SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Well this month I plan to read........

Pet Sematary
The Secret Life of Bees
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Speak
Emma
The Chocolate Wars
Ten Big Ones

Currently listening to these audio books while traveling and commuting:

Gilead A Novel by Marilynne Robinson - hope to get back to this audio book this week
Revolutionary Characters What Made the Founders Different by Gordon S. Wood - more than half finished
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell - finished 2/8/2009

I also have the audio book for The Road which I will start after finishing the Sparrow. I scrapped this and returned it to the library unread/unlistened to.

I started reading (but may not finish):

The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte - decided to back burner this.

I will probably read The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold (started reading 2/3/2009; finished 2/11/2009) as well as The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi.

After that, if there's any time left in February, I will tackling my mooched book stack.

I'm currently reading The Thirteenth Tale A Novel by Diane Setterfield. My to-read pile for the next couple of weeks includes:

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
The Ghost Map The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson
Gilead A Novel by Marilynne Robinson
First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde


I just ordered The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan

Wow lots of great reads this month's - and thanks all for TCC loving. This is what i have on tap at the moment.

Good Omens The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
Faerie Wars
Breaking Dawn
A Game of Thrones

I'm not usually one for biographies, but I've been really enjoying James Tiptree, Jr. The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon, and hope to finish it tonight, since it's due back at the library today.

Also out of the library right now:
Nation
Unaccustomed Earth

I'm currently reading American Gods, an I've got The King of Torts, Beloved, Jurassic Park, and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil lined up. I also need to choose a classic to read for the month. I'd like to tackle Bleak House, but probably won't have time, so will probably read Rebecca. I've been wanting to read that one for a long time.

I am reading Flashman's Lady by George MacDonald Fraser and am being reminded why I loved the previous Flashman books so much. Great fun.

I plan to hopefully read (depending on availabilty at library and so forth) the following

Exile and the Kingdom by Albert Camus

Blindness by Jose Saramago

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

Kate: ...and March, and April? That's a biiig book. :)

I'm currently reading Inkdeath.

My grand plans didn't work out so well for last month, so I think I will fly by the seat of my pants with my selections for this month. I would like to read The Road to participate in the discussion since the book is already in my TBR pile. I've got plenty of others keeping it company so it just depends on my mood as who gets to go first!

The saga thus far:

Real Murders by Charlaine Harris
Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn
Teany Book Stories, Food, Romance, Cartoons and, of Course, Tea by Moby and Kelly Tisdale
Unshapely Things by Mark Del Franco
Unquiet Dreams by Mark Del Franco
Unfallen Dead by Mark Del Franco
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Jennifer Government by Max Barry
Oh My Goddess! Volume 1
The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar

Sandi wrote: "I'm currently reading The Thirteenth Tale A Novel by Diane Setterfield. My t..."

Sandi, great books in your list. I loved The Ghost Map.

Kate wrote: "I keep hearing about 2666..."

Wow thanks for reminding me of that I was reading a review of it on one of the fantasy blogs and totally forgot about it - adding to my TBR now.

Aside from Watchmen, my primary focus this month is on the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. I am also sampling Starship: Mutiny by Mike Resnick to see if that series is one that I want to get into.

I will be reading:

The Road
The Hobbit
Memoirs of a Geisha
Paragon Walk
The Handmaid's Tale

I am currently reading:
Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Calibre by Sam Sarkar

I will be reading Crown Conspiracy by Michael Sullivan as soon as it arrives!

I hope to also read books recommended by friends from Goodreads:
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
Brokedown Palace by Steven Brust
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Dune by Frank Hebert

I've never read a lot of sci fi, but you all have excellent taste, so hopefully I'm converted!

Kate, let me know what you think of 2666. I've been hearing a lot about it and would love to pick it up.

I had to update my list -- the final proof of Avempartha came back from publisher so it gets moved up on list.... And another update - Princess Bride just came in from the Library. Man I got to start to close some of these out ;-)

[image error]

I would also like to hear anything about "2666" from anyone who has read it.

I keep thinking about starting in on the Vorkosigan series, and I'm probably going to pick another Margery Allingham novel. Allingham's books are like a cross between Agatha Christie and Jeeves & Wooster - good fun and a very easy read.

Cicero wrote: "I would also like to hear anything about "2666" from anyone who has read it."

<< Waves her hand - me too me too - I'm vey interested in this book!

I highly recommend the Vorkosigan series. I've only read a few but loved them.

I'm currently reading White Night by Jim Butcher. Next on the list is Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert. Assuming I get through those, I'll start (but probably won't finish) Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher. Been on a bit of a Butcher kick lately. I might need a break soon...

Mike, Furies reads completely differently from the Dresden series, so you might not need that break all that soon.

Oh the Vorkosigan series is fantastic. So good that I shelved everything just to complete it. I'd suggest reading them in order, and also start with Cordelia's Honor. It takes place pre-Miles, but involved his mother and father.

I'm now in book 4 of the The Fallen of the Malazan Empire by Steven Ericson.

And Last Watch of the Night Watch series just arrived from the library. Pressure!

I'd love to hear about 2666. I started The Savage Detectives but didn't get far, not the right mood? A friend is reading it now and he finally got very into it around 1/3 in.

I just finished Good Omens and enjoyed it very much.

Currently On my Kindle and ready to read:
The Light Fantastic By Terry Pratchett
Only You Can Save Mankind also by Terry Pratchett, but I only see myself getting through one of those books.

I also have The Road that I would like to get into, Neverwhere A Novel by Neil Gaiman, Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher. I will probably get through all of these books and then whatever else catches my fancy. I too am very interested in 2666, please let me know how it is.

Let's see... I'm reading / planning to read:

A Princess of Mars, Gods of Mars, and The Warlord of Mars, all by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Red Planet by Heinlein
(bit of a mars kick, I guess...)
and
Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O'Malley (if I can find a copy)

Started reading Princess Bride the other day - Saw the movie and of course love it but first time reading the book - I really am enjoying it.

I'm nearing the end of Lost on Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs at the moment. After that, I'll be attacking Fool by Christopher Moore. As for the rest of February, I'll probably be working on my unread Roger Zelazny stack.

Lori wrote: "Oh the Vorkosigan series is fantastic. So good that I shelved everything just to complete it."

Definitely one of my favorite series.

And Last Watch of the Night Watch series just arrived from the library. Pressure!

I hadn't even realized it was released (and it looks like it's been out since July). That's exciting.

Lori wrote: "Oh the Vorkosigan series is fantastic. So good that I shelved everything just to complete it. I'd suggest reading them in order, and also start with Cordelia's Honor."

One of the reasons that I've put off reading these was not knowing where to start :) (Falling Free, Cordelia's Honour, or Barrayar)

I'm currently working on Mark Ferrari's [Book: The Book of Joby]. An interesting idea, taking the classic "God and Lucifer make a wager" idea and throwing in everything from Arthurian legend to environmental issues. I've had a few problems with pacing (namely that I can only read about someone being beaten up by life for so long before I want to slit a major artery), but otherwise it's kept my interest. Should have it finished in a week or so. Anyone else ever read this?

I don't think you have to read them in order but Cordelia's Honor is great. I'm reading them in a random order based on what I can easily find.

I didn't think Falling Free was as good as some of the later one's in the Vorkosigin series, so I am always afraid that folks won't like it and will never get to the real stunners.

what order were they written in i have read falling free butr never heard of any others

Kevinalbee wrote: "what order were they written in i have read falling free butr never heard of any others"

Miles Vorkosigan
Ethan of Athos (1986)
The Warrior's Apprentice (1986)
Falling Free (1988)
The Borders of Infinity (1989)
Brothers in Arms (1989)
The Vor Game (1990)
Vorkosigan's Game (omnibus) (1992)
Mirror Dance (1994)
Cetaganda (1995)
Memory (1996)
Young Miles (omnibus) (1997)
Komarr (1998)
A Civil Campaign (1999)
Miles, Mystery and Mayhem (omnibus) (2001)
Diplomatic Immunity (2002)
Miles Errant (omnibus) (2002)
Miles, Mutants and Microbes (omnibus) (2007)
Miles in Love (omnibus) (2008)
Winterfair Gifts (2008)

Fantastic Fiction is a great site to find the order of books I got this information from there.

Robin wrote: "Fantastic Fiction is a great site to find the order of books I got this information from there. "

Thanks for the link, Robin. I'm always trying to figure out where particular books fall in their series.

I notice that they have two books recommended by Bujold at the bottom: Kerr's The Wild Swans and Carl's Shadows in Scarlet: A Haunting Novel of Romantic Mystery. Has anyone read either of these?

So I just finished Griffen's Dauhter for another group here on GR's It was a good story for a new author. I just got some recommendations from some friends and I'm goign to try to do GoodOmens and/or Well of Assension. We'll see which one I can get my hands onf first.

So far this month I've read the first three books in "The Sharing Knife" series by Lois McMaster Bujold. I started reading "Blindness" -- again... I just can't get into this book. Read Patricia Briggs' 'Mercy Thompson' books and I'm in the middle of "Medieval Lives" by Terry Jones. I'm going to start the 'Gormenghast' trilogy (I keep starting, and never finishing this).

I've got yucky weather here... time for some comfort food for the mind. Time to pull out Brian Jacques "Redwall" and "Mossflower."

At present I'm reading "The Singer" by Alison Croggin, its the fourth book in the Pellinor series, "Growing Pains" by Billie Piper (she was in Dr Who and I think she is the best companion that the Doctor has had in a while) is waiting in the wings.

Finished "The Associate" by John Grisham in two days and was dissapointed - it was ok but far from his best.

The other book that I read this month is "Requiem for an Assassin" by Barry Eisler ( http://www.barryeisler.com/books.php ). It is the last in the series (6 in total) abour John Rain. If you like Jack Reacher (Lee Child - http://www.leechild.com/) you will probably Like John Rain

I just started reading Inkheart. And don't throw anything at me but I also finished Eclipse as I needed a "romance" for a winter challenge ;-)

Robin wrote: "I just started reading Inkheart. And don't throw anything at me but I also finished Eclipse as I needed a "romance" for a winter challenge ;-)"

That reminds me -- I need to finish reading "Inkheart." I started some time back, but couldn't seem to get into it. I'd like to get it done before the movie comes out.

Ya that's why I'm reading it now as well - I'm only 100 pages in at the moment. I'll let you know more when i get done.

I also read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, fantastic book.

I loved Inkheart and Inkspell. From what I've seen of the movie previews, they are taking quite a few liberties with it so it will be interesting to see if the movie is good in its own right. Still waiting in the long line to get Inkdeath from the library...

When is the movie being released? I saw the trailers many months ago and feel like it is "fast approaching".

Cordelia's Honor and Barryar are the places to start, Kevin. They are about Miles' parents, and so include some history that really help. Besides, they are great books! Ethan of of Athos and Falling Free don't really include Miles. I jumped straight from the first 2 mentioned to Warrior's Apprentice.

I know you'll have so much fun with these, and I'm jealous of anyone's first read!

Demon Moon by Jack Williamson
While reading the inside sleeve, I was surprised that he's been writing sci-fi fantasy for over 60 years. How did I miss this author? I'm seeing correlations idemon Moon to one of my favorite Asimov novels: Nightfall. I am definitely enjoying it.

Apparently out last month, Robin. I am suddenly seeing a downfall in not watching TV...now I might have to wait for the DVD!

Jenny

I also started reading Howl's Moving Castle.

I just finished The Crown Conspiracy by Michael Sullivan and am now reading First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde and The Ghost Map The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson.