Beyond Reality discussion

Hi everyone,

It’s time to open nominations for our June 2012 Books of the Month. Each group member can make 1 science fiction and/or 1 fantasy nomination in this thread. If you would like to make a nomination, please reply to this post with the title and author of the book(s) you would like to put forward for the group’s consideration.

Telling us a little about the book and why you think it would be a good group read can help get other members interested in reading (and voting for) your nomination. You can also check the group bookshelves for previous Books of the Month to see if your nomination has already been read by the group. (Being chosen as a past BotM does not necessarily disqualify a book from current consideration, but be aware that it may hinder your nomination’s chances at the polls.)

• Feel free to re-nominate a book that didn’t win in the polls in previous months!
• Seconding isn't necessary in this group, but feel free to assert your enthusiasm for any nomination all the same.
• Friendly discussion/debate is strongly encouraged, but let's please keep things civil.

Nominations will remain open through Monday, March 19th, and the first round of polls will go up on Tuesday, March 20th.

Thanks!


NOMINATIONS SO FAR:


FANTASY:
The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley (Maggie)
Galveston - Sean Stewart (Nick)
The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde (Nikita)
Throne of the Crescent Moon - Saladin Ahmed (Random)
Mythago Wood - Robert Holdstock (Traveller and Sandra aka Sleo...great minds, etc...)
Deathless - Catherynne M. Valente (Ysmalan)
The Bards of Bone Plain - Patricia A. McKillip (Kerry)


SCIENCE FICTION:
Equations of Life - Simon Morden (Tom)
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury (Maggie)
Steal Across the Sky - Nancy Kress (Jim-with-the-cat-and-hat)
To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis (Nikita)
The Inverted World - Christopher Priest (Snail in Danger)
Way Station - Clifford D. Simak (Banner)
The Windup Girl - Paolo Bacigalupi (Kevin)

SF Nom: Equations of Life
It has been Nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.

I would like to nominate a classic fantasy-The Mists of Avalon I do not think we have done that recently!

and in Sci-fi-Fahrenheit 451--because Ive been wanting to read it forever and it is also short!

I'll nominate the novel Galveston by Sean Stewart whom I think is woefully underread. "Baptism by Magic" the Gr blurb starts out, and that's pretty much what Stewart does as he transports the island city into it's own fantasy realm.

Maggie wrote: "I would like to nominate a classic fantasy-The Mists of Avalon I do not think we have done that recently!

and in Sci-fi-Fahrenheit 451"

I would like to second The Mist of Avalon.

I read Mists of Avalon last summer and I loved it. It was actually my first or second BOTM here at GR.

I was going to skip this month's nominations, but I think I should add Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress to the SF entries. Ms. Kress is a Hugo award winning author who created the "Sleepless" series (Beggars In Spain, etc.) as well as the "Crossfire" novels and the "Probabilty" novels. All are very good reads, incorporating a very interesting perspective on genetics and alien life forms. She does this while also providing believable and captivating characters.

Steal Across the Sky is a stand-alone novel and is available not only as a mass market paperback, but also as an ebook. And there is a Kindle version. I have yet to read this one, but the premise of a mysterious alien race seeking to atone for a past transgession against humanity is fascinating.

I'll nominate for SF To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis and for Fantasy The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.

Both are on my to read list. I'm a fan of Connie Willis and haven't read To Say Nothing of the Dog yet. The other just sounds fun and interesting to read.

Maggie wrote: "I would like to nominate a classic fantasy-The Mists of Avalon I do not think we have done that recently!

and in Sci-fi-Fahrenheit 451"

I'd like to second both of these.

Nikita wrote: "I'll nominate for SF To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis .."
Hmm, that's on my to read list as well, so I guess I'll second that as well..

Nikita wrote: "I'll nominate for SF To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis and for Fantasy The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.

Both are on my to read li..."

Both of those are really fun!

I nominate Inverted World by Christopher Priest. It's an SF masterwork: a brain-twisting, thought-provoking dystopia. (I am rather tired of dystopias right now ... but this was actually good, and not an irritating long doorstopper.) This was nominated previously, back in 2009, but as far as I can tell it did not become a group read.

There have been numerous dead tree editions. There is a Kindle edition, and Waterstones is also selling a non-Kindle ebook. (There may be other ebook editions/vendors but I lost interest in looking after that, as I myself don't own an ebook reader.)

Nikita wrote: "I'll nominate for SF To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis and for Fantasy The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.

Both are on my to read li..."

I would like to second To Say Nothing of the Dog.

I'm not going to make a SF nom this month, as there are already three suggestions on my TBR, and the other two I've read and enjoyed.

I might come back later with a fantasy nom, as the list is very short at present. (Good books there, but so few...)

The lists do look a little anemic.

I've been wanting to read Steel Across the Sky for ages now so I won't nominate for Sci-Fi.

For fantasy, lets try
Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed. Its rather new, easily available in multiple formats, and does not sound like your average western European based fantasy.

Stefan gave it 4 stars (reason it came to my attention). I suck at descriptions so if you want to know more, go take a look at his review. :D

I'm already in a bind about what I'd vote for on the sci-fi list...

Have you guys done Mythago Wood for fantasy yet?

Traveller wrote: "I'm already in a bind about what I'd vote for on the sci-fi list...

Have you guys done Mythago Wood for fantasy yet?"

The group did it way back in 2003 in the pre-Goodreads days. It's perfectly ok for nomination now. Shall I add it to the list?

I read this book as a teenager and I'm doing a re-read right now. I'm suprized at how well it has aged.

Way Station

Candiss wrote: "Traveller wrote: "I'm already in a bind about what I'd vote for on the sci-fi list...

Have you guys done Mythago Wood for fantasy yet?"
---
The group did it way back in 2003 in the pre-Goodreads days. It's perfectly ok for nomination now. Shall I add it to the list? .."
--------

That's almost 10 years ago. Why don't you, even if just to swell the ranks a bit? I'm wanting to read it anyway, it's been on my list a long time now.

I'll nominate Mythago Wood

Let's try Deathless by Catherynne Valente again for Fantasy. Maybe it will have better chances this time...

For Fantasy, I'd like to nominate The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia McKillip.

I would like to nominate for science fiction, The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi since so many are reading this book, and I hear nothing, but good things about it.

Today is the last day to suggest nominations. The first round polls will go up tomorrow.

Nominations are closed, and the first-round polls are up. Please go vote!