Litsy

Way Station | Clifford D. Simak

pick

This is April's selection for #ClassicSFBC @RamsFan1963

It is a good combo of hard Sci-Fi and Space Opera. The story was thoughtful done and a slow ride as the author builds the tension to the conclusion. I see why this one won a Hugo award. A must read for Sci-Fi fans. 4⭐️

53 likes1 stack add

RamsFan1963

Dhalgren | Samuel R. Delany

pan

21/150 Hallelujah I'm finally finished!! Jesus Murphy this book!! OMG I'd forgotten how utterly bizarre and nonsensical, how surreal and unsettling the story could be. A man, who can't remember his name so everyone calls him the Kidd, comes to a city called Bellona which has been cut off from the rest of the world by some unknown disaster. He joins a street gang, writes some poetry and has a LOT of sex. That's about it. Is it science fiction?

RamsFan1963 If so then we are stretching the definition to its absolute limits. This is probably one of the hardest books I've ever had to sit through, its ugly, using lots of racist and sexist language. It's considered a science fiction classic, but I couldn't recommend it. I'm looking forward to reading something more pleasant, Way Station, in April. 2 ⭐⭐ 2mo

RamsFan1963 21st book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65 2nd book finished for #20in4 #FabulousFebruary 2mo

dabbe #fanofthepan! 🤩🤩🤩 2mo

See All 16 Comments

kelli7990 This sounds like a weird book. 2mo

DieAReader 🥳Great! Definitely sounds a little odd to my ears🤔🤣 2mo

Ruthiella Great review! 😂😂😂 2mo

Bookwomble I feel my decision not to join in the read of this one is justified! 😄 Great review. 2mo

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I think this cinches it. I‘m not going to bother finishing. I‘ll be returning it to the library today half read. 😅 2mo

RamsFan1963 @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I think I'm going to have to apologize to the #ClassicLSFBC group. This was my selection and I remember it being better than it was. I expect a lot of pans and bails. 2mo

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I don‘t hold you responsible for it. You never know with any book. And this one is toted as an SF classic so one would expect more from it. I‘m looking forward to Way Station. I‘ll be reading another Simak novel this month, funny enough, and it will be my first by the author. 2mo

RamsFan1963 @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm In my late teens early 20s, I got on a Simak kick and read several of his books. I think my favorites were They Walked Like Men and The Fellowship of the Talisman. It's funny I never read Way Station during that time. 2mo

kwmg40 @RamsFan1963 I started this one but I'm struggling and will likely bail. No need to apologize for the #ClassicLSFBC pick! I was curious about Delany and now I know what his writing is like. Also, you need to experience terrible books to really appreciate the good ones. 😅 2mo

kwmg40 BTW, Way Station is definitely more pleasant. I'm looking forward to a reread of it. 2mo

CatLass007 @RamsFan1963 I bailed on Dhalgren. Did I miss the vote for March Litsy #ClassicSFBC ? 2mo

RamsFan1963 @CatLass007 You didnt miss March's vote, since Dhalgren was such a big difficult book, it's the February & March selection. We are going to read Clifford Simak's Way Station in April 2mo

CatLass007 @RamsFan1963 Thank you! Talk to you in April. 2mo

47 likes16 comments

CatLass007

The Dispossessed | Ursula K. LeGuin

bailed

I started this today for #ClassicLSFBC and #SeriesLove2024. I‘ve listened to about a quarter of the book and it leaves me cold. I read some trilogy or other by Ursula K. LeGuin in the 1970s, I think in high school. I don‘t know why I read the whole trilogy except that I hadn‘t yet learned the freedom of bailing on a book. So when this book was chosen for #ClassicSFBC I chalked my previous experience with the author to my immaturity, (cont)⬇️

Andrew65, RamsFan1963, TheSpineView

CatLass007 expecting to enjoy this book. I didn‘t want the first book I started this year to be a negative experience and I think my decision to bail has kept me from having a negative experience. Now I can start something I will enjoy. Happy 2024 everyone!! I look forward to another great year of reading with my Litsy friends. 4mo

Ruthiella Too bad! But win some, lose some! Hope the next book is a winner. 4mo

CatLass007 @Ruthiella Right. Thank you. I hope so too. 4mo

See All 11 Comments

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm It took me too long to learn the wisdom of bailing on books. Life‘s too short to read something that you‘re not enjoying. ❤️ I‘m still waiting on my copy to come in at my library. Hopefully the wait isn‘t all for nothing for me. 😅 4mo

CatLass007 @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I used to never bail on books. I joined Litsy a few (six? seven?) years ago and was surprised, shocked, and awed that there was a special icon to click if I didn‘t complete a book. It was inconceivable to me to do such a thing. It is so liberating to be able, even encouraged, to move on to something else. The late, faabulous Leslie Jordan, on an episode of Call Me Kat quoted a song, which I think said “Thank you, next.” 4mo

CatLass007 @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I hope your library hold comes in soon and that you find the book entertaining and enlightening. 4mo

Andrew65 Oh no😫 but better to bail if it‘s not working for you. 4mo

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Same! Before Litsy I would always torture myself through every book I picked up. Thank you. If it doesn‘t meet my expectations I know just what to do with it. 😅🤣 4mo

CatLass007 @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Thank you Litsy! @Andrew65 You are so right! 4mo

TheSpineView Bummer. Too many good books out there to waste time on o e ypu dislike. 4mo

CatLass007 @TheSpineView Exactly! 4mo

46 likes11 comments

Deblovestoread

The Stars My Destination | Alfred Bester

pick

I honestly don‘t know what to think about this book. Part of it is my current headspace. I also think I might have had a better experience in print rather than audio. I had a hard time keeping track of who and where, etc. I‘ve also read very little classic SciFi. It was a ride for sure but one that I felt lost in. 3🌟

#ClassicSFBC

@RamsFan1963 @Ruthiella @Bookwomble

Bookwomble I thought this a worthwhile read, but not one of my favourites in the genre. I think next month's book might hit the spot more sweetly 😊

More Than Human

5mo

RamsFan1963 I read this like 40 years ago, I don't remember it very well so I'm looking forward to rereading it.

More Than Human

5mo

Ruthiella Sci-fi just doesn‘t age as well as other genres. But I thought it was worth reading for the ideas. 5mo

57 likes3 comments

majkia

The Stars My Destination | Alfred Bester

I just never got into this book. DNF about half way through.

#ClassicSFBC

julesG Same. 5mo

RamsFan1963 Hopefully you will enjoy December's selection more than this one. 5mo

Ruthiella I understand. It was a little tough going in parts for me too. 5mo

25 likes1 stack add3 comments

Bookwomble

Cat Brushing | Jane Campbell

A Two-Parcel #BookHaul today ??
Tagged is 79-year-old Jane Campbell's debut collection of short stories of 13 older women who, it appears from the blurb, aren't stereotypical "old biddies" ??
The Deceived I bought as I couldn't find Bester's The Stars My Destination, recommended by @RamsFan1963 , but I'll pick up Stars if I need it for the #LitsySciFiBookClub
Grinny is a Puffin Book I didn't read as a kid, but I still love Fisk's Trillions, ⬇️

Bookwomble ... so I hope to at least like this story of alien possession 👽
I have French Tales & Paris Tales, so thought I'd get Paris Metro Tales to make a set of three short story collections I haven't read!
The Damned Thing has enough stories by Bierce I don't already have to justify adding it, and it's in that nice Pushkin edition that I got Blackwood's Ancient Sorceries in last year.
⬇️ 6mo

Bookwomble Lastly, more short stories, this time set in Tangier by an author , Mohamed Choukri, I don't know, so🤞 6mo

RamsFan1963 @Bookwomble I doubt the Bester book will be picked, so far, more recent books have been chosen and I expect the same for November. I'm considering maybe we need a spinoff of #LitsySciFiBookClub, for books published before 2000. 6mo

See All 25 Comments

Bookwomble @RamsFan1963 Or we could be a Rebel Alliance and just read it as a splinter faction 👽😁 6mo

Bookwomble @RamsFan1963 Ugh, that's basically what you said! 🤪 6mo

Ruthiella I‘d totally be up for a classics version of #LitsySciFiBookClub! Let‘s do it! 6mo

LeahBergen Oh, I‘ve been meaning to pick up a copy of Grinny! 6mo

Bookwomble @RamsFan1963 @Ruthiella Ok, let's see what we can arrange ? @TheSpineView : Lisa, as the #LSFBC is your brainchild, would you be interested in hosting a classic sci-fi club alongside it? If it's more than you'd like to take on, we can run it as a "spin off" and liaise with you to ensure we're not encroaching on reads organised in the main group ? 6mo

Bookwomble @LeahBergen I think I might read it fairly soon - it's less than 100 pages of fairly large type, so shouldn't take long 🙂 6mo

TheSpineView Fantastic! 6mo

Ruthiella @TheSpineView @RamsFan1963 Shall we start with the Bester in November? It‘s under 200 pages. Should be pretty easy to finish by mid month? #LSFBCRebelAlliance (edited) 6mo

Bookwomble @Ruthiella Sounds good 😊 The Bester I got at the weekend, The Deceivers, is reputed to be the worst thing he ever wrote, and kinda one of the worst things ever, which makes me want to read it for spite! 😆 But I'll definitely be happier reading one of his classics, and I'll be able to get a copy of Stars by November. 6mo

TheSpineView @Bookwomble @Ruthiella @RamsFan1963 You guys are welcome to run a 2nd group. I don't want to take on anymore at the moment. I have too many other things going to give it the attention it would need. 6mo

Bookwomble @TheSpineView @Ruthiella @RamsFan1963 Thanks, Lisa 😊 I personally feel it as a sub-group - a Robin to your Batman 😁 I'm too disorganised and lacking in motivation to run anything, so unless Ruth or Kevin want to make it a separate, defined group (which I'd be fine with if you do!) I'm happy to do classic sci fi buddy reads on a low key basis. 6mo

Ruthiella @Bookwomble I‘ll do a post and tag the rest of the LSFBC group, so if they‘re interested, they can join in, OK? 6mo

Bookwomble @Ruthiella Thank you for your energy 😊 6mo

RamsFan1963 @Ruthiella Sounds great!! I'm looking forward to reading Bester in November and hearing everyone's thoughts about it #ClassicSFBC 6mo

The_Book_Ninja Bester‘s book is so good. 6mo

Bookwomble @The_Book_Ninja The newly formed Classic Litsy Sci Fi Book Club #ClassicLSFBC is reading the tagged Bester novel in November, if you've got the inclination and time to join in 😊 It's interesting that you like The Deceivers, as most reviews I've read totally can it, which is making me want to read it! I really like the cover art on the edition I got - it's punky! 🧷

The Stars My Destination

6mo

The_Book_Ninja @Bookwomble ahh, well, it‘s no where near as good as The Stars My Destination…but then not that many classic sci-fi novels are as smart as that book. It felt really modern for a 50s sci-fi when I first read it. I‘m struggling with my reading at the moment. Having some major building work done and had to put all my books away because of the dust. Dracula and the Stewart Lee articles are all I‘m slowly getting through at the moment. 6mo

Bookwomble @The_Book_Ninja Need to protect those books, but, oh! the separation anxiety! Hope you have your collection back at hand soon 😊 Deceivers was Bester's last book, published '81, so perhaps his powers were fading. I read The Demolished Man in the '90s, which I recall enjoying even if I can't really remember the plot. 6mo

The_Book_Ninja @Bookwomble I read The Stars side by side with Frederik Pohl‘s, Gateway and accidentally stumbled on a pair of books that complement each other nicely. (Sorry, no idea how you do those links) 6mo

Bookwomble When you open a comment, there are a couple of grey icons beneath: the ribbon is the one you use to bookmark/tag a book 😊 (The ☠️ hides your comment as a spoiler) I've not read much Pohl, for some reason, just a few stories in anthologies, I think.

Gateway

6mo

Ladygodiva7 I want to read every single book on here!! And the covers are 🔥!! 5mo

Bookwomble @Ladygodiva7 This was a nice haul, thanks 😊 I've only read the Bierce so far, but that was good. 5mo

33 likes25 comments

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