SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

September is a tough month, not because there is nothing to read but because there is too much. Four of my favourite authors just realeased their new books and although I'm through with the first (The Dirty South by John Connolly), I'm struggling to decide which one I want to attack next.

The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie
Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection by Ben Aaronovitch
Ballistic Kiss by Richard Kadrey

I think I'll start with Aaronovitch, since it is a short story collection and I can take a break anytime I want, while mixing it up with one of the others.

I am reading "To Sleep in a Sea of Stars" by Christopher Paolini at the moment. I didn't know the author, went only for the book because of the beautiful title. Meanwhile I was told that he wrote the Eragon series and folks are cautious cause this apparently hadn't been the high peak of literature.
So far (70% in) I can say that the new novel can easily play in the league of "The Expanse". I like it even better, because of better characters. Fast paced action, space war and very alien aliens. It is fun to read.

I think people say that about Eragon mostly because Paolini wrote it when he was 16 and they can’t believe a 16 year old could write anything good. See how cynical I am? Sigh. That said, I haven’t read Eragon, but I plan to soon. Got it on my recent trip to the States.

I’m currently reading like 10 books. Actively only 5 though 🤣: Paperback: the Dazzle of Day; It’s not the End of the World (to my son); The Man in the High Castle. EBook: Sourdough, Robin Sloan; audio: Blonde Roots; The Prey of Gods. Le sigh. I should not do this. But I blame GR.

My boys read Eragon and loved it. As the books came out they ate them up. I never got around to reading it though. I have his new one in my iPad but if I can find it in the shop I’ll buy it.

Hubby was listening to something on the radio last week about Rodham by Curtis Siddenfield(?) so he had me looking for that in the shop on Saturday. He’s still reading Stranger in a Strange Land. I think he’s around half way through.

I’m still reading Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. I’m still seeing heaps and haven’t been reading.

Oh, Diane, you are still reading "The Man in the High Castle"? Not that good or a matter of time?

I've read Eragon, it's a 16yo boy's love letter to classic fantasy. It's not horrible, just not very original :)

(Or was he even younger when he started it? 13? I don't remember. Google tells me 15.)

I liked the Eragon series a lot - I thought it was quite well-written. It only showed its author's age in how derivative it was (of LOTR and Star Wars). I did some creative writing in high school and my stuff was extremely derivative, too - you learn by copying what you love, in my case Terry Pratchett. It's why many young writers today start with fan fiction. What was different in Paolini's work was that it was actually very readable and entertaining, unlike the usual teenager's writings.

I'm very excited about his new SF book - he's a mature adult now, still has his natural story-telling chops, and has done years of meticulous research and taken his time.

Also: Yes, Murderbot! 💙

And re: reading too many books at once - I'm so guilty of this!! And it never ends well, I always end up abandoning half of them, because it breaks up the flow of the story and the immersion. But do I learn? No. 🙈

Everyone loves Murderbot 😊😊😊

I have seen one person on here somewhere that doesn’t love Murderbot. No accounting for taste eh? I love Murderbot 💜

Jacqueline wrote: "I have seen one person on here somewhere that doesn’t love Murderbot."

That can't be! :o If you remember who it was, let me know and I'll ban them! :P

@Jacqueline: yes, that would be me. Anna go ahead and ban me.

Gabi! I am beyond shocked! I'm utterly speechless!

Anna wrote: "Gabi! I am beyond shocked! I'm utterly speechless!"

Sorry! :)

I never thought I'd have to add *you* to the naughty list! XD

Gabi wrote: "@Jacqueline: yes, that would be me. Anna go ahead and ban me."

😱😱😱

I am shocked, however, I see you're a Terry Pratchett fan, so it's all good, Gabi.

😊😊😊

Story of my life XD. At least Pratchett saves me (and Emma Newman perhaps, Anna?)

*peeks up from behind a book*
Did somebody say Murderbot?

I finally managed to finish The Sol Majestic - here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
(tldr: This was marketed as an adult novel and I found it to be too YA for my taste, but I do think it makes a good YA book and would still recommend it to people who enjoy those more.) I'm still unsure if I want to give it 3 or 4 stars.

I also read Dead Spots by Melissa F. Olson and Vampire on the Orient Express by Shane Carrow and found both to be okay, but not great.

Now I'm reading Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook by Christina Henry because I was in the mood for a dark fairytale. (Okay, I'm always in the mood for a dark fairytale.)

True, I could never banish anyone who adores Emma Newman as much as I do! ^_^

I read Eragon and didn't like it, tough I wasn't the target audience for it. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars seems interesting. I'll wait a bit to see if more people like it and perhaps I'll check it out.

Diane wrote: "
I’m currently reading like 10 books. Actively only 5 though 🤣 ..."

That's me too, I stop and never return while I start other books...

I'm hearing the Audiobook of The Nemesis, the third in the Diabolic series. I like it even if it's slower that both previous books, or perhaps I'm more impatient than before :-)

Uh oh, Anna, I enjoyed buy didn’t love (and was surprised at all of the unabashed love from others) the first Murderbot book, and I kind of got really mad at Planetfall, so where does that put me...?

Anthony, you will land firmly on the naughty list! But don't worry, you're in good company :D

PHEW!

Anthony, Murderbot is awesome! =D

Though, I agree with you on Planetfall. I'm not a fan of it either.

I'll just trash my naughty list, everyone is on it :/

No, no, you keep it and then whenever we dominate the world, we'll brainwash all of them into loving Emma Newman and TH White, and the world will finally know peace!

So more Murderbot praise here! I ❤ Murderbot. I have Network Effect, in my sights to read soon.

I am currently reading Under the Skin. I might even watch the movie when I am done.

Gabi, thanks for mentioning To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, that sounds like it is exactly the kind of Sci Fi I like to read, so it's going straight to my TBR.

I loved Eragon, but I was 16 when it was published, so you could say I was definitely the target audience. Doing a re-read years later I did see where it was derivative, but that kind of thing seems to bother me much less than it does other people.

Anthony wrote: "Uh oh, Anna, I enjoyed buy didn’t love (and was surprised at all of the unabashed love from others) the first Murderbot book, and I kind of got really mad at Planetfall, so where does that put me...?"

You're not alone, my friend. Murderbot - OK. Planetfall - meh!

Bobby wrote: "Gabi, thanks for mentioning To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, that sounds like it is exactly the kind of Sci Fi I like to read, so it's going straight to my TBR...."

I'm somehwere at 80% now and it is still super interesting. It reads (or sounds, since I'm listening) like it was made for screen adaptation. Nearly 900 pages and not a single dragging passage. I'm honestly fascinated that such novels exist.

@Jennifer Under the Skin hit me really hard. I liked the movie, though it is different, but somehow carry on the same tone.

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 6 by Kamome Shirahama

I just completed The Deep which I had won from a Goodreads giveaway. It started slow but ultimately grew on me.

I reread Heartless so I can finally go onto the final book in the series. I also completed Waking Gods which I loved! This series is a fun read. I've got Only Human already checked out and waiting for me to start.

My current audiobook is Abaddon's Gate which I have to complete before I go onto the next season in The Expanse. This makes my commute enjoyable.

I've started The Library of the Unwritten which I want to eat up but work and real world stuff....and also Doctor Who: Forever Autumn.

Anna wrote: "Anthony, you will land firmly on the naughty list! But don't worry, you're in good company :D"

“Oh, I was not made for heaven. No, I don't want to go to heaven. Hell is much better. Think of all the interesting people you're going to meet down there!” -- Freddie Mercury

Or you could just land on Anna's naughty list.

Anna wrote: "Gabi! I am beyond shocked! I'm utterly speechless!"

I don't know why, but this bit reminds me of that scene in Casablanca;
Louis: I am Shocked, Shocked I tell you to find out there is Gambling in here.
Waiter: Your winnings Sir.
Louis: Oh thank you very much.

Raucous wrote: "Anna wrote: "Anthony, you will land firmly on the naughty list! But don't worry, you're in good company :D"
“Oh, I was not made for heaven. No, I don't want to go to heaven. Hell is much better. Th..."

Everyone is on Anna's naughty list... even me and I haven't even read it yet so I don't know if I like Murderbot or no.
LOL.

And Anna it is on the Too Be Read List, but...well that is a pretty big list

Murderbot is GREAT! It will grow on you like tasty mushrooms. =D LoL


I'm always on someone's naughty list. lol

Planetfall was not my jam. Whereas The Sparrow was an unexpected adventure of layers.

Anna, I really enjoyed Sometimes I Lie! In effect & style, I thought that was much better than Planetfall.

Dawn wrote: "@Jennifer Under the Skin hit me really hard. I liked the movie, though it is different, but somehow carry on the same tone."

It is creepy. I am enjoying it. I will watch the movie when I am done. I want to know what they do with these vodsel's...

Yes, I think pretty much everyone is on the naughty list, and I'm sure your snacks are better than mine!

(Mushrooms are also on the naughty list.)

Anna wrote: "Yes, I think pretty much everyone is on the naughty list, and I'm sure your snacks are better than mine!

(Mushrooms are also on the naughty list.)"

And ... I guess ... eggplants XD

lol, yes those too! :D

More and more I want to get on the naughty list! Maybe I'll dislike Planetfall.

Anna wrote: "Yes, I think pretty much everyone is on the naughty list, and I'm sure your snacks are better than mine!

(Mushrooms are also on the naughty list.)"

There is a place up the river, that serves Breaded Mushrooms, I get them when I go out there to get my urgings for Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches dealt with. One of the downsides of spending so much time in Iowa growing up, Those tasty sandwiches are so hard to find in the Portland area.

I've just raced through To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini. 880 pages, 32 hours audiobook - and it doesn't feel like this at all. I enjoyed it so very much! The reader can find nearly anything that's SF typical in this book (Some passages reminded me of Alien, some of Wayfarers, of Lovecroft, of Star Trek, of The Expanse ...). Paolini put this all together in a wonderful way with a crew one simply has to love. In his afterword the author declares his book as a love letter to the SF genre. Says it all.

My 4th consideration for the Hugo nominations - a really good SF year so far.

Sounds like he did the adult scifi version of Eragon :S Now I'm not sure if I should read it (since Gabi liked it) or not touch it with a stick (since it's basically Eragon in space).

Anna wrote: "Sounds like he did the adult scifi version of Eragon :S Now I'm not sure if I should read it (since Gabi liked it) or not touch it with a stick (since it's basically Eragon in space)."

Unfortunately I can't compare it to Eragon, since I don't know that. Perhaps if you take a look at some of the reviews who know him from his Eragon time? I've seen some say the prose has matured a lot.
It definitely is a book especially aimed at fans of the space opera genre in all its varieties.

I'll probably try it out, it's not like I'm being super picky about my choices (lately, if ever) anyway :D

Anna wrote: "I'll probably try it out, it's not like I'm being super picky about my choices (lately, if ever) anyway :D"

And since it is on storytel it doesn't cost a thing to have a short listen-into and then abandon it (although I was a bit envious when in the acknowledgments he thanked all the people for drawing the maps and designing stuff. The paper version sounds nice)