Reading in June 2011

[Hobbit]

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 The One Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin. Discuss here.

Our SF Book of the Month is The Windup Girl by Paulo Bacigalupi. Discuss here.

Mark

 

[Loerwyn]

I'm less than 100 pages from the end of Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon. It's still a really enjoyable novel, although it's not perfect. It's likely one of the best science fiction books I've read, though, which probably sums up how little sci-fi I've read.

 

[Ropie]

It's likely one of the best science fiction books I've read, though, which probably sums up how little sci-fi I've read.

Some of my fondest SF memories (ergo, my favourite books) go back to my first year or two of SF reading - is it nostalgia, lack of expectations back then, or just that the books I read then were 'better', who knows? (it's not really to do with age; I'm only talking 10 years ago or so)

Nearly finished The Extremes by Christopher Priest. Although it's far from his most gripping story, something about it is quite intriguing and the prose is as readable as usual. I can tell it's working for me as a 400 page book would usually take me at least a few weeks but I'll be less than a week with this one.

 

[beniowa]

I just started a re-read of The Inferior by Peadar O'Guilin.

 

[algernoninc]

Mammoth by John Varley : I picked this because it is a standalone, and I like reading about extinct animals. I also love the Ice Age movies.
The science in this one is pretty thin, but the thriller part and the characters were OK, so I might try some more Varley stuff.

 

[Loerwyn]

Some of my fondest SF memories (ergo, my favourite books) go back to my first year or two of SF reading - is it nostalgia, lack of expectations back then, or just that the books I read then were 'better', who knows? (it's not really to do with age; I'm only talking 10 years ago or so)

No idea

I've finished it now, actually. It was a pretty damned good book, and removed a lot of my doubt about Elizabeth Moon's skills after... I've said it enough times now

 

[chitman13]

I've read, and thoroughly enjoyed, Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi. It took me all of a couple of sittings from start to finish and I loved it. His main character, Holloway, is similar to Perry from his Old Man's War series, but despite this I felt it worked really well here. Despite there being no action and the climax happening in a court room this could be one of the best SF books I'll read this year simply for its sheer enjoyability

Now started reading Overkill by Robert Buettner, the start of his Orphan's Legacy series.

 

[Hobbit]

I've read, and thoroughly enjoyed, Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi.

Read the original by Henry Beam Piper, Mark? Must admit, I quite fancy this, just for comparison.

Mark

 

[chitman13]

Read the original by Henry Beam Piper, Mark? Must admit, I quite fancy this, just for comparison.

Mark

Scalzi does point out in a note at the start that this is a reimagining, and hopes that those that haven't read the original will do so after reading this one. I've not read Little Fuzzy but certainly will do after reading this one There are a fair few Fuzzy novels if I'm not mistaken, anyone know how many?

 

[beniowa]

Scalzi does point out in a note at the start that this is a reimagining, and hopes that those that haven't read the original will do so after reading this one. I've not read Little Fuzzy but certainly will do after reading this one There are a fair few Fuzzy novels if I'm not mistaken, anyone know how many?

I remember looking that up after hearing about Scalzi's book and I seem to recall that there's at least three or four. I went ahead and picked up Little Fuzzy so I could read it before Fuzzy Nation.

 

[NickeeCoco]

Currently reading Cherryh's Forge of Heaven. After reading Hammerfall I wasn't expecting it to be like this. I'm not sure if I'm enjoying it or not, not being that far into it. We'll see.

 

[Hobbit]

There are a fair few Fuzzy novels if I'm not mistaken, anyone know how many

As Ben said: three official novels (Little Fuzzy, Fuzzy Sapiens, and Fuzzies and Other People, which was the 'lost' novel) and a few stories (The Fuzzy Papers), though others wrote tales after Piper's suicide, which muddies the water a little.

The three novels are available as an omnibus, I believe. They have dated but they are fun.

Rumours abound of their influence upon Ewoks, though the stand against big corporate business relates to Avatar.

Mark

 

[Nikita42]

I'm currently reading Farthing by Jo Walton. And, I've also just picked up The One Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin and The Windup Girl by Paulo Bacigalupi is on hold at the library so that I can join in on the monthly book discussion.

 

[Rob B]

Now started reading Overkill by Robert Buettner, the start of his Orphan's Legacy series.

A copy of this arrived Tuesday for my other reviewing gig along with Dan Abnett's Embedded. A flip of the coin will determine which of those two will be next.

 

[chitman13]

A copy of this arrived Tuesday for my other reviewing gig along with Dan Abnett's Embedded. A flip of the coin will determine which of those two will be next.

I tried to read Embedded a while back but just couldn't get into it. Not sure what the problem was with it, it just didn't grab me enough. Overkill is quite good so far, but once again in the 1st person so I hope it's not a Jason Wander clone - that's my only fear at the moment.

 

[suciul]

A copy of this arrived Tuesday for my other reviewing gig along with Dan Abnett's Embedded. A flip of the coin will determine which of those two will be next.

I browsed both Overkill and its sequel Undercurrents which is due soon from Baen and they were ok but nothing to wow me for now - I liked the Orphan series but it went way too long, so I was a bit meh about books 4/5, but 1-3 were excellent; better try and get Into the Hinterlands since that is excellent in a slightly campy, young George Washington in space fun way.

I got The Departure by N. Asher and that starts awesomely so I plan to read it asap; it could be another top-top sf of 2011 to complement the 3 so far (Mieville, Corey and Egan)

 

[Rob B]

better try and get Into the Hinterlands since that is excellent in a slightly campy, young George Washington in space fun way.

I keep seeing you mention this book and I am intrigued. I added it to my amazon wishlist and if it comes available at my other reviewing gig, I just may request it.

 

[suciul]

I keep seeing you mention this book and I am intrigued. I added it to my amazon wishlist and if it comes available at my other reviewing gig, I just may request it.

There is a large sample here for Into the Hinterlands and Baen may have arcs if they had them for the Buettner books.

As for mentioning it, I guess I did not expect to enjoy it so much - Leviathan wakes, Egan, Mieville or Asher are books I would be shocked not to enjoy, but this one...; the author (John Lambshead I mean since I am convinced he wrote most of it per below, while D. Drake most likely provided the plot) wrote an Elizabethan fantasy for Baen that I liked the style but did not care for the content so I kept an eye if he gets something else out.

Nothing that deep, but a lot of fun - riding bicycles, horses and carriages in hyperspace

 

[livens]

I re-started Sister Alice by Robert Reed. The first time I tried I lost interest after a few pages, no idea why. Just wasnt in the mood I guess. But this time Im really into it.

 

[Lazerus]

I just finished The Eternity Artifact by L. E. Modesitt, Jr. I have mixed feelings about it. I would classify it as Military SciFi, which I'm not a fan of. It actually seemed as if the story line was unfinished. Although his use of three different points of view was interesting and I did learn a bit of "mechanics" from its use. There was actually a great romantic scene that I did enjoy. It involved a couple finally actually acknowledging their interest in each other:

"At that first moment, we only held hands. It was more than enough."​

I found it a rather subtle touching moment. (now that I think about it, I finished this in late May...oh well)

I just finished (in June for sure this time) Time Travelers Never Die by Jack McDevitt. Jack rarely lets me down. This was another great book. There was actually not much "scifi" once you got past the time traveling concept. I really like the book.

I am currently reading Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds. Alastair is another author that never lets me down. I'm only 18 pages into it (paperback 623 total pages), but it already has me hooked.