SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

I recently finished The Heart of the Circle which was my first forray into Israeli fantasy. Followed that up with the book of the month Recursion. Now I'm working my way through the Chrestomanci books and have just finished Charmed Life which was cute.

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Volume 1 by Satoru Yamaguchi

Finally finished Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. 3 1/2⭐️ rounded up to 4. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t the best fantasy from 2019 that’s for sure. Honestly those Goodreads polls must be rigged. You really should have read a book before you can vote for it.

Not doing too bad this last couple of weeks. I finished Gideon the Ninth, Harrow the Ninth, Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor, a short Percy Jackson story, Hollowpox and Ninth House. Not back to the 9 in one week that I was reading in 2018 but passable. Probably won’t make the 52 in the year though. Only on 28 or 29 I think.

Anyhoo....time to go and find the next book to read. I brought Recursion and Children of Time down to the Beach with me but I still have a heap of books down here I can pick from. Depends on what I’m in the mood for. And what I actually still have here. All the books I really want to read are up at the Farm.

I just finished "The Queen's Thief" series by Megan Whalen Turner and found it to be wonderful. All the politics! The relationship between Gen and Irene being so central to the series, I shouldn't have enjoyed the series as much as I did...When in the grip of a master storyteller, the reader is best served by shutting up and reading, which I did and now it's all gone. strangely as the books are nothing alike the last time I had the feeling that I did during this series was when I read "A Gentleman in Moscow" experiencing the sublime at the hands of a master. Folks that enjoy Guy Gavriel Kay novels beyond Tiganna are the ones most likely to recognize the series for what it is. Megan Whalen Turner I salute you.

Yes Jacqueline, on Goodreads you have to separate the the promotional from the emotional as Goodreads at it core is a marketing device.

Apparently I’d left Children of Time at the Farm and only brought Recursion and Leviathan Wakes with me. Recursion it is. Enjoying it so far.

Yes...yes it is.

I'm not a horror fan. So I read a new twist on unicorns. It's Unicorn Hunting by A. R. Hellbender.

I thought it was original and had good characterization.

Somebody mentioned it and made me consider a reread that is long over due. The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart.

I found my copy of The Crystal Cave yesterday actually Don. And the rest of the series. I loved those books. Read them all a few times over the years.

I’m reading The Vampire Queen’s Servant, by Joey W. Hill

Absolutely loving The Name of the Wind after leaving it on the shelf for a year

Pickle wrote: "Absolutely loving The Name of the Wind after leaving it on the shelf for a year"

Beware that trilogy has not been finished. Is excellent, however....

Just finished Redemption in Indigo which was nice and refreshing for me -- light but more substantial than a "popcorn" read.

I read Talulla Rising as a Halloweeny book. I was looking forward to it after liking The Last Werewolf so much (and contrary to my typical taste in books), but it was nowhere near as good. I was pretty disappointed.

Eric wrote: "Pickle wrote: "Absolutely loving The Name of the Wind after leaving it on the shelf for a year"

Beware that trilogy has not been finished. Is excellent, however...."

yes, but i could have lived with just that one book and no sequels - I loved it

Reading Red Sister right now and it's almost as good.and as i have the next two in the series I'll move on to them.

Also reading The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Novellas 2015 for the short story challenge

Eric wrote: "Pickle wrote: "Absolutely loving The Name of the Wind after leaving it on the shelf for a year"

Beware that trilogy has not been finished. Is excellent, however...."

I have had that book on m shelf for several years but am not sure whether to start it or wait. My daughter has read the first two and is constantly bemoaning the fact that the third isn't out yet.

it's better to read the first one and then wait on the third to read the next IMHO

Callahan's Crosstime Saloon

Just finished this, here is the review

This is a series of stories told in the same setting by the same narrator. In a sense it is like reading ideas for Outer Limits episodes only the plots are a tad more subtle than that. It is a good read and the stories are well worth the effort. Some are a little more Sci-Fi than others, but all in all every story was a gem in its own right.

I will certainly have to give the second book a look.

Even if the Kingkiller Chronicles are never completed the two books are still well worth reading.

Eva wrote: "Yes! This is why I never get kindle omnibus editions unless I can't avoid it. When I'm almost done with a book, I need it to say 80%, not 4%. Unless the omnibus has page numbers, then it's fine. Bu..."

I don't know why, but seeing the % or location numbers on my e-reader makes me anxious, so I have them turned off. At least once, that has led to me getting to the end of a book and going "what, that was it?"

I turn the % on and off based on what I'm reading. If it's something I'm enjoying, the % is off. If I'm hate reading it, seeing the % go up is the only thing that keeps me going.

I used to do this in my middle school Latin class -- I'd use graph paper to divide the class into say 2 minute increment boxes that I would fill in as the time passed so I could see my % completed as it went.

Wow! That's boredom! I'd usually doodle or, in dire straits, practice my conjugations for languages I enjoyed learning.

That's how I spent advanced physics class, hitting +1 on my pocket calculator :P

edit: Every second that is. Not every minute :D

y'all didn't do the slip a book inside your notebook or your text book and read that instead? It's the main reason I tried to sit in the back of the room. Teachers would think they'd catch me and ask a question, but as I was always good a multitasking (reading and listening) at the same time, I could always answer

I enjoyed most classes, so I never needed to read fiction in school. My high school physics teacher wasn't the best, and I recently realized it wasn't just me. My brother's fiancee had the same teacher, and she didn't like him either. She ended up as an engineer, so I'm assuming she absorbed some of his droning.

Chessie, no, they'd found ways to stop that. I did take all the "free reading" electives I could though! I also mostly liked school, but I can't sit still, hence the doodling and conjugating.

I'm nibbling books again. I'm looking for the exact right "feel" of book and it's proving...difficult.

I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT IT IS THOUGH. Which is also hard for me, I'm exceptional at guarding confidences, but shit at guarding against anticipated things.

I remember one time in particular sitting in class (in 1979 I believe when I was 16) when we were supposed to be reading whatever book was assigned but I’d already finished it and I had Jaws hidden behind the book I was supposed to be reading. I could only read it at school because it belonged to my friend and she wouldn’t actually lend books but she would let me read it and then take it back at the end of the day. A lot of my time was spent hiding my book under the desk reading at the time.

Right now I’m reading Recursion. Well trying to read. Between my daughter ringing me for over an hour and a half and the dog demanding attention I’m not succeeding very well. And just to really annoy me I’m getting a headache. There’s a lot of static around because of electrical storms and I’m one of those people who are affected by changes in the atmosphere. Changes in barometric pressure are the worst. Honestly...human barometer here. Wish I wasn’t.

I’m a book nibbler too Allison. As can be seen by my 20 something books in my Currently Reading list. Really don’t know what I feel like. I’m a third of the way through Recursion so I’ve just got to keep pushing to finish it.

Just read an old Theodore Sturgeon short story: “The Man Who Lost the Sea.” Here is the link: https://sciencefiction.com/2016/12/22...

And no...I just picked up The Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow. In my defence a massive storm started and it was so dark I couldn’t see my paperback (Recursion) so I picked up my iPad instead and it’s on there. Yes I know I could have put a light on but I didn’t. It was that dark though that I could have.

“The Man Who Lost the Sea” by Theodore Sturgeon is also free here: http://strangehorizons.com/fiction/th...
I think it was nominated for a Hugo back in the day.

Don wrote: "Somebody mentioned it and made me consider a reread that is long over due. The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart."

I love that series.

Blameless: "a fun romp of a book" seems to be the level I'm working at with audiobooks recently, and this third book in Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate was a perfect fit for that state of mind. Funny and entertaining! (mini-review)

I wish I was listening to Parasol Protectorate for the first (or second or even third) time! ^_^

I read the first two as ebooks and the third was in audio. I'm glad I made the switch. Emily Gray is delightful. :)

She is! Unfortunately she doesn't read the rest of the universe, but once you get used to Moira Quirk, she is also delightful. The pronunciation of some of the characters also changes with each narrator, which I hate, so if you continue, beware of that!

(Emily reads 1-5 of Alexia, Moira reads Finishing School and Custard Protocol.)

Just getting into The Hurricane Code a fascinating read so far.

CBRetriever wrote: "it's better to read the first one and then wait on the third to read the next IMHO"

Noted. Thanks.

I reread Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch as my contribution to Halloween festivities. This may be my third or fourth read but it still makes me laugh.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Polls are open! It's time to vote for the last books of 2020.


December 2020 Runner-Up Sci-Fi

December 2020 Runner-Up Fantasy

Just re-read the Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Somewhat dated now but an interesting take on military science fiction and also the issues faced in relation to travelling interstellar distances. Do feel it comes to an ending a bit abruptly and the other two books in the series are a little disappointing but as a stand alone read this is one of my favourites.

Not sure if considered part of the series or not, but I remember thinking Forever Peace had some really interesting ideas for a novel from 1997 such as UBI, virtual reality and drone warfare.

Just finished Piranesi and wow! It was very good but I found some of the middle parts a little bit unsettling and that’s mostly why I gave it 4 stars (also because some of the plot threads were left dangling). In all, though, it’s a beautiful, loving, kind story with a preciously naive protagonist that I would recommend.

Sinister Magic by Lindsay Buroker

Finished A Night in the Lonesome October and thank you for organising the month long read. It was great!
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

And I finished To Sleep in a Sea of Stars which I really enjoyed - more than I thought I would actually!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Phrynne wrote: "And I finished To Sleep in a Sea of Stars which I really enjoyed - more than I thought I would actually!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

I have been wondering about this one. I may decide to purchase on Kindle...to avoid brain damage and broken limbs.

Sounds a good idea Leonie. A lot of people are recommending the audio too!