SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

The winning theme was 'Post-Apocalyptic'. So, let's get some nominations in that theme.

Rules
1) No extraneous discussion in this thread, please.

2) You get one nomination and one vote.

3) When nominating, post a link to the book-page and a blurb about the book you're nominating.

4) The top 7 nominations with the most votes get put on the poll.

5) Nomination thread will be open until Saturday October 8th 11:59pm Pacific time. Any nominations/votes after that time will not be counted.




Rules subject to change upon my whim. Don't test me. Pray I do not alter them further. Void where prohibited. Not meant for use orally.

i would like to be able to say that i'd never used a book orally...but, well...

Gonna go out on a limb here...
*tests strength of branch*

Blood in the Skies (The Hellfire Chronicles, #1), by Steampunk aficionado G.D. Falksen.

Post-apocalyptic/steampunk setting, with action, air pirates, and a realistic, strong female lead.

From the book blurb:

In 1908, the world ended in fire.

Humanity, always bad at following orders, refused to die. Now, two hundred years later, what remains is divided between civilized order and lawless frontier.

Just came out in July 2011, and has good reviews so far. However, I truly don't know how much the post-apocalyptic setting comes into play, so if someone who's read it wants to count it out, I'll trust their judgement.

Ala wrote: "Rules subject to change upon my whim. Don't test me. Pray I do not alter them further. Void where prohibited. Not meant for use orally. "


Nooooooooooooooooooo!

Children of Destruction. Last man on Earth story. An eBook.
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Blurb:

What’s the last man on Earth supposed to do with 4 attractive women and a boy? What is so special about them? Why did they survive when everyone else was suddenly and mysteriously destroyed? What caused this catastrophe?

The answers are revealed in a story of survival that spans over 200 years.

From their adopted farm in Washington to inter-species conflicts among the stars, you’ll meet the most unusual family of survivors ever contrived by circumstance and necessity.

Rated "R"
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Downside: "R" rated (sex and some violence), so if we have pre-teens in the group, it wouldn't be acceptable.

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

Post-zombie apocalypse, and recovery. A thoughtful zombie book that even people who aren't that fond of zombie stories (like me) can love.

It's a series of loosely interconnected interviews, showing how the apocalypse developed, and how humanity eventually banded together to try to take back the planet from the undead.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi.

Blurb (stolen from Amazon): In a world in which society has stratified, fossil fuels have been consumed, and the seas have risen and drowned coastal cities, Nailer, 17, scavenges beached tankers for scrap metals on the Gulf Coast. Every day, he tries to “make quota” and avoid his violent, drug-addicted father. After he discovers a modern clipper ship washed up on the beach, Nailer thinks his fortune is made, but then he discovers a survivor trapped in the wreckage—the “swank” daughter of a shipping-company owner. Should he slit the girl's throat and sell her for parts or take a chance and help her?

I know that this group kind of cringes at YA, but I think this sounds like a really intriguing concept!

The Hunger Games

I know it's YA but I've heard a lot about it. It fits the topic. I'll nominate it.

Ehh I didn't add a blurb first time as most people have heard of this series but I'll add it anyway.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

If anyone else is looking for books to nominate then maybe Oryx and Crake or One Second After which is a scary book.

I'll nominate Divergent by Veronica Roth.

I read it recently and liked it better than the Hunger Games. So there! :)

It's also YA, and post-apocalyptic dystopian chic.

Book Blurb:

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

My review found here.

I like to nominate George R.R. Martin's Wild Cards 1. This one of my favorite books. If anyone likes Song of Ice and Fire, they should give this book a try, what he did before Ice and Fire. This is the longest shared world written by different authors.

Here is the book blurb on Goodread:
Back in print after a decade, expanded with new original material, this is the first volume of George R. R. Martin’s Wild Cards shared-world series.

There is a secret history of the world--a history in which an alien virus struck the Earth in the aftermath of World War II, endowing a handful of survivors with extraordinary powers. Some were called Aces--those with superhuman mental and physical abilities. Others were termed Jokers--cursed with bizarre mental or physical disabilities. Some turned their talents to the service of humanity. Others used their powers for evil. Wild Cards is their story.

Originally published in 1987, Wild Cards I includes powerful tales by Roger Zelazny, Walter Jon Williams, Howard Waldrop, Lewis Shiner, and George R. R. Martin himself. And this new, expanded edition contains further original tales set at the beginning of the Wild Cards universe, by eminent new writers like Hugo-winner David Levine, noted screenwriter and novelist Michael Cassutt, and New York Times bestseller Carrie Vaughn.

That's not post-apocalyptic, Kevin.

Oooh, I've always wanted to read the Wild Card books. Maybe this would be the push I need?

My recommendation is Alas Babylon by Pat Frank. A not-to-long look at a group of regular people in the immediate aftermath of a nuclear attack. Description stolen directly from an Amazon review Two brothers growing up in Ft. Repose, Florida would often sneak down to the African American congregation to listen to the intense, hell-fire preacher. After every convicting statement he belted to his congregation he would follow them with "Alas, Babylon." Frome then on, Randy a former politician, and Mark a high ranking officer serving in military intelligence would use this phrase as a code. As an intense nuclear threat puts Mark Bragg and his family in trouble Mark sends his family to Ft. Repose, Florida for fear that one of the first targets will be the his intelligence base. Mark sent a telegram prior to the arrival of his family reading, "Urgent you meet me at Base Ops McCoy noon today. Helen and children are flying to Orlando tonight. Alas, Babylon."

As we don't do short stories, I'll offer up a side recommendation of John Varley's "The Manhattan Phone Book (abridged)." Probably the most authentic post-nuclear story ever told.

I'll vote for Alas, Babylon, an oldie but goodie.

Ala wrote: "That's not post-apocalyptic, Kevin."

I did not read the direction.

I thought Hunger Games much better than Divergent! I'd suggest Feed but it is currently being read by another group which many of us are in.

Kevin wrote: "Ala wrote: "That's not post-apocalyptic, Kevin."

I did not read the direction."

That was pretty obvious.

I nominate A Plague of Angels by Sheri Tepper.

This is a genre-buster because at first glance it looks like fantasy, but it's actually post-apocalyptic. Talking animals are actually the result of genetic experiments, and so on. Many of the characters don't really realize or understand technological things though because much of history has been forgotten or even deliberately suppressed, so society has reverted to a more medieval culture. The old technology still exists though, and there are those who still wish to make use of it, sparking the fulfillment of a prophecy which will bring three unlikely heroes together.

I've already read the sequel (The Waters Rising) which was very good and just as thoughtfully done as many of Sheri Tepper's other works. Like others (Family Tree in particular), this set of books has a focus on genetic manipulation as a means of making animals more like humans or vice versa.

Kim, you're absolutely right, Oryx and Crake is an awesome book, that gets my nomination.

Snowman (a man once known as Jimmy) sleeps in a tree and just might be the only human left on our devastated planet. He is not entirely alone, however, as he considers himself the shepherd of a group of experimental, human-like creatures called the Children of Crake. As he scavenges and tends to his insect bites, Snowman recalls in flashbacks how the world fell apart.

and it's sort of about one-upmanship between rival scientists, and sort of about genetic engineering gone utterly haywire (humanized pigs harvested for kidney transplants, apocalyptic viruses, and crazy people-creatures), and more than a little melancholy in places, and it's very much due for a re-read on my part.

I'm going with Oryx and Crake. I've not read it but it sounds like a good pick.

I'm voting for Oryx and Crake, as well. I've had it on my shelf for ages and need incentive to pick it up. I really appreciate Ms. Atwood's writing, and I've heard good things about this one. So...it has my vote, and I'll not be nominating anything.

Edit to add: I loved The Hunger Games (and I'm not generally a reader of YA) but am not voting for it, as I want to go with something I haven't read yet.

I'll vote for Divergent.

I'll vote for either Divergent or Hunger Games.

EJ Luv Zombie wrote: "I'll vote for either Divergent or Hunger Games."

I think you have to pick one.

I will use my vote for Hunger Games.

Vote for Alas, Babylon, book I was going to nominate has already been done ... need to think some more.

Okay ... The Scarlet Plague - Jack London

I'd actually never heard of this until I was looking at the wikipedia entry on post-apoc fiction. This is one of the first post-apoc fiction works, set in 2072 after a pandemic has ravaged mankind.

Andre wrote: "EJ Luv Zombie wrote: "I'll vote for either Divergent or Hunger Games."

I think you have to pick one.

I will use my vote for Hunger Games."

But they're both so good, although I didn't really like the ending of Divergent too much, and Hunger Games had an obvious plot line. Ugh! Too hard to choose one.

Then clearly neither is good enough to get your vote. Alas, Babylon! (Somewhat more seriously: I am one of the relatively few people in this group who likes YA, and I wasn't very impressed with The Hunger Games after listening to the audiobook.)

It was the fact that it was very original that I liked. Also the fact that Suzanne Collins had the balls to murder lots of children in a book and have it be a top-seller is amazing. I don't know if I could write it better, but they should've at least hidden the plotline a little. I mean come on. You could tell exactly what was going to happen pages before.

Directive 51 by John Barnes.

The first book in a new post-apocalyptic trilogy from "a master of the genre"

Heather O'Grainne is the Assistant Secretary in the Office of Future Threat Assessment, investigating rumors surrounding something called "Daybreak." The group is diverse and radical, and its members have only one thing in common-their hatred for the "Big System" and their desire to take it down.

Now, seemingly random events simultaneously occurring around the world are in fact connected as part of Daybreak's plan to destroy modern civilization - a plan that will eliminate America's top government personnel, leaving the nation no choice but to implement its emergency contingency program... Directive 51.
-- FantasticFiction.com

Snail in Danger (Sid) wrote: "Then clearly neither is good enough to get your vote. Alas, Babylon! (Somewhat more seriously: I am one of the relatively few people in this group who likes YA, and I wasn't very imp..."

MINORITY OPINION: I thought the first one was meh, and Catching Fire actually annoyed me, but I was pleasantly surprised by Mockingjay - it took the themes that irked me in the first two, deconstructed them, and was overall very gritty in a way I liked.

I was going to second Oryx & Crake, but since it's definitely going to be in the poll now, I'll come back later and see if there's something else that catches my eye. :D

My favorite part in Mockingjay was when... (view spoiler)[ Prim got blown up by the second set of bombs. I mean I knew it was going to happen ever since they first mentioned it, but she got BLOWN UP! (hide spoiler)]

Bit late in the day I know, but I'd like to nominate Roger Zelazny's Damnation Alley.

The blurb : Damnation Alley...the savage route across a blasted continent, teeming with deadly radiation and insanely lethal storms. . . the basis for the classic science fiction film.

Well I don't know about the classic film, but Zelazny is brilliant. For anyone interested I'll copy the rest of the blurb from the back of my copy.

Hell Tanner isn't the sort of guy you'd mistake for a hero: he's a fast driving car thief, a smuggler and a stone cold killer. He's also expendable - at least in the eyes of the Secretary of Traffic for the Nation of California. Tanner doesn't care much for those eyes.

You'd also never mistake Hell Tanner for a humanitarian. Facing life in prison for his various crimes, he's given a choice: Rot away his remaining years in a tiny jail cell, or drive cross country and deliver a case of antiserum to the plague-ridden people of Boston, Massachusetts... If anyone is still alive there to receive it, that is. The chance of a full pardon does wonders for getting his attention.

And don't mistake this mission of mercy for any kind of normal road trip - not when there are radioactive storms, hordes of carniverous beasts, and giant, mutated scorpions to be found along every deadly mile between Los Angeles and the East Coast.

But then, this is no normal part of America, you see. This is Damnation Alley...


My vote goes to Alas, Babylon.

Hello, haven't been here for a while but am glad to be back with the current months reading and these excellent proposals for next month. I realize I am commenting after the voting has ended, but just want to add that I would be delighted to read any one of these books - and would even reread the Hunger Games (not a big fan but would love to hear / participate in the discussion). I hope that Blood in the Skies (The Hellfire Chronicles, #1) makes the poll. Steam Punk is usually a fun read and based on the description it seems like there is some degree of life, changed but still kicking after the apocalypse.

I was surprised not to see The Postman by David Brin or A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller on the list, but maybe you have read (or re-read them) more recently than I have.

Looking forward to the final nomination list! :)

I'd like to vote for Oryx & Crake. I took it out over the summer for another BoTM but I didn't have time to read it.

Kimberly, voting isn't over, nominate away.

I want to nominate Lucifer's Hammer by Niven and Pournelle - drop in a bit of hard sci-fi classics, here.

Book Blurb:

The gigantic comet had slammed into Earth, forging earthquakes a thousand times too powerful to measure on the Richter scale, tidal waves thousands of feet high. Cities were turned into oceans; oceans turned into steam. It was the beginning of a new Ice Age and the end of civilization. But for the terrified men and women chance had saved, it was also the dawn of a new struggle for survival--a struggle more dangerous and challenging than any they had ever known...."

I'll second Damnation Alley!

I will second World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

I'll nominate The Postman by David Brin. It's been on my TBR shelf for a while now. Or I'll second it if Kimberly was going to nominate it.

Kathy, with your nomination I will second The Postman. It has been a long time since I read the book, and I do know that it was lots better than the movie, so I am up for a re-read! :)

The last three posts shouldn't be allowed according to the rules, but since I make the rules, I'm gonna let 'em in. :P

Also, there was a tie in votes, so I shall use my Czariness for tie-breaking.

Poll incoming.