MobileRead November 2011 Book Club Nominations - Page 2

pdurrant · 10-20-2011, 08:45 AM

I read 160 books in 2010. I only gave one of them 10 out of 10.

That one was Heaven by Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart, and is my nomination for November.

Amazon Product Description:

All Second-Best Sailor wants is to sail his boat and trade with the wandering Neanderthals. But when the reefwives discover that a Cosmic Unity mission fleet is heading for his homeworld, his comfortable lifestyle vanishes in an instant. All Servant-of-Unity XIV Samuel wants is to help spread Cosmic Unity's message of harmony to a grateful galaxy. But the ecclesiarchs decide that Samuel is destined for greater things. Flung together by fate, the two men find themselves on opposite sides of a battle for the hearts and minds of every sentient creature in the galaxy. Together, they uncover Cosmic Unity's deepest secret, and come up with a kamikaze plan to fight off the invaders. But along the way, they will need help from the unlikeliest of allies.

From Publishers Weekly:

Intellectual playfulness and lively writing propel British authors Stewart and Cohen's second SF novel (after 2000's Wheelers), with its exuberant picture of a galaxy full of wildly different intelligent beings. Space is also littered with the potentially dangerous relics of the Precursors, an extinct race whose science was so advanced that it resembled magic. To keep these tools or weapons out of the wrong hands, the church of Cosmic Unity tries to join all races in peaceful cooperation. That's how Servant-of-Unity XIV Samuel sees the situation, even though nomadic Neanderthal star traders and aquatic natives of the planet No Moon distrust Cosmic Unity's methods. By the time Sam realizes that Cosmic Unity's version of heaven resembles a hell designed by Hieronymus Bosch, a lot of suffering has occurred and more is on the way. Since this is basically a novel of ideas, readers will forgive some underdeveloped characters and actions, as the authors focus on big, juicy chunks of extrapolation. Apparently the reverse of the old saying is true: for evil to triumph, it's only necessary for good men to try to do everything. Since that's an unfortunately timely message, the book is not just a satisfying brainteaser but actually might make readers think.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hamlet53 · 10-20-2011, 09:28 AM

I will second Brave New World and provide the needed third vote for This Perfect Day. Both seem like books that could provide opportunity for interesting discussion even among people who are not fans of SF.

kennyc · 10-20-2011, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I read 160 books in 2010. I only gave one of them 10 out of 10.

That one was Heaven by Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart, and is my nomination for November.
...

Looks Very Interesting so I'll SECOND it and that uses up my three "picks"!

Asawi · 10-20-2011, 11:01 AM

I third This Perfect Day by Ira Levin

kennyc · 10-20-2011, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asawi

I third This Perfect Day by Ira Levin

Already got three there.

shaf · 10-20-2011, 11:10 AM

I'll Second John Scalzi's - Fuzzy Nation and Charles Stross - Halting State.

Also recommended Charles Stross - The Fuller Memorandum.

pdurrant · 10-20-2011, 11:38 AM

I'll third Fuzzy Nation.

pdurrant · 10-20-2011, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherkanner

Of course, Dune by Frank Herbet, a must read.

Dan Simmons' Hyperion:
http://inkmesh.com/ebooks/hyperion-d...k/?qs=hyperion

Orson Scott Card's "Enders Game". (just plan an empty day, because I read it straight from cover to cover)
http://inkmesh.com/ebooks/enders-gam...ender%27s+game

Vernor Vinge's A deepness in the sky:
http://inkmesh.com/ebooks/deepness-i...ess+in+the+Sky

You can only vote for three. Do you want to vote for your choices, or drop one of them for Dune?

[EDIT: Actually, Hyperion got voted in anyway, so we'll count your vote for Dune and the other two.]

Asawi · 10-20-2011, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Already got three there.

Ooops! Tried looking for a third but didn't see it. Never mind. I don't need my vote for anything else anyway.

voodooblues · 10-20-2011, 02:29 PM

I would like to take this opportunity to nominate "The Invaders Plan" by L. Ron Hubbard.

From Lord Invay, Royal Historian, Chairman, Board of Censors, Royal Palace, Voltar Confederacy:

Let me state it boldly and baldly: there is no such planet as Earth.

If it ever existed at all, it certainly does not exist today or even within living memory.

So, away with this delusion.

On the authority of every highly placed official in the land I can assure you utterly and finally, THERE IS NO PLANET EARTH! And that is final!

With this emphatic disclaimer, we are introduced to MISSION EARTH, an epic told entirely and uniquely by the aliens that already walk among us. Earth is to be invaded and a Royal combat engineer must cross 22 light years to secretly infiltrate the planet. He is also crossing a scheme to use the resources of Earth s most powerful figure to overthrow the confederacy. With a convicted murderess who trains giant cat-like animals, a doctor who creates human biological freaks, a madman who controls Voltar s secret police and a clandestine Earth base in Turkey, a bizarre stage is set and narrated by an alien killer assigned to sabotage the mission and Earth the planet that doesn t exist.

JSWolf · 10-20-2011, 02:40 PM

I'll THIRD Hyperion.

sun surfer · 10-20-2011, 03:05 PM

One perfect score out of 160, huh? OK, pdurrant, I'm trusting you and thirding Heaven!

dreams · 10-20-2011, 03:23 PM

Thanks to issybird, caleb72, and sherkanner for the search links and blurbs. Thanks also to kogi for the great set up of links and blurbs and to pdurrant, our new moderator, for jumping in with keeping post #2 updated. This greatly helps keep things easy to follow and up-to-date.

Tom, Paul, and I will be working to keep the nominations updated and your links and blurbs are a real help to us.

Post #2 is updated through post #28 and post #1 now has 3 fully nominated books.

HomeInMyShoes · 10-20-2011, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I read 160 books in 2010. I only gave one of them 10 out of 10.

Yeah, but I want to know what happened with Ulysses? Technically it looks like you only really read 159 books in 2010.

kennyc · 10-20-2011, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Yeah, but I want to know what happened with Ulysses? Technically it looks like you only really read 159 books in 2010.

10-20-2011, 08:45 AM	#16
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 71,504 Karma: 306214458 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Voyage	I read 160 books in 2010. I only gave one of them 10 out of 10. That one was Heaven by Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart, and is my nomination for November. Amazon Product Description: All Second-Best Sailor wants is to sail his boat and trade with the wandering Neanderthals. But when the reefwives discover that a Cosmic Unity mission fleet is heading for his homeworld, his comfortable lifestyle vanishes in an instant. All Servant-of-Unity XIV Samuel wants is to help spread Cosmic Unity's message of harmony to a grateful galaxy. But the ecclesiarchs decide that Samuel is destined for greater things. Flung together by fate, the two men find themselves on opposite sides of a battle for the hearts and minds of every sentient creature in the galaxy. Together, they uncover Cosmic Unity's deepest secret, and come up with a kamikaze plan to fight off the invaders. But along the way, they will need help from the unlikeliest of allies. From Publishers Weekly: Intellectual playfulness and lively writing propel British authors Stewart and Cohen's second SF novel (after 2000's Wheelers), with its exuberant picture of a galaxy full of wildly different intelligent beings. Space is also littered with the potentially dangerous relics of the Precursors, an extinct race whose science was so advanced that it resembled magic. To keep these tools or weapons out of the wrong hands, the church of Cosmic Unity tries to join all races in peaceful cooperation. That's how Servant-of-Unity XIV Samuel sees the situation, even though nomadic Neanderthal star traders and aquatic natives of the planet No Moon distrust Cosmic Unity's methods. By the time Sam realizes that Cosmic Unity's version of heaven resembles a hell designed by Hieronymus Bosch, a lot of suffering has occurred and more is on the way. Since this is basically a novel of ideas, readers will forgive some underdeveloped characters and actions, as the authors focus on big, juicy chunks of extrapolation. Apparently the reverse of the old saying is true: for evil to triumph, it's only necessary for good men to try to do everything. Since that's an unfortunately timely message, the book is not just a satisfying brainteaser but actually might make readers think. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Last edited by pdurrant; 10-20-2011 at 08:49 AM.

10-20-2011, 02:40 PM	#26
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,957 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I'll THIRD Hyperion. Last edited by JSWolf; 10-20-2011 at 05:33 PM.

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10-20-2011, 09:28 AM	#17
Hamlet53 Nameless Being	I will second Brave New World and provide the needed third vote for This Perfect Day. Both seem like books that could provide opportunity for interesting discussion even among people who are not fans of SF.

10-20-2011, 11:01 AM	#19
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,462 Karma: 2731820 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	I third This Perfect Day by Ira Levin

10-20-2011, 11:10 AM	#21
shaf Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kobo Touch	I'll Second John Scalzi's - Fuzzy Nation and Charles Stross - Halting State. Also recommended Charles Stross - The Fuller Memorandum.

10-20-2011, 11:38 AM	#22
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 71,504 Karma: 306214458 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Voyage	I'll third Fuzzy Nation.

10-20-2011, 02:29 PM	#25
voodooblues Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 6106 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Somewhere out there Device: iPad(3 or HD or whatever), iPad Mini, Kindle 7" hdx, Samsung 7 tab 3	I would like to take this opportunity to nominate "The Invaders Plan" by L. Ron Hubbard. From Lord Invay, Royal Historian, Chairman, Board of Censors, Royal Palace, Voltar Confederacy: Let me state it boldly and baldly: there is no such planet as Earth. If it ever existed at all, it certainly does not exist today or even within living memory. So, away with this delusion. On the authority of every highly placed official in the land I can assure you utterly and finally, THERE IS NO PLANET EARTH! And that is final! With this emphatic disclaimer, we are introduced to MISSION EARTH, an epic told entirely and uniquely by the aliens that already walk among us. Earth is to be invaded and a Royal combat engineer must cross 22 light years to secretly infiltrate the planet. He is also crossing a scheme to use the resources of Earth s most powerful figure to overthrow the confederacy. With a convicted murderess who trains giant cat-like animals, a doctor who creates human biological freaks, a madman who controls Voltar s secret police and a clandestine Earth base in Turkey, a bizarre stage is set and narrated by an alien killer assigned to sabotage the mission and Earth the planet that doesn t exist.

10-20-2011, 03:05 PM	#27
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	One perfect score out of 160, huh? OK, pdurrant, I'm trusting you and thirding Heaven!

10-20-2011, 03:23 PM	#28
dreams It's about the umbrella Posts: 25,112 Karma: 56250158 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony 505\| K Fire \| KK 3G+Wi-Fi \| iPhone 3Gs \|Vista 32-bit Hm Prem w/FF	Thanks to issybird, caleb72, and sherkanner for the search links and blurbs. Thanks also to kogi for the great set up of links and blurbs and to pdurrant, our new moderator, for jumping in with keeping post #2 updated. This greatly helps keep things easy to follow and up-to-date. Tom, Paul, and I will be working to keep the nominations updated and your links and blurbs are a real help to us. Post #2 is updated through post #28 and post #1 now has 3 fully nominated books.

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