Summer School for Geeks: 11 New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books

Brainphart · 06-28-2012, 10:07 AM

Article in Wired.

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/06/sci-fi-fantasy-books-summer-2012/

DiapDealer · 06-28-2012, 11:11 AM

I've always thought of myself as quite the geek (as well as an avid SFF fan), but I may need to revise that opinion if that list was supposed to be targeted at me.

Oh, well... I never liked being easily pigeon-holed anyway.

vsalvaggio · 06-28-2012, 12:41 PM

Thanks for the heads up. I might be checking out a few of those.

Crucible of Gold for sure as the Temeraire series is great.
Blackout is book #3 in the series so I might check out the first one Feed.
Nightshifted and Shadow Ops both look interesting too.

Thanks!

Ninjalawyer · 06-28-2012, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I've always thought of myself as quite the geek (as well as an avid SFF fan), but I may need to revise that opinion if that list was supposed to be targeted at me.

Oh, well... I never liked being easily pigeon-holed anyway.

I was thinking the exact same thing when I read that list. I've read 2312 already (and thought it was fairly weak) and may read Red Shirts, but that's it.

Belfaborac · 06-28-2012, 08:06 PM

I don't know, I thought there were a few potentials in there. Red Shirts, the latest Temeraire (I've got the previous six, but haven't read any yet. A bit daft, but the full set will make a nice gift if I don't like them), Dreamblood and the one by Saladin Ahmed all sound like books I might like. The anthology too perhaps, although I'm not really a short story/novella kind of guy.

charlesatan · 06-28-2012, 10:54 PM

It's a subjective list and I'm fine with it. The focus is on relatively new releases (either this year or last year) by the co-host of Geek's Guide to the Galaxy. It's not a definitive list but it does list some of the popular new releases.

DiapDealer · 06-28-2012, 11:50 PM

I want to try Redshirts, but I truthfully haven't really been that impressed by anything Scalzi's done since Old Man's War. I've sort of become resigned to the fact that he might be a better blogger/SFWA president than an author. I'll still probably give it shot though.

jgaiser · 06-29-2012, 12:11 AM

Redshirts was OK. Not great. Not award winning. But a nice quick humorous read. The Temeraire books - I gave up on after book 3. None of the rest really interest me.

DrNefario · 06-29-2012, 02:42 AM

I wasn't a big fan of Old Man's War, so I haven't really bothered with anything else by Scalzi.

I really disliked Feed, and I'm just about to finish its equally bad sequel Deadline (although weirdly my expectations were low enough that it hasn't annoyed me so much.) the only way I'm going to read Blackout is if it, too, gets on the Hugo short list. And then I might decide not to sign up to vote next time.

The rest of them are mostly interesting to me. Saladin Ahmed and NK Jemisin are writers worth watching. The consensus is that the last couple of Temeraire books have gone off the boil, but I still enjoyed Tongues of Serpents.

VaporPunk · 06-29-2012, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brainphart

Article in Wired.

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/06/sci-fi-fantasy-books-summer-2012/

Blackout + Killing Moon look interesting to me. Possibly Throne of the Crescent Moon too. I'd already decided that 2312 was a buy, for sometime in the future. Thanks for posting this.

Ninjalawyer · 06-29-2012, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I wasn't a big fan of Old Man's War, so I haven't really bothered with anything else by Scalzi.

I really like scifi, but I didn't particularly enjoy Old Man's War for some reason, even though it's considered a "must read" for scifi fans. I think it's Scalzi's humour that rubs me the wrong way.

DiapDealer · 06-29-2012, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I really disliked Feed, and I'm just about to finish its equally bad sequel Deadline (although weirdly my expectations were low enough that it hasn't annoyed me so much.)

I didn't dislike Feed, I just didn't have many feelings one way or the other about it. Pretty "meh" overall, really. So I've been rather puzzled by the series' frequent award nominations. I know my tastes aren't the only valid ones out there, but even when I don't like something, I can usually recognize the "I know some other people are going to love this" qualities. Those qualities evaded my notice in this case.

Throne of the Crescent Moon was a huge disappointment for me. Mainly because I anticipated it so much, and I'm a huge fan of that particular setting/culture/mythology. So it bummed me out that I was so underwhelmed by it. The dialogue was especially sketchy to me. And I so love dialogue.

Buckell, I'll keep trying, because I sense that someday he's going to write something that clicks with me. But he hasn't yet. He's another "might be a better blogger."

I don't do dragons. Especially dragons that have prominent roles. My loss I'm sure.

This summary for Far Coin by E. C. Meyers, frankly has me brimming with WTF??:

Quote:

Read if you like: young adult science fiction with relatable characters and a strong moral core, crack

Crack?!?

06-28-2012, 10:07 AM	#1
Brainphart Compost Power Posts: 79 Karma: 62238 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee Device: Nook ST-1 Sony Reader PRS500(retired but still kicking)	Summer School for Geeks: 11 New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books Article in Wired. http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/06/sci-fi-fantasy-books-summer-2012/

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06-28-2012, 11:11 AM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,548 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I've always thought of myself as quite the geek (as well as an avid SFF fan), but I may need to revise that opinion if that list was supposed to be targeted at me. Oh, well... I never liked being easily pigeon-holed anyway.

06-28-2012, 12:41 PM	#3
vsalvaggio Zealot Posts: 104 Karma: 3187996 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Texas Device: iPhone, Kindle	Thanks for the heads up. I might be checking out a few of those. Crucible of Gold for sure as the Temeraire series is great. Blackout is book #3 in the series so I might check out the first one Feed. Nightshifted and Shadow Ops both look interesting too. Thanks! Last edited by vsalvaggio; 07-02-2012 at 01:47 PM. Reason: spelling

06-28-2012, 08:06 PM	#5
Belfaborac Wizard Posts: 1,498 Karma: 5199835 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Norway Device: Sony PRS-505, PRS-950	I don't know, I thought there were a few potentials in there. Red Shirts, the latest Temeraire (I've got the previous six, but haven't read any yet. A bit daft, but the full set will make a nice gift if I don't like them), Dreamblood and the one by Saladin Ahmed all sound like books I might like. The anthology too perhaps, although I'm not really a short story/novella kind of guy.

06-28-2012, 10:54 PM	#6
charlesatan Addict Posts: 230 Karma: 3799024 Join Date: May 2012 Device: iPad	It's a subjective list and I'm fine with it. The focus is on relatively new releases (either this year or last year) by the co-host of Geek's Guide to the Galaxy. It's not a definitive list but it does list some of the popular new releases.

06-28-2012, 11:50 PM	#7
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,548 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I want to try Redshirts, but I truthfully haven't really been that impressed by anything Scalzi's done since Old Man's War. I've sort of become resigned to the fact that he might be a better blogger/SFWA president than an author. I'll still probably give it shot though.

06-29-2012, 12:11 AM	#8
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,281 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Redshirts was OK. Not great. Not award winning. But a nice quick humorous read. The Temeraire books - I gave up on after book 3. None of the rest really interest me.

06-29-2012, 02:42 AM	#9
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,099 Karma: 11315768 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I wasn't a big fan of Old Man's War, so I haven't really bothered with anything else by Scalzi. I really disliked Feed, and I'm just about to finish its equally bad sequel Deadline (although weirdly my expectations were low enough that it hasn't annoyed me so much.) the only way I'm going to read Blackout is if it, too, gets on the Hugo short list. And then I might decide not to sign up to vote next time. The rest of them are mostly interesting to me. Saladin Ahmed and NK Jemisin are writers worth watching. The consensus is that the last couple of Temeraire books have gone off the boil, but I still enjoyed Tongues of Serpents.

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