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August 2021 reading suggestions
Hello everybody,
I have not read any of the books suggested in this post, and I have to admit I am not finding much that inspires me, so please feel free to make suggestions if there is something that people want to read. Everything seems to be serials now.
Available as an ebook, but the paperback ships from the UK, and I have found that since Brexit the cost is actually always higher - there is duty as there is no trade agreement with Canada. So maybe not a good choice if people can't read the kindle. Paperback is only printed in Canada in Feb 2022 - I guess publisher want everyone switch to ebooks. Sucks.
War of the Maps: https://www.amazon.ca/War-Maps-Paul-McAuley-ebook/dp/B086M8GNFP/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=War+of+the+Maps&qid=1626370394&s=books&sr=1-1
Paperback coming 10 August.
Klara and the Sun: https://www.amazon.ca/Klara-Sun-Kazuo-Ishiguro/dp/0735281246/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Klara+and+the+Sun&qid=1626371478&s=books&sr=1-1
Available in all kinds of formats. Author is a Nobel Prize winner, if anyone cares about that.
Expensive, but I liked Peake.
Last, an old one: The Man Who Fell to Earth: https://www.amazon.ca/Man-Who-Fell-Earth-ebook/dp/B07H19K4HB/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+Man+Who+Fell+to+Earth&qid=1626372141&s=books&sr=1-1
Saw the movie years ago, but never read the book.
As I said, I'm not feeling much excitement about any of these, so if they spark a suggestion please say so. Depending on feedback for other suggestions, I'll make a poll on Monday, then post the results end of this month.
Best, BC
Comments
Of these, the only one I would have any interest in would be the Man Who Fell to Earth. Of the others, Klara and the Sun might be more interesting than I think, so I would probably read it. These are the only genre fiction reads you can find, Barner? What about mysteries or war fiction? Heist novels? Hard-boiled/Noir? There must be something better than this if this is the best SF/Fantasy you can find!
I think you should pick a book YOU like. You're only here for one book, usually, so make it count. You seemed quite disappointed when you didn't like Blake Crouch, for example, so I'd suggest trying to make the most of your time with something you know you'd like to discuss. You mentioned a book in The Islanders discussion you thought we should all read - what happened to that one? Is it suitable for a club read?
Of the books you mentioned, I already have Klara and the Sun on my list, so I'd be happy with that.
The Man Who Fell to Earth I would happily read - Walter Tevis is a wonderful but tragic author, and he wrote one of my top 5 novels I read in the last 5 year - Mockingbird - which I just loved. I would avoid the questionably available ones, but I have no objection to any based on their theme.
Some other ideas (not that you'd want my picks, but since you asked):
Pretty much anything in the SF Masterworks series - so much classic SF to choose from.
Binti: The Complete Trilogy, by Nnedi Okorafor (it's only 350 pages, so a trilogy of novellas?) Recent SF.
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny. Old SF, hindu inspired?
Something by Philip K. Dick - Valis, or Ubik, for example?
Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee
The Mount by Carol Emshwiller
Definitely Maybe by the Strugatsky Brothers.
A cozy fantasy like The Last Unicorn or The Black Cauldron. There must be modern non-violent fantasies. I know of at least one that won a BSFA, but see my last sentence below.
Perdido Street Station or The City and the City by China Mieville.
It's a bit long, but Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.
I also have a bunch of literary suggestions, which I'll save unless asked. These tend to get a love or hate reception, but the resulting discussion is usually good.
I didn't actually recommend a book because I doubt anything I would recommend would be in your wheelhouse, Barner.
My wife read (actually, listened to) Klara and the Sun, and the bits she passed on to me sounded quite interesting, though not compelling. Ishiguro is perhaps best know for his book on cloning (Never Let me Go) which I have both read and seen - the film adaptation worked better for me than the book. I did work my way through his Buried Giant but it was kind of meh for me. It might be cool to go for it as it is an example of successful trad authors having a go at science fiction, but his novels are by and large ones that don't tend to resolve much. For those who like buzz words, they are literary fiction rather than sci fi or fantasy as such, though they do touch on elements of both.
I agree with @Apocryphal - pick a book that you like or are burning to read. Personally I don't mind if its old or new, and we've had some great months with both of those.
I'll echo other comments that you should choose a book that interest you. One reason I like this book club is that we read a selection of books. I wouldn't have chosen them myself, but I enjoyed most of them.
Thanks to all for the feedback. I'm attaching a poll, and will follow up the 25th.
I don't have permission to create the poll. Would someone with the permissions kindly make a poll with three choices: 1) War of the Maps; 2) The Man Who Fell to Earth; and 3) Cloud Atlas. Thanks!
BC
I have now done this in a separate thread (couldn't work out how to add to this one) - see https://www.ttrpbc.com/discussion/638/august-book-choices/p1?new=1
Thanks Richard.
So the choice for August is Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. Please do join in.
Any comments etc please post in the followup thread:
https://www.ttrpbc.com/discussion/638/august-book-choices/
Thanks, and have a good summer.