It’s time to select a book for November! I’ll collect nominations for the next couple of days.
These are the nominations from October that didn’t a chance to be voted on proper:
- Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
- Godspeed by Charles Sheffield
- Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer
- A memory called Empire
- Hyperion
- Revelation Space
- Empire of Silence (Suneater series 1)
Please add more or throw your support down for one of these! For me this month I will nominate:
Omega Rising (book 1 of Omega Force) by Joshua Dalzelle
UPDATE: We have some winners!
Don’t forget to cast your vote guys! https://poll-maker.com/poll4985854x809f4E8A-153
Luna: New Moon by Ian McDonald.
Generally characterized as A Game of Thrones in space, which isn’t a bad way to put it. I think in a lot of ways it’s better understood as a modern counterpoint to The Moon is a Harsh Mistress that carefully examines and dissects Heinlein’s libertarian rhetoric, while also adopting and pushing even further forward his imaginative considerations on what future social dynamics and sexual politics might look like.
It’s also, just, an absolute hell of a political thriller. Assassinations, arranged marriages, coups and counter-coups, and court cases that can turn into trial by combat. It’s fun, it’s brilliantly written, every character is well developed, and no one comes off as a villain or a hero (apart from Bryce. Fuck Bryce.)
I think we need a few from the grandfather’s of science fiction.
I think The Moon is a Harsh Mistress or Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein, or… I guess most things from Asimov (it’s hard to pick something not part of a series), would be good options.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
This is the better of the two. It’s got AIs! And communists! And memes! It’s a natural fit for Lemmy.
It’s also one of the few Heinlein books not completely full of misogynistic sexual fantasies.
I had forgotten but I read this a while back. It’s quite a ride.
Nothing wrong with the beginning of a series as long as it can stand on it’s own.
Then I think Foundation from Asimov would be good, although there’s several places in the universe you could start.
I, Robot is another one that people might be more familiar with, although the movie has very little to do with the book besides the title and being about robots.
I’m currently in the middle of A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge and it’s truly enjoyable. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Fire_Upon_the_Deep?useskin=vector
I don’t know how I missed this one prior to now, given that it won a Hugo.
I would go with Sheffield, I thought I had read everything by him but that’s not one I recognize. Great hard SF writer.
