Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[fantasyfan]

I have just finished leading and listening to The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One edited by Robert Silverberg.

The Nebula awards for outstanding science fiction by the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) were first awarded in 1966. This book is the first of a set of volumes meant to select the twenty-five best short stories and novelettes written before that date as selected by the SFWA membership. In the introduction the editor Robert Silverberg elaborates the voting procedures. He admits that in some cases he used his own judgement to include some stories over others. Further, there must be some doubt about whether the use of a vote by the SFWA really did provide a reliable guide to quality writing during the period from 1929 to 1964. Certainly there is at least one astonishing omissions and some unusual selections.

There are some genuine gems in this volume. “A Martian Odyssey,” “Nightfall,” “Mimsy Were the Borogroves,” “Mars Is Heaven,” Surface Tension,” “The Cold Equations, ”“Fondly Fahrenheit”, and “Flowers for Algernon” are all quite brilliant stories. Note, though, that “Mars In Heaven” is in its original form with a different conclusion than when it appeared in The Martian Chronicles.“Surface Tension” and “Flowers for Algernon” were both expanded later by their respective writers.

Cordwainer Smith is represented by “Scanners Live in Vain”. While it is an interesting tale one wonders why the writers chose it over the even finer “The Game of Rat and Dragon” which appeared in T. E. Dikty”s The Best Science Fiction and Novels: 1956.

Perhaps the two most questionable selections were “First Contact”: by Murray Leinster and “Helen O’Loy” by Lester del Ray.

Leinster’s story is simply adequate pulp and is marred by a very lame ending. “Helen O’Loy”—ostensibly a robot story—is actually a dreadful stereotyped infantilised portrait of what is evidently supposed to be a perfect woman.

That these two stories could be awarded a retroactive Nebula prize is beyond absurdity when one sees that one of the most significant science fiction writers of the period is not even represented. I refer to William Tenn (pseudonym of Philip Klass {1910-1920}) not to be confused with Philip J. Klass {1919-2005} an electrical engineer and UFO debunker). A quotation from the “Encyclopedia of Science Fiction will make clear his standing.

“From the first, Tenn was one of the genre’s very few genuinely comic, genuinely incisive writers of short fiction, sharper and more mature than Fredric Brown and less self-indulgent in satirical take on the modern world than Robert Sheckley. . . .Despite his cheerful surface and the occasional zany Humour of his stories, Tenn, like most real satirists, was fundamentally a pessimist, a writer who persisted in describing the bars of the prison; when the comic disguise was whipped off, as happened with some frequency, the result was salutary. . . .

“The sf community gratned Tenn no awards until—three
decades after he had effectively retired—he was given the 1999 science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Author emeritus award.”

Bearing the limitations of the selection and the material chosen, this is a reasonable anthology which has some quite excellent stories among some quite forgettable works.

[Deskisamess]

I've read 3 books since last week. A Pale View Of Hills, The Girl Who Came Home, & Sea Escape, a Novel.

I was let down by A Pale View Of Hills. I like his writing style, but the book never seemed to go anywhere. The ending left me more confused than anything. I have recently watched some documentaries about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, so the book seemed a good fit. My hope going in was that I would like it as much as Remains of the Day but I now realize that was a tall order.

I enjoyed The Girl Who Came Home a great deal. The Titanic is another event I've always been interested in. Some readers seemed to not like the jumping back and forth in time, but that generally doesn't bother me when it's handled well. The author's "drawing" of her characters worked for me. Some were very minor, but I was able to picture them in my head, something I appreciate in a book.

I started another book by the same author, The Girl from the Savoy, a Novel. but haven't read very far yet.

Sea Escape was ok, I liked it well enough. Like the other two books, it's told via flashback and current time frames. The secret foretold in the beginning isn't much of a secret by the time you get to the end. The book deals with mothers and daughters and their relationships, which was handled fairly well.

Earlier this month I read The Leisure Seeker and give it a full thumbs down. I didn't believe the characters, and had the ending pegged by the 15th Page. I don't buy an elderly husband who has advancing Alzheimer's being able to drive an RV across the country, let alone park it correctly for hook-ups etc. He didn't know his wife most of the time, or where he was...The elderly wife is horrible, and I just flat out didn't buy it.

I haven't read much this summer, so it was good to back into some new books.

[nikkisharif]

I just finished Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. I don’t usually read fantasy, but this one was amazing! It kept me engaged the entire time. I highly recommend it. Can’t wait for the sequel in March!!

I’m, currently, reading IT by Stephen King, for the millionth time LOL, The Oracle Year by Charles Soule, and Energy Leadership (company bookclub pick) by Bruce D. Schneider.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

I've read 3 books since last week. A Pale View Of Hills, The Girl Who Came Home, & Sea Escape, a Novel.

I was let down by A Pale View Of Hills. I like his writing style, but the book never seemed to go anywhere. The ending left me more confused than anything. I have recently watched some documentaries about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, so the book seemed a good fit. My hope going in was that I would like it as much as Remains of the Day but I now realize that was a tall order.

If you're interested in continuing Ishiguro, the New Leaf Book Club is reading Never Let Me Go.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

If you're interested in continuing Ishiguro, the New Leaf Book Club is reading Never Let Me Go.

Thanks, I just might do that.

[drjd]

After having spent more than a week reading a dry subject like The Decline and Fall of the British Empire, 1781-1997 by Piers Brendon, I needed to cheer up my senses with reading a light humor. I took up Maidless in Mumbai by Payal Kapadia, and was that hilarious! This is the diary of a young working mom, and how she experiences her world. Hysterically funny, unapologetically honest, and charming all the way. A maidless mom who dreams of only one thing - the perfect maid to live happily forever with.

Next, to continue the light reading, I'll take up Doughboy And Other Strange Tales by Don Broyles, our in-house story writer . Supposedly a mix of humor and horror. Offered free for now.

[mewmartigan]

Finished Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. It was good but light (as the title would suggest). I will probably give Tyson's other stuff at try.

Now starting the Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

Finished Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. It was good but light (as the title would suggest). I will probably give Tyson's other stuff at try.

I read this last summer and enjoyed it a good deal. I enjoy Tyson's conversational style. He has the real gift of a teacher that can explain scientific concepts with everyday objects.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Now starting on Seeing a Large Cat, the 9th in the Amelia Peabody series.

Which was great fun, and we finally see some of Rameses' thoughts.

Straight on to the next in the series, The Ape Who Guards the Balance.

[Dngrsone]

Finished Don't Tell My Parents I Blew Up the Moon by Richard Roberts. First time around, I found this sequel to be the weakest of the series, but on this second reading, I can appreciate it a little better.

Unfortunately, there is an issue with dashes in these books: they are not translating in my reader.

After a little investigation, it appears that PocketBook just doesn't like m-dashes in epub.

Not sure what I will read next... I want to go through the series, but I don't want to burn out before getting to the new book, either.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Which was great fun, and we finally see some of Rameses' thoughts.

Straight on to the next in the series, The Ape Who Guards the Balance.

Which was also most enjoyable. I'm keen to find out what happens next, but I shall wait a bit before going on.

Next up: Asimov's SF for Sep/Oct 2018. So far so good, except for the alternate history story, which I find unconvincing.

I'm also going to start The Foundling by Georgette Heyer.

[Dngrsone]

So, after watching Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express, Dngrswife told me we should try actually reading some Agatha Christie--strangely enough, I have never read any of her books, and have only occasionally brushed by Poirot on the television. This movie is my first real exposure to Christie.

So, with that said, I borrowed The Mysterious Affair at Styles and have finished reading it.

Convoluted is a word that comes to mind. At this point I neither love Christie nor hate her, and will likely read one or two more books to better feel one way or the other.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Dngrsone

So, after watching Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express, Dngrswife told me we should try actually reading some Agatha Christie--strangely enough, I have never read any of her books, and have only occasionally brushed by Poirot on the television. This movie is my first real exposure to Christie.

So, with that said, I borrowed The Mysterious Affair at Styles and have finished reading it.

Convoluted is a word that comes to mind. At this point I neither love Christie nor hate her, and will likely read one or two more books to better feel one way or the other.

Yes, convoluted plots. Surely watching Murder on the Orient Express would have told you that!

Try "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd".

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Asimov's SF for Sep/Oct 2018. So far so good, except for the alternate history story, which I find unconvincing.

I'm also going to start The Foundling by Georgette Heyer.

The Foundling was great fun. A splendid romp from start to finish.

I'm also just finishing up Asimov's SF, which is up to the usual standard.

Next up are Analog SFF for Sep/Oct, and Third Girl by Agatha Christie.

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Yes, convoluted plots. Surely watching Murder on the Orient Express would have told you that!

Try "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd".

Already in my queue.