MobileRead January 2017 Special Run-Off Vote

[WT Sharpe]

Jan 2017 Mobile Read Book Club Special Run-Off Vote

Since this month's vote resulted in a three-way tie, we are having a Special Run-Off Vote between the three 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. Since there are more than two options, this is a visible, multiple-choice poll.

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

April: Award Winners (Fiction)
• The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Goodreads | Amazon Ca / Amazon UK / AmazonUS / B&N / Kobo / Overdrive
Print Length: 400 pages

Spoiler:

The work was serialized in Science Fiction World in 2006, published as a book in 2008 and became one of the most popular science fiction novels in China. It received the Chinese Science Fiction Galaxy Award in 2006. A film adaptation of the same name is scheduled for release in July 2016.

An English translation by Ken Liu was published by Tor Books in 2014. It won the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Novel and was nominated for the 2014 Nebula Award for Best Novel.

From the description:
1967: Ye Wenjie witnesses Red Guards beat her father to death during China's Cultural Revolution. This singular event will shape not only the rest of her life but also the future of mankind.

Four decades later, Beijing police ask nanotech engineer Wang Miao to infiltrate a secretive cabal of scientists after a spate of inexplicable suicides. Wang's investigation will lead him to a mysterious online game and immerse him in a virtual world ruled by the intractable and unpredictable interaction of its three suns.

This is the Three-Body Problem and it is the key to everything: the key to the scientists' deaths, the key to a conspiracy that spans light-years and the key to the extinction-level threat humanity now faces.

May: Science Fiction
• The Door Into Summer by Robert A Heinlein
Goodreads | Amazon US
Print Length: 304 pages

Spoiler:

When Dan Davis is crossed in love and stabbed in the back by his business associates, the immediate future doesn't look too bright for him and Pete, his independent-minded tomcat. Suddenly, the lure of suspended animation, the Long Sleep, becomes irresistible and Dan wakes up 30 years later in the 21st century, a time very much to his liking.
The discovery that the robot household appliances he invented have been mass produced is no surprise, but the realization that, far from having been stolen from him, they have, mysteriously, been patented in his name is. There's only one thing for it. Dan somehow has to travel back in time to investigate.
He may even find Pete ...

October: Humor
• Rivers of London (US title: Midnight Riot) by Ben Aaronovitch
Goodreads | Amazon US / Overdrive UK / Overdrive US
Print Length: 400 pages

Spoiler:

"I'll absolutely second Rivers of London/Midnight Riot. This is witty more than funny, but definitely left me regularly chortling and reading passages to my DW. (Best nomination you've made, Jon!)"
— CRussel

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit–we do paperwork so real coppers don't have to–and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluable, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England. Now I'm a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden . . . and there's something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair. The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it's falling to me to bring order out of chaos–or die trying.

[CRussel]

These are clearly books that won't quit. They've now been in a runoff on a second chance round, one was in a run-off already, and another missed a runoff by one vote twice.

I _would_ like to encourage only those who plan on actually reading and participating to vote this time around. I know we're usually pretty open about it, but this seems like a special case, at least to me.

[Dazrin]

I didn't get back in time to vote in the first round today but I can't say I am disappointed with this result. I read two of these books earlier this year and both are on my "best of 2016" list - The Three Body Problem and Midnight Riot/Rivers of London. I haven't tried the Heinlein but it sounds great too.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I didn't get back in time to vote in the first round today but I can't say I am disappointed with this result. I read two of these books earlier this year and both are on my "best of 2016" list - The Three Body Problem and Midnight Riot/Rivers of London. I haven't tried the Heinlein but it sounds great too.

To me, The Door Into Summer sounds like the weakest book of the three. Heinlein can be hit or miss.

[CRussel]

Interestingly, all three of these are ON SALE at 50% off at Audible.com (membership required), but also all three audio books are available for even less as WhisperSync versions. I don't have an opinion about the other two for Audible versions, but for Midnight Riot/Rivers of London, the Audible version is superb and highly recommended.

A reviewer on Audible:

Spoiler:

"I LOVE this Book!"
For several years now, I have studiously avoided any and all of the current books involving vampires, ghosts, werewolves, spirits and similar creatures in mystery and other genres. I didn't read horror stories, period.

Then I read some member reviews of "Midnight Riot," and thought I'd give it a try, despite the dead, undead and non-human monsters. What a revelation! This book gives the reader a rollicking ride through modern day London in the course of a murder investigation. It is fast-paced, engrossing and hilarious. I laughed out loud repeatedly when listening. In addition, I learned a bit of history about various sites in and around London.

Constable Peter Grant, having just finished his probationary period with the Metropolitan Police, interviews a witness to murder, only to find out that his witness is the ghost of a man who died 120 years before. As a result of his being able to see and converse with the ghost, he is recruited by Inspector Thomas Nightingale to work in a unit (made up of only Nightingale and Peter) whose "beat" is anything non-human, undead or uncanny. Turns out Nightingale is a wizard, and Peter becomes his apprentice. Now, sweep all ideas of Harry Potter out of your mind -- this is not a Hogwarts type of story.

As Peter, Nightingale and Constable Lesley May, a friend of Peter's, work their way through the mystery. they encounter a great deal of violence, a number of River Spirits, ghosts, vampires, and general confusion. Peter Grant is a lovely character, who is smarter than he realizes, and who looks at London and its residents with a jaundiced eye and very ironic comment.

Other reviews give a much more detailed description of the book, and I refer you to those other descriptions. I want to talk about the narrator, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. He is perfect! He gives Peter's character just the right accent and attitude, that of a young mixed race man from a working class background who has a breezy attitude and many a smart remark to make. Then he makes Nightingale a well educated gentleman of at least a century earlier. Male and female voices, London accents, German, Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Caribbean and Japanese voices are all wonderful. KHS brings the book to life beautifully.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I couldn't have said it better.

[CRussel]

It's beginning to look at least possible that Tom is going to have to cast a deciding vote. Though we still have a bit more than a full day left, the voting is very close. I wonder when the last time was that Tom had to cast the tie-breaker, or if he ever did?

[Alohamora]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

To me, The Door Into Summer sounds like the weakest book of the three. Heinlein can be hit or miss.

I remember reading Door back in the days when I still read on paper, and I remember that I liked it, but not much else. It must have been on sale at some point, as I own an e-copy now and would like to re-read.

I started Three-Body after Tor had it as a freebie earlier this year, and gave up about a third of the way through.

Midnight Riot sounds pretty good.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Alohamora

I remember reading Door back in the days when I still read on paper, and I remember that I liked it, but not much else. It must have been on sale at some point, as I own an e-copy now and would like to re-read.

I started Three-Body after Tor had it as a freebie earlier this year, and gave up about a third of the way through.

Midnight Riot sounds pretty good.

I started Midnight Riot in October when I thought it was going to win; when it didn't win and I didn't like it, I abandoned it. That's the worst-case scenario, as I'd have finished it at the time if it had won, but I'm not going to feel like picking it up again now, especially since I'd have to skim the part I've already read.

So I'm still hoping for Heinlein, which is a stretch for me anyway!

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by issybird

I started Midnight Riot in October when I thought it was going to win; when it didn't win and I didn't like it, I abandoned it. That's the worst-case scenario, as I'd have finished it at the time if it had won, but I'm not going to feel like picking it up again now, especially since I'd have to skim the part I've already read.

So I'm still hoping for Heinlein, which is a stretch for me anyway!

You are only the second, no third person, that I've seen, who has read it but did not like it. The rest of the people I know who have read it liked it at worst and loved it at best.

Whether it wins here or not, however, I'm looking forward to my buddy read of the series at the beginning of the new year.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

You are only the second, no third person, that I've seen, who has read it but did not like it. The rest of the people I know who have read it liked it at worst and loved it at best.

Whether it wins here or not, however, I'm looking forward to my buddy read of the series at the beginning of the new year.

Yes, even my DW, who absolutely refuses to read anything with zombies, werebeasts, or magic in it, especially anything which could even remotely be described as "urban fantasy", was absolutely charmed by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's narration, and especially the character of Peter Grant. I got her started by putting the book on the car stereo on a long trip and we were often laughing out loud on that trip.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Yes, even my DW, who absolutely refuses to read anything with zombies, werebeasts, or magic in it, especially anything which could even remotely be described as "urban fantasy", was absolutely charmed by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's narration, and especially the character of Peter Grant. I got her started by putting the book on the car stereo on a long trip and we were often laughing out loud on that trip.

I'm so excited to discover this series for myself. I'm hoping that I will join the other 20+ people that I know who have enjoyed it so much.

[WT Sharpe]

And so once more I have been saved from making half of you angry. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch it is.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch it is.

Yay!!!

[Alohamora]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

And so once more I have been saved from making half of you angry. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch it is.

My library doesn't offer it on Overdrive, but I was able to get it via Access360, under the US title, Midnight Riot.

And the audiobook is available on Hoopla.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Alohamora

My library doesn't offer it on Overdrive, but I was able to get it via Access360, under the US title, Midnight Riot.

And the audiobook is available on Hoopla.

My library doesn't either, but at least the Amazon price is only $7.99, and audio can be added for $3.99.