Beyond Reality discussion

Hi everyone,
Oh my goodness, is it that time again? It's time to open nominations for our January 2024 Books of the Month. What do you want to be reading in the new year?

Each group member may make 1 science fiction and/or 1 fantasy nomination in this thread. If you would like to make a nomination, please reply to this post with the title and author of the book(s) you would like to put forward for the group’s consideration. A couple of suggestions to keep in mind:

1. Telling us a little about the book and why you think it would be a good group read can help get other members interested in reading (and voting for) your nomination. If possible, please use a link to the book and author in your nomination post. Click on “add book/author" for an easy way to do that.

2. To see if your nomination has already been read by the group, you can check:

a. the group's bookshelf for Previous Books of the Month

and/or

b. these threads:
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2018 - Present
Master list of Previous Books of the Month (Apr-Dec 2017)
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2012 - 2017
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2006 - 2011

Books the group has read in the past 2 years are not eligible for current consideration. Being chosen as a past BotM prior to that time is not an automatic disqualification, but be aware that it may hinder your nomination’s chances at the polls.

General guidelines:
• Feel free to re-nominate a book that didn’t win in the polls in previous months!
• For questions regarding specifics such as book formats, books in series, self-nomination and various rules for nominations, please see the group FAQ.
• Seconding isn't necessary in this group.
• Friendly discussion & debate is strongly encouraged, but let's please keep things civil.

Poll schedule:
• Nominations will remain open through Tuesday October 17.
• The first (preliminary) round of polls will open Wednesday October 18 and will run through Tuesday October 24.
• The final run-off polls go up Wednesday October 25 and will be open through Tuesday October 31.

Thanks!
Chris, Moderator

NOMINATIONS SO FAR:
SCIENCE FICTION:
Time Travelers Never Die
The Terraformers
Starter Villain
Red Team Blues
Air

FANTASY:
Memory and Dream
Ink Blood Sister Scribe
The Magician’s Daughter
The Dark Lord's Daughter
Crow Winter
The Keeper Chronicles

Fantasy: Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint

SF: Time Travelers Never Die by Jack McDevitt

Both did pretty well in the polling last time around, so I thought I’d try again!

SF: The Terraformers keeps coming in second so I'll keep nominating it!

Fantasy: I've heard good things about Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs so I'll toss that one into the ring.

Fantasy: The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry. Described as a heartwarming historical fantasy set in early 1900s England, it sounds like a fun read.

SF: Starter Villain by John Scalzi. A light-hearted story with a likeable fish-out-of-water protagonist and a lot of very smart cats. Must say the cover also makes me want to read it.

Fantasy: The Dark Lord's Daughter by Patricia C. Wrede

Wrede's back with a fun tale where our heroine and her (adoptive) mother and little brother are drawn into a fantasy world.

SF: Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow
Looks like a SciFi thriller with lots of rich people and a forensic accountant main character. I read a review that said: If woke, digital, hipsterism is your jam you’re going to like this. It’s dense and cleverly written. Recommended for geeks and the digerati.

Fantasy: Crow Winter by Karen McBride
Indigenous mythology come to life in modern day Canada.

Please note: the link to Crow Winter comes up in French. But the book is definitely available in English as well.

I'd like to nominate The Keeper Chronicles by J.A. Andrews. Definitely a book/series that needs some more attention.

Perhaps --

Let's see if the Tiptree Award winning novel Air by Geoff Ryman has weathered the test of time. The group last read it in 2011. Nominated for Science Fiction.

Preliminary polls are now open! Please vote for what you'd like to read in January, to start off the new year!

Preliminary Fantasy Poll

Preliminary SF Poll

Final polls are now open. Please vote for what you'd like to read in January, to start off the new year!

Final Fantasy Poll

Final SF Poll