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Baraka_Guru · 03-12-2010, 09:54 AM

Have you ever wanted to get into speculative fiction?
Don’t know where to start?
Overwhelmed?

I invite you to navigate it with me.

I’ve recently decided that I want to delve into the world of speculative fiction literature. As a reader, I have read epic fantasy, "serious" literary works, but very little science fiction. What I have read includes such works as 1984 and A Brave New World, but there is far more to speculative fiction than these works. I want to read the classics, both old and new.

That said, I’ve been building a reading list of speculative fiction, and I've been methodical about it as I'm sure there is a lot of crap out there, just as with any publishing category. I’m basing many of my choices on the opinions of two people who are important figures in the community: David G. Hartwell (the celebrated, long-time editor) and Orson Scott Card (best-selling author of both science fiction and fantasy).

Hartwell’s book Age of Wonders: exploring the world of science fiction provides a wonderful overview of the genre, in addition to extensive recommended reading. Although I won’t make this a part of the book club, I do highly recommend it to those new to the genre. Also, Card’s book How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy provides recommended reading to formulate an understanding of the genre.

If you think you have the "gist" of science fiction (SF) based on the fact that you’ve watch every Star Trek episode, are a big fan of Star Wars, in addition to being a junkie of TV "sci-fi," you (as was I) are sorely mistaken. It is made clear by both Hartwell and Card that although TV sci-fi isn’t viewed with disdain by core SF readers, it is generally accepted that these things are usually SF "lite" and often rely on "bad science" (though there are some exceptions nowadays). Furthermore, much of it consists of stories akin to swashbuckling adventures and epic moral battles. Although there is nothing wrong with this in and of itself, SF is much, much more than that.

SF is an exploration of possibilities, and about feeling a sense of awe and wonder about the universe beyond our blue planet. There’s technology, discovery, moral struggles, etc. And if you haven’t read much in the genre, say Hartwell and Card, what you think you know about it is probably wrong.

Below I will list the books as we read them. I am reading Hartwell’s book as an overview, but my aim is to begin with Isaac Asimov’s seminal Foundation series. So, once I finish the overview, I will begin with Prelude to Foundation. Later on, I will give you an idea of when we can all hope to have finished reading the first volume, after which we can begin a discussion of the book before continuing with the next.

See below for a reading schedule. I hope to continue on by delving into the various subgenres that cover science fiction, fantasy, and even horror.

If you wish to "join" the club, pm me and I will list your names below as well to keep track of who’s participating. Otherwise, you can just follow casually. It’s up to you.

Also, if you are already a big speculative fiction fan, I invite you to read what you may not have read yet, or to reread if the case may be. Your input in the discussions will be greatly welcomed.

Members

amonkie
Baraka_Guru
Daniel_
Lindy
LordEden
ratbastid
Snowy

FAQ

What if I can't keep up with you guys when reading books? The club has already started; what if I want to join in the middle of things?

Threads will remain open for each book discussion, but you might wander into a thread after much has already been said.

Keep in mind that not everyone will read the book. Some threads will have little commentary. I'm sure down the road this could increase when people finish reading a particular book, if they do decide to read it in the first place.

No pressure. Read at your own pace if you want. You just might be a bit late to the discussion if you don't read books when others do.

Please read what interests you and go into the appropriate thread and participate. You will always have your own perspectives. And please agree to disagree and add a dimension to the discussions.

Do this even if you read the book a year after a thread was created. This will only help the club flourish.

Reading List*

[Space Opera]

The Foundation Series, Isaac Asimov

Prelude to Foundation [prequel] (IN PROGRESS: Discussion thread commenced April 1, 2010)
Forward the Foundation [prequel] (READING)
Foundation

Foundation and Empire

Second Foundation

Foundation’s Edge

Foundation and Earth

Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, Robert Heinlein
The Dune Trilogy, Frank Herbet
The Hyperion Cantos, Dan Simmons
Ringworld, Larry Niven

[Hard Science Fiction]

Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke
The Fountains of Paradise, Arthur C. Clarke [DNF]
2001: A Space Odyssey, Arthur C. Clarke
The Mars Trilogy, Kim Stanley Robinson
Revelation Space, Alastair Reynolds
Dragon's Egg, Robert Forward
Tau Zero, Poul Anderson

[Parallel Universe/Alternate Reality/Near Future/Dystopia/Cyber- and Steampunk]

The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick (DISCUSSION commenced)
The Man Who Folded Himself, David Gerrold
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess
Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
Gravity's Rainbow, Thomas Pynchon
The Sprawl Trilogy, William Gibson
Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
The Difference Engine, William Gibson
Perdido Street Station, China Miéville
The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
Guns of the South, Harry Turtledove

[Science Fantasy/Planetary Romance/Apocalyptic/Post-apocalyptic]

The Space Trilogy, C. S. Lewis
The Barsoom Trilogy, Edgar Rice Burroughs
A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.
Solaris, Stanisław Lem
The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe
Hothouse (aka The Long Afternoon of Earth and The Sun Is Dying), Brian Aldiss
Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
The Crystal World, J. G. Ballard
Timescape, Gregory Benford

[Dark Fantasy/Horror]

Various, H. P. Lovecraft
The Chia Black Dragon Series, Stephen Marley
The Vampire Chronicles, Anne Rice

*Unofficial/subject to change, in no particular order, and organized -loosely- into categories that will allow us to keep an interesting variety.

03-12-2010, 09:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	The Tilted Speculative Fiction Book Club Have you ever wanted to get into speculative fiction? Don’t know where to start? Overwhelmed? I invite you to navigate it with me. I’ve recently decided that I want to delve into the world of speculative fiction literature. As a reader, I have read epic fantasy, "serious" literary works, but very little science fiction. What I have read includes such works as 1984 and A Brave New World, but there is far more to speculative fiction than these works. I want to read the classics, both old and new. That said, I’ve been building a reading list of speculative fiction, and I've been methodical about it as I'm sure there is a lot of crap out there, just as with any publishing category. I’m basing many of my choices on the opinions of two people who are important figures in the community: David G. Hartwell (the celebrated, long-time editor) and Orson Scott Card (best-selling author of both science fiction and fantasy). Hartwell’s book Age of Wonders: exploring the world of science fiction provides a wonderful overview of the genre, in addition to extensive recommended reading. Although I won’t make this a part of the book club, I do highly recommend it to those new to the genre. Also, Card’s book How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy provides recommended reading to formulate an understanding of the genre. If you think you have the "gist" of science fiction (SF) based on the fact that you’ve watch every Star Trek episode, are a big fan of Star Wars, in addition to being a junkie of TV "sci-fi," you (as was I) are sorely mistaken. It is made clear by both Hartwell and Card that although TV sci-fi isn’t viewed with disdain by core SF readers, it is generally accepted that these things are usually SF "lite" and often rely on "bad science" (though there are some exceptions nowadays). Furthermore, much of it consists of stories akin to swashbuckling adventures and epic moral battles. Although there is nothing wrong with this in and of itself, SF is much, much more than that. SF is an exploration of possibilities, and about feeling a sense of awe and wonder about the universe beyond our blue planet. There’s technology, discovery, moral struggles, etc. And if you haven’t read much in the genre, say Hartwell and Card, what you think you know about it is probably wrong. Below I will list the books as we read them. I am reading Hartwell’s book as an overview, but my aim is to begin with Isaac Asimov’s seminal Foundation series. So, once I finish the overview, I will begin with Prelude to Foundation. Later on, I will give you an idea of when we can all hope to have finished reading the first volume, after which we can begin a discussion of the book before continuing with the next. See below for a reading schedule. I hope to continue on by delving into the various subgenres that cover science fiction, fantasy, and even horror. If you wish to "join" the club, pm me and I will list your names below as well to keep track of who’s participating. Otherwise, you can just follow casually. It’s up to you. Also, if you are already a big speculative fiction fan, I invite you to read what you may not have read yet, or to reread if the case may be. Your input in the discussions will be greatly welcomed. Members amonkie Baraka_Guru Daniel_ Lindy LordEden ratbastid Snowy FAQ What if I can't keep up with you guys when reading books? The club has already started; what if I want to join in the middle of things? Threads will remain open for each book discussion, but you might wander into a thread after much has already been said. Keep in mind that not everyone will read the book. Some threads will have little commentary. I'm sure down the road this could increase when people finish reading a particular book, if they do decide to read it in the first place. No pressure. Read at your own pace if you want. You just might be a bit late to the discussion if you don't read books when others do. Please read what interests you and go into the appropriate thread and participate. You will always have your own perspectives. And please agree to disagree and add a dimension to the discussions. Do this even if you read the book a year after a thread was created. This will only help the club flourish. Reading List* [Space Opera] The Foundation Series, Isaac Asimov Prelude to Foundation [prequel] (IN PROGRESS: Discussion thread commenced April 1, 2010) Forward the Foundation [prequel] (READING) Foundation Foundation and Empire Second Foundation Foundation’s Edge Foundation and Earth Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, Robert Heinlein The Dune Trilogy, Frank Herbet The Hyperion Cantos, Dan Simmons Ringworld, Larry Niven [Hard Science Fiction] Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke The Fountains of Paradise, Arthur C. Clarke [DNF] 2001: A Space Odyssey, Arthur C. Clarke The Mars Trilogy, Kim Stanley Robinson Revelation Space, Alastair Reynolds Dragon's Egg, Robert Forward Tau Zero, Poul Anderson [Parallel Universe/Alternate Reality/Near Future/Dystopia/Cyber- and Steampunk] The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick (DISCUSSION commenced) The Man Who Folded Himself, David Gerrold Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury Brave New World, Aldous Huxley A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell Gravity's Rainbow, Thomas Pynchon The Sprawl Trilogy, William Gibson Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson The Difference Engine, William Gibson Perdido Street Station, China Miéville The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester Guns of the South, Harry Turtledove [Science Fantasy/Planetary Romance/Apocalyptic/Post-apocalyptic] The Space Trilogy, C. S. Lewis The Barsoom Trilogy, Edgar Rice Burroughs A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr. Solaris, Stanisław Lem The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe Hothouse (aka The Long Afternoon of Earth and The Sun Is Dying), Brian Aldiss Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny The Crystal World, J. G. Ballard Timescape, Gregory Benford [Dark Fantasy/Horror] Various, H. P. Lovecraft The Chia Black Dragon Series, Stephen Marley The Vampire Chronicles, Anne Rice Unofficial/subject to change, in no particular order, and organized -loosely- into categories that will allow us to keep an interesting variety. __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?* —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot Last edited by Baraka_Guru; 07-23-2010 at 04:08 PM..