SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

"What's this thread all about?" you're probably wondering.

Welp. It started life as one thing but quickly devolved into something completely different. So, we'll just call it our Off-Topic-Random thread.

Fantastic book...one of the best I've read in years. It helps to have been a kid, teen, or young adult in the '80s, but it's certainly not necessary - just a big glob of nostalgiasauce on the awesomecake.

I read this book last month and loved it! It's one of the best books I've read this year.

Oh great, I just picked it up from the library, great timing!

Sounds interesting. Nice pick.

I'm sure most of you will enjoy it :)








And those who don't will be sent to Siberia. ಠ_ಠ

I already have my name on the waiting list at the library - I hope it comes in so I can "play" along....

Good choice. I've been reading good things about this one.

You've got me interested - I'm going to pick it up.

I happened to read Ready Player One last week and loved it. I enjoyed it so much I got the audio book to listen to for an upcoming car ride.

For any audio book fans it is read by Wil Wheaton!

I've heard good things about the audiobook. If I ever go for a re-read I might just do audio instead.

Ala wrote: "I'm sure most of you will enjoy it :)








And those who don't will be sent to Siberia. ಠ_ಠ"

But. I don't like the cold.

Ala wrote: "I'm sure most of you will enjoy it :)








And those who don't will be sent to Siberia. ಠ_ಠ"

Fine by me, since we don't agree on most stuff.

Craig wrote: "For any audio book fans it is read by Wil Wheaton!"

*raises eyebrows* Good to know. This book DOES sound interesting, and has just know fallen into my radar.

Nicki wrote: "Kevin, I'm fairly certain that one day, not agreeing with you on most stuff will be adopted as the standard for a culture-neutral IQ test.

I'm fairly certain I'll like Ready Player One but... can ..."

I don't like it anyway, not because of him. I feel like the book is a little overrated.

You're cracking me up, Nicki...

..this is how we got into trouble before...

I saw a news report once that said our generation is losing nostalgia. Childhood TV favorites can be found on Youtube or bought on DVD. We can go onto eBay and buy the toys we remember, and so on. Memories don't really fade, and so we lose the feeling of nostalgia. There may be some merit to the argument.

But what I love about Ready Player One, is that it brought back the magic of my childhood, like I was actually back in that day. It was better than watching a Cosby rerun. Whatever that essence of the 80's was, Cline captures it masterfully!

I'm definitely in. This book looks pretty cool. Nice alternative to the martial arts fantasy options.

Nicki wrote: "How odd that it's not on your 'read' shelf. I was half-expecting it to have 4 stars."

It won't ever be because I don't plan to read it in this lifetime or the next.

Random thought. Who's that author that has all the sock puppet accounts on amazon to rate his books really high but then attacks all the good more well known authors with horrible ratings?

Kevin wrote: "Nicki wrote: "How odd that it's not on your 'read' shelf. I was half-expecting it to have 4 stars."

It won't ever be because I don't plan to read it in this lifetime or the next."

Might be fore the best. Your profile says you're 23 I don't think you'd get most of the references in the book since you weren't cognizant for the decade it focuses.

Chris wrote: "Random thought. Who's that author that has all the sock puppet accounts on amazon to rate his books really high but then attacks all the good more well known authors with horrible ratings?"

Oooh! Ooh!! I know this one: Robert Stanek.

That's the guy, Becky. Thanks.

No idea why I thought of him.

Craig wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Nicki wrote: "How odd that it's not on your 'read' shelf. I was half-expecting it to have 4 stars."

It won't ever be because I don't plan to read it in this lifetime or the next."

Might be fore the best. Your profile says you're 23 I don't think you'd get most of the references in the book since you weren't cognizant for the decade it focuses. "

While you might be right in this case (I don't know how many specific culture references this might contain, as I haven't yet read it), I think this concept is wrong in general. I wasn't alive in the 1800s, but I enjoy many books from that era.

Just sayin'. ;)

Chris wrote: "That's the guy, Becky. Thanks.

No idea why I thought of him."

Troll?

PS. I might try to read this one. I think I have it on my nook. :)

Becky wrote: "Craig wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Nicki wrote: "How odd that it's not on your 'read' shelf. I was half-expecting it to have 4 stars."

It won't ever be because I don't plan to read it in this lifetime or..."

That is a good point. Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite books of all time and I don't remember the 19th century and I've never been to France.

My comment had more to do with the sheer number of geeky pop culture references in RPO that made me laugh but would be unremarkable if you didn't expirence them.

Some days I feel like I was alive in the 1800s.

Craig wrote: "My comment had more to do with the sheer number of geeky pop culture references in RPO that made me laugh but would be unremarkable if you didn't expirence them."

I thought that was probably what you meant. Pop culture references can throw a wrench in any good story if they aren't done right, or if the reader doesn't get it.

PS. COMC ♥!!

Kevin wrote: "Nicki wrote: "How odd that it's not on your 'read' shelf. I was half-expecting it to have 4 stars."

It won't ever be because I don't plan to read it in this lifetime or the next."

*sigh*

Ya know... you make me feel bad about myself, Kevin, 'cause I actually share your opinion on quite a few books.

But calling a book over-rated that you haven't even read? Dear gods, man, what's wrong with you?

***


Anyway - I put a hold on it at my library. Hopefully it won't take too long to come in.

Damn. Now I wish I'd gone for the psych degree instead of theater... ;)

Nicki wrote: "± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ± wrote: "Dear gods, man, what's wrong with you?"

I'm fairly certain that there's a six-figure prize and a holiday in the Canary Islands awarded for figuring that out."

What does the person who figures out how to fix him get?

How can you call something you haven't even read "overrated"? You have to read it to know if other people rate it higher than you think it deserves, hence overrated. And come the fuck on, this is Cline's first book. If there is a lot of dreaded "hype" surrounding it, if a lot of people are reading it and talking about it and recommending it.. Maybe that just might be because, I dunno, it's actually fucking good.

Dawn wrote: "How can you call something you haven't even read "overrated"? You have to read it to know if other people rate it higher than you think it deserves, hence overrated. And come the fuck on, this is C..."

^ what the lady said

An audio review why the book might be overrated: http://5by5.tv/incomparable/66 (contains some spoilers)

I personally liked the book, and it is an easy read, the Will Wheaton audio book might be even better.

I don't think it will become a 'classic', but it sure beats Twilight, so thats a good thing.

Nicki wrote: "*hugs Dawn*"

*hugs Dawn and Nicki*

MrsJoseph wrote: "Nicki wrote: "*hugs Dawn*"

*hugs Dawn and Nicki*"

*Hugs Dawn, Nicki, MrsJ*

*dogpile hugs*

Wooohooo! Free for all!

I could knit you a scarf...?

*Pouts*

I want a Dr. Who scarf.

MrsJoseph wrote: "*Pouts*

I want a Dr. Who scarf."

You provide the yarn for that mile long thing and I'll make it.

I recommend a scarf like one of these:


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That way it matches the book theme and you remember why you're there! :D

LOL That's really freaking cute!

I'm totally making one.

Hugs, woohoo! I love hugs :D

Becky wrote: "MrsJoseph wrote: "*Pouts*

I want a Dr. Who scarf."

You provide the yarn for that mile long thing and I'll make it."

*adds mile-long yarn to shopping basket*

MrsJoseph wrote: "Becky wrote: "MrsJoseph wrote: "*Pouts*

I want a Dr. Who scarf."

You provide the yarn for that mile long thing and I'll make it."

*adds mile-long yarn to shopping basket*"

No no... That won't work. LOL... You'd need far, far more than a mile of yarn for that.

Now I wonder how much yarn it really would take to make a Dr. Who scarf...

Googling!

OK... So, an average scarf (say 5 inches wide, 6 feet long) is around 400-500 yards of yarn, depending on needle size.

There are 1760 yards in a mile. 3 feet to a yard.

So, say, 1 yard knitted = 250 yards of yarn.

1760 x 250 = 440,000 yards of yarn. LOL