SF Bookclub

 Review of Cascade Failure by L. M. Sagas  4/5 Stars I read a lot of SF. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. It is a story of found family and the dangers of making choices for your loved ones instead of *listening* to what they want. Especially for a debut novel, the pacing was really good and the story was engaging. I didn't really see a lot of character development, though. I also noticed that sometimes Sagas seemed to get caught up in clever descriptions that would have been better left to the reader to notice on their own (too much "telling"). I can certainly understand why others have compared it to the Murderbot books by Wells, but it lacks the single voice of a consistent snarky narrator. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Resources for discussion of Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir Blurb:  The Emperor needs necromancers. The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines and no more time for undead nonsense.  Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.  Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fa...

 For July and August, we'll be reading A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine. This has been on my list since I saw Martine read at the Arkansas Literary Festival a few years ago.  Themes: Queerness Sacrifice  Culture Diplomacy Reviews:  Kirkus: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/arkady-martine/a-memory-called-empire/ Q&A with the author: https://www.npr.org/2019/04/07/710356506/questions-for-arkady-martine-author-of-a-memory-called-empire Vox: https://www.vox.com/culture/21497422/a-memory-called-empire-book-review

I wasn't keeping good records when we first started. I do have a list of books, but not exactly when we read them.  2015-2017   1953 Alfred Bester The Demolished Man (Hugo winner) 1961 Walter M. Miller, Jr. A Canticle for Leibowitz (Hugo winner) 1962 Robert A. Heinlein Stranger in a Strange Land (Hugo winner) 1964 Clifford D. Simak Here Gather the Stars (aka Way Station) (Hugo winner) 1966 Frank Herbert Dune (Hugo winner) 1967 Robert A. Heinlein The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress  (Hugo winner) 1968 Roger Zelazny Lord of Light  (Hugo winner) 1985 William Gibson Neuromancer  ( Hugo winner) 1970 Ursula K. Le Guin The Left Hand of Darkness  (Hugo winner) 1970 Kurt Vonnegut Slaughterhouse-Five (Hugo nominee)  1976 Joe Haldeman The Forever War  (Hugo winner) 1982 C. J. Cherryh Downbelow Station (Hugo winner) 2002 Neil Gaiman American Gods (Hugo winner) 2012 Jo Walton Among Others (Hugo winner) 2013 John Scalzi Redshirts  (Hugo wi...

For May and June 2022, we read Haldeman's Forever Peace . We read Forever War a few years back, and decided to read one of the companion books this spring.  I really enjoyed the book. The American War in Viet Nam has always fascinated me, perhaps because it was always on the television news when I was young. Haldeman is a veteran of that War, and that influence is pervasive. The central conflict of the main character, Julian Class, has to do with his accidental killing of a child in a combat situation. (This happens pretty early in the book, and has little to do with the overall plot.)  I also enjoyed the shifting perspective. At times, it is as though we are "jacked in" to Class, and able to see the actions through his perspective. Other times, though, we get an omniscient third person narrator and get a broader perspective on the story.  Discussion Questions for Second Half (there are definitely spoilers here):  1. Do you think completely understanding other peop...