Action/Adventure Aficionados discussion

Please suggest books for the September group read. The theme is Space Opera.

The poll will go up on the 12th of August.

How about Dauntless

I don't think I've ever read a Space Opera book. So I won't be able to suggest anything.

Okay, how about Soldier of the Legion or Conquerors' Pride?

Ragnarok was a pretty good read. I gave it 5 stars.

I've been wanting to read this one for a while, so I am going to nominate Grimspace.

I've been interested in reading Consider Phlebas or Shards of Honour so I suggest them.

For Eileen or anyone else unfamiliar with the subgenre, here is Wikipedia's definition of Space Opera:

Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap opera" (see below). Perhaps the most significant trait of space opera is that settings, characters, battles, powers, and themes tend to be very large-scale.

Here is a list of authors who write in the space opera genre:

http://www.booksnbytes.com/genres/spa...

Kevin J. Anderson
Catherine Asaro
Margaret Ball
Iain M. Banks
Steven Barnes
Sabine C. Bauer
Hilari Bell
Julie Cochrane
Kathryn Cramer
David Drake
Jennifer Fallon
Minister Faust
Eric Flint
Julie Fortune
Alan Dean Foster
Dave Freer
Scott Gamboe
Roberta Gellis
Simon R. Green
Martin H. Greenberg
David G. Hartwell
Ben Jeapes
Drew Karpyshyn
Tom Kratman
Mercedes Lackey
Keith Laumer
Sally Malcolm
William Manchee
Norma McPhee
C. J. Merle
Karen Miller
Syne Mitchell
Elizabeth Moon
Andre Norton
Jody Lynn Nye
Graham Sharp Paul
Steve Perry
Dusty Rainbolt
Michael Reaves
Alastair Reynolds
John Ringo
Holly Scott
Charles Sheffield
Mike Shepherd
Martin Sketchley
Charles Stross
James Swallow
Travis Taylor
Harry Turtledove
Jack Vance
Robert E. Vardeman
John Varley
John Vornholt
David Weber
T. K. F. Weisskopf
Steve White
Sonny Whitelaw
Suzanne Wood

Some classic space opera authors are Robert Heinlein, Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan novels, CJ Cherryh, Julian May's Galactic Milieu, Poul Anderson's Ensign Flandry.

Santiago
Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future

Thanks Lady D for making the list! Only one author I'm familiar with and that's Simon R. Green. I have read the first in his Nightside series.

No problem, Eileen. Simon R. Green has the Deathstalker series, which is space opera. Deathstalker

I have several of the Deathstalker books on my shelf...waiting. :)

I had Deathstalker posted ,then I removed it for Santiago.

I have read both in the past, IMO Santiago is the better book but both are worth a read.

There are a lot of good recomendations here. I'll toss another one in, because ...it's a good read (with the two already in)...

The Stainless Steel Rat

and

Deathworld 1

Free on Kindle


and

Coyote


okay more than one... I like lots of books in this genre.

I think we have more book nominations this time around than number of people who usually vote LOL! :) Should be fun to see what happens!

Well you could always send a broadcast message out to let people know about the voting if that's the case. Should be interesting either way.

Not a bad idea, Jonathan.

Congrats to the Australian runner last night for winning the Gold!

We were all very happy down here to see that happen! Been ages since we've had a track gold.

It was a great race. Sally Pearson had the smoothest form during that race. She was a pleasure to watch, she made it look so easy. Made me want to try it...that didn't last long, lol.

How about Leviathan Wakes. Although, it might not be considered a "true" space opera (Iain M. Banks or Peter F. Hamilton are more high concept).

The poll is up. Note it's only up for five days. It closes on the 17th:

http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/69894

HURRAH! Conqueror's Pride takes a commanding lead.

(Translation: I'm the first to vote! but it's a hundred percent landslide victory if things stay as they are!)

Drats! Mikey! I had it in the bag...till now.

Now it's a neck and neck tie with Dauntless...

Vote! for Pride! Zahn! Zahn! Zahn!

Some books are missing from the list?
deathstalker for one and the Gap Cycle.

Okay so now we have a four-way tie. Let's read 'em all!

Sorry, oversight on my part. I'll add Gap into Conflict. I wasn't nominating Deathstalker, Eileen had asked about Simon R. Green and I was just telling her what his space opera books were.

"And their coming around the first turn...Dauntless and Grimspacepulling ahead of the early pace setters, but, Conquerors' Pride, The Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok Bladec C Vol. 3 (Matantei Roki Rakunarokku)Consider Phlebas and Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future still in a pack, just off the narrow lead!"

Need more Votes! Pride Pride Pride!

Money's on Dauntless....go Dauntless!

My problem is I nominated too many... it's likely some of mine, very good books in their own right are going to be voteless.

Im asking my GF to vote for Santiago, so I think it will have at least 2 votes.

I thought we could only nominate 1 book? It's seems a bit silly to nominate more than 1 per person.

It's not set in stone that only one book can be nominated. No harm done.

Things seem to be frozen...where is everybody?

We have a three way tie for the poll. I made a runoff poll. It will be up three days only, until August 19th, so don't miss your chance to vote!:

http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/70091

Kevin wrote: "Im asking my GF to vote for Santiago, so I think it will have at least 2 votes.

I thought we could only nominate 1 book? It's seems a bit silly to nominate more than 1 per person."

I wanted to reply to this. This is just one grumpy man's opinion, and not reflective of anyone but me...

I watch us do poll after poll and notice a decline in the number of people participating. Sometimes that's me, of course, like everyone I have my reasons. One of those reasons (and there are more than one) is that,sometimes I am not interested in the book that's chosen.

That's fine, nobody should be expected to be interested in all books. Therefore, when I nominate, My thinking isn't, nominate one for me... what good is a group read where you cannot count on honest participation of others. Surely they don't have to, but many people participate out of a spirit of being one of us in this group.

I think it would be silly of me, not go put enough different choices out there, so that others, along with myself may be more confident that they will enjoy the group read.

My comments lamenting the books not voted for were purely in jest.

I don't think everyone needs to think this way. I'm also a moderator, and, as a moderator, I'm mediocer at best. Still, I believe I need think of the group and, since I cannot read minds, I choose to give lots of choices.

I also follow the rules. If this practice of mine isn't working for everyone, lets go with what does.

I can see your point, Hugh. It does help to have various suggestions for a poll, especially when members aren't familiar with a subgenre.


As far as questions and comments about how the group read process is set up, we're here to help, and while your suggestions are considered, the set-up will be designed for expediency and what works best. If members want to coordinate a monthly group read, feel free to volunteer. There is a list of guidelines you are expected to follow, but otherwise, you can set up the discussion threads and the polls and make sure you get a say in the process. The end goal is a good discussion and friendly exchange between members. It's all good!

My 2 cents worth...I like having lots of nominations. With only a few books, voters might not find anything that they are really interested in voting for. With more books, there's something for everyone, and maybe we will get a little more participation...and we all know, the more the merrier! :)

That's a good point, Lisa.

I agree that the more books we have to choose from the happier the voters will be.

I have noticed that 8 or 9 people participate in the GR voting so at least 8 or 9 books should or could be nominated every month. I feel that's a decent number of books to choose from.

Multiple selections by participant's just leads to multiple books getting 0 votes.

I don't have a problem with multiple selections by participants, I just thought it was useless to do so.

In any case, happy reading and remember to vote for Santiago... ;-)

@ Hugh
I hope you don't think I was complaining about you or anyone else who posted multiple nomination. I was truly under the impression that we could nominate a single book, so I thought I should put forth the question.

Also when I nominate a book I nominate a book I would like to read as do most others, I'm not quite sure I understood your point about "nominating a book for me".
If your referring to Debby voting with me on Santiago, I see nothing wrong with that. She happens to be my live in girlfriend and we both enjoy goodreads. I guided her to this club because she enjoys detective fiction, she has never read Space Opera so she decided to take my word on Santiago and vote with me on it. She actually wanted to read "The Real Story" and I convinced her this was a more enjoyable book.

Okay so we need another run-off poll? I've found as moderator it helps with polls to send one or two messages about polls pushing other people to get involved and vote. But I do think things are working fine right now.

What do we do if only 2 re-vote and split?????? :)

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "What do we do if only 2 re-vote and split?????? :)"

We read both...lol

Oh....I figured that was far too simple.

Runoff poll for the tie. Only up two days. Closing on August 21st:

http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/70220

uh... Lady D. that's the invite page, not the poll

Yep, wrong page...

Sorry. Here you go!

http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/70220

Thanks Lady D