Printable View
Let's use this topic to discuss our favorite SciFi books or new Scifi books we have read.
The origional post... check out Abebooks.com
There is a seller there with incredible values look for Doc_George
I've bought some classics from him
------------------
[This message has been edited by AsIs (edited October 06, 2001).]
Anyone want me to keep this topic? It just looks like a advertisment from someone who doesn't post here to me...
------------------
Selah
We could use it as a forum to discuss books we've read and enjoyed, or books we've read and hated, recommendations, that sort of thing. Otherwise, toss it.
------------------
Ok, works for me, I have the power to edit topic description, so I will change it...
Note: I don't change any posts by established or new posters who are here to post, just trolls and people looking to spam us with ads.
------------------
Selah
Okay, let's get started...
I am just beginning a compilation volume of all the Lucky Starr novels written by Isaac Asimov using his Paul French pen name.
Has someone else read them? Care to let me know what you think of them? I realize that the science is going to be wrong. His introduction, written before his death, makes that abundantly clear. I'm hoping for a good read in spite of that.
Next up, after the book arrives, will be the collected Cthulhu stories of H.P. Lovecraft. Somehow I missed them when I was growing up. Time to remedy the situation.
------------------
MightyLady of the Flame Red Hair
Love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant.
I am currently on Book 6 out of 7 of the GATEWAY series in the startrek universe. Anyone reading these.
Man, they really make you read ALL the startreks. There is one for ALL, then one for TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager, Frontier....Book 8 will some it all together.
------------------
Nommy
Blair and I are currently reading the Sweep Series by Cate Tiernan. It's a Teen series about Wicca and really really good, much better than I had hoped for.
Anyone else reading these? We're done with the first 4 and Blair just started on the 5th, while I am reading the first Farscape Novel, which by the way is also really good if anyone wants to discuss it.
------------------
Sindatur - The Grey owl Wizzard
I just finished the second prequel to the Dune series calles Dune: House Harkonnen.
I rather like the idea of the prequels, since the Dune universe is so rich and there is obviously a lot to explain about how the characters got to where they are. This book has it in spades, Duke Leto's young adulthood, Guerney Halek's escape from the Harkonnens and how he got that inkvine scar, Duncan Idaho's training a swordmaster, Jessica meeting Leto for the first time, the youth of Liet Kynes, etc.
But the writing in this one was SOOOOOO awful. Someone has got to tell these guys that we know Jessica has bronze hair. They don't have to mention it all the time. Likewise it is pathetic to refer to Duncan as "the swordmaster" or especially as "the new swordmaster." It is OK to repeat his name a few times in the same paragraph.
Anyway, worth it a bit for the story lines, but a slog in the writing department. I don't remember the same problem with the first prequel at all. Let's hope the third one (which will bring us the childhoods of Paul Atredies, Chani and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen) will go back to the quality of the first one.
Overall, I rate number 2 as worth the cost of a paperback and OK, though mildly annoying, public transportation reading.
------------------
Farscape Novel? No way! I would love to read it. Got a synopsis, Sin?
------------------
Nommy
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
Fredrick Winsor's (I think that is the name) "The Space Child's Mother Goose" has been reissued. It has been out of print for ages. I once asked Amazon to look for a copy for me and the only one they offered was in the $300-$400 range. Now, you can get it for $18.95 minus a discount. Not a first edition, but who cares?
I may have to get a bunch of these to use as gifts. This one is really worth it. And the historical context is amazing too. As in:
The hydrogen dog and the cobalt cat
Side by side in the armory sat.
Nobody talked about fusion or fission.
Everyone talked of their peace time mission.
Then somebody came and opened the door.
There they sat in a neutron fog
The codrogen cat and the hybalt dog.
They all went up in a terrible roar
And nobody never was there no more.
That was, of course an approximation from memory. I might have missed a bit. I don't own a copy...yet.
Here's a less ominous one:
Spin along in spacial night
Artificial satelite.
Monitor with blip and bleep
The universe and baby's sleep.
Or the end of another one...
Foundations shake, computers break and science goes bee bop
But baby's joy is still the toy with silly ears that flop.
I love this book!!! I want it. It is discounted 20% at amazon. I have a bunch of amazon gift certificates from my birthday that I haven't used. I think I'll get 4 - one for me, one for brother, one for uncle's kids Joey and Jacob, one for cousin Jonathan's baby Jared...
Maybe I'll need more than 4.
It has cool pictures and neat definitions of technical terms too.
P.S. Despite the "ad" at the top of the topic, Abebooks seems like a good site. I never ordered anything from them, but you deal directly with the independent sellers so experiences will vary. When I was searching for "The Space Child's Mother Goose" they occassionally came up with one that was closer to $100 than $400. I never went that far, but it seems a well organized place with a good search engine. Whether any individual bookseller is honest is, I imagine, a risk you take. Still, it is nice to support the independents that are trying to stick it out in a B&N/Borders/Amazon world.
------------------
Nommy,
The first one is called House of Cards.
Moya's crew (Zhaan, D'argo, Chricton, Rygel, Chiana, and Aeryn) goes to a gambling planet that's kinda cut off because of an atmosphere that is detrimental to ships (other than Bio-ships) and get embroiled in a plot that twists quite a bit here and there. Rygel is cheated at cards and loses their stake and they must do some chores for one of the casino owners. These chores also are not what they seem to be about. Crais doesn't seem to be a friend yet, Scorpy is after them and Talyn is already born.
Just finished it this morning. I already have the second one and will be reading it next, I believe that's all there is so far.
------------------
Sindatur - The Grey owl Wizzard
Didn't realize there was a second Farscape book out. I'll have to pick it up.
I really liked House of Cards, it was a fun read and pretty true to characters.
I have been reading the Star Trek Section 31 series, it has been fun. But I like the covert stuff.
I read anything Melissa Scott writes, but been awhile since she has had a new book. But if you like AI stories, she does them very well.
------------------
Selah
Asis,
Yea House of Cards was very true to most of the characters, however, D'argo didn't always hit me right, he was well written most of the time, but, there was a little bit here and there that just didn't seem D'Argo. Everyone else though, seemed spot on with almost every word. Viva Las Vegas. Lots of Crichtonisms that were real good and I really enjoyed Aeryn going through her PK trip.
The third one, it seems, is due in December.
------------------
Sindatur - The Grey owl Wizzard
Polly! You made my day. The only copy of The Space Child's Mother Goose I have ever seen belongs to my ex (how I love being able to say that "ex" finally http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/smile.gif.
I'll have to order a copy right away.
My favorite, or at least the only one I can remember, starts out as follows:
Possible, probable, my black hen,
She lays eggs in the relative when.
Or something like that... it's been years since I've read it and I have a poor memory for poems and lyrics.
Anyway, "Wicked Cool!" as Greenie would say.
------------------
MightyLady of the Flame Red Hair
Love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant.
Has anyone heard from Greenie lately? I miss her!
------------------
Selah
Asis,
I agree about Melissa Scott. She is a phenomenal writer. I have 3 of her books and I've reread them at least twice. Scott writes both plots and characters well. I'd love to live in several of her worlds.
As to Greenie, I had an e-mail from her back in the beginning of July but not since. My fault there, as I haven't replied yet. I think that Sycamore and maybe Absom stay in touch with her better than I do.
FYI, I ordered A Space Child's Mother Goose last night. I was so psyched to find out it was available that I couldn't resist.
------------------
MightyLady of the Flame Red Hair
Love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant.
Which books have you read, Red?
I have read a ton of her stuff. She also co-writes with Lisa Barnett and they do fantasy stuff, which I also love.
------------------
Selah
[Bee runs to the bookshelf to see which ones are there...]
I have Trouble and Her Friends, Burning Bright, Dreamships, and The Shape of Their Hearts. If I had to pick one of those as my favorite, I'd probably end up picking Trouble, but I'd rather not have to choose. It would be like trying to pick my favorite William Gibson novel.
------------------
MightyLady of the Flame Red Hair
Love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant.
Pick up Dreaming Metal, it is the sequal to Dreamships and was quite satisfying. It and Trouble are probably my two faves.
Shadowman won several awards and makes you take a second look at sexuality. The premise is a society with multiple sexes.
But yes, I love all her books. It takes me awhile to figure out the universe that she creates, but I find it is always worth it.
http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/smile.gif I'm happy to have met another fan to discuss them with!
------------------
Selah
AsIs wrote:
http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/smile.gif I'm happy to have met another fan to discuss them with!
That goes double with me, AsIs! Most folks I discuss books with haven't even heard of Melissa Scott. I'll have to follow up on the books you mentioned.
Guess it's time to start a new hard copy of a reading list. My mental list is getting too long to keep track of.
Bee
(who just got her copy of Black Seas of Infinity, the H.P. Lovecraft compilation of Cthulhu stories)
------------------
MightyLady of the Flame Red Hair
Love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant.
Yes I do hear from Greenie quite regularly. She's a busy one with her nuns and cub scouts, but she does send an Email from time to time. As for Amazon, I am constantly delighted by their prompt service. The longest I've ever had to wait for a book was 3 days. I order loads of things from them and even the used books are in excellent condition.
------------------
absom
Mighty Lady, enjoy the HPL stuff. I read a volume a few years ago and I still think of it. Especially when I see some plates on display at my inlaws, but that's way too involved to explain now. http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/smile.gif
------------------
Drago Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
Not sure this counts as a book, but I stopped off at a comics convention (no speakers or anything, just lots of comics, some other vendors and an auction) in NYC on Saturday.
Picked up a copy of the number one B5 comic. I didn't take it out of its bag to see what sort of shape it was in on the inside (outside looked OK), but for $2, who cares.
I know the B5 comics were notoriously bad, but I might as well finish my collection. Now that I have #1, I think I need #8 and #9 and I'll be done. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember the other ones I was missing at the convention and wasn't willing to just grab a few that looked unfamiliar. Besides the others were more in the $10 range.
It was nice to pick up one of the ones I needed. It didn't make up for the miserable experience of car shopping (as a single female) on 11th avenue in Manhattan, but it at least made me smile.
------------------
btw, if you are looking for out of print books that abebooks.com looked pretty good for that. I went to a author's site that I liked and they recommended there. So abebooks.com looks legitimate.
------------------
Selah
Hi Rantarn!
Meant to tell you that Karina was working all of 1000 yards from your building for 3 months. Worked for Continental Wingate, next to the Charles river, across from the Gymnastics place.
------------------
Nommy
[This message has been edited by Nommy (edited October 16, 2001).]
Hi Nommy. Cool. I'm not sure where I know where that is though. Is it on Highland Avenue in Newton or somewhere else?
------------------
Drago Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
O Frabjous Day!
My copy of A Space Child's Mother Goose arrived this afternoon. I've had a wonderful time reaquainting myself with it.
I'd share some of my favorites, but that will have to wait for another day, an earlier hour.
------------------
MightyLady of the Flame Red Hair
Love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant.
OK, Bee. This is getting dangerous. Your extra discount thingy inspired me to actually put together an Amazon order and it is getting dangerous. It is between 2 and 3 times as high as the gift certificates I have. Oh well. Books are books, you know.
Will place order when I get home so I can use the gift certificates (one didn't come by e-mail, so I can't look it up). Hopefully that will sneak me under the wire to get the extra 10% off one copy of "The Space Child's Mother Goose." And if I do it back to you, you will be able to get 10% off the last technomage book. Not sure if the shipping is worth the discount, but you can decide for yourself.
Probable-possible, my black hen,
She lays eggs in the relative when.
She doesn't lay eggs in the positive now,
Because she's unable to postulate how.
Hee, hee.
------------------
Polly, that shipping is exactly why I didn't order the techno-mage novels tonight when I found the discount from you. I'm going to check around. I may be able to get all 3 books cheaper here. I will still have to pay 6% sales tax, but it doesn't add up to the $5.47 shipping and handling amazon.com wants.
Availability will be the deal breaker.
Meanwhile:
Flappity, Floppity, Flip!
The Mouse on the M?bius Strip.
The Strip revolved,
The Mouse dissolved
In a chronodimensional skip.
Tag! You're it.
------------------
MightyLady of the Flame Red Hair
Love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant.
Ya Know, these Mother Goose space rhymes remind me of the time(s) data had that poem sitting on the enterprise.LOL
------------------
Nommy
Little Jack Horner sat in a corner
Extracting cube roots to infinity
A [something] for boys
Which eliminates noise
And provides a more tranquil vicinity.
Ya know, I ain't gonna be able to do this much longer. I don't have my copies of the book. And since I pre-ordered a bunch of stuff, it will take a while before Amazon decides to give in and send the already published stuff separately (even though I didn't pay for separate shipments).
------------------
Polly,
a [something]=An assignment
ok, here's another one
Resistor, transistor, condensers in pairs,
Battery, platter, record me some airs;
Squeaker and squawker and woofer times pi,
And Baby shall have his own private Hi-Fi.
If we keep this up, we will eventually post every poem in the book! :)
------------------
MightyLady of the Flame Red Hair
Every time I push the envelope, I get a paper cut.
[This message has been edited by MightyLady77 (edited October 23, 2001).]
Farscape Book 2 Dark Side of The Sun.
Synopsis: Chrichton has a dental problem, that leads to problems on Moya, which in turn leads our beloved crew (Same as the first book) to trade with some rather unscrupulous types. Lots of betrayals to our heroes, some where you wouldn't expect them.
This one, in my opinion was not as good as the first one. The dialogue for the characters was well written, you could hear the character saying those things, but the work Frak was used an awful lot, where Frell was used only a couple times. Frak is from Battle Star Galactica, I don't recall hearing it in FArscape ever. The other problem I had with it was the action scenes, this may have been me being distracted and not paying attention, but the action went too fast and it was hard to follow what happened until you figure it out from what's written after the action has passed. Definitely worth the read, but not a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. Book 3, I believe is due out in DEcember.
BTW, is it OK to discuss spoilers in this topic? I've kinda strayed away from giving specifics or discussing specific things because it's it's such a wide open topic, and the description of the topic doesn't say spoilers are allowed.
------------------
Sindatur - The Grey owl Wizzard
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PollyMath:
I just finished the second prequel to the Dune series calles Dune: House Harkonnen....
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Recently i found a copy of "the notebook of frank herbert's dune" it's amazing, no more looking through previous books for one little quote, and it has some additional phrases of the dune universe aswell.
I'm finishing chapterhouse now, how is the first prequel, and have you heard anything of the second movie, which i believe is supposed to "consist" of messiah and children?
------------------
"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen."
~~AlbertEinstein
[This message has been edited by Stilgar (edited October 24, 2001).]
<Font face="georgia">Sindatur,
As far as I know, there are two options:
1) Start a new topic with the caption indicating that spoilers exist or
2) Indicate first off in the post that spoilers exist (<font size="+7"> in front of the warning works really well!). But, really, just use your best judgement. Besides, you've been around here long enough that if you're down to an educated guess you'll get it right.
My 2? worth.
------------------
Do not tempt the patience of Wizzards, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
WOW!! Wish I had bumped into this board sooner!
I'm a listener, though--I rarely read serious scifi books. Usually TV series (ST, B5, FarScape) and sometimes Arthur C. Clarke. And my reading is confined to after I crawl into bed, so often I get a page or two (or a sentence or two!)read before I wake up and find my face stuck to the print!
The Mother Goose sounds fantastic--I'm ordering tonight! #2 Farscape, too. I confess, though, I am having a very hard time getting into the first one--sounds like it's worth sticking with it, though!
I'm getting behind on my ST purchases--seems both K-Mart and Target have cut back on books in general and scifi in particular. I like getting as much as I can at those places since they discount by 25%. http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/frown.gif
Any info as to when the third Technomage book is due out?
------------------
<font face="georgia">As far as I know, the third technomage book is due out in November. I'll just sit here, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for the postman to arrive...
http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
</font>
------------------
Do not tempt the patience of Wizzards, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
I just bought the first two technomage novels for Aaron this week. Made him a happy camper--for at least five minutes. Kids!
I was going to order the third book from amazon.com since Polly sent me a 10% discount on it from there. But, I did the math, and, after adding the shipping into the total, it's still cheaper for me to run out to the local bookstore and pay state sales tax on it. I appreciate what amazon.com can offer to others, but I seldom find their prices low enough to justify taking business away from merchants in my own town.
On another topic, I just received a new book from Science Fiction Book Club. I don't remember ordering it, but a new book is never bad, is it?
------------------
MightyLady of the Flame Red Hair
Every time I push the envelope, I get a paper cut.
Thanks for the info about the next Technomage book!
I'll be ordering from the Universoty Bookstore, as usual. No shipping charges or sales tax (and I get an extra 10% rebate at the end of the year--that's really nice!)
(www.ubookstore.com, 800-335-READ (-7323)) http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/wink.gif
------------------
Just to let people know, it seems that Amazon.com has started their yearly "shop early, free shipping" promotion. I think it requires a really big order, but if you are ordering gifts for others as well as yourself, it might be worth it.
------------------