SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

2024 had 1530 comments of members sharing info about what they were reading! Can we top that?

Share what you're reading in 2025, and start conversations about shared books! This is a great place to see interest to then bring to a BR, or mine for options for polls.

Please do share your thoughts and not just the book and/or your review. This is a community space and we'd like it to further the communal spirit!

Well I started Rhythm of War in 2024 and will definitely be reading it well into 2025! Maybe I’ll get to Wind and truth in 2025…. Maybe….

starting these tomorrow:

The Mongrel Mage by L.E. Modesitt Jr. on my out and about/take everywhere Kindle

and the following two for various challenges:

Foundation by Isaac Asimov which I'd read years ago as a DTB so this will be my first reading in Kindle format
and
Blood and Honor by Simon R. Green
plus
a mystery novel

I started Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. I'm continuing my reading challenge from 2024 and this one meets the time travel criteria. So far, I'm loving the story.

Also started the Night Watch by Terry Pratchett. I don't know how but I've finally convinced our book club at work to pick up a Discworld novel. I did point out that it was now a recognised "work of literature" and a Modern Classic. Fingers crossed they like it.

P.S. I know I'm new here but I just wanted to wish everyone a happy New Year! May you read lots of wonderful new books in 2025!

My first read in 2025 will be the reportedly delightful collection Ghosts by Edith Wharton, published by the New York Review of Books.

Following that, there's our buddy read for Translation State and then The Reformatory, which is one of the books of the month in another group on Goodreads.

I started Children of Ruin a few days ago and am thoroughly enjoying Tchiakovsky's foray into sentient evolution in a new species.

I'll be joining in with the buddy read of Translation State and also Rogue Protocol later in January.

Oh a.g.e. I’ve read a couple of Wharton’s ghost stories and loved them!

The first book I finished in 2025 was Way Station by Clifford D. Simak. There are alien characters and devices aplenty in the book, but what makes it stand out is its ability to get one to consider some of the deepest questions of life. How should we conduct ourselves as individuals and as part of society? How can we choose peace instead of war?

I give it a strong 4 out of 5 stars.

I'm still not yet 80% through Jokertown Shuffle by George R.R. Martin.
Actully Martin is the editor, the book like the others is written by multiple authors.
I like the series and all the series in the series but so far this particular novel is a little bit less than rest.
The jist of the story is about a gang that can mentally jump into someone else's body, using it to do whatever they wish.

I just finished The Last Gifts of the Universe by Riley August which I enjoyed immensely. Pumpkin the cat was a wonderful character.

Now I’m starting up both The Hobbit Collector's Edition by J.R.R. Tolkien and A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Kim wrote: "
Now I’m starting up both The Hobbit Collector's Edition by J.R.R. Tolkien and A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers"

I loved A Psalm for the Wild-Built and just picked up A Prayer for the Crown-Shy at my library today.

Cheryl L wrote: "Kim wrote: "
Now I’m starting up both The Hobbit Collector's Edition by J.R.R. Tolkien and A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers"

I loved A Psalm for the Wild-Built and just picked up [book..."

I thought both books by Becky Chambers were great (A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy).

i'm about 75% of the way through empire of the vampire and i'm loving it. i'll definitely be reading the next book (empire of the damned) very soon but first i plan to read antiquity by hanna johansson. i've mostly read some heavier fantasies this month so i want to break it up with something different and i'm excited for this one!

I'm a little over halfway done with Small Gods and A Short History of Nearly Everything. I am thoroughly enjoying both of them.

Also, I just started Gateway for my sci-fi book club. So far it reminds me a bit of PK Dick, which I like.

I finished my reading year with Bee Sting Cake. As a first book of 2025, I read Clary Sage, a prequel novella in this series. It was lovely and cozy (also low-stakes, since you know what will happen to the POV character).

My review is here ;)

Which book should I read next?
Current state of mind: A little depressed, having anxiety and lot of confusion to start my own business in fashion so help me here please. Help me stay motivated.
Suggest a book that would make me realize what every chance in life means.

Sheepfarmer's Daughter helped me see that anyone can overcome impossible odds to achieve their dream. Trigger warning: bad things happen to make the odds so impossible.

Riri wrote: "Which book should I read next?
Current state of mind: A little depressed, having anxiety and lot of confusion to start my own business in fashion so help me here please. Help me stay motivated.
Sug..."

any Travis Baldree book like Legends & Lattes or Bookshops & Bonedust

I decided 2025 would be the year of The Cosmere - I have heard so many good comments about this universe and the books so I have decided to dive in.

Currently reading - Mistborn: The Final Empire - doing an immersive read for this - both the book and audio book;
- How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days;
- Baby X - friend reccommend
- and for my BDA book club - The Dry - also doing an immersive read for this one as well

Just finished The Voyage of the Space Beagle by A.E. van Vogt.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A strong recommend for this novel from the very beginning of the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Do you like Alien or Star Trek? This novel helped inspire both of them.

My review here

Beginning my Dresden Files reread with Storm Front.

I plan on reading the Expanse series this year. I’ve heard great reviews about the series. I am also currently reading the Witcher and afterwards will follow up with the Dark Tower series.

I've just begun Exodus: The Archimedes Engine by Peter F. Hamilton. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this author, depending on my mood.

I’ve been reading The Riddle-Master of Hed, which I have in a recent omnibus edition of the trilogy The Riddle-Master's Game. I’m about 3/4 through and I just love it.

Gabe wrote: "I plan on reading the Expanse series this year. I’ve heard great reviews about the series."

I love The Expanse, both the books and the show, which is probably one of the best TV adaptations out there.

DivaDiane wrote: "I’ve been reading The Riddle-Master of Hed, which I have in a recent omnibus edition of the trilogy The Riddle-Master's Game. I’m about 3/4 through and I just love it."

I've read that a couple of times. I really like it, too

I’m barreling through the Skyward series like crazy. Have one novella and two bigger books left. Love it so far.

The Teller of Small Fortunes - listening on audio, and enjoying it.

My first read of 2025 was Red Rising and now I am re-reading fourth wing in anticipation of onyx storm

Just finished Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great way to start a series. A strong recommend for those who like noir detective mysteries, urban fantasy or well-researched modern fiction.

My review here

On to the second book, Fool Moon.

I just finished Goblins & Greatcoats by Travis Badlree. He really is a master of cozy fantasy.

Aaaand Goblins & Greatcoats goes straight to the To Be Read list.

I finally started Martha Wells' Murderbot Diaries last summer, which was long overdue. This is a gem of a series! Slowly continuing with my reviews -

Artificial Condition

My review -
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just started a reread of Ghost Story by Peter Straub. I've thought it one of the best books I read in the 1980s, and I'm wondering if I'll still feel that way.

Randy wrote: "Just started a reread of Ghost Story by Peter Straub. I've thought it one of the best books I read in the 1980s, and I'm wondering if I'll still feel that way."

I read it back then, too. You'll have to tell us how it holds up.

My first finished book of the year was The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. It was really good, but also very intense, so I ended up reading it over the course of a few weeks because I needed to take breaks from it. The horrors are very real, but I like how Due also emphasizes the strength and support of family and friends.

Now, I'm reading Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon, which is a much lighter book. It's a fun, easy read so far, with some hints at potential perils to come.

Kaia wrote: "My first finished book of the year was The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. It was really good, but also very intense, so I ended up reading it over the course of a few weeks because ..."

I’ve read Moon’s other military SF series, The Serrano Legacy, starting with Hunting Party, too, which I surprisingly really liked. I liked Vatta’s war too.

Kaia, I also plan to join the group read for Tananarive Due; she's been on my afrojujuist list for ages. See you in the discussion thread?

It's actually head to head between The Reformatory and Nuestra parte de noche for me; but one of my goals for 2025 is to participate in a wider selecion of groups here on Goodreads, and besides I'm not sure I ant to approach Mariana Enríquez with her (physically) heaviest book.

DivaDiane wrote: "Oh a.g.e. I’ve read a couple of Wharton’s ghost stories and loved them!"

She's such a great writer.
Wharton belongs to a robust tradition of American Gothic stories stretching back from Henry James to Washington Irving by way of Edgar Allan Poe.

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Murderbot #3. The books in the series are told in the 1st person by a sentient self-aware android with a bad attitude. He finds people very annoying and would like to kill them all, thus his self-chosen nickname. This book is an outer-space sci-fi shoot-em-up. Bad guys camouflaged as good guys, helpless civilians, and our reluctant hero. Short book -- fewer than 160 pages. Light and very amusing, I really like the series. 4 stars.

Michelle wrote: "Randy wrote: "Just started a reread of Ghost Story by Peter Straub. I've thought it one of the best books I read in the 1980s, and I'm wondering if I'll still feel that way."

I read it back then, too. You'll have to tell us how it holds up...."

Will do.

Finishing up Rhythm of War re-read in preparation for beginning Wind and Truth.

DivaDiane wrote: "I’ve read Moon’s other military SF series, The Serrano Legacy, starting with Hunting Party, too, which I surprisingly really liked. I liked Vatta’s war too."

Thanks, Diane! I will check it out. This is my second book by Moon (I previously read Remnant Population, which I really loved).

a.g.e. montagner wrote: "Kaia, I also plan to join the group read for Tananarive Due; she's been on my afrojujuist list for ages. See you in the discussion thread?

It's actually head to head between [book:..."

a.g.e. is that group read with this group? I didn't think we had anything by Tananarive Due coming up, but I would be happy to be wrong. I really like her writing, but I've only read her short stories up until now.

Not this but another group, here.

Had my first DNFs of the year--The Poppy War by RF Kuang, and Black Wave by Michelle Tea, the latter of which I was reading with another GR group. My threshold for boring and tedious books right now is lower than usual, given how many books I want to get to this moment. (Also I just had a recent chemo treatment, and that's a factor in my mood as well.)

I'm doing slow reads of Anna Karenina and Pride and Prejudice this month, and finding those so much more enjoyable,

And I'm also doing a read-along on TSG with Youtuber Noteworthy Fiction with Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, a book I've long meant to reread. I discovered I had set up a TSG account a couple years ago and will try to dust it off and use it.

As for SFF, I started These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein and The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya, and I want to get back to those and finish one if not both today, I hope.

a.g.e. montagner wrote: "Not this but another group, here."

Thanks for the link!

No problem!
I thought you were on board already, given your timing.
I hope it's not against etiquette to point to another group.

Starting the year with some PKD. Ubik to kick things off

Finished Sabaa Tahir's Ember in the Ashes, a great start to her series! very entertaining! Need to pick up the other books in that series.

Since I don't have them yet, gonna read Katherine Addison's Goblin Emperor

oh dang, promptly misplaced goblin emperor. will find and start it! in the meantime, I also am starting Lily Brooks-Dalton's Good Morning, Midnight. an apparently post-apocalyptic novel. I'm only in the first few pages, and so far, yeah, something bad happened. what? dunno yet. Heard about a netflix George Clooney movie adaptation, which I might have already seen, I'll re-watch after finishing GMM...