The Evolution of Science Fiction discussion

Nominations for the August 2020 read are for books published from 1980-1999.

SF novels or short story collection/anthologies that have not previously been read by the group are eligible. Please check the bookshelf & the nomination rules for further clarification before nominating a book.

Previously nominated books are on this bookshelf. More qualifying authors & books can be found here.

Please add your nominated book title as a clickable link directly to the goodreads' book page, with author and year, so it looks like this:
Children of Time
Adrian Tchaikovsky
2015
(If you can't create book links, please include the URL to the book.)

Tell us why you chose the book that you're nominating. Remember that books require seconding now. We'll close this nomination thread on the 15th of June in order to have plenty of time for poll(s) and then for acquisitions of the winner(s).

Nominations & seconds that will form the poll:

Nominated, needs second:
Beyond the Blue Event Horizon by Frederik Pohl, nom by Jim (the other one)

Only these books which have been nominated & seconded will be in the poll:
Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler, nom by Queralt, 2d by Ed
Timeline by Michael Crichton, nom by Lautaro, 2d by RoseMarie
Nightfall by Isaac Asimov & Silverberg (the 300+ page novel, not the short story), nom by Adrian, 2d by Jim (the other one)
There Is No Darkness by Joe Haldeman, nom by Jim, 2d by Leo

I nominate Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler, first published on 1980. I bought it a while ago and haven't gotten to it yet, heard many people raving about it!

I nominate Timeline by Michael Crichton. I found it on my shelves, forgotten, under a thick layer of dust... and the back cover intrigued me, it's a sci-fi thriller. There's a movie from 2003 with Alan Walker and Gerard Butler. I don't want the movie to spoil me the book so I'll read the book first :P

Queralt wrote: "I nominate Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler, first published on 1980. I bought it a while ago and haven't gotten to it yet, heard many people raving about it!"

I second it. For the same reason! Been sitting on my shelf for a while. I've enjoyed the other 2 books of Butler that I've read.

I nominate Nightfall by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg, October 1990.
Presumably from his short story.

Adrian wrote: "I nominate Nightfall by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg, October 1990.
Presumably from his short story."
I second this nomination. I think the original short story was great but I have some qualms about how good the story will be with the prequel and sequel sections added on by Silverberg. Only one way to find out.

I will second Timeline. I read the book when it was originally published and think it's time for a reread.
I watched the movie after reading the book. The movie was okay but they did change some things-the book is better.

I nominate Beyond the Blue Event Horizon
(Heechee Saga #2)
by Frederik Pohl

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Sorry. I don't remember how to include this as a clickable link.

I picked this because I recently read Gateway and this is the second novel in the series. I wasn't sure whether to nominate this because it is the second novel in a series and I know that I probably wouldn't read it myself if I hadn't read the book preceding it it.. Please comment on whether you think it is acceptable to nominate a series novel that's not the first book in the series. I will be glad to withdraw it based on the feedback.

I don't think we have an official rule about reading sequels. In this case, we have already read Gateway together in 2018, so I see no reason not to allow you nominating Beyond the Blue Event Horizon. Someone will need to 'second' it.

Jim wrote: "I second this nomination. I think the original short story was great but I have some qualms about how good the story will be with the prequel and sequel sections added on by Silverberg. Only one way to find out..."

Thanks Jim, as you say, if it wins, we shall see !

Typically we like to make sure that series books stand alone well & so do the voters, but having read the first book recently helps in that regard. Still, if anyone knows that it stands alone well, it would help.

I'll nominate There Is No Darkness by Joe Haldeman & Jack Haldeman. It's a coming of age story of a sort - late college age.

I second Adrian's choice of Nightfall by I. Asimov and second Jim Davis too.

I second There Is No Darkness.

Leonida wrote: "I second Adrian's choice of Nightfall by I. Asimov and second Jim Davis too."

You can only second one book & both of those have already been seconded. Look at msg #2 in this topic & you'll see how things stand. Since Leo seconded my nom, all 5 nominated books have been seconded & are eligible for the poll.

Jim, I think you are mistaken. "Event Horizon" has not yet been seconded.

Ed wrote: "Jim, I think you are mistaken. "Event Horizon" has not yet been seconded."

Oh, whoops. I'll fix it.

I guess y'all still have until midnight tonight if you want to nominate or second anything for August.

I nominate For Love of Mother-Not by Alan Dean Foster (1983). Although not the first Pip and Flinx novel written, it is the first if read in an in-universe sequence, which I recommend, as do others: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/al.... The Kindle version is just $2.99. If you have ever been to a Dragon Con or something like it when ADF is in attendance, this series gets discussed a lot. It's important in the history of SF.

Kyk wrote: "I nominate For Love of Mother-Not ..."

You're a bit late on the nomination since this ended at midnight, so no one can second it. It is a fun book & series, though.

The poll is up & ready to go here:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Nightfall by Isaac Asimov & Silverberg, the 300+ page novel, not the short story, has won the poll. We'll begin reading it on the first of August.