Books, if you love Firefly you will really love reading.... by Murkymerc

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Books, if you love Firefly you will really love reading....

POSTED BY: MURKYMERC
UPDATED: Friday, April 7, 2006 08:36
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 18933
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Monday, March 13, 2006 4:48 PM

MURKYMERC

I don't have an answer to the subject line, but hopefully you people here do. Help me...I need something new to read.

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Monday, March 13, 2006 5:42 PM

KAELE

Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell.

It's an entire series.

~Kaele

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Monday, March 13, 2006 5:54 PM

IVY

I don't think there is anything out there like Firefly - that's what makes it so unique. Since it's the people and their interactions that I love so much, I'll recommend some books with memorable characters and plots that suck you in. Again, not like Firefly but good characters.

Anything by Guy Gavriel Kay. He is a bit wordy and loves prose, but he can write people you care about. Tigana and A Song for Arbonne are particularly wonderful.

If you prefer something a little more light hearted - go for the 12 book series by David Eddings. The Belgariad (5 books), The Mallorian (5 books), Belgarath and Polgara. Not deep or terribly meaningful, but characters you will enjoy getting to know and hate letting go of (I admit it, I cried at the end...).

Tad Williams, Memory, Thorn and Sorrow trilogy (The Dragonbone Chair, The Stone of Farewell and To Green Angel Tower).

The classic (and my very favorite) Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game" and the two that follow Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide. (Not a fan of the ones after that in the Ender series.)

Hey - can you tell I love books....I actually HATE TV!!!!

Ivy

I've been sane a long while now, and change is good...

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Monday, March 13, 2006 5:58 PM

SEJANUS

Well... I don't write much here, but there is a two book 'series' (think of it as cancelled before its time) by Robert Frezza that is full of witty dialogue, absurdities, thrilling heroics, crappy space ships, and frontiers. With an interesting take on the frontier and why people live out there.

This would be "McLendon's Syndrome" 1993, and "The VMR Theory" 1996.

Good luck finding them in used bookstores or online.

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Monday, March 13, 2006 6:00 PM

UNREGISTEREDCOMPANION

I totally agree with the David Eddings books. I loved all of them
:D

Also check out David Brin. His Uplift Series is very cool. I also loved his books Earth and The Postman (remember...don't judge a book by its movie).

~~~~~
"Funny and sexy. You have no idea. And you never will."

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Monday, March 13, 2006 6:14 PM

CALLMEATH

Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy:

Tad Williams, Memory, Thorn and Sorrow trilogy (The Dragonbone Chair, The Stone of Farewell and To Green Angel Tower).

Someone else has read this series? I thought my sister and I were the only ones. Great books!

It doesn't really compare to Firefly, (whatdoes?) but I'm currently reading the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

Also, I highly recommend A Song of Fire and Ice, a series of books by George RR Martin. Not Firefly related, but a great read.

"Invader's blood marches through my veins like giant radioactive rubber pants. The pants command me! Do not ignore my veins!"

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Monday, March 13, 2006 6:16 PM

KAELE

Read the Myth series of books by Robert Aspirin. VERY good. And quirky. Like Firefly.

Oh, and since I'm in the convention mood, Bimbos of the Death Sun along with Zombies of the Gene Pool by Sharyn McCrumb.

~Kaele

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Monday, March 13, 2006 6:56 PM

NUCLEARDAY

Quote:
Originally posted by Kaele:
Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell.

It's an entire series.

~Kaele

Agreed, those are great ;p

My own pick: uhm... off the top of my head, the Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison. Not too much like the Firefly 'verse, but plenty of humour. (Plus gives many reasons to pick up Esperanto as a second language.)

________________________________________________
You can take my hope when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

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Monday, March 13, 2006 7:04 PM

TEALCANDTRIP

Quote:
Originally posted by Kaele:
Read the Myth series of books by Robert Aspirin. VERY good. And quirky. Like Firefly.

~Kaele

Well, if you're bringing up Robert Aspirin, I'm bringing up Jody Lynn Nye who wrote an excellent series of books: Mythology 101, Mythology Abroad, Higher Mythology, and Advanced Mythology.

Hilarious, quirky, with very memorable characters. The first three are collected into a trilogy called Applied Mythology and the fourth was written long after.

"I also hear that there's something called Firefly, which is either a canceled science-fiction television show or a new religion, I'm not clear on that. Either way, prayers for the resurrection are involved." – Lore Sjoberg

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Monday, March 13, 2006 7:11 PM

LVS2READ

The Honor Harrington series by David Weber or (my all time favorite) The Dragonrider series by Anne McCaffrey.

"I love my captain."

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Monday, March 13, 2006 7:34 PM

DAVESHAYNE

Not sure of any books that I would call particularly Firefly so I'll just rattle off a bunch of books I think everybody should read and enjoy. Not in any particular order.

The Phantom Tollbooth. (Yeah, it's a kids book. So what? It's fun.)

The Lord of the Rings. (The Professor sure could write the prose.)

Catch 22. (Perhaps the best novel ever writen. Seriously.)

Dune.

The Stars Like Dust, Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation. (Asimov in his prime.)

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. (Easily Heinleins best.)

The Shockwave Rider. (A John Brunner book with a happy - if contrived - ending; something of a rarity. Arguably the first cyberpunk novel.)

Neuromancer. (The first novel to be called cyberpunk.)

Ringworld. (Larry Niven at his best.)

David

"A lot of people are asking me, you know, what exactly is Firefly? It's a tv show you morons!" - Joss Whedon

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Monday, March 13, 2006 7:50 PM

BELOWZERO

Mike Resnick, Santiago and Return of Santiago. He is a browncoat for sure: look at the cover art on the second book and tell me who that guy and that ship remind you of!

I second Guy Gavriel Kay, I still love the whole Fionavar tapestry.
I love Diana Wynne Jones as well. Out of print book called Dogsbody is my fave. A kids' book but who cares?

Ditto on George R R Martin.

I also like Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. This guy is a browncoat to the point of quoting Firefly episodes in his latest, Dead Beat. "We ar enot gonna die. You know why? Thomas is too pretty to die. I am too stubborn to die. And polka will never die."

I also like (and y'all can just shoot me for crossing genres) the Laurell K Hamilton Anita Blake series, Glen Cooke's Garrett the investigator series, and Black Company. Peter David has a couple of series: the King Arthur one and Sir Apropos of Nothing--that I recommend.

Kelley Armstrong is also highly recommended, as is Tanya Huff (hi-LARIOUS) and Mary Janice Davidson's Undead and... series (also just too darn funny).

I, uh, don't watch much TV either. Hasn't been much point, since nothing is on that comes close to Firefly.

Have fun! Raid your local library if you need to. Interlibrary loan has saved my butt more than once.

"Do not go gentle into that good night....
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. . ."
--Dylan Thomas

Though my soul may set in darkness
It will rise in perfect light.
I have loved the stars too fondly
To be fearful of the night.

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Monday, March 13, 2006 9:09 PM

CAB1729

Quote:
Originally posted by Kaele:
Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell.

It's an entire series.

~Kaele

Great mil-fic. And Sean Bean in the TV series was soooo good. Sooo hot.

Um, what were we talking 'bout?

Oh books.

The Vlad Taltos/Dragaera books by Steven Brust. His sense of humor is very close to Joss's - sly, unexpected, a little sarcastic, with the occasional non sequitur. Start with Jhereg or if you can't find that, it's out in a trilogy with the first three books.

Plus, Brust has written his own darn Firefly novel which we're all hoping gets accepted by the Joss camp. He couldn't bear to write about after Serenity cuz he's a big Wash fan so he ignored the instructions and did one between Ff and Serenity. He read excerpts at a con here in Michigan and it was funny, exciting, true to Joss. No word yet on if it'll ever get published.

I really really want to read that book!

Anger on one side, sadness on the other.
Nobody knows about the third side.

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Monday, March 13, 2006 9:30 PM

ARCADIA

I recently read the first book in the Hyperion series and loved it. I'm going to read the second one over spring break. Look it up on amazon for a good description of what it's about. I think Firefly fans would like it because it is very character-oriented. The author structured it after the Canterberry Tales. It starts with seven characters coming together, and as they journey each is asked to tell their story (and their stories are the majority of the book). Since Firefly fans tend to like character driven works, I think you'd appreciate that.

Aside from that... hmm...

Well, there is a fun scifi series by David Gerrold that I like. It starts with the book "Jumping off the Planet". The premise is that Earth is overpopulated, and people are looking to get off the planet, either to live on the colony on the moon, or venture to new colonies beyond. These stories are told by Charles "Chigger", the middle of three brothers who are journying to the moon (and in later books, beyond the moon). Chigger, if I remember correctly, is 13/14, his older borhter is entering college age, and his younger brother is 8 or 10. I think a Firefly fan would like these books because 1) Chigger is funny, 2) Though the boys get caught up in some pretty big political issues, they are not big political figures. They're kids. Like our BDHs they rise to the occassions presented to them, but they don't seak them out the way that Star Trek chracters do, 3) Gerrold's portrayel of the future is just plain cool.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Objects in Space"
River: It's just an object. It doesn't mean what you think...

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Monday, March 13, 2006 10:15 PM

LEGOLAD

Okay, I just joined for the sake of adding to this thread. I'm sure you will have heard of these books:

His Dark Materials.

It's a trilogy, and it's as good as you've heard. Read them; you will not regret it. Most imaginative and epic fantasy since Lord of the Rings, which Dave was already good enough to recommend. They're not as humour-oriented as Firefly, but I love them both for the same reasons: believable characters struggling to get by in wondrous and deadly worlds, learning the big picture as they go along. Great stuff.

Also agree with Ivy; Ender's Game and its sequel are both fantastic, although the series kind of loses steam after that. Like Dune, come to think of it. Funny how we all seem to read the same books...

"We need a hood ornament."

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Monday, March 13, 2006 10:29 PM

NUCLEARDAY

Quote:
Originally posted by Arcadia:
I recently read the first book in the Hyperion series and loved it...

Oh yes, I'd forgotten about that one! Had the first book in the series gathering dust in my closet for years, and couldn't believe I'd waited so long to read it once I got past the first few chapters. That whole series is easily some of the best stuff I've read in recent years.

(Come to think of it... there's a couple of parallels between that series and Firefly, especially once you get to the last two books.)

________________________________________________
You can take my hope when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 12:13 AM

GARIM

I can easily second the recommendation to read the Hyperion series and OSC's Ender books.

One series that hasn't been mentioned that is a very good read and also character driven (with some really disgusting bad guys and interesting good guys - with crews that get into trouble constantly) is The Gap series by Stephen Donaldson.

All of these three series are very good reads...

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 1:45 AM

AUSSAY

The Wednesday Next books by Jasper Fforde - funny and smart

and Dune is great

"Shake your head boy, your eyes are stuck"

www.fireflyfans.net
http://www.browncoatsriseagain.com/

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:01 AM

JUGGLESGEESE

Great taste... I love these too. I didn't know anyone was reading them but me!

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:10 AM

RHODRI

Anything by David Gemmell - he the Gorram Man!! But in particular "Wolf in Shadow", "The Last Guardian", "Waylander".
Gemmell is the Master of the Anti-hero.

Also check out George McDonald Fraser's "Flashman Papers", a Victorian scoundral with a hand in virtually every period event, and it ain't what you're taught at school either!

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:20 AM

CYBERSNARK

Quote:
Originally posted by BelowZero:
Peter David has a couple of series: the King Arthur one and Sir Apropos of Nothing--that I recommend.

I second the Sir Apropos series. There are three books out; Sir Apropos of Nothing, The Woad to Wuin, and Tongue Lashing, and I'm sincerely hoping for a fourth, after the Whedonesque last paragraphs of book 3 (everything is resolved, the story's over, then we get a bombshell dropped matter-of-factly in our laps).

Peter David is also responsible for the Star Trek: New Frontiers series, which I'd recommend even if you dislike Star Trek. David is like the Joss of written work, and New Frontiers is unlike any Trek before or since.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:25 AM

SAB39

You'll laugh at me for this, but the only books that I've loved like I love Firefly are Harry Potter.

There's the same kind of "characters with mysterious pasts waiting to be revealed" aspect, a similarly detailed 'verse, humor and witty prose, characters you can fall in love with, action, drama, and heartbreak.

The balance of humor to serious drama is tilted further in favor of humor, and there's nothing as dark as the darkest moments of Firefly (but for "childrens" books, the later ones have some pretty dark stuff. An ear? Bah, how about a guy who voluntarily cuts off his own whole hand?)

If you've seen the movies and were unimpressed, give the books a chance - some of the movies are ok but as a whole they're pretty much video fanfic. Although, if you've seen the movies, you've gone and spoiled all the plot twists for yourself, which wasn't real smart ;)

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:28 AM

GRIZWALD

Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches series. Start with "The Witching Hour," and see if it grabs you.

____________________________________________________
They could not take the sky from them -
Our Big Damn Heroes made a film!
I'm gonna see Serenity then
go back the next morning and see it again.
Cuz no one at Fox knew this show had no equal
C'mon Universal, and greenlight the sequel!

Click on my profile for my Annoyingly Long List of Firefly Links.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:36 AM

CORNCOBB

I'm surprised no-one here has yet mentioned the Dark Tower books by Stephen King. They're fantasy, with all the usual myth and magic stuff, but set in a western style world, with gunslingers in place of knights.
They Kind of remind me of Firefly. They blend Westerns with fantasy, whereas FF blends westerns with Science Fiction. They're brilliant and I'm currently addicted to them.

"Gorramit Mal... I've forgotten my line."

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:38 AM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by Legolad:
Okay, I just joined for the sake of adding to this thread.

Welcome to the board. Post early, post often.

Quote:
Funny how we all seem to read the same books...

It's spooooky.

David

"A lot of people are asking me, you know, what exactly is Firefly? It's a tv show you morons!" - Joss Whedon

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:48 AM

OLDFOGEY

One of my favorites is the Chanur books by C.J. Cherryh: Pride of Chanur, Chanur's Venture, The Kif Strike Back, & Chanur's Homecoming. Currently the first 3 books are sold as a trilogy and the 4th one is sold separately. Go figure.

Most of the story happens on spaceships or a space station. There's this merchant ship whose captain gets caught up in the matter of a wayward, stowaway human - it's the first human any of them ever saw, and threatens to crash the captain's own species' fragile peace with some nasty aggressor alien neighbors. Suddenly nobody knows where the space-borders are anymore.

There's action, smart dialogue with humor and galactic intrigue. There's a bunch of great characters who have to work together to solve problems so bad that only a really good writer could get them out of without dumbing down the antagonists. I totally love these books.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 6:03 AM

MAL4PREZ

Quote:
Originally posted by Arcadia:
I recently read the first book in the Hyperion series and loved it.

That's the first thing I thought of - Dan Simmon's Hyperion series. I've read all four of these books a few times and they're my absolute fave sci-fi.

Great characters, really interesting future world, super-cool ideas for technology (farcaster house, oh man do I want one of those!), a religion vs science vs mythology angle which I really liked, adventure, war, AI, romantic love, parental love, etc... I could go on.

The 4th book gets a little slow and heavy with the description, but it's worth getting through. I highly recommend these books!

m4p

I'm the president. I don't need to listen.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 6:19 AM

GRIZWALD

Quote:
Originally posted by Corncobb:
I'm surprised no-one here has yet mentioned the Dark Tower books by Stephen King. They're fantasy, with all the usual myth and magic stuff, but set in a western style world, with gunslingers in place of knights.
They Kind of remind me of Firefly. They blend Westerns with fantasy, whereas FF blends westerns with Science Fiction. They're brilliant and I'm currently addicted to them.

Okay, this is not a spoiler, just a warning: When you get to the end of the last book, when Stephen tells you to stop reading RIGHT NOW, please take his advice and do so. Do not read the last little bit he added.

Of course I know you'll read it anyway. But you'll regret it afterward. Trust me on this one.

____________________________________________________
They could not take the sky from them -
Our Big Damn Heroes made a film!
I'm gonna see Serenity then
go back the next morning and see it again.
Cuz no one at Fox knew this show had no equal
C'mon Universal, and greenlight the sequel!

Click on my profile for my Annoyingly Long List of Firefly Links.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 6:22 AM

PIZMOBEACH

... fully loaded, safety off...

Quote:
Originally posted by Rhodri:
Also check out George McDonald Fraser's "Flashman Papers", a Victorian scoundral with a hand in virtually every period event, and it ain't what you're taught at school either!

I read those many years ago and they were great fun, very witty and very enjoyable, especially if you like historical novels.

Along those lines I highly recommend the The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels by Patrick O'Brian. I would never have thought Napoleonic naval warfare would be such a great read but O'Brian is "wow." Amazon is running a special on the entire series right now too.

Science Fiction: Many great ones but one writer that tends to slip by under the radar is a Polish SciFi author, Stanislaw Lem. He wrote Solaris that the 2 films were based on. I liked the films ok but like a lot of films from books the books are better. And he writes short story collections as well. In a nutshell: great imagination combined with great humor. Try "The Futurological Congress: From the Memoirs of Ijon Tichy," for a start if you're curious. One reviewer at Amazon said:
"One of my all time favorites. I have read and reread this book so many times, and it never ceases to make me laugh...then think about how much more relevant this book becomes as the years go by...then I laugh and think some more.
This book is an essential read for anyone who wants to dig deeper into the nature of reality. Whether you're 13 or 33 (63) this book will wind your brain up and send it in all directions. So....read it!!!"

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.net

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 6:26 AM

MAL4PREZ

Quote:
Originally posted by grizwald:
Okay, this is not a spoiler, just a warning: When you get to the end of the last book, when Stephen tells you to stop reading RIGHT NOW, please take his advice and do so. Do not read the last little bit he added.

Of course I know you'll read it anyway. But you'll regret it afterward. Trust me on this one.

I agree. I wish it'd ended different.

Of course, I'd still read the ending, warning or no!

I'm the president. I don't need to listen.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 6:40 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

First off, I second everything Legolad said about His Dark Materials.

Secondly, there's a fairly new book out called Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell which is well worth a look. The writer, Susanna Clarke, was guest of honour at a convention I attended last weekend. (P-Con, or The Phoenix convention. All about fantasy and sci-fi writing. ) She was asked at one point how she made her books so funny when so many dark things happened in them, and Susanna actually said that Joss' writing influenced her. She praised Joss' ability to temper very dark moments with humour and vice versa. My friend Aisling and I were grinning like idiots for the rest of that panel.

So when you're buying another copy of Serenity, pick up a copy of her book too, will ya?

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 6:41 AM

IVY

OK - thanks everyone, I think you have just spent half of my next paycheck. I just copied and pasted a ton of posts into an email for myself. There will definitely be some book ordering going on when I get home!! (And BTW - I love kids books!)

I've probably read half of what was suggested, and that is GREAT because it means I've been missing some really wonderful fiction and I plan on catching up. (Forget about laundry or grocery shopping.)

Keep 'em comin'!!!

Ivy

I've been sane a long while now, and change is good...

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 6:56 AM

RHODRI

Try David Gemmell - he's the master of the anti-hero. Of special interest are his Jon Shannow series; "Wolf in Shadow" and "Last Guardian".

Also try George Mcdonald Fraser's Flashman books; a Victorian scoundral dragged kicking and screaming (and wenching) into many key events of the 19th Century.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 6:57 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

Kids' books are GREAT! Some of the best fiction is in the Children's section of bookshops. I couldn't find the His Dark Materials trilogy for ages because it was hidden away in the kids department of every bookshop in Dublin. I had a look through the shelves when I finally found out where it was, discovered Garth Nix the very same day and haven't looked back since!

Oh yeah, that reminds me ... Garth Nix's books are good too :D

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 7:20 AM

UNREGISTEREDCOMPANION

Got a question....

I am in a book club. I have exposed my friends to sci-fi and fantasy...genres they normally do not read. Some they liked, some they hated, but I want to have them read more.

Problem is that I tend to love books so thick you can use them as a chair, preferably with 6 parts...all equally long. This is NOT a good book for a book club of busy women that meets once a month.

So, I need a short to medium length sci-fi or fantasy book that is self contained (no 9 parts) that non sci-fi types would like OR would love to discuss.

Any ideas?

~~~~~
"Funny and sexy. You have no idea. And you never will."

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 7:57 AM

GRIZWALD

Unregistered, has your club read any Diane Mott Davidson? - She writes a detective series about a caterer who solves mysteries while cooking up fabulous food. You could read any of them as a stand alone book (though I would recommend starting with "Dying for Chocolate" if no one has read her before) -- they're fun to read, not really thick, and the best part is, she includes the recipes that Goldy Bear (the caterer, yes that's really her name) is cooking in the story. I always wind up with a tremendous appetite when reading the books. I'd heartily recommend "Dying for Chocolate" to your group.

Another book that probably would be too much for one month, but I'd also recommend to your group, is "Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons" by Lorna Landvik. It's a book about a book club.

A bunch of women on a cul-de-sac in a Minneapolis suburb start a book club when they are all raising their young families, and the club follows them through their lives for 30 years, I think it is, through all that befalls them. Wonderful book.

EDITED TO ADD: Oops, you asked for sci-fi. I mixed up your "nons" and thought you wanted a non-sci-fi book.
____________________________________________________
They could not take the sky from them -
Our Big Damn Heroes made a film!
I'm gonna see Serenity then
go back the next morning and see it again.
Cuz no one at Fox knew this show had no equal
C'mon Universal, and greenlight the sequel!

Click on my profile for my Annoyingly Long List of Firefly Links.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 8:09 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

Quote:
Originally posted by CallMeAth:
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy:

Tad Williams, Memory, Thorn and Sorrow trilogy (The Dragonbone Chair, The Stone of Farewell and To Green Angel Tower).

Someone else has read this series? I thought my sister and I were the only ones. Great books!

It doesn't really compare to Firefly, (whatdoes?) but I'm currently reading the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

No, there is more than just you & your sister. I read the Tad Williams books years ago & loved them. May have to take them down & read them again.

I like Terry Goodkind's books, but stopped reading after "Faith of the Fallen" because the story seemed as if it were beginning to drag like Jordan's prolific Wheel of Time series.

__________________________________________

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondbrowncoats/

http://www.richmondbrowncoats.org

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 9:18 AM

IVY

Wow Browncoat1, I could have written the same post. I read the Terry Goodkind books up to Faith of the Fallen also and I bailed on the Jorden Wheel of Time books after Winter's Heart (or whatever it was called). It just seemed like it would NEVER END!!! (And I really needed some of those annoying women to DIE DIE DIE.) OK, I'm calm again.

UNREGISTEREDCOMPANION - I totally understand about the big book problem, I do the same thing! You may want to check out "Cordelia's Honor" by Lois McMaster Bujold. It is the first in a series, but really is a stand-alone book with a very strong female. Another author who writes excellent fantasy about women (and social issues) is Sheri S Tepper. I would recommend "Beauty" and "Grass". They are not fluffy, easy reads..she makes you think and suffer, but I think they are worthwhile. Another young adult fantasy novel with a strong woman, that I love (and read over and over) is "The Blue Sword" by Robin McKinley. WONDERFUL!!! (There is also a prequel called "The Hero and the Crown".)

If they can handle some "edgy" stuff (like sex with vampires or a little bondage) I would also recommend the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter books (first book is Guilty Pleasures) by Laurell Hamilton and the Kushiel trilogy (first book Kushiel's Dart) by Jaqueline Carey. Great women characters and engaging plots.

Ivy

I've been sane a long while now, and change is good...

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 9:28 AM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by UnregisteredCompanion:
Any ideas?

You say you already introduced them to some books. Which ones did they like and which ones did they dislike? Might be easier to advise you if we know.

David

"A lot of people are asking me, you know, what exactly is Firefly? It's a tv show you morons!" - Joss Whedon

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 9:31 AM

UNREGISTEREDCOMPANION

I read the Kushiel series. While I don't think the edgy bits would bother the club, first person narative is a BIG pet peeve for a lot of us. We hate it. I mean REALLY REALLY hate it. I was surprised I actually read the Kushiel books since it was 1st person.

Yeah, they are a picky lot, but you have given me some ideas already. Any more out there?

~~~~~
"Funny and sexy. You have no idea. And you never will."

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 9:56 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

WHOO HOOO!!

Second vote for CJ Cherryh except I would add "Downbelow Station". It's very much like FF- a space story of human migration and colonies, and the forces that drive them to part from the "old world" (although in this case, the Alliance is the colonies and they win).

And second vote for Brust! While I don't find all of his books of equal quality I really enjoyed the first of his Taltos series. Brust, BTW, is Hungarian and it shows.

And a second for for Stanislaw Lem! (Except I found "Memoirs Found in a Bathtub" to be overwhelmingly claustrophobic).

Firefly combines the best of science, fiction, and politics in an unsanitized, unperfected future. Along those lines, I'd like to recommedn the following:

Gene Wolf's "The Shadow of the Torturer" and his short story "The Death of Dr Island". "The Shadow of the Torturer" is set in the distant future where WE are the distant (geological) past: there is a passage in the book where Severian is climbing a cliff, and embedded in the sedimetnary rock are bright shards of tile. "The Death of Doctor Island" is a true tragedy. It's indescribable, but it's a quick read.

"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card (but not the remainder of the series) is another socio-political science-fiction story.

EDITED TO ADD: And I confess to a weakness for the Darkover novels by Marion Zimmer Bradley. They contain elements of fantasy, which I usually dislike, but the characters, setting, history and societies are so thoroughly realized that I can't stop reading them once I start! I think thees books would do well for a book club.

PS- I read, but didn't particularly like, "Kushiel's Dart". The society lacked something... it wasn't realistic enough to inform the present day, but it wasn't imaginative enough to be anything other than the usual proto-feudal stand-in that you find in most fantasy genres.

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Free as in freedom, not beer.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 10:15 AM

CORNCOBB

Thanks for the advice. Cant think why Stephen would add a bit at the end and then tell us not to read it - got me puzzled. But say thank ya.

"Gorramit Mal... I've forgotten my line."

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 10:19 AM

IVY

Very interesting about your loathing for first-person narrative (which I respect). I think that is what I loved so much about the Kushiel series. I like to see the world through Phedre's eyes.

Ivy

I've been sane a long while now, and change is good...

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 10:21 AM

GRIZWALD

Quote:
Originally posted by Corncobb:
Cant think why Stephen would add a bit at the end and then tell us not to read it - got me puzzled. But say thank ya.

Because he's a MEAN, MEAN MAN, that's why!

Well, not really, but he certainly enjoys yanking the chains of his fans.

I also think he has turned into a different person since his accident. Not always a pleasant person, but hopefully a sober person who will live to get to know his greatgrandkids rather than ending up in an early grave.

____________________________________________________
They could not take the sky from them -
Our Big Damn Heroes made a film!
I'm gonna see Serenity then
go back the next morning and see it again.
Cuz no one at Fox knew this show had no equal
C'mon Universal, and greenlight the sequel!

Click on my profile for my Annoyingly Long List of Firefly Links.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 10:44 AM

IVY

SIGNYM - by chance are you a geologist? You were very enthusiastic about the sedimentary rock? (I am a geologist - so I understand)

Ivy

I've been sane a long while now, and change is good...

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 10:57 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

NO, but my sister is.

That detail really... really.. stuck in my mind. I think far-future-writers assume that what we built will disappear. I have never before or since seen a sci-fi writer embed our legacy into geology.

---------------------------------
Free as in freedom, not beer.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 11:04 AM

SAB39

Quote:
I have never before or since seen a sci-fi writer embed our legacy into geology.

Not exactly the same thing, but did you ever read Terry Pratchett's Strata?

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 11:09 AM

LEGOLAD

Quote:
Originally posted by sab39:
You'll laugh at me for this, but the only books that I've loved like I love Firefly are Harry Potter.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 11:12 AM

LEGOLAD

Okay, apparently I don't know how to use quotes. How embarrassing. Give me time; I've been here a day. For now, let's try that again; sorry about that:

Sab39, there's nothing wrong with Harry Potter, aside from its disgusting level of popularity. Personally, I tried to avoid reading the books for a long time; when I finally did, I realized why they're so successful: they're freaking addictive -- I read all six in a row. They're like a disease! But seriously, they're fine books, entertaining if not very original; Rowling really uses the conventions of the genre well. Agree with you about the films, though; absolutely terrible -- except the third one, which I was actually really impressed with. No Serenity, mind you...
obviously...

Desktop, glad you managed to track down His Dark Materials. Definitely worth the effort. You know the first one's being made into a film? That kind of scares me. There are so many ways to mess it up. Ah, well.

And thanks for the welcome, David; happy to be here!

"We need a hood ornament."

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 11:50 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

I've got to add the first book from the "Rissa Kerguelen" series "Young Rissa" by FM Busby.

Quote:
In a dystopian Earth, Rissa Kerguelen loses her parents and is sent into 'total welfare,' the virtual enslavement of the majority of the earth's population. By winning the lottery she buys her way out, but will she be able to stay away from the corporate government which now dominates Earth?

Like many series, (Dune, Ender's Game etc) the promise of the first book isn't borne out by the remainder of the series. I also have an issue with the focus on Rissa as part of a very small elite who save the world. In that way, very much like "Atlas Shrugged" but with an opposing view of corporatism. But it is incredibly insightful and predictive look at how the vast majority might enslaved (some would say: already are).
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Free as in freedom, not beer.

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