open

Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Forums

You are logged in as a guest. ( logon | register )

Random quote: "Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws." - Douglas Adams
- (Added by: Administrator)


2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
Jump to page : 1 2 3 4 5 6
Now viewing page 3 [25 messages per page]		View previous thread :: View next thread
Reply New post    General Discussion -> Roll-Your-Own Reading ChallengeMessage format
 
Badseedgirl
Posted 2014-03-01 6:52 PM (#6642 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 369
100
Location: Middle TN, USA		I personally like writing the reviews, but I try to avoid discussions of syntax unless it can't be avoided. (I'm speaking to you Cormac McCarthy and your crazy refusal to use punctuations!) Instead I like to write about how I felt about the novel. It makes it easier to write and when I read a novel review that is what I like to know. Why did it get the stars the reviewer gave it. I also try to say one positive thing about the novel, because just because it was not my cup of tea doesn't make it a bad novel, just bad for me.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Deven Science
Posted 2014-03-01 7:52 PM (#6644 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 202
100
Location: Sacramento, California		I end all my reviews by writing how many stars I gave it at the bottom as a summary, since you can't see what the reviewer gave it another way, and since some of these reviews don't even tell me whether they liked it or not. Other than that, I have no format. Some are longer, and go into some depth about the story, and what I felt worked, and what didn't, and others are about two sentences long. It's just whatever I feel compelled to write about that particular story. Either way, I hope they help someone decide what to read next.

I sometimes like the short ones. A short review that says, "it's a mess, avoid it," can be very helpful. Okay, I don't feel like reading a mess, I'll skip that one for now.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Badseedgirl
Posted 2014-03-01 8:02 PM (#6645 - in reply to #6644)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 369
100
Location: Middle TN, USA
Deven Science - 2014-03-01 7:52 PM

I sometimes like the short ones. A short review that says, "it's a mess, avoid it," can be very helpful. Okay, I don't feel like reading a mess, I'll skip that one for now.


Short is good, one way I keep mine short is I try not to include a synopsis of the book. I like the star idea.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
justifiedsinner
Posted 2014-03-02 11:46 AM (#6656 - in reply to #6633)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 794
500
#EricLandes

Thank you. Not having reviewed the book after I read it, I decided to make it my official review.

Edited by justifiedsinner 2014-03-02 11:49 AM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Guest
Posted 2014-03-02 1:18 PM (#6657 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply


I've been trying to work out what to say about The Sweet Birds as suggested by ILikeMaps and can only come up with the fact that I liked the one person per section style of the book but would have liked to know what happened to the ones who left. I'd probably give it a 3 stars as it didn't really give me anything new and won't make me go searching out other books by the author.

Now, I'd not call that a review, but it's an explanation of the score!

I'm not reading anymore RYO books till I've got through the immensity of Brandon Sanderson's Words of Radiance which is a doorstop of a book if ever there was one! Page 327 so far out of 1085 (not including appendices and notes)

I also noticed that no-one's answered the question about spy sci-fi. I know a lot of crime sic-fi but not spies per se, so that's over to someone else :-)
Top of the page Bottom of the page
francesashton
Posted 2014-03-02 1:20 PM (#6658 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Regular

Posts: 96
25
Location: Cheshire, England		Ok, that Guest post was mine. Forgot I hadn't logged in!
Top of the page Bottom of the page
justifiedsinner
Posted 2014-03-02 2:17 PM (#6659 - in reply to #6657)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 794
500
Guest - 2014-03-02 2:18 PM

I've been trying to work out what to say about The Sweet Birds as suggested by ILikeMaps and can only come up with the fact that I liked the one person per section style of the book but would have liked to know what happened to the ones who left. I'd probably give it a 3 stars as it didn't really give me anything new and won't make me go searching out other books by the author.

Now, I'd not call that a review, but it's an explanation of the score!

I'm not reading anymore RYO books till I've got through the immensity of Brandon Sanderson's Words of Radiance which is a doorstop of a book if ever there was one! Page 327 so far out of 1085 (not including appendices and notes)

I also noticed that no-one's answered the question about spy sci-fi. I know a lot of crime sic-fi but not spies per se, so that's over to someone else :-)


What was the question about spy SF? I think I must have missed that.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Badseedgirl
Posted 2014-03-02 4:22 PM (#6661 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 369
100
Location: Middle TN, USA		Justified The City & The City by meiville (sp) would qualify as a mystery.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
dustydigger
Posted 2014-03-02 4:26 PM (#6662 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Elite Veteran

Posts: 1031
1000
Location: UK		The nearest thing to a spy sci-fi series I know is Timothy Zahn's fun Quadrail series,with a sort of James Bond government undercover agent who is trying to find who is sabotaging the Quadrail,a fast-than-light railway system than connects planets of the universe.Great fun told with typical Zahn verve.The adventures on the train are very reminiscent of James Bond or North by Northwest. Lots of skullduggery - oh and of course a mysterious beautiful girl.I loved it.
The first book is Night Train to Rigel.

Edited by dustydigger 2014-03-02 4:30 PM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
EricLandes
Posted 2014-03-02 4:32 PM (#6663 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Member

Posts: 9
0
Just found this list of "SpyFi" novels. The definition of the Science Fiction part for this list is a little loose, but it's a good starting point.

http://bestsciencefictionbooks.com/spyfi-science-fiction.php#crowd

The Tim Powers book on that list looks intriguing.

Edited by EricLandes 2014-03-02 4:32 PM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
justifiedsinner
Posted 2014-03-02 7:35 PM (#6665 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 794
500
There are quite a few crime mysteries done as SF: Richard Paul Russo's 'Carlucci' series and Jonathan Lethem's 'Gun with Occasional Music' spring to mind. Spy type novels like Le Carre are rarer. William Burrough's 'Nova Express' is a surreal example. Eric Frank Russell has a more conventional novel called Wasp about an agent who disguises himself as an alien in order to disrupt their war effort against Earth.
Charles Stross' 'Laundry Files' series is a supernatural spy thriller.

Edited by justifiedsinner 2014-03-02 7:39 PM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-03-03 8:19 AM (#6668 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Member

Posts: 26
25
Location: Florida

Badseedgirl - Thanks for the recommendation.   I have read The City and the City , and enjoyed it.  Not sure I would consider it "Spy", rather, more of a detective novel, such as The Caves of Steel , or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

dustydigger - The Quadrail series does looks like it would be a be a fun read.  Have read a couple of Timothy Zahn books before and remember that I enjoyed them.  They are also considered Space Opera, which even makes me want to even read them more.   Added to my reading list so I won't forget, after I have completed my challenges. 

EricLandes - Thanks for the link.  I have seen this before and agree that their definition of Science Fiction is indeed rather "loose". Will take another look at the Tim Powers novel.  However seeing the novel from David Weber, makes me want to take another look at the Baen list of novels.  While most of their stuff is military SciFi, there just might be some SpyFi thrown in.

justifiedsinner - Not sure that I had John Le Carre in mind  (his reads are usually quite heady).  Really looking for some of those "beach read" books filled with action, adventure, twists and turns, spys and of course exotic places.  Primarily in the vein of authors such as Robert Ludlum, (have read most of his) or Frederick Forsyth.  However Wasp , by Eric Frank Russell seems to fit the bill quite nicely.  To top it off, its on the SF Masterworks list -  woohoo.  I was looking at one or two more to fill my Masterworks slots. Thanks.

Thanks again to everyone on their ideas for  "SpyFi" novels!

Michael 

 

 

 

 

 



Edited by ILikeMaps 2014-03-03 8:20 AM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Rhondak101
Posted 2014-03-03 9:06 AM (#6669 - in reply to #6663)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 770
500
Location: SC, USA

The Anderson book looks intriguing as well.

Tim Anderson The Flowery War. A fast-paced novel with a new take on the Spyfi sub-genre. A graduate-school dropout, working for an alien language expert, becomes a spy in a futuristic world. 

Top of the page Bottom of the page
ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-03-31 7:41 PM (#6797 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Member

Posts: 26
25
Location: Florida

Three months into the Challenge and I just finished my third book:

Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang, by Kate Wilhelm, also read by 4 others in the Challenge.  It fulfills one of the books in the SF Mistressworks list (as well as the Locus SF award for the 12 awards in 12 months challenge).

It was an interesting book, which explores the meaning individuality.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world where fertility basically stopped, it is the story of a group of scientists in a fairly isolated valley who implemented cloning, as a way of continuing the human race.  Interesting concepts, and while I haven't yet written a review, I will.  (I need my six).

OK, on to my next book: Ringworld, by Larry Niven.  It is Sci Fi Masterwork novel.  Tried t start this novel many years ago, but this time I will actually read it.

Michael 

 

Top of the page Bottom of the page
Deven Science
Posted 2014-03-31 11:36 PM (#6799 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 202
100
Location: Sacramento, California
ILikeMaps - 2014-03-31 7:41 PM

<p>OK, on to my next book: <a href="../../novel.asp?ID=18">Ringworld</a>, by Larry Niven. It isSci Fi Masterwork novel. Tried t start this novel many years ago, but this time I will actually read it.</p><p>Michael</p><p></p>


I really liked Ringworld. I even went on to read more of the books in the series.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Badseedgirl
Posted 2014-04-01 12:59 PM (#6802 - in reply to #6799)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 369
100
Location: Middle TN, USA
Deven Science - 2014-03-31 11:36 PM

ILikeMaps - 2014-03-31 7:41 PM

OK, on to my next book: Ringworld, by Larry Niven. It isSci Fi Masterwork novel. Tried t start this novel many years ago, but this time I will actually read it.

Michael



I really liked Ringworld. I even went on to read more of the books in the series.


And I was not at all impressed with Ringworld. I guess I expected more from the novel. I will say that when I saw the movie "Elysium" the orbiting station reminded me a little of the ringworld description on a small scale. It was one of the saving graces of that movie!
Top of the page Bottom of the page
justifiedsinner
Posted 2014-04-01 5:26 PM (#6809 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 794
500
The Elysium station is based on a design called the Stanford Torus which came out of a 1975 NASA symposium.

Wikipedia has a artists rendition of the torus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_torus
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Deven Science
Posted 2014-04-01 6:36 PM (#6810 - in reply to #6809)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 202
100
Location: Sacramento, California		Interesting.

But Ringworld was from 1970, and the NASA torus has design hints from that, so her comment is still valid.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Badseedgirl
Posted 2014-04-02 10:58 AM (#6814 - in reply to #6809)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 369
100
Location: Middle TN, USA
justifiedsinner - 2014-04-01 5:26 PM

The Elysium station is based on a design called the Stanford Torus which came out of a 1975 NASA symposium.

Wikipedia has a artists rendition of the torus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_torus



Explain your comment. Are you trying to say that my observation that TO ME the station looked like the description of ringworld was invalid? Because My opinion on what it reminded me of is not up for debate. Thanks for the informational tidbit though.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
justifiedsinner
Posted 2014-04-02 11:27 AM (#6817 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 794
500
I don't see how Ringworld has design hints for an enclosed space habitat. Ringworld was inspired by Freeman Dyson's 1960 paper ,"Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infra-Red Radiation" in which he outlined the concept of the Dyson Sphere which in turn was inspired by Olaf Stapledon's "Star Maker".
Dyson's original concept was for a swarm of habitats blocking the sun which was morphed by Robert Siverberg in "Across a Billion Years" into a solid sphere and by Niven into a ring. Both ring and sphere rely on unobtainium, a material of greater tensile strength than would be required to build a terrestrial space elevator whereas space habitats are possible with current materials even though building them is at present prohibitively expensive.

Of more relevance is J. D. Bernals' "the World, the Flesh and the Devil" published in 1929 which described the space habitat known as the Bernal Sphere which influenced both Staledon and Dyson. Of course the whole idea of the space habitat may have derived from the concept of the space station which dates from 1869 (that one was built out of bricks).

If you look at the art work for Island One from O'Neills book and from the NASA Study you will see that they directly influenced the graphics of Elysium (actually it's more like they ripped them off).


Edited by justifiedsinner 2014-04-02 11:31 AM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
justifiedsinner
Posted 2014-04-02 12:03 PM (#6820 - in reply to #6814)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 794
500
@badseedgirl


No. I was stating that the film designers were influenced more by the O'Neill art work than by Ringworld. In fact, as I stated in the previous post, I think they ripped them off. If you were not aware of O'Neill's work then you wouldn't know that but I thought you might be interested.
I bought O'Neill's book when it came out in 1976 and have been an L5er (as we are known) ever since. We believe that humanity's future and survival depends on colonizing space. It is a disappointment that this has only been realized in fiction and in mediocre SF films. It is a further disappointment that people talk blithely about colonizing and terraforming Mars when building habitats would likely be more cost effective.

Edited by justifiedsinner 2014-04-02 12:06 PM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Jkl22
Posted 2014-04-02 12:29 PM (#6821 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Member

Posts: 12
0
Location: Birmingham, England

Hello, I'm new to the site.

I decided at the end of last year that I'd left Science Fiction on the shelf too long (20ish Years). After deciding to try some, I found about 6 or 7 Philip K. Dick novels in a second hand stall in a local market. Some were Masterwork prints and some weren't. I decided to look into this group of books and have other titles from the list to read. I've mostly enjoyed the ones I've read so far. Any advice on the others would be great.



Edited by Jkl22 2014-04-02 12:31 PM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Deven Science
Posted 2014-04-02 2:31 PM (#6824 - in reply to #6821)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 202
100
Location: Sacramento, California		First post! Welcome!

I don't know your taste well enough to throw suggestions out there, other than to say that the Masterworks Challenge is a good place to start, and if you truly don't know in which direction to go, maybe cross reference this list with actual award winners?
Top of the page Bottom of the page
daxxh
Posted 2014-04-02 2:48 PM (#6825 - in reply to #6824)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Extreme Veteran

Posts: 556
500
Location: Great Lakes, USA		Jkl22

Some of my favorites from the Masterworks list are Dune by Frank Herbert (my favorite book), Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Nova by Samuel Delaney, and Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
justifiedsinner
Posted 2014-04-02 3:50 PM (#6826 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge		Quote Reply



Uber User

Posts: 794
500
Seems that you like big scale SF. I'd try:

The Forever War
The Stars My Destination
Lord of Light
Gateway
Blood Music
Eon
Ringworld
Floating Worlds and
Take Back Plenty to start with.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Jump to page : 1 2 3 4 5 6
Now viewing page 3 [25 messages per page]		Reply New post
Jump to forum :
Search this forum
Printer friendly version
E-mail a link to this thread

(Delete all cookies set by this site)