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-   -   MobileRead August 2015 Special Run-Off Vote (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263531)

WT Sharpe 08-01-2015 06:02 PM

August 2015 Special Run-Off Vote
 
August 2015 Mobile Read Book Club Special Run-Off Vote

Since this month's vote resulted in a tie, we are having a Special Run-Off Vote between the two leading candidates. I will not vote in this poll unless my vote is needed to break a tie. This poll will be open for 3 days, and all MobileRead members are invited to participate. This is a visible, multiple-choice poll.

We will start the discussion thread for this book on August 20th. Please select from the following two Choices:

Dhalgren by Samuel R Delany
Amazon UK / Amazon US / Kobo
Spoiler:
From Goodreads:

In Dhalgren, perhaps one of the most profound and bestselling science fiction novels of all time, Samuel R. Delany has produced a novel "to stand with the best American fiction of the 1970s" (Jonathan Lethem).

Bellona is a city at the dead center of the United States. Something has happened there…. The population has fled. Madmen and criminals wander the streets. Strange portents appear in the cloud-covered sky. And into this disaster zone comes a young man–poet, lover, and adventurer–known only as the Kid. Tackling questions of race, gender, and sexuality, Dhalgren is a literary marvel and groundbreaking work of American magical realism.


The Martian by Andy Weir
Goodreads / Amazon Au / Amazon Ca / Amazon UK / Amazon US / Audible US

Spoiler:
From Goodreads:

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

caleb72 08-02-2015 12:13 AM

I want to read both, but Dhalgren is a little big for me this time around. The Martian is already on my TBR list for this year, so the choice was clear.

din155 08-03-2015 06:38 AM

I have already read The Martian twice and would like to read something new for the book club.

WT Sharpe 08-04-2015 09:53 AM

:offtopic: The nominations for the 2016 categories are now taking place.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=263622

Dazrin 08-04-2015 07:04 PM

Dhalgren is the winner by a single vote!

I have updated the Book Club Selections list and will provide a link on or around the 20th when the discussion thread starts.

WT Sharpe 08-05-2015 01:05 AM

It's a massive book for a short month because of the run-off. I may look for the audiobook.

BenG 08-05-2015 11:54 AM

I don't know that an audiobook would be practical.

CRussel 08-05-2015 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe (Post 3145598)
It's a massive book for a short month because of the run-off. I may look for the audiobook.

Sadly, not available from Audible US. Might be available with some travel. Meanwhile, it IS available on Amazon as a Kindle Unlimited book, so I just borrowed it. Need to buckle down and get reading!

kennyc 08-05-2015 12:08 PM

I started slowly re-reading it a few months ago....will crank it up and look forward to the discussion!

BenG 08-06-2015 08:29 AM

It will be interesting to compare reading it at 19 in 1974 and reading it at 60.

kennyc 08-06-2015 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG (Post 3146485)
It will be interesting to compare reading it at 19 in 1974 and reading it at 60.

I've reread it (very few books do I ever reread btw) a few times over about that same period and find - at least for me - that it holds up quite well. :)

John F 08-06-2015 08:59 AM

Just started it and realized I've read this before. :)

BenG 08-06-2015 09:11 AM

I still have my original paperback.

I also have the book from the kindle store. In the paperback, Part 7 has two columns on each page representing the left and right pages of a notebook where someone filled out the right hand pages and went back and wrote in the left hand pages (or perhaps it was a different person on the left).

The digital book has the contents of one column followed by the second column in a different font and separated by horizontal rules.
The ebook doesn't really explain this (it's fairly obvious in the paperback) but that's what it's supposed to represent.

ccowie 08-06-2015 09:43 AM

I too have that paperback and I remember lugging it around with me for weeks till I finished reading it. For me that was about 1983. I'm looking forward to seeing how my reading experience compares as well.

kennyc 08-06-2015 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG (Post 3146520)
I still have my original paperback.

I also have the book from the kindle store. In the paperback, Part 7 has two columns on each page representing the left and right pages of a notebook where someone filled out the right hand pages and went back and wrote in the left hand pages (or perhaps it was a different person on the left).

The digital book has the contents of one column followed by the second column in a different font and separated by horizontal rules.
The ebook doesn't really explain this (it's fairly obvious in the paperback) but that's what it's supposed to represent.

Got my original paperback as well. :)

Just took a look at Part VII on my Kindle Fire -- thats potentially very confusing even with the line separates and various fonts. :blink:

JSWolf 08-08-2015 06:27 PM

I've been trying to read Dhalgren and I'm having a hard time because I'm not on drugs. This is a bizarre book with no real plot. It's not making much sense and I'm not finding any of the characters worth caring about. They just are plodding along. It's no wonder this book didn't even read 4 stars on Goodreads.

WT Sharpe 08-08-2015 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf (Post 3147960)
I've been trying to read Dhalgren and I'm having a hard time because I'm not on drugs. This is a bizarre book with no real plot. It's not making much sense and I'm not finding any of the characters worth caring about. They just are plodding along. It's no wonder this book didn't even read 4 stars on Goodreads.

I'm beginning to suspect the author kept a dream diary. ;)

kennyc 08-08-2015 09:15 PM

It was called Brass Orchids. :D

kennyc 08-08-2015 09:34 PM

Interesting post from Fredrick Pohl about Delaney and Dhalgren. Pohl was the editor that purchased Dhalgren:

part 1 - http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/...1/chip-delany/
part 2 The Miracle of Dhalgren - http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/...e-of-dhalgren/

kennyc 08-08-2015 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe (Post 3148001)
I'm beginning to suspect the author kept a dream diary. ;)

I'm wondering if Jon perhaps missed reading the foreword by William Gibson.
Which is right on target.

P.S. Gibson wrote a book I've never been able to read past the first chapter despite numerous attempts.

JSWolf 08-09-2015 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc (Post 3148017)
Interesting post from Fredrick Pohl about Delaney and Dhalgren. Pohl was the editor that purchased Dhalgren:

part 1 - http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/...1/chip-delany/
part 2 The Miracle of Dhalgren - http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/...e-of-dhalgren/

So it's a sex book and not a science fiction book. Well, it any case, it's crap.

din155 08-16-2015 09:27 AM

Damn, third attempt to restart the first chapter. It's slow and confusing.

kennyc 08-16-2015 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by din155 (Post 3152552)
Damn, third attempt to restart the first chapter. It's slow and confusing.

Read it like poetry....just keep reading....it's not (intended) to be all clear, logical, understandable. ;)

WT Sharpe 08-16-2015 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf (Post 3148135)
So it's a sex book and not a science fiction book. Well, it any case, it's crap.


How do you really feel about it? :p

BenG 08-17-2015 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by din155 (Post 3152552)
Damn, third attempt to restart the first chapter. It's slow and confusing.

It gets better after the 1st chapter, at least there is a more coherent moment to moment plot, though what has happened to the city is still unknown.
I'm about a third of the way through.


Not sure if this would be a spoiler since I'm only guessing.
Spoiler:
I think, though it's only a guess, that the more "poetical" parts are from a certain notebook.

kennyc 08-17-2015 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG (Post 3153100)
It gets better after the 1st chapter, at least there is a more coherent moment to moment plot, though what has happened to the city is still unknown.
I'm about a third of the way through.


Not sure if this would be a spoiler since I'm only guessing.
Spoiler:
I think, though it's only a guess, that the more "poetical" parts are from a certain notebook.

As someone mentioned somewhere in a review....Delaney particularly takes poetic and literary license in the open and closing chapters, there are other places throughout that are similar but yes it does have a bit more continuity once you get into it. :)

And I'm not going to say whether you spoiler is right or wrong but.....you'll just have to find out for yourself. :p

din155 08-18-2015 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG (Post 3153100)
It gets better after the 1st chapter, at least there is a more coherent moment to moment plot, though what has happened to the city is still unknown.
I'm about a third of the way through.


Not sure if this would be a spoiler since I'm only guessing.
Spoiler:
I think, though it's only a guess, that the more "poetical" parts are from a certain notebook.

Thanks for encouragement, I have managed to move past the first chapter on the the way to office this morning. I am really hoping it gets better.

JSWolf 08-18-2015 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by din155 (Post 3153719)
Thanks for encouragement, I have managed to move past the first chapter on the the way to office this morning. I am really hoping it gets better.

From some of the reviews I've read, it doesn't get better. On a good note, it doesn't get worse. It stays the same.

fantasyfan 08-19-2015 03:33 AM

I think this is the sort of novel that James Joyce would have written had he decided to engage with science-fiction. ;)


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