SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

I have a number of SFF series that I would like to continue/start and finish in 2025. Most of these have at least one book on the shelf, except Murderbot and The Shadow of the Leviathan.

Please feel free to add comments, recommendations, and other thoughts. And let me know if you want to buddy read any of these series.

Here's my list of series:

Remembrance of Earth's Past
✔️ The Three-Body Problem ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Dark Forest
Death's End

Murderbot
✔️ All Systems Red ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✔️ Artificial Condition ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✔️ Rogue Protocol ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✔️ Exit Strategy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fugitive Telemetry
Network Effect
System Collapse

Terra Ignota
✔️ Too Like the Lightning ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seven Surrenders
The Will to Battle

Teixcalaan duology
✔️ A Memory Called Empire ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (more of a 3.8)
✔️ A Desolation Called Peace ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sun Eater
✔️ Empire of Silence ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Howling Dark
Demon in White
Kingdoms of Death
Ashes of Man
Disquiet Gods
And possibly novellas

Children of Time
✔️ Children of Time ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✔️ Children of Ruin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Children of Memory

Semiosis
✔️ Semiosis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Interference
Usurpation

Robot and Monk
✔️ A Psalm for the Wild-Built ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✔️ A Prayer for the Crown-Shy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Imperial Radch
✔️ Ancillary Justice ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✔️ Ancillary Sword ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✔️ Ancillary Mercy ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Provenance
✔️ Translation State, s⭐⭐⭐

Shadow of the Leviathan
✔️ The Tainted Cup ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Drop of Corruption, due to be published in April 2025

The Stromlight Archive
The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer
Oathbringer
Dawnshard
Rhythm of War
Wind and Truth
The Sunlit Man

Possibly The Wayfarers
✔️ The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Closed and Common Orbit
Record of a Spaceborn Few
The Galaxy, and the Ground Within


Standalones:
TBD

For Stormlight Archive, should I add the novellas?

Just here to say hi.
That's A LOT of series!

I try to only start a series that I can complete forthwith; I'd go mad otherwise (except for the ones that are basically stand-alone in a shared narrative universe, e.g. Le Guin's Ekumen).

Cheryl L wrote: "For Stormlight Archive, should I add the novellas?"

Definitely! )) They are short, but they 100% enrich your experience overall.

I've already finished A Memory Called Empire, have the second book on hold in Libby, ETA 14 weeks.

Also, I'm up for Murderbot, Terra Ignota and Sun Eater. What months are we looking at with those?

a.g.e. montagner wrote: "Just here to say hi.
That's A LOT of series!

I try to only start a series that I can complete forthwith; I'd go mad otherwise (except for the ones that are basically stand-alone in a shared narr..."

👋

It's possible that I've bitten off more than I can chew. Thankfully, most of the Murderbot books are short as are the Monk and Robot books. Sun Eater and the Stormlight Archive are not though.

I tend to meander around my series. Sometimes I need a break from a complicated series, like Three Body or Terra Ignota, and adding in a shorter/lighter book helps me ruminate on the more complicated book.

Olga wrote: "Cheryl L wrote: "For Stormlight Archive, should I add the novellas?"

Definitely! )) They are short, but they 100% enrich your experience overall."

Ok! Updated my list!

Olga wrote: "I've already finished A Memory Called Empire, have the second book on hold in Libby, ETA 14 weeks.

Also, I'm up for Murderbot, Terra Ignota and Sun Eater. What months are we looking at with those?"

Why don't we plan for A Desolation Called Peace once your copy comes in, which sounds like it could be late March or early April?

I'm pretty flexible about the timing of other series you're interested in. We've got Translation State coming up in a few weeks, but we could plan on working through one of these series starting in February.

Remembrance of Earth's Past: The Three-Body Trilogy is pretty high on my list since I read The Three-Body Problem way back in 2022. The Three-Body Problem was a 5⭐ read for me.

I suppose I should really (finish) read(ing) the Three-Body Problem Vol. 2. Let me know when you want to get to it.

You only have a one Murderbot to go until you’ve caught up to me and then I could be enticed to join you.

DivaDiane wrote: "I suppose I should really (finish) read(ing) the Three-Body Problem Vol. 2. Let me know when you want to get to it.

You only have a one Murderbot to go until you’ve caught up to me."

Yes, I got a few chapters into The Dark Forest and I think a BOTM distracted me. I can zip through the next Murderbot in half a day.

What's your reading schedule like over the next few months?

Which Murderbot is that? The third novella? Oh boy, have fun! (It's a great read, but I dare not spoil it for you.)

BTW in terms of in-series chronology, the events in Fugitive Telemetry takes place before the events in Network Effect, but it was published after Network Effect. Not sure if you care about that. It won't effect your experience if you read them either way, but I generally prefer to read Fugitive Telemetry first in my unending cycle of rereading that series.

Good luck with your plans! I'm admittedly terrible with series. I either read them back to back, like I did with Murderbot, Ann Leckie and Yoon Ha Lee (and currently with Suzanne Palmer) or it takes me forever to get back to them.

I’m actually pretty full up for the first few months of the year, but I could probably squeeze both of those books in, if I swap something else out (that’s not a buddy read).

Actually, I seem to have Rogue Protocol next on my list. Is that the one you have next?

I’m sure I could read that fairly soon.

CJ wrote: "Which Murderbot is that? The third novella? Oh boy, have fun! (It's a great read, but I dare not spoil it for you.)

BTW in terms of in-series chronology, the events in Fugitive Telemetry takes pla..."

Yep, I'm on the third novella, Rogue Protocol, and I've switched the order of Network Effect and Fugitive Telemetry at your suggestion. It's good to know that I have someone to discuss the whole Murderbot series with. I know that Aga loves Murderbot also.

DivaDiane wrote: Actually, I seem to have Rogue Protocol next on my list. Is that the one you have next?

I’m sure I could read that fairly soon.

I could easily read Rogue Protocol this month. Some of us are starting Translation State on Jan 10 so either before that or at the end of the month. I know Olga wants to join for Murderbot also.

DivaDiane wrote: "I’m actually pretty full up for the first few months of the year, but I could probably squeeze both of those books in, if I swap something else out (that’s not a buddy read)."

How about late April for The Dark Forest and May for Death's End? I have plenty of other things I can schedule before then.

Cheryl L wrote: "CJ wrote: "Which Murderbot is that? The third novella? Oh boy, have fun! (It's a great read, but I dare not spoil it for you.)

BTW in terms of in-series chronology, the events in Fugitive Telemetr..."

Let’s aim for the end of the month!

Cheryl L wrote: "How about late April for The Dark Forest and May for Death's End? I have plenty of other things I can schedule before then."

Sounds good. I hope I manage!

Home, Habitat is a Murderbot short story that is read after Exit Strategy. The story is on ReactorMag website for free, or can be purchased via Amazon.

I want to start the Murderbot series and read the book after the three body problem.

Nicci wrote: "Home, Habitat is a Murderbot short story that is read after Exit Strategy. The story is on ReactorMag website for free, or can be purchased via Amazon."

Very cool! Thanks for the info. I'll read that after Exit Strategy.

Bobby wrote: "I want to start the Murderbot series and read the book after the three body problem."

Lovely! I believe we're going to read the third Murderbot book at the end of January. Do you think you'll have time to read the first 2 books before then? They're pretty short.

I'll make sure Buddy Read discussions are added and link them in this discussion also.

Cheryl L wrote: "Bobby wrote: "I want to start the Murderbot series and read the book after the three body problem."

Lovely! I believe we're going to read the third Murderbot book at the end of January. Do you thi..."

That sounds doable. Let me see if I can get them from the library soon. Both of my libraries have them.

Hi All, we've got a buddy read discussion thread for Murderbot.

We'll be buddy reading Rogue Protocol starting on January 25, and I'm going to try to do a reread of the first two books, All Systems Red and Artificial Condition, before then because it's been a few years since I first read them. Please join us!

I'll continue reading the series throughout 2025 so I hope we can eventually buddy read the whole thing.

I can definitely recommend Sun Eater. Santa has been good and I got book 6 "Disquiet Gods" for Christmas. So good 😀

Kaladin wrote: "I can definitely recommend Sun Eater. Santa has been good and I got book 6 "Disquiet Gods" for Christmas. So good 😀"

I thoroughly enjoyed Empire of Silence. I'm looking forward to how Hadrian goes from the impetuous young man who wants to communicate with the Cielcin to the person who causes their extinction. I'm kind of glad I started this series so late so I don't have to wait for the final book!

I wanted to include my list of books for the 2025 Science Fiction Team here also in order to keep track of them.

SCIENCE FICTION CHALLENGES

Aliens
1. Area 51: Read a book with an alien character.
2. Starry Night: Read a book with at least one star on the cover.

Alt History
1. Back in the Day: Read a book set 20+ years ago.
2. Historicity: Read a book with a time machine or historical figure on the cover.

Clones
1. DNA: Read a book with clones or twins in it.
2. Palindrome: Read a book with a mirrored cover (cover features a graphic that reads the same on both sides).

Dimensional Travel
1. AltDimension: Read a book set in more than 1 dimension.
2. Portal: Read a book with any kind of portal on the cover.

Space Travel
✔️ 1. The Black: Read a book set in outer space. A Memory Called Empire
2. Nebula: Read a book with a space scene on the cover.

Terraforming
1. Oxygen: Read a book that features terraforming. (Children of Memory)
✔️ 2. Foliage: Read a book with any kind of flora on the cover. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy

Biological Engineering
1. Lab: Read a book with a character that is a biologist and/or engineer.
2. DNA: Read a book with a helix on the cover. (Possibly The Final Orchard)

LitRPG
1. Game: Read any book classified as LitRPG or a novelized version of a video game.
2. Console: Read a book with any gaming console or DND dice on the cover.

Big Data
1. Arithmetic: Read a book with an accountant or mathematician as a main character.
2. Data: Read a book with numbers on the cover.

Mad Science
1. Scientist: Read a book with a scientist as a main character.
2. Gear: Read a book with anyone in a lab coat or lab beakers on the cover.

Artificial Intelligence
✔️ 1. Intelligence: Read a book where AI is an important character or important to the plot. I'm thinking this is going to be Children of Ruin with Avrana Kern.
2. Robot: Read a book with a computer or code on the cover.

Time Travel
1. Time Machine: Read a book where time travel is part of the plot.
2. Clock: Read a book with any kind of time keeping device on the cover.

Hi Cheryl!

Just wanted to let you know that I'm on track to finish Artificial Condition today and ready to proceed with Murderbot series.

Also, my hold for A Desolation Called Peace is at 6 weeks now, so maybe we'll be able to get to it earlier, if it's OK with you.
I mentioned our buddy read over on TSG and someone is interested in joining. Will it be OK if I create a readalong there? Do you even use TGS? Or I should direct them to the BR thread in GR (the one I'll create later, when we'll have a date)?

Do you have any estimates on when you're going to continue Sun Eater series?

The Wayfarers is a very good series in my opinion.

Cheryl L wrote: "I wanted to include my list of books for the 2025 Science Fiction Team here also in order to keep track of them.


Don't forget the monthly antagonist/protagonist prompts and any power point reads you do!

Olga wrote: "Hi Cheryl!

Just wanted to let you know that I'm on track to finish Artificial Condition today and ready to proceed with Murderbot series.

Also, my hold for A Desolation Called Peace is at 6 weeks..."

Yay! How do you read that fast??

I got a bit behind on Children of Ruin and then, got distracted with A Prayer for the Crown-Shy while in my local library. I can pick up Rogue Protocol tomorrow, if you want! I still need to get to Translation State this week.

I can start A Desolation Called Peace whenever you get that from your library. I'm still pretty committed to GR mostly because I don't think I can keep up with both GR and TSG.

I've got The Dark Forest scheduled for April and Death's End for May so Howling Dark and Sun Eater could be before April or starting in June.

What do you think?

CJ wrote: "Cheryl L wrote: "I wanted to include my list of books for the 2025 Science Fiction Team here also in order to keep track of them.


Don't forget the monthly antagonist/protagonist prompts and any p..."

I have no idea how I will shoehorn more books into the monthly prompts, but if I can I certainly will!

Jabotikaba wrote: "The Wayfarers is a very good series in my opinion."

I thoroughly enjoyed Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and am also loving the Monk and Robot series. I suspect that I'll have time to fit all of Wayfarers into 2025.

I haven't read Monk and Robot yet. But I think it could be an interesting read.

Cheryl L wrote: "How do you read that fast??"

Frankly, I haven't the foggiest. Apparently, I'm on a book roll.

I have a feeling that after Artificial Intelligence I won't stop till I burn through the whole series. Murderbot is cracking me up.

Jabotikaba wrote: "I haven't read Monk and Robot yet. But I think it could be an interesting read."

They're very gentle books, like a philosophical conversation with a good friend.

Olga wrote: "Cheryl L wrote: "How do you read that fast??"

Frankly, I haven't the foggiest. Apparently, I'm on a book roll.

I have a feeling that after Artificial Intelligence I won't stop till I burn through..."

I'm happy to just read through all of Murderbot in succession in February!

Cheryl L wrote: "Jabotikaba wrote: "I haven't read Monk and Robot yet. But I think it could be an interesting read."

They're very gentle books, like a philosophical conversation with a good friend."

Sounds very intetesting!

Just finished Rogue Protocol.
Please tell me we're doing the rest of the series back to back.

Olga wrote: "Just finished Rogue Protocol.
Please tell me we're doing the rest of the series back to back."

How did you do that already??

I'll finish it today or tomorrow and am happy to move right on to Exit Strategy next!

Cheryl L wrote: "How did you do that already?? "

An hour while putting kids to bed yesterday and an hour and a half between lessons today. The plan was to read a chapter or two, but it was a stupid plan, so I ditched it.

Your evening is tomorrow for me anyway, so will start Exit Strategy tomorrow.

Can't wait to chat with you about Rogue Protocol.

Olga wrote: "Cheryl L wrote: "How did you do that already?? "

An hour while putting kids to bed yesterday and an hour and a half between lessons today. The plan was to read a chapter or two, but it was a stupi..."

yes, it's a quick read! I just need to get done with work today so I can get important things done, like reading. Do we have a BR thread for the Murderbot series?

Cheryl L wrote: "Do we have a BR thread for the Murderbot series?"

Not sure, but think that there should be one. I'll go check.

Found it
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Olga wrote: "Cheryl L wrote: "Do we have a BR thread for the Murderbot series?"

Not sure, but think that there should be one. I'll go check.

Found it
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/......"

thanks, Olga!

Olga wrote: "Just finished Rogue Protocol.
Please tell me we're doing the rest of the series back to back."

Olga, I am totally with you. I'm happy to move right through the rest of the series! I may start Exit Strategy today.

I wasn’t getting notifications for group discussions in groups for a couple of weeks and I’ve been so busy I kept forgetting to look! Anyway, I wanted to continue with Murderbot with you. Maybe I can squeeze Rogue Protocol soon.

Hi Cheryl!
This morning when I checked my holds in Libby A Desolation Called Peace showed 4 weeks... and it came through a few minutes ago, so I panicked and borrowed it. *facepalm*
When will you be able to start?

Olga wrote: "Hi Cheryl!
This morning when I checked my holds in Libby A Desolation Called Peace showed 4 weeks... and it came through a few minutes ago, so I panicked and borrowed it. *facepalm*
When will you b..."

I'm only about 20 pages into Exit Strategy so I can easily switch over to Desolation today and save Murderbot for next week. Yay, buddy read!

No need to switch for my sake, I can wait a few days.

I'm giving A Memory Called Empire a (very) quick reread, so shall we maybe plan A Desolation Called Peace for, say, Monday? Would it work for you?

Olga wrote: "I'm giving A Memory Called Empire a (very) quick reread, so shall we maybe plan A Desolation Called Peace for, say, Monday? Would it work for you?"

Yes! I'm just finishing up Exit Strategy (I love Murderbot so much!). I may start Desolation over the weekend, but I don't read as quickly as you do.