The Apolyton Science Fiction Discussion Group: July Nominations

[Static Universe]

Originally posted by Rogan Josh
I have been reading a lot of Fantasy stuff lately. Maybe we should have a fantasy book club too.

There was an attempt at it a few weeks ago I think, but I don't know what became of it. JohnT posted in it, perhaps you can search his threads.

[JohnT]

T'wasn't my thread. I don't read fantasy.

[Lonestar]

Then I renominate How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove.

(From Amazon.com)
In 1862, the Confederacy won the War of the Rebellion (not by interference of time travelers, as in Turtledove's Guns of the South, LJ 9/1/92, but by their own skillful military and diplomatic efforts). The defeated North has stewed for nearly 20 years. In this alternate history, the South exercises an opportunity to purchase Sonora and Chihuahua from the bankrupt Mexican Empire, having already wrested Cuba from Spain. James G. Blaine, now president of the United States, arrogantly seizes upon this pretext and invades with the aim of reunification. Lincoln has become an outcast of the Republican Party and preaches socialism while Custer is a frustrated and embittered colonel on the frontier, Samuel Clemens a fiery newspaper editor in San Francisco, and Rosecrans the inadequate head of the Union Army. Turtledove is an accomplished professional at this sort of thing and has given us an entertainment that makes us think somewhat about why we are the way we are.

[Static Universe]

Originally posted by Lonestar
Then I renominate How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove.

If you like alternate history stuff, have you read Ward Moore's "Bring the Jubilee", originally published in the 50s? Another good alternate Civil War story.

Amazon Link
Sample Chapter

[Static Universe]

Originally posted by JohnT
T'wasn't my thread. I don't read fantasy.

But you did post in it, which is how I found it.

Rogan Josh:

Here's a link to the Fantasty Thread

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=84882

Not sure what the status is so perhaps you can contact Boshko.

[Odin]

Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, the final book in his trilogy, and I think the best. I just finished reading it yesterday.

[Static Universe]

Originally posted by Odin
Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, the final book in his trilogy, and I think the best. I just finished reading it yesterday. ---DELETED---

Thanks for the spoiler.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah, really!!

[Odin]

DOH!

[Lonestar]

How few Remain, damnit!

[Static Universe]

Originally posted by Odin
Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, the final book in his trilogy, and I think the best. I just finished reading it yesterday.

KSR published five novels before the cut-off date.

[JohnT]

Last bump before voting thread.

So far we have:

Revelation Space, Aleister Reynolds, nominated by Rogan Josh.
How Few Remain, Harry Turtledove, nominated by Lonestar.
Diaspora, Greg Egan, nominated by St. Leo.
Starfish, Peter Watts, nominated by Jon Miller.
Slaughtermatic, Steve Aylett, nominated by Static Universe.
Perdido Street Station, China Mieville, nominated by Stefu.

Odin, as I said when I PM'ed you, I can't accept Blue Mars as it will require us to read three books to fully understand it.

Lonestar, we don't joke about nominating the Dune prequels in this club - some things are just not funny!

[Imran Siddiqui]

John... has Turtledove been writing solely after 1993?

[JohnT]

[Imran Siddiqui]

... well because if he has... I'll nominate a BETTER Turtledove novel .