Reading in July 2011

**Hobbit** · June 30th, 2011, 05:16 PM

This is where you talk to us about your monthly SF Reads: whether good or bad, we want to discuss with you what you thought.

Our Fantasy Book of the Month is Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly. Discuss here.

Our SF Book of the Month is Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds. Discuss here.

Mark

**Rob B** · June 30th, 2011, 08:01 PM

I started Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Dreadnaught by Jack Campbell last night (yeah I said almost as much in the June Thread), but I actually plowed through about 100 pages yesterday and 50 thus far today. Quick and entertaining, but more talking heads in the beginning than I expected.

**Ropie** · July 1st, 2011, 05:53 AM

James Tiptree Jr / Alice Sheldon collection - Star Songs of an Old Primate.

**Loerwyn** · July 1st, 2011, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by Rob B

I started Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Dreadnaught by Jack Campbell last night (yeah I said almost as much in the June Thread), but I actually plowed through about 100 pages yesterday and 50 thus far today. Quick and entertaining, but more talking heads in the beginning than I expected.

Has Captain Geary released a breath that he didn't know he was holding yet?

**Rob B** · July 1st, 2011, 09:11 AM

Perhaps, but it hasn't stood out as an oft-repeated phrase.

**Loerwyn** · July 1st, 2011, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by Rob B

Perhaps, but it hasn't stood out as an oft-repeated phrase.

That's because you've not read the previous books

**chitman13** · July 1st, 2011, 10:02 AM

There are a few....

"Geary let out a long, slow breath."
"He let out a long, slow breath, happy to be walking familiar passageways."
"Geary blew out a derisive breath."
"Geary let out a long breath that felt like he had been holding it for hours."

**Loerwyn** · July 1st, 2011, 10:16 AM

Maybe we should create a petition to get Geary to stop breathing?

**krisbslick** · July 1st, 2011, 02:10 PM

see.. the thing is .. for the 100 years in Cryo-sleep, Geary had his blood oxygenated intravenously. so now he doesn’t take his breathing for granted.. hence all the deep breathing...

you have to read in between the lines

**Loerwyn** · July 1st, 2011, 02:12 PM

No, it's just absolutely pathetic writing. We never hear about how Geary has problems doing anything else, so I fail to see how breathing is a problem for him.

**krisbslick** · July 1st, 2011, 02:27 PM

LoL... i know, that was me trying to be funny

FAIL

**Rob B** · July 4th, 2011, 02:50 PM

Finished the Dreadnaught Saturday and thought it was enjoyable. Not great, almost David Weber/Honor Harrington lite, but good enough that I'd have no problem reading more or the previous series. As I said above, more talking and politics than I expected rather than action, especially considering most of the blurbs for the previous book used adjectives/phrases like "Great Action," "Gripping action," etc.

I've moved onto Robert Buettner's Overkill and after a few chapters I'm not quite feeling it. Much more disjointed start than his Orphan/Jason Wander series.

**Loerwyn** · July 4th, 2011, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by Rob B

Finished the Dreadnaught Saturday and thought it was enjoyable. Not great, almost David Weber/Honor Harrington lite, but goo enough that I'd have no problem reading more or the previous series. As I said above, more talking and politics than I expected rather than action, especially considering most of the blurbs for the previous book used adjectives/phrases like "Great Action," "Gripping action," etc.

To be honest, Rob, I'd find it hard to suggest the other books. I've got reviews for the first three on my Goodreads page if you're interested, but the idea there's "great action" is marketing lingo at its worst. The action sequences consist of badly worded repetitive space ballet, involving some arbitrary movement systems that Campbell has to explain every single damned book (Whilst Geary releases breaths he doesn't know he's holding and the co-president glowers over his shoulder), followed by a meeting, followed by more time in space, then another space ballet and basically rinse and repeat.

The books really are the same as each other. The places change, the ships that explodify change, but the series did not change over the course of three books. Read one, you've read them all.

**Rob B** · July 4th, 2011, 03:10 PM

Well, I picked up the very first book in the series used a couple of weeks ago it is a small enough book that I may breeze through it some point but a lot of other books I've got on the pile are more appealing.

**Loerwyn** · July 4th, 2011, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by Rob B

Well, I picked up the very first book in the series used a couple of weeks ago it is a small enough book that I may breeze through it some point but a lot of other books I've got on the pile are more appealing.

If I can get through them in two days each, Rob, I don't think you'll struggle. But yes, do save them for either a sci-fi itch or when you've cleared the pile. They helped cure my sci-fi itch and get me into the genre a bit more, but they're not something I can justify reading instead of... Uh... Everything else on my shelf.