80's MOVIES & book nominations

[colls]

So.... our 80's movies that we'll discuss sometime mid-month are:
The Princess Bride & Labyrinth



Just a reminder, we have a free chatroom here which is open to anyone who wants to use it to coordinate watching at the same time or just to randomly chat.
thecoffeehouse
pw: ilovecoffee

Oh, and the goal of having more than one is to give you OPTIONS. You can pick one or the other or watch both -- it's all good.



Next up... BOOKS!
List up to four science-fiction books and I'll do the same (pick out the 2 or 3 most popular choices).

I know there are a lot of series out there. Everything seems to be a series lately. I don't know if that's good or bad - but if you're choosing something in a series, I think it's best to start with the first of a series?? What do you think?
Also, if it's widely published and available in various formats, that'd be useful for those who might have a harder time getting their hands on something.

Comments

[colls]

Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon (#1 in a series, but looks interesting)
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein (would love to re-read this classic)
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (which is borderline scifi, I think?)

[ngakmafaery]

....I feel Jonathan et al. is not really like scifi, to me, but more a fictional-sort-of-steampunk-with-less-punk semi-gothic-novel book...I read it when it came out, since it turned out that I had lived in that area during the time it was written (I think it was Durham, offhand), but that's just my view...

...if people suggest series, it does make sense to read the first...sorry to be no help in suggesting actual books, but I have no idea if the ones I might suggest are available...I know the gutenberg press online has countless books, though, so that might make them more available to some...

[colls]

I was always kind of curious why it got lumped in the scifi category, but steampunk sort of applies so maybe that's it. I thought it might be alternative history, too or something. Obviously I haven't read it. LOL!

Yeah, it was hard to come up with some! So many seem to be parts of series now -- ugh. I tried to pick books that have been out for a while plus a classic that is available just about anywhere.

OH!! You mentioned gutenberg and I totally didn't think to check that or http://www.baen.com/ either. D'oh!!

[skieswideopen]

I wouldn't really call it science fiction, either. Although I must admit, I never did finish it.

I don't necessarily see anything wrong with nominating the first book in a series, as long as it's not a cliffhanger. But I'm happy to give you the names of more standalone SF books if you like... (3 or 4 is HARD.)

[spaceoperadiva]

Although I must admit, I never did finish it. Whew. I thought I was the only one. I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't click with me. Or I never got in its groove, or something.

[skieswideopen]

Totally. That's exactly how I felt. I heard so many good things about it and it seemed like it would be totally up my alley, and I really wanted to like it, and then I could not get into it. At all.

Maybe I'll try again one day. Or maybe not...there are so many good books out there!

[skieswideopen]

Only 3 or 4. Oooh, hard. Okay, I'll try.

The Golden Globe by John Varley - It's been years since I read this, but as I recall, it has some really elaborate and interesting world building.
Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold. Which is technically and omnibus of two books, so I'm cheating a little. Although...has anyone NOT read any of the Vorkosigan books yet?
The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri S. Tepper - I'm going to say right up front that this is a problematic book, most notably in its complete and explicit erasure of gay people. But it's also an interesting and thought-provoking book about what a society run (almost) entirely by women might look like.
Isle of the Dead. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Babel-17 Dune by Frank Herbert for something more classic.

[colls]

has anyone NOT read any of the Vorkosigan books yet?
*timidly raises hand*


DUNE! Did you ever read his book The White Plague? I remember being shocked and angry yet really liking the book (I read it SO long ago, I don't remember - and I think it might be worth revisiting)

[skieswideopen]

lol...Vorkosigan is a good series. Fanfic author who went pro, I think--you can see the Star Trek influence in the earliest books--but still quite good.

I remember seeing The White Plague kicking around the house when I was a kid (my father doesn't believe in libraries, so we had a lot of SF books), but I don't think I ever read it. It does look interesting--I should look it up.

*resists urge to tack on a half-dozen more book suggestions*

ETA: Have you ever read that book/novella where aliens make all the men disappear? And won't tell the women why? Completely different from The Gate to Women's Country, but also kind of interesting. ETA2: Found it! Men Are Trouble by James Patrick Kelly. He has a sequel out too which I just bought; haven't read it yet.

[midnightjuly]

On Basilisk Station by David Weber -- everyone I know has been trying to get me to read the Honor Harrington books for ages and I feel like it's about time I do!

To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer -- the first in the Riverworld series, which is something else I've been meaning to read for ages.

[skieswideopen]

I've seen a mini-series version of Riverworld a couple of times now; it might be interesting to read the original.

[midnightjuly]

That's what got me interested in the books! :D Apparently the books are very different and much better (my dad was HORRIFIED when I told him about the mini-series -- they turned the protagonist of the books into the villain), although I kind of loved the mini-series nonetheless.

[skieswideopen]

I kind of loved the mini-series too. And I find it's easier to go from television/movie to book than the other way around. So it would be interesting to see the differences.

[helenorvana]

The thing about the Honor Harrington series is, you're probably better off starting with the second book, The Honor of the Queen, and then back-tracking to OBS. But yes, good series. :D

[colls]

I liked the Honor Harrington series, especially the first few. Although they're classic 'space opera' (heavy on the military strategy if I remember right?) and I stopped around book #6 or 7. I should pick it up again.

[twisted_times]

SF books - oh, choices, choices... here's three I love:
Triplanetary, (1934) first of the Lensman series of classic space opera books by E.E. "Doc" Smith.
Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers, (1973) a comic science fiction novel parodying the space opera genre by Harry Harrison.
The Dispossessed, (1974) a story set amongst two contrasting planetary societies by my favourite author Ursula K LeGuin.

[twisted_times]

Forgot to add - huzzah for The Princess Bride! It was on TV a couple of nights ago and I had great fun watching for the umpty-umpth time. :)

[colls]

The Dispossessed was a good book.

[twisted_times]

"The Left Hand of Darkness" is another great book of hers. I would have suggested UKL's Earthsea books, but they're not strictly science fiction, more speculative fiction.

[brisus]

I have both of those on DVD. <3 <3 <3

[spaceoperadiva]

Princess Bride and Labyrinth, squee, squee, squee!

I'm at a loss for book suggestions. We just started reading Madeline L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time" out loud at my house, and that's going to take up a fair amount of my reading time for the immediate future.

[colls]

squee's with you

I read that book a long time ago. Enjoy!!