SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

It was great to see you all again today. I apologize for being a little distracted by the guest appearance of my very anxious pitbull, Pepper Potts, who cannot be convinced that she is too large to be a lapdog.

No it's not your job to narrate for me, I just didn't realize the chat would close as the meeting ended. I could've come back when I heard you were about to sign off, or not gone afk at all. I was treating it as a podcast, doing stuff and listening :D

Pepper Potts! love it! i was hoping she'd be less camera shy, she was so cute!

I tend to comment in the chat when I have a thought I feel like is not necessarily worth stopping the conversation for, sort of my stream of consciousness.

The Star Wars thing was just in reference to a discussion of whether the magic in the Fifth Season felt explained enough. I just was saying that I like a bit of mystery with fictional magic and that I hated when the Force was demystified with midichlorians in the prequels. You lose some of the sense of wonder.

In contrast to that I later commented that I loved the explanatory prequel to the Pern books so maybe it’s a case by case basis thing.

I also occasionally comment to throw out random thoughts I have but try to self-edit so I don’t send too many.

For example I was tempted to write:

“This conversation is getting tense” at the start of our talk where we discussed 2nd person narration

Yeah, I was trying to get her to calm down and sit still, but the noises in our new house make her nervous sometimes, and she was being very squirmy.

lol, Chris! I try to bring up chat because I think it's sometimes missed and everyone is welcome to the discussion as best as we're able!

I popped in for a few minutes but didn't say anything. It was fun to see everyone's faces! Will definitely have to have read the book more recently to get much out of the discussion.

<< The Color of Magic >> or << City of Bones >>
I am okay with either of this books. I suspect that City of Bones will be a better discussion piece as Pratchett is a little fluffy.

There's always the options of discussing one of the BOTMs, if the next meeting is at the end of August. Those would be Dreamsnake and Shadowshaper, I think Dreamsnake would be excellent for discussion. Unless of course people will be talked out about them by then! Just saying it's an option, we don't have to stick to the reread schedule.

Yeah I was thinking the two re-read options are just okay for discussion purposes -- I'd read both and fine w/ either or with a BoTM.

I already own Shadowshaper, so I'd prefer that book if we went that route.

Hi, everyone. I'm Diah from Indonesia. This is my first time joined a book club. I read this discussion and virtual meeting to discuss books sounds fun. Could I join the virtual meeting as well? And how to do that?

not ready for a reread of City of Bones yet but happy to discuss, but happy to read The Color of Magic and I can get Shadowshaper - which sounds interesting.

hi Diah! welcome! once a month we pick a time and read a book for discussion either from the new book of the month picks or the "monthly rereads". so, help us pick a book and a time and then we do a zoom meeting to discuss!

Hi Diah, a fellow Indonesian here :)
What Allison said, and since the discussion usually happens in our late evening I'd suggest some coffee. (I did not drink any last nite hence my early departure) 😆

Anna wrote: "There's always the options of discussing one of the BOTMs, if the next meeting is at the end of August. Those would be Dreamsnake and Shadowshaper, I think Dreamsnake ..."

I plan to read Dreamsnake so that's good. I will also read two poll losers so August is going to be a hopefunk month.

Wait I think I also plan to read City of Bones...
I can help with questions if we pick that or Dreamsnake.

Kaa wrote: "It was great to see you all again today. I apologize for being a little distracted by the guest appearance of my very anxious pitbull, Pepper Potts, who cannot be convinced that she is too large to..."

Noooo I missed Pepper Potts!! Will you bring her to the next call 😅

Pepper Potts is very sweet. Poor thing, all anxious.

I would love a discussion of Dreamsnake. I’m not likely to (re)read any of the others. But don’t mind me.

Sorry I missed it! Hopefully it was awesome and Anna did not dominate the conversation ;)

We've got 2 for Dreamsnake, 2 for Shadowshaper and 1 for Colo(u)r of Magic.

How does August 23 sound?

Hank wrote: "Sorry I missed it! Hopefully it was awesome and Anna did not dominate the conversation ;)"

XD

We missed you, Hank! lol! She was better this time, but that other moderator...whew!

I'll put in the tiebreak and vote for Dreamsnake! Aug 23 is fine with me.

Aug 23 works for me too

Me too. August 23 that is!

August 23 works for me as well.
I'd be in favor of Shadowshaper. (Sorry for leading to another tie.)

I'll be in for August 23rd, also. I want to read both so don't make me vote.

what time on the 23rd? I've forgotten.

August 23rd is good for me, and I'll also vote for Shadowshaper and break the tie

depending, it will either be 6am or (more likely) 8am your time, Sarah! not that we don't love our Asia based friends, but I need to wake up for this unless someone else wants to take over discussion questions for a month! 11 am my time is about the earliest I can be reliably awake, dressed, and coherent on weekends.

...I guess I could try doing some work beforehand. that usually wakes me up by 8 a.m. lol

That'll be birthday for me; I have no place forgetting the date!

The 23rd sounds good, and I also vote for Shadowshaper. I will try to convince Pepper and our other dog Peaches to sit still long enough to actually be introduced.

Yes! I propose we start each meeting from now on with a pet intro! Everyone should have their pets there and we'll spend 15 or so minutes admiring them one by one! ^_^

Hee hee! I probably won't be able to introduce our cat Momo to the group, but she may come over to yell participate in the conference like she does on my work-at-home days.

Okay, hope this works! I've made an event for this so folks can add it to their calendars. I also added the BOTMs on the first? Can this calendar be followed or do you only see events I publish?

The link you posted goes to a page where we can edit the event. Not sure if that's what you intended.

Sigh. Am I old now? Is that what's happening that technology tries me so?

I'll play with it more after work.

Kaa wrote: "The 23rd sounds good, and I also vote for Shadowshaper. I will try to convince Pepper and our other dog Peaches to sit still long enough to actually be introduced."

Sold

Allison wrote: "Sigh. Am I old now? Is that what's happening that technology tries me so?"

Nah you're not old. I'm old because the idea of doing voice chat with relative strangers spooks me. I just joined a MMO in my brother's guild and they have a Discord channel for their events, so I'll have to get used to this kind of thing before too long. (in both cases, forget the face cam. that is NOT happening.)

Beth wrote: "in both cases, forget the face cam. that is NOT happening"

Wise words, my friend :)

I'm in, just ordered shadowshaper 🎉

Is this group still open? Can I jump on a moving train? Please tell me how. Thanks, JC

Of course, John! All are welcome! So on August 23 someone (probably our very generous friend Hank) will post a link to the Zoom meeting about an hour beforehand (i.e. around 10 am EST). You'd join that in whatever capacity you feel most comfortable, and then we'd talk about books! We probably spend about half the time discussing the book the group agreed to read (which in this case was Shadowshaper) and then we talk about other things in genre and the bibliophile world, like new TV shows or movies we liked, what we're reading now, news from favorite authors etc. It's pretty laidback but also I've gotten so much out of the questions and responses people have brought up during discussion, and I think that's been lovely.

Thanks, Allison. I'll watch for the Zoom link here and track down a copy of Shadowshaper.

Ok, so that is this Sunday 11:00 EST, Kaa get the coffee going now.
We are discussing Shadowshaper for a bit and then random topics for the rest.

yes! i have a feeling the botm discussion won't be long, so dreamsnake or last month's books may be broached if folks have read them!

I’ll just come lurk. I’ve read none of these but just need to hear book talk with other grown ups.

yaaaay! Sarah is joining and considers us grown ups!

😂😂 more grown up than me anyway.

I'm only about halfway done with Shadowshaper and doubt I'll have time to finish it before time. Worst book club participant ever!