The Apolyton Science Fiction Book Club: November Votes

[Jon Miller]

long is nothing for me

I read The Book of the Long Sun in a day (all 4 parts)

Jon Miller

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by St Leo


I haven't read LHoD, but Wizard of Earthsea is utter crud.

Years is a fun read.

I disagree- at least with Le Guin you don't get those really insanely irritating noble wizards, doughty dwarves and wise elves that infest modern fantasy like off the shelf plagues of cliches. What I like about Le Guin's Earthsea sequence is that it deals with balance, order, maturation and the consequences of our actions without bashing you over the head with a morality tale.

If you haven't read 'Left Hand of Darkness/ then really you should- it was the first time I'd ever read something that explored what does it mean to be a sexual being- a male or a female? How is the construction of sexual identity achieved and what does it mean in terms of a society's growth if the roles customary on Earth are missing?

'Years of Rice and Salt' has many things going for it, but the Buddhist after life sequences are a jarring interpolation. I do like Robinson's development of the alternate history on his imagined world though. Much better than Turtledove's recent efforts. I had to put down his one about a Spanish ruled England as it was just so unlikely I was grinding my teeth in exasperation. I think he's been downhill since 'Agent of Byzantium'.

[St Leo]

Originally posted by molly bloom
I disagree- at least with Le Guin you don't get those really insanely irritating noble wizards, doughty dwarves and wise elves that infest modern fantasy like off the shelf plagues of cliches. What I like about Le Guin's Earthsea sequence is that it deals with balance, order, maturation and the consequences of our actions without bashing you over the head with a morality tale.

Compared to Niven's The Magic Goes Away that I read before it and Zelazny's Amber series that I read afterwards, it sucks.

[Bosh]

Also keep in mind that Wizard of Earthsea is written for a slightly younger age group than her sci-fi (not that Wizard of Earthsea isn't a great book for adults to read, plenty of good philosophy).

[JohnT]

Bump.

Went to the local used book store to look up "Schilde's", "Rice and Salt", "Armor", and the Friedman book, and not a single one was there.

[Imran Siddiqui]

You pansies! How can Rama only have 3 votes .

[Jon Miller]

was desent but not greta

Jon Miller

[Imran Siddiqui]

HEATHEN .

Rama was awesome!

[JohnT]

Bumping it one last time. As of now, Years of Rice and Salt leads with 11 votes, Rama has 4 in case anybody cares.

Remember, if you voted for Tits Out Terror Totty you can change your vote to another title on the list. You might as well.

[JohnT]

Oh, and thanks to whoever voted for Firestar. I owe you one!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Rama has 4 in case anybody cares.

I do

[Harry Seldon]

Don't count out The Guide just yet.

[Immortal Wombat]

Originally posted by JohnT
Remember, if you voted for Tits Out Terror Totty you can change your vote to another title on the list. You might as well.

Ooh, yeah. I change my vote to the Guide.

[Curiosity]

Mote, and Diamond Age (Even though Stephenson's other books are beyond crap, DA is not bad.)

[Lonestar]

I read Years awhile back. I hated it.


Starship Troopers all the way!




Yeah, I know it's from Starcraft. I always thought the M.I. Power Armor looked like the Terren Marines.