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The New Coffee Room

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  3. What are you reading now?

What are you reading now?

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  • George KG George K

    Yes, I'm a huge Scalzi fan. Several of his books are part of a series. @jolly recommended "Old Man's War." which was a real hard sci-fi story, focusing on military aspects of sci-fi. There are at least 4 more books in the series. One of them "Zoe's Tale" tells the same story as its predecessor, but from the viewpoint of a different character - an interesting approach.

    He has just completed the final book of a trilogy ("The Collapsing Universe") that I've only read the first book of. I'm going to get the next two and do it in sequence.

    "Lock-In" is a standalone novel about a detective who suffers a "lock-in" state because of a viral pandemic. Very creative. It has a sequel, but they're both pretty much standalone.

    "Redshirts" is a take on "Star Trek:" What if Star Trek were real, and the characters knew they were part of an act?

    "Fuzzy Nation" is, perhaps, the most light-hearted of his books. It has poignant scenes, funny stuff, and snappy, snappy dialog. I loved it.

    Well, perhaps "Agent to the Stars" is the most light-hearted. Suppose that you're in an advertising agency, and your boss gives you a very, very unusual client. And you can't say anything about the client - yet. Loved it too.

    So, for snappy, fast-paced, clever writing with witty dialog and creative and unusual stories, you can't do better than Scalzi. I owe Jolly for turning me on to him.

    JollyJ Offline
    JollyJ Offline
    Jolly
    wrote on last edited by
    #91

    @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

    Yes, I'm a huge Scalzi fan. Several of his books are part of a series. @jolly recommended "Old Man's War." which was a real hard sci-fi story, focusing on military aspects of sci-fi. There are at least 4 more books in the series. One of them "Zoe's Tale" tells the same story as its predecessor, but from the viewpoint of a different character - an interesting approach.

    He has just completed the final book of a trilogy ("The Collapsing Universe") that I've only read the first book of. I'm going to get the next two and do it in sequence.

    "Lock-In" is a standalone novel about a detective who suffers a "lock-in" state because of a viral pandemic. Very creative. It has a sequel, but they're both pretty much standalone.

    "Redshirts" is a take on "Star Trek:" What if Star Trek were real, and the characters knew they were part of an act?

    "Fuzzy Nation" is, perhaps, the most light-hearted of his books. It has poignant scenes, funny stuff, and snappy, snappy dialog. I loved it.

    Well, perhaps "Agent to the Stars" is the most light-hearted. Suppose that you're in an advertising agency, and your boss gives you a very, very unusual client. And you can't say anything about the client - yet. Loved it too.

    So, for snappy, fast-paced, clever writing with witty dialog and creative and unusual stories, you can't do better than Scalzi. I owe Jolly for turning me on to him.

    If you like the light foreign diplomat to the stars fare, look at the Retief series by Keith Laumer. The early stuff written before his stroke, is the best, as his writing suffered in later years.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jame_Retief

    Most people know Laumer for his Bolo series of self-aware super-tanks.

    “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

    Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

    1 Reply Last reply
    • Catseye3C Offline
      Catseye3C Offline
      Catseye3
      wrote on last edited by
      #92

      Thanks, George. Thanks, Jolly.

      Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

      1 Reply Last reply
      • Catseye3C Catseye3

        Aqua or Other SciFi Fans:

        Found this long-ago bookmarked title: Fuzzy Nation: an extraordinary retelling of the SF classic Little Fuzzy. ZaraCorp holds the right to extract unlimited resources from the verdant planet Zarathustra—as long as the planet is certifiably free of native sentients. So when an outback prospector discovers a species of small, appealing bipeds who might well turn out to be intelligent, language-using beings, it's a race to stop the corporation from "eliminating the problem," which is to say, eliminating the Fuzzies—wide-eyed and ridiculously cute small, and furry—who are as much people as we are.

        It's written by John Scalzi. George, am I correct that you're a fan of his?

        Anyway, do y'all know this book? Is it a thing? Is it good?

        Aqua LetiferA Offline
        Aqua LetiferA Offline
        Aqua Letifer
        wrote on last edited by
        #93

        @Catseye3 said in What are you reading now?:

        Aqua or Other SciFi Fans:

        Found this long-ago bookmarked title: Fuzzy Nation: an extraordinary retelling of the SF classic Little Fuzzy. ZaraCorp holds the right to extract unlimited resources from the verdant planet Zarathustra—as long as the planet is certifiably free of native sentients. So when an outback prospector discovers a species of small, appealing bipeds who might well turn out to be intelligent, language-using beings, it's a race to stop the corporation from "eliminating the problem," which is to say, eliminating the Fuzzies—wide-eyed and ridiculously cute small, and furry—who are as much people as we are.

        It's written by John Scalzi. George, am I correct that you're a fan of his?

        Anyway, do y'all know this book? Is it a thing? Is it good?

        It's a good modernization of a classic, yeah.

        Please love yourself.

        1 Reply Last reply
        • Catseye3C Offline
          Catseye3C Offline
          Catseye3
          wrote on last edited by
          #94

          Another Q for the SciFi folk. Do y'all know of the writer Greig Beck? His book Primordia? Any good?

          Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

          George KG Aqua LetiferA 2 Replies Last reply
          • Catseye3C Catseye3

            Another Q for the SciFi folk. Do y'all know of the writer Greig Beck? His book Primordia? Any good?

            George KG Offline
            George KG Offline
            George K
            wrote on last edited by
            #95

            @Catseye3 said in What are you reading now?:

            Another Q for the SciFi folk. Do y'all know of the writer Greig Beck? His book Primordia? Any good?

            No idea. Never heard of him.

            "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

            The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

            1 Reply Last reply
            • Catseye3C Catseye3

              Another Q for the SciFi folk. Do y'all know of the writer Greig Beck? His book Primordia? Any good?

              Aqua LetiferA Offline
              Aqua LetiferA Offline
              Aqua Letifer
              wrote on last edited by
              #96

              @Catseye3 said in What are you reading now?:

              Another Q for the SciFi folk. Do y'all know of the writer Greig Beck? His book Primordia? Any good?

              hahah get the hell out of here! He visited my school during my Master's! Nice guy and an absolute nerd. Ironically I haven't read any of his stuff, though.

              Please love yourself.

              1 Reply Last reply
              • Catseye3C Offline
                Catseye3C Offline
                Catseye3
                wrote on last edited by
                #97

                Fat lot of good y'all are.

                Here's the Amazon blurb: "Ben Cartwright, former soldier, home to mourn the loss of his father stumbles upon cryptic letters from the past between the author, Arthur Conan Doyle and his great, great grandfather who vanished while exploring the Amazon jungle in 1908.

                Amazingly, these letters lead Ben to believe that his ancestor’s expedition was the basis for Doyle’s fantastical tale of a lost world inhabited by long extinct creatures. As Ben digs some more he finds clues to the whereabouts of a lost notebook that might contain a map to a place that is home to creatures that would rewrite everything known about history, biology and evolution.

                But other parties now know about the notebook, and will do anything to obtain it. For Ben and his friends, it becomes a race against time and against ruthless rivals.

                In the remotest corners of Venezuela, along winding river trails known only to lost tribes, and through near impenetrable jungle, Ben and his novice team find a forbidden place more terrifying and dangerous than anything they could ever have imagined."

                Is naming the protagonist after the Ponderosa Daddy a nerdy thing to do?

                Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

                1 Reply Last reply
                • Catseye3C Offline
                  Catseye3C Offline
                  Catseye3
                  wrote on last edited by Catseye3
                  #98

                  Here's a sentence right after the beginning from the "Look Inside": "The thing that followed him pushed trees from its path, and its carnivore breath was like a steam train huffing and hissing as it bore down on him."

                  Eh.

                  ef533b06-f88e-46fb-86bf-bda380ea15cb-image.png

                  Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • George KG Offline
                    George KG Offline
                    George K
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #99

                    I caved...

                    alt text

                    This is the audio version with multiple actors portraying the characters. I've only gotten to the "Arrival at Arrakis" part, but so far it's a very good adaptation.

                    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                    George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                    • HoraceH Offline
                      HoraceH Offline
                      Horace
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #100

                      Is that the one with the background atmospheric sound? It's pretty good but they ran out of money in the production and eventually all the characters are voiced by the main narrator.

                      Education is extremely important.

                      George KG jon-nycJ 2 Replies Last reply
                      • HoraceH Horace

                        Is that the one with the background atmospheric sound? It's pretty good but they ran out of money in the production and eventually all the characters are voiced by the main narrator.

                        George KG Offline
                        George KG Offline
                        George K
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #101

                        @Horace said in What are you reading now?:

                        Is that the one with the background atmospheric sound? It's pretty good but they ran out of money in the production and eventually all the characters are voiced by the main narrator.

                        Yep that's it. Shame about that, however. Nevertheless I'll enjoy.

                        "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                        The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        • HoraceH Offline
                          HoraceH Offline
                          Horace
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #102

                          The Baron's voice is awesome, I missed it when it stopped.

                          Education is extremely important.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • HoraceH Horace

                            Is that the one with the background atmospheric sound? It's pretty good but they ran out of money in the production and eventually all the characters are voiced by the main narrator.

                            jon-nycJ Offline
                            jon-nycJ Offline
                            jon-nyc
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #103

                            @Horace said in What are you reading now?:

                            Is that the one with the background atmospheric sound? It's pretty good but they ran out of money in the production and eventually all the characters are voiced by the main narrator.

                            Really? Or is that some inside joke I’m missing?

                            Only non-witches get due process.

                            • Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • HoraceH Offline
                              HoraceH Offline
                              Horace
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #104

                              yarly, it goes from a theatrically produced ensemble narration to a standard single voice narration. I imagine that was not the plan starting out, but who knows.

                              Education is extremely important.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              • George KG Offline
                                George KG Offline
                                George K
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #105

                                I see that there are 6 (!) books out there - does this "loss of the actors" occur in the first book?

                                "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                • HoraceH Offline
                                  HoraceH Offline
                                  Horace
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #106

                                  Yes, first book.

                                  Education is extremely important.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  • Catseye3C Offline
                                    Catseye3C Offline
                                    Catseye3
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #107

                                    This book is being offered for $1.99 -- marked down from $18.99!!!!!

                                    It is American Heritage History of the Confident Years: 1866-1914 by Francis Russell: "Here . . . is the vivid story of the confident years - those days of America's exuberant growth in population, industry, and world prestige - from the end of the Civil War to the outbreak of World War I." It seems an inspired choice for these gloomy anxiety-ridden times.

                                    I bought it, of course. A $19 book for a buck-99? Are you kidding me?

                                    Go to https://www.amazon.com/American-Heritage-History-Confident-Years-ebook/dp/B01DK8FY7C/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=American+Heritage+History+of+the+Confident+Years%3A+1866-1914&qid=1595601920&s=books&sr=1-2

                                    I recommend you read at least the opening paragraph in the "Look Inside".

                                    I have a feeling that this book will have a salutary effect on my sore heart.

                                    Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

                                    taiwan_girlT 1 Reply Last reply
                                    • Catseye3C Catseye3

                                      This book is being offered for $1.99 -- marked down from $18.99!!!!!

                                      It is American Heritage History of the Confident Years: 1866-1914 by Francis Russell: "Here . . . is the vivid story of the confident years - those days of America's exuberant growth in population, industry, and world prestige - from the end of the Civil War to the outbreak of World War I." It seems an inspired choice for these gloomy anxiety-ridden times.

                                      I bought it, of course. A $19 book for a buck-99? Are you kidding me?

                                      Go to https://www.amazon.com/American-Heritage-History-Confident-Years-ebook/dp/B01DK8FY7C/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=American+Heritage+History+of+the+Confident+Years%3A+1866-1914&qid=1595601920&s=books&sr=1-2

                                      I recommend you read at least the opening paragraph in the "Look Inside".

                                      I have a feeling that this book will have a salutary effect on my sore heart.

                                      taiwan_girlT Offline
                                      taiwan_girlT Offline
                                      taiwan_girl
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #108

                                      @Catseye3 thanks for the recommendation. Looks like an iterating book

                                      jon-nycJ 1 Reply Last reply
                                      • taiwan_girlT taiwan_girl

                                        @Catseye3 thanks for the recommendation. Looks like an iterating book

                                        jon-nycJ Offline
                                        jon-nycJ Offline
                                        jon-nyc
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #109

                                        @taiwan_girl said in What are you reading now?:

                                        Looks like an iterating book

                                        You can say that again. And again. And again...

                                        Only non-witches get due process.

                                        • Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
                                        taiwan_girlT 1 Reply Last reply
                                        • jon-nycJ jon-nyc

                                          @taiwan_girl said in What are you reading now?:

                                          Looks like an iterating book

                                          You can say that again. And again. And again...

                                          taiwan_girlT Offline
                                          taiwan_girlT Offline
                                          taiwan_girl
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #110

                                          @jon-nyc 😂

                                          We will have to have @Catseye3 let us know if it was also interesting!!!!

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