Science Fiction Aficionados discussion

I am reading Foreigner and The Forever War.

Hi guys,

We are about to publish the celebrated Jan Morris's Hav and I have some left-over ARCs to give away. If you come join the NYRB Book Club and say hi on our greetings page, I'll send you a free copy (US only). I've been struggling to categorize Hav , but it's an invented visit to an invented city that has seen a melange of cultures through the centuries and at the current moment is a troubling symbol of an uneasy future.

Nick

Hi Nick - We actually have an Author's folder. I would suggest posting this there. We tend to get kind of antsy about promotion elsewhere. :)

I just finished Yarn by Jon Armstrong. It's a newer book, and deals with some very interesting ideas... mainly with the future of fashion. The main character is a fashion-designer in the future on his way to try and find an illegal yarn for a dying ex-lover. It's a bit strange at first, but the world is rich and detailed, and it really draws you in. I really like it.

^ That actually sounds pretty interesting. Did you read his first book in that world, Grey? I'm going to have to kep a look out for copies of those.

I finished WWW: Wake. I am really surprised that this novel was nominated for a Hugo. The ideas in it are okay but the writing is poor; Sawyer seems more interested in writing an instruction manual than a novel half the time. I'm not going to bother with the rest of the trilogy.

I have been lurking here so this is my first post. I finished The Sirens of Titan the other day. It was my first time reading it and I thought it started out great and then settled into something less interesting with less impact. In fact, it just got kind of sad and dreary.

Judy wrote: "I have been lurking here so this is my first post. I finished The Sirens of Titan the other day. It was my first time reading it and I thought it started out great and then settled into something l..."

I felt much the same about it.

Scott, I would agree that Sawyer isn't the greatest of writers. His ideas can be interesting though.

Leviathan Wakes looks really good, Nicki! Thanks for mentioning it!

Loved that book - one of my faves this year!

I'm wrapping up "Hounded" (not actually Sci-fi) and about to start "Event." Which is more like it, but not actual Sci-fi. I believe I'm going to re-read the Jynx stories by Brian Daley since the third book is now available.

I finished my 3rd read of It this morning. There are some many stories that are interwoven into the novel. This is my favorite book.

I then jumped right into The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror. I needed something lighter after reading It.

I don't think I mentioned it here, but I finished Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? last week. Here is my review. It's long because I'm not writing a review for other people, but as a way for me to break down a book and analyze it for my own benefit. That's why I don't usually write reviews for books I feel I'm not going to learn anything from.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Now, I am continuing with Atwood's book that was recommended by several people, The Blind Assassin.

Great review, Aloha! I think that I'll read Androids next after The Forever War, which I should be finished with tonight!

Thanks, Jason! I decided to skip The Forever War since there are so many other books I want to read, unless somebody can give me a compelling reason why I should read it ASAP.

Aloha wrote: "Thanks, Jason! I decided to skip The Forever War since there are so many other books I want to read, unless somebody can give me a compelling reason why I should read it ASAP."

I did the same.

I decided that I'm going to read Pilo's Family Circus next, and then maybe Androids. Everyone's going mad over Pilo at Horror Aficionados and it has snatched my interest!

I wouldn't worry much about The Forever War. It paints an interesting picture of the future, but the story itself feels flat to me.

Yep. Joining the Pilo club myself after The Blind Assassin, which I'm 37% into. Atwood is such an amazing writer.

I recently picked up an Atwood myself...The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus. I dont know when I will ever get to it though! lolol

Tell me about it. If I didn't have nags at Goodreads, and you know who you are, I wouldn't get to some of the books. Talk about peer pressure!

I finished The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror. It was a funny, quick read.

Now, I'm continuing through the HP series with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Scott wrote: "Now, I'm continuing through the HP series with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
..."

I'm doing the same, but to my eternal shame it's via the movie DVD's and not the books this time.
Though to mitigate I have started to read the HP books to my little girl, now 5.

I've just finished The Dervish House.
Wow what a great book, felt moved enough to stick a review here.
4.5 stars at least.

Going to dive straight into Foreigner now, playing catch up at the moment before I can get on with next months books.

Just started some vintage SF from 1969: Nightwings by Robert Silverberg.

Really takes me back to the stuff I used to read when I was younger.

Hugh, I understand that you're a devil. What more do I need to know?

I didn't know I was a devil? Sorry. It was an attempt at hummor. I wasn't aware I'd done anything to you make me look like a devil.

I was refering to the part of the book where William learns that they've Cured Heterosexuality and made every one gay.

Given their statments on record about homosexuality, among other things. I thought it would be amusing to get those persons mentioned in the post "that shall not be named" might have something to say about it.

I'll take it down. I didn't mean to offend.

(Edited to correct mispelling and put in words left out in typing that I sure heard as I thought the post through. I'll stop making political humor on a book board. I see how it might not be appropriate.)

LOL! Hugh, I was only joking! Geesh, I didn't know with only a few words I can fell a man. I have to see how I did that.


Hugh (The other Hugh) wrote: "I didn't know I was a devil? Sorry. It was an attempt at hummor. I wasn't aware I'd done anything to you make me look like a devil.

I was refering to the part of the book where William lear..."

Maybe I was intimidated. I have seen your picture. Hot ladies always make my knees feel weak and that stuttering thing...you.. you.. know...

I feel all-powerful now. In a couple of sentences, a man will delete his post for me. I better go to the What's Good at Horror and report this event. I fell Hugh....

Stuttering is cute.

th..than.. gosh.. ok (blink blink, blush)

Who can resist anybody who looks like Albert Einstein. Who doesn't think Einstein is sexy?

Golly-gee-whiz Al, I'm blushing so hard I feel... (faint... to quote Glenda.."thump.")

Who's Glenda?

Also, you do know Aloha's tendencies, right? I believe this is the buttering following the tenderizing stage.

Shhhh, Denae. Help a girl out, will ya?

Oops, I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to!

Oh, boy, what a night, I'll never mix radish juice and carrot juice again... I dreamed that two angels were fussing over me and.. the good witch of the North came in and gave me some sparkly girl shoes...

Gotta put some vodka in with that, Hugh! And man, you know Albert is a geek girl's sex symbol.

Really, how do you feel about people who resemble one of the dwarves from the Animated Disney version of "Snow White?"

I've always loved Dopey's boyish charm.

But Albert...*sigh*

What about Grumpy?

Naw! Can't stand him. I don't like grumpy guys. I like smart guys and good-natured guys, but not grumpy.

In that case, as long as you don't read my profile... call me Albert Dopey Hugh.

Oh, I was hoping it would be Albert Dopey Huge.

If you read my profile, (sigh) it's back to the cave in the mountains for the Curmudgeon.

And I'm enjoying "Event." I think it's more action adventure, but it could very well fit in the Sci-fi category. Lots to like here.

The good witch was Glinda, not Glenda. My mom's name is Glenda, so I have high awareness on this xD

Despite having not really updated while I am here in NYC, I am currently reading Nineteen Seventy-Seven among others.

How are you enjoying NYC, Denae? I love going into the city.

I absolutely love the city. I definitely need to come back with my boyfriend. I love my sister dearly, but her job has turned her into a total snob and it's driving me a bit crazy. Still, it is a tremendous amount of fun. We got to see a cousin we haven't seen in 12 years, so that was awesome.

I love big cities. I miss LA. DC isn't bad, but being unemployed has hampered my exploration.

New Yorkers are definitely not the chill out type. They're usually too busy and on the go to have reflecting time, especially the ones on the career path. I have the same problem with dating guys in the northeast. They're usually too brusque, in a rush and pushy for me. It also shows in their personality that they don't take the time to reflect on what's truly important in life. I like a bit more depth in people who are going to be more than acquaintances.

But I love the big cities, too. I love the energy and the culture. I hope everything works out for you in the job department. I'm at a crossroads myself, but it's actually an opportunity to do things that matter to me. Most people don't have that opportunity.