Sci Fi reader here

[revjen]

Someone had mentioned that they were a sci-fi fan.  I am, too.  In fact, two of my favorite authors of all time were Anne McCaffrey and Isaac Asimov.  He came to my college on a speaking engagement and I wanted to go but I had to work and couldn't.  He died not too long after that; it's one of my biggest regrets that I didn't call off work.

[aurora]

I try to read a lot of genres but usually my favorites are fantast & sci fi. I adore McCaffrey's Pern books, though I never really got into her others.

I've read a few Asimov books but haven't read most. Which are your favorites?

[revjen]

Apr 15, 2016 22:06:50 GMT -5 aurora said:

I try to read a lot of genres but usually my favorites are fantast & sci fi. I adore McCaffrey's Pern books, though I never really got into her others.

I've read a few Asimov books but haven't read most. Which are your favorites?

I love his robots series. Start with The Robots of Dawn. I also like the Foundation series.

[revjen]

Apr 15, 2016 22:06:50 GMT -5 aurora said:

I try to read a lot of genres but usually my favorites are fantast & sci fi. I adore McCaffrey's Pern books, though I never really got into her others.

I've read a few Asimov books but haven't read most. Which are your favorites?

You might like the Crystal Singer trilogy and the Tower and Hive series by McCaffrey.

[GilliC]

I find that I end up reading a lot of sci-fi, because there's so much variety within the genre.

I think I have too many favorites to list, but I would probably put Douglas Adams and Neal Stephenson near the top of the list. I'm long overdue for a re-read of Snow Crash. I also really like Orson Scott Card* and I actually liked Speaker for the Dead even more than Ender's Game. Last year I discovered Octavia Butler, and I've been very impressed so far (I read Kindred and Dawn). I loved The Speed of Dark, but I haven't tried any of Elizabeth Moon's other books yet.


*for his writing; not for his application of his personal beliefs.

[revjen]

I always think of Douglas Adams as a comedic writer but I guess it's technically sci-fi. He makes me laugh. Hard. A lot.

[sassypants]

I get into some Sci Fi. I loved Contact by Carl Sagan, and I'm another Douglas Adams fan. I do tend to gravitate more toward fantasy, though.

[Nonny]

If you want a quick sampling of a wide range of sci-fi/fantasy authors, I'd suggest Legends: Short Novels By The Masters of Modern Fantasy.  It definitely skews more fantasy, but it was a good into to people that I'd always heard of but had never gotten around to reading.  Anne McCaffrey is one of the authors in there, with a story set in Pern (not about dragons though).

Also, can I just throw a plug in for the Dune series in here while I'm at it.  I held off for years reading it because it seems super long (which it is) and intimidating, but it sucked me in when I finally decided to give it a try.  It got a little weird slow around books 3/4, but picks up again at the end.

[aurora]

Apr 18, 2016 0:30:04 GMT -5 Nonny said:

If you want a quick sampling of a wide range of sci-fi/fantasy authors, I'd suggest Legends: Short Novels By The Masters of Modern Fantasy.  It definitely skews more fantasy, but it was a good into to people that I'd always heard of but had never gotten around to reading.  Anne McCaffrey is one of the authors in there, with a story set in Pern (not about dragons though).

Also, can I just throw a plug in for the Dune series in here while I'm at it.  I held off for years reading it because it seems super long (which it is) and intimidating, but it sucked me in when I finally decided to give it a try.  It got a little weird slow around books 3/4, but picks up again at the end.

You know, I read the first 3 of the Dune series and then stopped. Maybe I should try again! The first one was really awesome.

[ufcasey]

I'm just taking notes, but wanted to point out this:

www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books

It has a lot of books you have mentioned, so it might be worth checking out.

[GilliC]

That's a pretty good list!

Since it covers all of the usual suspects, what are everyone's favorites that aren't on the list?

I would pick The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler (although I've only finished Dawn so far), and The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi.

[Nonny]

Apr 18, 2016 21:41:52 GMT -5 aurora said:

Apr 18, 2016 0:30:04 GMT -5 Nonny said:

If you want a quick sampling of a wide range of sci-fi/fantasy authors, I'd suggest Legends: Short Novels By The Masters of Modern Fantasy.  It definitely skews more fantasy, but it was a good into to people that I'd always heard of but had never gotten around to reading.  Anne McCaffrey is one of the authors in there, with a story set in Pern (not about dragons though).

Also, can I just throw a plug in for the Dune series in here while I'm at it.  I held off for years reading it because it seems super long (which it is) and intimidating, but it sucked me in when I finally decided to give it a try.  It got a little weird slow around books 3/4, but picks up again at the end.

You know, I read the first 3 of the Dune series and then stopped. Maybe I should try again! The first one was really awesome.

I can't remember which one it is, if it's 5 or 6, but they were more on par with the second book, which wasn't as good as the first, but still pretty solid. There is a HUGE time jump at some point along the way, which I think actually helps the story arc.  I keep thinking this should be something I reread, but they are so long that it's a pretty big commitment.

[aurora]

Apr 18, 2016 22:18:10 GMT -5 ufcasey said:

I'm just taking notes, but wanted to point out this:

www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books

It has a lot of books you have mentioned, so it might be worth checking out.

Great list! I had lost count by the time I reached the mid-40s but I've read about half of those.

Best-that-I-didn't-think-of-earlier:


Most-surprisingly-enjoyable:


Should-definitely-NOT-be-on-any-"best"-list:

[revjen]

I love the time traveler's wife.

[aurora]

Apr 20, 2016 17:03:00 GMT -5 revjen said:

I love the time traveler's wife.

There was quite a heated debate on it recently on one of the other boards that I frequent (probably CEP but I can't remember). It seems that you either love it or hate it. I'm in the latter camp, but you definitely have company in the former!

[revjen]

Apr 21, 2016 15:14:04 GMT -5 aurora said:

Apr 20, 2016 17:03:00 GMT -5 revjen said:

I love the time traveler's wife.

There was quite a heated debate on it recently on one of the other boards that I frequent (probably CEP but I can't remember). It seems that you either love it or hate it. I'm in the latter camp, but you definitely have company in the former!

Without going down the rabbit hole again, would you mind if I asked why you didn't like it?

[Queen Mamadala]

Science fiction and fantasy are my favorite genres to read and write, hands down. I grew up on sci-fi and fantasy.

[aurora]

Apr 21, 2016 15:21:05 GMT -5 revjen said:

Apr 21, 2016 15:14:04 GMT -5 aurora said:

There was quite a heated debate on it recently on one of the other boards that I frequent (probably CEP but I can't remember). It seems that you either love it or hate it. I'm in the latter camp, but you definitely have company in the former!

Without going down the rabbit hole again, would you mind if I asked why you didn't like it?

I couldn't get over the disturbing nature of their relationship, such as her first meeting him when she was a child and he much older (and knowing they would marry), couldn't see what in the heck she actually saw in him, and hated that she thought so little of herself that she'd just sit around and wait forever for him. I mean, I know it's not his fault that he's a time traveler and can't control it, but I want someone I can depend on in my life. And I'd be utterly horrified at the idea that my child might inherit the curse.

[revjen]

Apr 21, 2016 15:29:17 GMT -5 aurora said:

Apr 21, 2016 15:21:05 GMT -5 revjen said:

Without going down the rabbit hole again, would you mind if I asked why you didn't like it?

I couldn't get over the disturbing nature of their relationship, such as her first meeting him when she was a child and he much older (and knowing they would marry), couldn't see what in the heck she actually saw in him, and hated that she thought so little of herself that she'd just sit around and wait forever for him. I mean, I know it's not his fault that he's a time traveler and can't control it, but I want someone I can depend on in my life. And I'd be utterly horrified at the idea that my child might inherit the curse.

I can see it from that point of view.  I felt similarly about The Thinking Woman's Guide to Magic.  I hated it.  Hated.  It.  It was so bad that I stopped listening in the middle of it and returned it to Audible.  I have no clue how it ends but I don't care.  How could she just blindly sit there and let someone else take total control of her life?  Especially when you made it a point in the beginning to tell us just how strong a modern woman she was?  UGH!

[aurora]

Apr 21, 2016 15:40:55 GMT -5 revjen said:

Apr 21, 2016 15:29:17 GMT -5 aurora said:

I couldn't get over the disturbing nature of their relationship, such as her first meeting him when she was a child and he much older (and knowing they would marry), couldn't see what in the heck she actually saw in him, and hated that she thought so little of herself that she'd just sit around and wait forever for him. I mean, I know it's not his fault that he's a time traveler and can't control it, but I want someone I can depend on in my life. And I'd be utterly horrified at the idea that my child might inherit the curse.

I can see it from that point of view.  I felt similarly about The Thinking Woman's Guide to Magic.  I hated it.  Hated.  It.  It was so bad that I stopped listening in the middle of it and returned it to Audible.  I have no clue how it ends but I don't care.  How could she just blindly sit there and let someone else take total control of her life?  Especially when you made it a point in the beginning to tell us just how strong a modern woman she was?  UGH!

Good to know - I'll cross that one off my list!

[GilliC]

Apr 21, 2016 15:29:17 GMT -5 aurora said:

Apr 21, 2016 15:21:05 GMT -5 revjen said:

Without going down the rabbit hole again, would you mind if I asked why you didn't like it?

I couldn't get over the disturbing nature of their relationship, such as her first meeting him when she was a child and he much older (and knowing they would marry), couldn't see what in the heck she actually saw in him, and hated that she thought so little of herself that she'd just sit around and wait forever for him. I mean, I know it's not his fault that he's a time traveler and can't control it, but I want someone I can depend on in my life. And I'd be utterly horrified at the idea that my child might inherit the curse.

Yeah, now that I think about it, it does seem very dysfunctional.

I cried on it though. And I am not one to cry over books. My XH was listening to the audiobook at the same time I read it, and I think he got a little misty too.

If the spontaneous time-travel dynamic interests you, I would recommend Kindred. It has a similar (though more linear) time travel model and no questionable romance. Plus a healthy dose of civil rights history.

[Mashara]

I love Charles de Lint, Robin McKinley, and Elizabeth Moon. GilliC, the Speed of Dark is different from her other books, but I still love them all. The Deed of Paksenarrion is one of my all time faves.

Also, Old Man's War by John Scalzi and Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss were great.

[GilliC]

Did anyone see the 2016 Hugo finalists?

www.buzzfeed.com/jarrylee/space-raptor-butt-invasion

This pisses me off so much. I knew they were doing this, because I read something about it last year, but I tried to convince myself that they wouldn't pull it off. I'm getting sick and tired of white male nerds throwing temper tantrums whenever any facet of geek society makes the tiniest effort to be more inclusive or expand its horizons. They see "social justice agenda," but I just see people from other demographics bringing a new and interesting perspective to the genre, and quite likely earning awards for their creatively different ideas.

And I say this as someone who has purchased and read Chuck Tingle's work (gag Christmas gift + morbid curiosity)! The whole Chuck Tingle concept cracks me up, but don't fuck with my Hugo awards! At least I still have the Nebulas.