begun by duchess of malfi:
Posted: 17 Jul 2005 13:31 Post subject: Re: What Sci-Fi r u reading right now?
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You might want to start with the omnibus called Cordelia's Honor -- and please don't let the Gawd-awful covers put you off the books.
That particular omnibus starts her Vorkosigan space opera series, and features one of my favorite -- and most complicated -- love stories in all of science fiction.
One thing I have always loved about Bujold is that her female characters are every bit as well drawn and strong as the male ones -- without giving up an ounce of their womanliness. As one of the female characters says in Winterfair Gifts -- a dress can be a weapon if correctly wielded. ******************************************************
Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Duchess of Malfi
Lady Scryer
Joined: 17 Nov 2002
Posts: 5974
Location: Michigan, USA
Posted: 14 Dec 2005 21:42 Post subject: what science fiction are you reading right now?
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I have started reading Starfall by Catherine Asaro. Asaro is a highly trained scientist and is married to the proverbial rocket scientist, so her science fiction is supposedly rock solid when it comes to the science. But her heart is in writing romantic stories.
Starfall is the ninth book written in a series about a galactic empire, but the first in time. It tells the story of a high level government official, who also happens to be a princess in one of the Great Houses in the empire, running away from her son's security forces. He has manipulated events to take her away from the capital at a time when a crucial vote is coming up. He wants her off planet for the vote, as he holds her proxy and wants to vote on the opposite side of the issue that she supports.
So she is running from backwater world to backwater world, trying to find her way back to the capital before her son's security forces find her.
And then she is kidnapped away by one of the leaders of a local world...
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Jay Tomio
Pilot
Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 31
Posted: 31 Dec 2005 13:29 Post subject: Re: what science fiction are you reading right now?
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I'm going to start Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton here soon. The Bodhisattva
Fantasybookspot.com
My interview this week: Kelly Link
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MinDonner
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Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 32
Posted: 31 Dec 2005 15:26 Post subject: Re: Julian May
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I've been obsessed all week with Julian May's Galactic Milieu Trilogy: JACK THE BODILESS, DIAMOND MASK, and MAGNIFICAT. Finished reading MAGNIFICAT last night, wrote the first two reviews this morning, and now after a nap I am going to write the final review. This concludes a magnificent series, all 10 books of it, the kind of story that creates a new universe living alongside our own.
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Duchess of Malfi
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Joined: 17 Nov 2002
Posts: 5974
Location: Michigan, USA
Posted: 03 Feb 2006 01:30 Post subject: what science fiction are you reading now?
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I have started reading Mary Doria Russell's Children of God, sequel to her stunningly good The Sparrow. We have a thread for Russell in this forum, should anyone wish to learn more about her or her books. ******************************************************
Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Duchess of Malfi
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Posts: 5974
Location: Michigan, USA
Posted: 06 Feb 2006 22:47 Post subject: Re: what science fiction are you reading now?
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I have started reading Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson. It's the first thing I've read by this author. So far I am pleased. He shows lots of evidence of having a twisted sense of humor. I have not cared for cyberpunk in the past; this book seems to be the exception to that rule. ******************************************************
Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Duchess of Malfi
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Posts: 5974
Location: Michigan, USA
Posted: 15 Feb 2006 00:39 Post subject: Re: what science fiction are you reading now?
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Snow Crashcontinues to be very good. Stephenson has now introduced Sumerian mythology to the mixture of Mafia, mayhem, viruses (both computer and biological), pizza delivery, and various other wild things. ******************************************************
Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Duchess of Malfi
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Joined: 17 Nov 2002
Posts: 5974
Location: Michigan, USA
Posted: 28 Feb 2006 11:35 Post subject: Re: what science fiction are you reading now?
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I bought a book for my younger son, that I will hide in my room and read before giving it to him (once he gets it, I will probably never get my hands on it again. ).
It is called Dark Lord; The Rise of Darth Vader by James Luceno. Apparently it tells the story of Annakin/Vader from the time of Revenge of the Sith until he descends completely into darkness (not as if he had so far to go... ) as he tracks down and murders the few remaining Jedi throughout the galaxy... ******************************************************
Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Duchess of Malfi
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Joined: 17 Nov 2002
Posts: 5974
Location: Michigan, USA
Posted: 05 Mar 2006 12:48 Post subject: Re: what science fiction are you reading now?
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Last night I started reading Iain Banks's The Algebraist. It is science fiction, but not one of his Culture series books.
So far it looks as if it will be a bit labyrinthian in plot, classic (and very good) space opera involving some very alien (and interesting) species. Me happy. ******************************************************
Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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taraswizard
Master Pilot
Joined: 01 Jun 2003
Posts: 615
Location: Chicago suburbs
Posted: 09 Mar 2006 17:12 Post subject: Re: what science fiction are you reading now?
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Air by Jeff Ryman, winner of ths years Triptree award
www.triptree.org Direct human brain to internet interface is about to be introduced. A prelimnary test of the system is planned and one of the test areas is an undeveloped village in Central Asia. How would such technology effect an area where TV is not even commonplace. Can an woman of very ordinary circumstance capitalize of the upcoming roll out of this technololy when it is available to the whole world? Can this small village survive this gargantuan change? taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
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Duchess of Malfi
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Posts: 5974
Location: Michigan, USA
Posted: 12 Mar 2006 11:27 Post subject: Re: what science fiction are you reading now?
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That one sounds like it could be really interesting, Taras. I will have to keep my eye out for that one.
I am reading some more Star Wars books so I can turn them over to my younger son. This is a two book series by Timothy Zahn. I finished the first book, called Survivor's Quest. Luke is called to the far end of the galaxy to examine a wrecked Jedi ship (which once carried some 50,000 people) from the days of the Old Republic. This takes place many years after Return of the Jedi, and there are many governments and states in the glaxy other than the New Republic. There are representatives from many ofthese governments along on the mission, and at least one wants the mission to fail...
The second book actually goes backwards in time to the days of the Old Republic and tells the story of the huge ship that Luke is sent to investigate. It is called Outbound Flight, and I have just begun reading it.
I recently finished Iain Banks's The Algebraist, by the way. It was a very good read. I am impressed and amazed by Banks's imaginative power. The other Banks books I have read were all part of his Culture series, and those present a very well developed world (galaxy). In this book he presents another completely different yet equally well thought out and developed world (galaxy). And unlike most of the other Banks books I have read, this one actually has a pretty upbeat and hopeful ending. Banks books are very hard to find in these parts,though, so perhaps Banks usually has upbeat endings, and I just haven't found them yet. ******************************************************
Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Duchess of Malfi
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Posted: 18 Mar 2006 13:07 Post subject: Re: what science fiction are you reading now?
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I ended up liking Outbound Flight more than its companion novel Survivor's Quest. Seeing the Jedi interact with the less than happy crew and passengers on their huge ship was pretty interesting...as were the alien Chiss and their great admiral, Thrawn... Not bad, not bad at all. ******************************************************
Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Duchess of Malfi
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Location: Michigan, USA
Posted: 20 Mar 2006 12:27 Post subject: Re: what science fiction are you reading now?
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I am currently reading Aldous Huxley's rather chilling classic novel Brave New World. I have not read it in more than twenty years, and decided it was time for a reread to see if it was as creepy in its prophetic vision of the future. I think I am finding that vision even creepier now than I did when I had to read it back in high school. ******************************************************
Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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taraswizard
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Joined: 01 Jun 2003
Posts: 615
Location: Chicago suburbs
Posted: 04 May 2006 17:54 Post subject: Re: what science fiction are you reading now?
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Brave new world. Read this when I was right near the end of HS, so that makes it like 30 or so yrs ago. I had read 1984 yrs. earlier. ATT, I thought the Orwell protrayed a far more realistic view the future; however, as time has progressed I think Huxley's view is far more close to the way things might be. FWIW, I've read that Orwell's view of the future world was just his fictionalization of how he saw life in Stalinist USSR.
BTW, I think 1984 is the better book of the two. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
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taraswizard
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Posts: 615
Location: Chicago suburbs
Posted: 04 May 2006 18:05 Post subject: Troll by Johanna Sinisalo
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Troll by Johanna Sinsalo, translated from the original Finnish. Finnished a few days ago. Plot outline, young gay Finnish photographer finds and shelters young lost troll (this troll is not a magical creature). Hi-jinks ensue. This book offers a regular biological explanation for trolls.
It's a good book. Loaded with lots of authentic folklore about trolls and their impact to Finnish folklore (that's why I empahsized the Finnish origins to this book). I'm not even sure if this book is SF. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
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