed discussions as they should be, but once a thread is entered it changes back to all new. :("

Oh, you are right. Same here. I didn't notice that initially. How annoying.

Booknblues wrote: "Now it showed every comment on this thread as new. When I first logged in it showed discussions as they should be, but once a thread is entered it changes back to all new. :("

Oh no!! This is happening for me too...
Boo

Booknblues wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "All of the posts in the group are marked as new suddenly. *sigh*"

I think it is fixed now. Only the new ones were new for me. I hope it stays that way."

Not fixed for me :).

annapi wrote: "Elizabeth Moon (Hunting Party, 384 pages mass market pb) was born in Texas, and David Weber (On Basilisk Station, 432 pages in Kindle, which is now free on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Basilisk-Stati...)"

Thanks --- I am going to be in Rhode Island and was looking for someone with ties to Massachusetts. Lois McMaster Bujold is from Ohio and I do want to start the Miles V saga.
I went to the same college as Elizabeth Moon (20 years later, but it's a small school, so you notice).

I like the picture you chose for this month's tag!

Well, I am agonizing still over here about my space opera read. I really wanted to read Dune, but it is SO LONG, and it will really mess up my other reading commitments for this month.

So, I looked at Michael's list, and he recommended a book by John Scalzi, but I'm a person who is obsessive and can't start in the middle of a series, so going to give Old Man's War a shot. It's a normal length and has a very high rating on Goodreads and is prominently tagged "space opera". Hope to get to Dune someday since I actually purchased it.

Jenni Elyse wrote: "I like the picture you chose for this month's tag!"

Thank you!

I forgot one very readable, short book that fits the tag - Anne McCaffrey's The Ship Who Sang. It's really a collection of short stories set in the same universe, about spaceships who have human brains connected to them.

Michael wrote: "I sense some disappointment and uncertainty of where to fruitfully turn for reading choices. Not sure what I'll read. I render up for your imagination some thumbnail sketches of some of my favorite..."

I owe you one, Michael. Reading one of the authors you indicated, and so far I'm loving his wit. This read is going much better than anticipated.

Are we counting Ready Player One? Because that is what I am reading and it just-so-happened to be (maybe) under this genre.