Sci-Fi Group Book Club discussion

Hi! If you're new (or even if you're not), welcome to the Sci-Fi Group Book Club! Feel free to introduce yourself here and let us know your sci-fi - and other - interests.

As for me, I work in a third level institution in Ireland, having trained as an archaeologist and historian. I have wide-ranging genre interests - not only sci-fi but also heroic fantasy, horror and slipstream. I haven't read any steampunk yet but I'm interested in delving into this sub-genre. Oh and I'm a former role-player too.

Hi, my name is Donna. I'm fairly new to Goodreads, having taken up the 2016 Reading Challenge in January. My main interests are art and literature, and after completing a Masters in Fine Art last year, I've since been catching up on all the fiction I missed during those studies.

My interest in sci-fi is also quite new; my curiosity in the genre has been roused by way of Philip K. Dick and China Miéville. Also through steampunk via Genevieve Cogman and her The Invisible Library series. A big fan of weird fiction, too. I've joined this group hoping to discover more, get some really good reading recommendations, discover new authors - that type of thing!

Welcome, Donna! I've read Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and Miéville's Looking For Jake: And Other Stories but I need to read more of both authors. The Invisible Library looks interesting - I've added it to my TBR shelf!

Hi, Greg and people. I'm Kelly. (Greg, we've met.)

Late last year, my 20+ years in Telecom came to an end, so I'm making the most of the time available with getting back to what I do best: learn and create. (This is a very broad term for one who approaches everything like a work of art--even my dutch apple pie is a work of art, visually and orally.) :) But writing and drawing are where my passions lay.

My interest is primarily sci-fi; however, after joining GR, I find myself steadily slipping into reading. I mean as a learner, it's usually the 'how-to' and or non-fiction that I read mostly, because my approach to writing, particularly creative writing, is as with my art: to have minimal influences as to preserve some sense of originality and a unique style.

Even so, I bought Saturn's Children because every blue moon, a piece of fiction will interest me enough to want to read it. However, my oldest, who is actually more of reader than me, swiped it before I could start it. I just got it back recently. The aim is to finish it before summer. :D

Hello everyone!
I am Anna from Moscow. I practise my english by reading books and chatting:) You are welcome!

I know we met already Kelly but welcome to the group anyway! :P And welcome to the group, Anna! :)

Hi! I am an avid fan of science fiction,particularly the older stuff of the 40s,50s and 60s. I read some fantasy,but not much. I loved the Science fiction genre as a young girl in the 60s,but drifted away from it. I discovered Worlds Without End when choosing a sci-fi book to read for a general book-genre challenge back in 2012,and fell back in love with the speculative fiction genres,and have spent the last 3 years catching up on all the decades I missed,and its all great fun.But I still have a soft spot for all those old time greats - Asimov,Clarke,Heinlein,Zelazny etc.Plus C J Cherryh,Lois McMaster Bujold,Neil Gaiman and Jim Butcher from later times.My reads range from award winners to enjoyable pulp of the early days. I like it that many of the old books are nice and short,so you can have a whole satisfactory reading experience in one nice long sitting. I am not at all keen on the huge wristbreaker mighty tomes of today! lol.But though I may not read much modern stuff I always like to listen and learn,to extend my knowledge of this fascinating genre!

Hi All,

Brand new to GoodReads here, I dont even have my profile setup yet, hopefully that will be remedied in the next day or so.

I've been a long time fan of both Sci Fi and Fantasy, fantasy more so as a teen/YA, but my interest in Sci Fi has grown a lot in recent years. I've been wanting to delve into Isaac Asimov's Robots/Foundation series for a while now, and lo and behold, I see you all have one coming up in the near future so I thought I'd go ahead and get started on I, Robot here soon so I can join you all with The Rest of the Robots!

Looking forward to it!

Josh wrote: "Hi All,

Brand new to GoodReads here, I dont even have my profile setup yet, hopefully that will be remedied in the next day or so.

I've been a long time fan of both Sci Fi and Fantasy, fantasy m..."

Belated welcome to the group, Josh! Hope you enjoy the discussions here. How's I, Robot going for you?

Classic SF Fan wrote: "Hi! I am an avid fan of science fiction,particularly the older stuff of the 40s,50s and 60s. I read some fantasy,but not much. I loved the Science fiction genre as a young girl in the 60s,but drift..."

Hi Classic - we already connected across a number of other threads and I meant to welcome you here too. Hope you also enjoy the discussions in the group!

Hi, I'm Floyd. I write. I'm not claiming to be a great writer or anything, but I have put some stuff on Amazon. Some of it is free.

I am a huge science fiction fan, of course.

Hi everyone. This is the first group that I've ever joined! I'm very interested in sci-fi literature and hopefully I'll soon be able to be up to date.

Cheers and read you soon.

Welcome Floyd and Paula - hope you both enjoy the discussions here!

How would you define the science fiction you write, Floyd? Would it be primarily space opera?

Glad to hear that you picked this as your first group, Paula!

Sci-Fi adventure mostly. I will get to space opera eventually.

"New Arrivals" took place completely on the ground, of a pretty primitive colony. I went back to add a chapter to the front that was more spacey.

"The Fourth" is more space opera-ish in that they seek to save 2 worlds,

Hi my name is Christina I am a artist and I love sci-fi

Sci-fi can really be anything with the addition of a speculative element. It is open to creative thinking.

Chris wrote: "Hi my name is Christina I am a artist and I love sci-fi"

Hi Chris - welcome to the group! Does your art involve sci-fi themes?

Floyd wrote: "Sci-fi can really be anything with the addition of a speculative element. It is open to creative thinking."

This is true!

Welcome, Monika!

Welcome to the group, Monica!

Hi guys! I'm Marvin from the Philippines. :-) I'm new to goodreads and joined the "Scifi and Fantasy Book Club" and then this one. After browsing for a while, I thought this group suits me well since I mainly read Scifi rather than fantasy (the only ones I've read from the latter genre is the Harry Potter series and game of thrones). I'm currently reading Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon" and Max Brooks's "World War Z" but hopefully I could join this group's pick for the month of June. :-)

Marvin Flores wrote: "Hi guys! I'm Marvin from the Philippines. :-) I'm new to goodreads and joined the "Scifi and Fantasy Book Club" and then this one. After browsing for a while, I thought this group suits me well sin..."

Welcome to the group, Marvin! I've read Max Brooks' graphic novel, The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks. Max Brooks, which only derives from part of The Zombie Survival Guide. It wasn't bad, but there were some issues with it IMO. How's World War Z going? I've seen the movie which I thought was good (though I could nitpick about it as I tend to do that :P). What do you think of the book so far?

Hi Greg! The book is very different from the movie. It is actually a collection of interviews from the survivors of the "World War Z". Although you can that the book is plotless, it's amazing how Brooks introduces a lot of new possibilities regarding the zombie lore. And here I was thinking that pop culture has already exhausted everything that has to do with the zombies.

Marvin Flores wrote: "Hi Greg! The book is very different from the movie. It is actually a collection of interviews from the survivors of the "World War Z". Although you can that the book is plotless, it's amazing how B..."

So the book is rather like a number of eyewitness testimonies collected together as part of an official report? Interesting idea.

Greg wrote: "Marvin Flores wrote: "Hi Greg! The book is very different from the movie. It is actually a collection of interviews from the survivors of the "World War Z". Although you can that the book is plotle..."

I read World War Z a while back (about 2 years ago?), and although I'm no great fan of zombie culture, I enjoyed it immensely. Yes, it's written in the form of eyewitness testimonies which, in many ways, makes you feel as though you're really there. Definitely recommended for your TBR, Greg.

Donna Rae wrote: "Greg wrote: "Marvin Flores wrote: "Hi Greg! The book is very different from the movie. It is actually a collection of interviews from the survivors of the "World War Z". Although you can that the b..."

Thanks Donna! :) I'll see if I can get a copy.

Hi! Almost brand-new to Goodreads. I've joined another group as well (Christian Fiction, but don't all back away from me! I know my Theology and Church History too well to be a Fundamentalist!).

I'm an engineer in my 60's and a long-time amateur astronomer, so I tend towards the 'hard' sci-fi. For example, I LOVE Stephen Baxter!

Hoping this group can point me towards some good authors in that style, and perhaps chat about things.

Bob wrote: "Hi! Almost brand-new to Goodreads. I've joined another group as well (Christian Fiction, but don't all back away from me! I know my Theology and Church History too well to be a Fundamentalist!).

..."

Hi Bob - welcome to the group! Interesting to meet somebody with an interest in 'hard' sci-fi as well as theology and ecclesiastical history. Do you like texts that combine these different interests?

Hi Greg,

You mentioned a combination of hard sci-fi and theology/church history?

Where do I get it? The closest I have ever seen is C.S.Lewis ' trilogy.

I'm currently polishing a novel with something like that combination myself, but more an ethical/philosophical system than 'religion'. I've just sent it off to a literary agent for evaluation.

I would like to read more widely in that niche, if you know of any good titles or authors. Please give me a recommendation or two.

Bob wrote: "Hi Greg,

You mentioned a combination of hard sci-fi and theology/church history?

Where do I get it? The closest I have ever seen is C.S.Lewis ' trilogy.

I'm currently polishing a novel with some..."

I read Out of the Silent Planet when I was a kid but have little memory of the story at this stage. I read it because I was a fan of his Narnia books at the time.

As for other novels in that niche, how broad is your take on religion in sci-fi, especially as your own novel is based more on ethics/philosophy than a religion per se? For example, would reading about the Bene Gesserit religious order in Dune count?

And that's great to hear that your novel has been more or less completed. Once it's published maybe you can suggest it for a future group read!

Very interesting topic, although I have nothing to add.

Hi Greg,

Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed Dune. Deservedly a classic. And 'Starmaker' by Stapledon was another excellent religio-philosophical work, even if a bit dated these days. (My current work is dedicated to Stapledon). I'm scratching for more recent works, mainly because I don't really know where to look.

Bob wrote: "Hi Greg,

Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed Dune. Deservedly a classic. And 'Starmaker' by Stapledon was another excellent religio-philosophical work, even if a bit dated these days. (My current work is de..."

Bob, would you like you could start a new thread asking the members for suggestions of recent SF books with a religio-philosophical theme? The discussion might be a bit lost here in the welcome thread.

Greg wrote: "Bob wrote: "Hi Greg,

Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed Dune. Deservedly a classic. And 'Starmaker' by Stapledon was another excellent religio-philosophical work, even if a bit dated these days. (My curren..."

I'd be keen to do that, because it might turn up a few books I would want to read. But how do I do that? I have the IT skills of a lobotomised slug.

If you look in the top right-hand corner under 'Sci-Fi Group Book Club', click on 'Group Home'. This takes you to the home page of the group. Scroll down until you reach the 'Discussion Board'. Click on the word 'General' beneath - this will show all the topics in this folder or section. In the top right corner of this list you should see 'new topic'. Click on this and you will automatically be brought to the page of your new topic. Just fill in the name of the topic and make the first comment to start the thread. (You can ignore the 'this topic is about [book title or author name]' and the select folder options.) If you still have any difficulty posting a new topic just let me know.

Hi there,
Im Harry, 48 , living in ireland and love sci-fi books and movies. just finished first owner novel by neal asher - great stuff, and previous to that the lost fleet by jack campbell.
Big Iain M Banks fan and anything sci-fi.
Other favourites includes - the road by cormac mccarthy, the stand by mr. king, dead zone, Kim Stanley Robinson - 2312, any 2000AD graphic novels - flesh, asylum just bought yesterday and its great

Harry wrote: "Hi there,
Im Harry, 48 , living in ireland and love sci-fi books and movies. just finished first owner novel by neal asher - great stuff, and previous to that the lost fleet by jack campbell.
Big ..."

Hi Harry - welcome to the group/fáilte romhat! Also living in Ireland. I've read some Banks and a few Judge Dredd graphic novels, so it would appear that we share some genre reading interests.

Thanks! Yes Banks is brilliant - surface detail, hydrogen sonata, matter, the algabanana (cant spell it , wont even try...) great books. I'm tempted to start his culture set from the start again, but so many other new books that it's probably better to keep going with new stuff...
Yea Judge Dredd is great - 2000ad were always best in class. I just finished a graphic novel - asylum by Rob Williams and art by Boo Cook. Great stuff, and previous to that vol3 of the invisibles by grant Morrison - absolutely brill - the man is a genius.
Flesh is also another 2000ad classic - the cowboys going back in time to hunt dinosaurs for meat - I managed to get all in one collection a while ago in forbidden planet and it is still one of the best stories ever.

I love reading 2000ad comics and like getting the new collections of the old stories too. They have done a lot of sci-fi stories and a few of them are quite derivative (satirically) of Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick, and others. You should check out the comic book crazies group.

I was just reading the latest 2000 AD last night - prog 1986. I'd say prog 2000 will be a collector's edition! I don't usually read the comic (as opposed to the graphic novel compilations) but it was nice to indulge.

Hi, I'm Keiran from Scotland. I love Sci-fi but also History, Science and Biography with a kind of secondary interest in Politics, Economics and Philosophy.
I just finished reading Alan Sugars autobiography, which I loved. Now I've just started Consider Phlebas, I want to read to whole Culture series. When I get fairly near the bottom of my TBR I'll start the Horus Heresy.
I have a wife and a 4 month old boy, Neither are interested in reading.

Other things I'm into are films, art galleries, the outdoors, snowboarding, and I'm a food snob. I'm also a 40k gamer.

Welcome to the group, Keiran! I hope you have fun posting here. I'm an historian so it's good to see someone else with an interest in history. I read Consider Phlebas years ago and thought it was a 4-star read. I didn't continue reading the series for some reason (too many other distractions I guess) but I intend to read more about 'the Culture' in due course.

It's been a number of years now but I also played (among other RPG and tabletop games), WFRP and some 40K, mainly in the form of Space Marines and Space Hulk.

Hi, I'm Mel, from South Wales UK, currently living in England. I joined Goodreads a few years ago but only really started being active this year.
I work for an educational charity focusing on delivering STEM experiences, projects and placements. Don't watch much TV; enjoy SF films occasionally; grew up on re-runs of the original Star Trek series and Dr Who (Tom Baker before anyone asks) and now I mostly like.........reading :)
I read most genres but SF is the largest collection on my kindle. My first introduction to SF was reading The Moat in God's Eye as a teenager; favourite SF authors......probably Asimov, PKD and Vonnegut but I could add more. Recent SF reads: Abaddon's Gate (expanse series) J Corey and Dawn (Lilleth's Brood) Octavia E Butler. Loving the Expanse books and I don't know why I never read Butler before - really good.
Anyway...that's me.......better stop there!

Welcome to the group, Mel! Your early science fiction reads got me to think about what mine were. Excluding comic-strip stories in Christmas annuals, I read three Dr Who novels (Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars, Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet and Doctor Who and the Ice Warriors) and Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker - I was a child of the '70s. Only rarely got to watch Dr Who on TV as BBC channels were not available in rural Ireland back then.

Greg wrote: "Welcome to the group, Mel! Your early science fiction reads got me to think about what mine were. Excluding comic-strip stories in Christmas annuals, I read three Dr Who novels ([book:Doctor Who an..."
Hi Greg, I never read any Dr Who books. As for Star Wars........was the book better than the films? (Runs and hides!)

*Whips out blaster and fires it Han Solo-style at Mel!* LOL I was 10 or 11 when I read the book. It might be worth a re-read to compare them but I think I enjoyed both at the time.

Greg wrote: "*Whips out blaster and fires it Han Solo-style at Mel!* Missed! Ha! But anything that gets kids reading is a good book :)

Mel wrote: "Greg wrote: "*Whips out blaster and fires it Han Solo-style at Mel!* Missed! Ha! But anything that gets kids reading is a good book :)"

That's very true. The thing is, did I shoot first or did you? ;)

Hello everyone!

My name's Kellie. I'm currently living in Portland, OR, and just finished my master's in book publishing. (I'm currently on the hunt for a job.) I love science fiction-- writing, reading, editing--science fiction is simply amaaaazing! My earliest scifi book was Ender's Game.

Kellie wrote: "Hello everyone!

My name's Kellie. I'm currently living in Portland, OR, and just finished my master's in book publishing. (I'm currently on the hunt for a job.) I love science fiction-- writing, r..."

Welcome to the group Kellie! Also, congratulations on completing your master's degree! Any plans on publishing it? ;)

I enjoyed Ender's Game but only read it about three years ago.

Hi Kellie! =) Ender's Game is fantastic but Speaker for the Dead is even more so! =)

I made the facebook page for the group.

https://www.facebook.com/SCIENCEFICTI...