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Scheherazade
02-03-2011, 06:04 PM
Please nominate the "science fiction" novel you would like to read in April in this thread.

Please remember that:

- Only those members with 50+ posts can nominate.

- One nomination per member.

- Only the first 10 nominations will be included in the poll.


The Book Club readings are for those who would like to read and discuss books together with other members.

If you are not able to take part or unwilling to (re)read your own nominations, please refrain from nominating book.


A list of science fiction novels (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_science_fiction_novels)
Paulclem
02-03-2011, 06:12 PM
Sci Fi..... I can't decide. I'm looking forward to this one.
Mutatis-Mutandis
02-03-2011, 06:30 PM
I will be willing to read just about anything in sci-fi.

I'll nominate a classic. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne.
Dark Muse
02-03-2011, 07:39 PM
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
OrphanPip
02-03-2011, 07:49 PM
Another classic, but not as old as MM's nom.

The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. LeGuin
Mutatis-Mutandis
02-03-2011, 07:53 PM
Another classic, but not as old as MM's nom.

The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. LeGuin

Read that not too long ago, could give it a reread. One of the most interesting sci-fi reads I've experienced.
ClaesGefvenberg
02-04-2011, 05:59 AM
Ok, I'll Nominate Ringworld (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringworld) by Larry Niven (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Niven),

/Claes
bouquin
02-04-2011, 07:15 AM
The Drowned World (J. G. Ballard)
Veho
02-04-2011, 09:34 AM
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick
Paulclem
02-04-2011, 01:11 PM
Any of those will do. I've read Ringworld - great book.
Veho
02-04-2011, 01:28 PM
Hm, you can strike mine; just realised it was read last year.
sixsmith
02-04-2011, 05:34 PM
Riddley Walker - Russell Hoban
Mutatis-Mutandis
02-04-2011, 06:21 PM
Any of those will do.

Agreed.
Taliesin
02-06-2011, 01:38 PM
I'll nominate "Hard to Be a God " by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, the fathers of Soviet SF.
Paulclem
02-06-2011, 05:31 PM
I nominate The Algebraist by Iain M Banks.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2004/oct/23/sciencefictionfantasyandhorror.iainbanks

Good book. Still got it, so it must be!
manolia
02-07-2011, 04:05 AM
I'll nominate "Hard to Be a God " by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, the fathers of Soviet SF.

^^ I'd nominate Roadside Picnic, but you beat me to the S brothers :D

I nominate "Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem
simon239
02-09-2011, 10:34 PM
I know i'm not allowed to nominate, (so I wont don't worry would be happy to read any suggested so far :) ) but when the disscusion acutally gets underway will I be able to take part? Or am I going to have to post like I have never posted before?
OrphanPip
02-09-2011, 10:43 PM
I know i'm not allowed to nominate, (so I wont don't worry would be happy to read any suggested so far :) ) but when the disscusion acutally gets underway will I be able to take part? Or am I going to have to post like I have never posted before?

The discussions are open to anybody who wants to participate.
simon239
02-09-2011, 10:46 PM
Fantastic, thank you for the quick reply. I shall clear some reading time.
OrphanPip
02-09-2011, 11:04 PM
Fantastic, thank you for the quick reply. I shall clear some reading time.

Well it's not until April, there's a long time to go.
simon239
02-09-2011, 11:19 PM
True but sadly reading for pleasure has become a bit of a guilty secret and must be planned well in advance incase lecturers discover any deviation from the specified set texts
Mutatis-Mutandis
02-09-2011, 11:23 PM
Well it's not until April, there's a long time to go.

Too long. Let's just put off the whole realist thing and go straight to the sci-fi :nod:.
Scheherazade
02-15-2011, 05:27 AM
Nominations so far:

1. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

2. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

3. The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. LeGuin

4. Ringworld (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringworld) by Larry Niven (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Niven)

5. The Drowned World (J. G. Ballard)

6. Riddley Walker - Russell Hoban

7. Hard to Be a God by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

8. The Algebraist by Iain M Banks.

9. Solaris by Stanislaw Lem


The last nomination's up for grabs.
the facade
02-17-2011, 05:51 PM
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

I second that. I've read it before but it would be interesting to engage in discussion about it.
ClaesGefvenberg
02-18-2011, 09:25 AM
The last nomination's up for grabs.Very well... How about something rather recent: Pushing Ice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushing_Ice) from 2005, by Alastair Reynolds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastair_Reynolds)?

/Claes
Scheherazade
03-01-2011, 05:32 AM
Very well... How about something rather recent: Pushing Ice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushing_Ice) from 2005, by Alastair Reynolds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastair_Reynolds)?

/ClaesClaes,

You had already nominated Ringworld. Would you like to change your nomination to Pushing Ice?

Still last nomination up for grabs...
jlb4tlb
03-01-2011, 10:26 PM
How about "Starship Troopers" by Robert E. Heinlein. A great read and sure to cause lots of discussion.

Namaste

Jeff
Scheherazade
03-03-2011, 06:02 PM
I don't have much interest in Sci-Fi in general so I might take part only if something really tickles.
Mutatis-Mutandis
03-03-2011, 06:56 PM
I hope the voters of Hard to Be a God looked up the prices for a copy before voting, because they are ridiculous (http://www.amazon.com/Hard-be-God-Arkadi-Strugatski/dp/0413452603/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299192792&sr=8-1). I know one thing: if it wins, I won't be participating. I'm not spending 35$ for a paperback.
Scheherazade
03-04-2011, 11:08 AM
I hope the voters of Hard to Be a God looked up the prices for a copy before voting, because they are ridiculous (http://www.amazon.com/Hard-be-God-Arkadi-Strugatski/dp/0413452603/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299192792&sr=8-1). I know one thing: if it wins, I won't be participating. I'm not spending 35$ for a paperback.No worries; I think we will ask Taliesin to provide a copy for everyone who is willing to take part.
ClaesGefvenberg
03-04-2011, 06:05 PM
Claes,

You had already nominated Ringworld. Would you like to change your nomination to Pushing IceNah, I'll stick to Ringworld. I just got a bit carried away...:smilewinkgrin:

/Claes
Scheherazade
03-12-2011, 01:57 PM
That's OK, Claes :)


So, a four-way tie?? We do need more votes!
Mutatis-Mutandis
03-22-2011, 10:41 PM
I'm biding my time. My vote will come....
Scheherazade
03-25-2011, 08:46 AM
Well, please don't pout and sulk when I pick the book at the end of the month!

:svengo:
Mutatis-Mutandis
03-25-2011, 09:41 AM
Why would you have to choose? I haven't even cast my vote yet.
Paulclem
03-25-2011, 07:56 PM
The excitement is growing. The crowd is getting restless...:biggrin5:
Scheherazade
03-30-2011, 05:09 PM
Going once...
Mutatis-Mutandis
03-30-2011, 05:17 PM
Going once...

'fraid not. :lol:
Scheherazade
03-31-2011, 11:45 AM
Going twice...
OrphanPip
03-31-2011, 02:27 PM
I really didn't expect the feminist or environmentalist stories to win this poll, not that it was a smash win for LHoD and Oryx and Crake.

Though, Atwood hates, hates, hates to be called a science fiction author, she says its "speculative fiction" because her stories don't require new science, only the different application of the science we have today. Which is kind of true, there's nothing really sci-fi about the Handmaid's Tale, fundamentalist Christians taking over the US doesn't have much to do with science. Oryx and Crake does seem more in the sci-fi vein though.

Edit: Atwood and LeGuin may be fairly considered the most "literary" of the authors on the poll, that might account for it.
TheFifthElement
03-31-2011, 03:59 PM
I'd say Ballard was as 'literary' if not more than Atwood or LeGuin. Shame The Drowned World didn't get more votes, it's an excellent read and quite precient for it's age.
Mutatis-Mutandis
03-31-2011, 04:09 PM
The only reason LHoD didn't get my vote is because I've read it. I definitely have no problem giving it another read. It's a fascinating book.

Authors who complain about what they're work is categorized as kind of chaps my ***, though. Get over yourself, Atwood! Just be happy people read an appreciate your work. If it's called sci-fi, does it really matter that much?
JuniperWoolf
03-31-2011, 11:51 PM
Which is kind of true, there's nothing really sci-fi about the Handmaid's Tale, fundamentalist Christians taking over the US doesn't have much to do with science. Oryx and Crake does seem more in the sci-fi vein though.

Yeah, isn't it kind of strange that they're working on making a meat product (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro_meat) that's a lot like "chickie-nobs?" I don't know if they had published anything about it before Atwood wrote about chickienobs, but it weirds me out. Sort of. I don't know. I'm not sure how I feel about lab grown meat. I'm torn on the subject.