[Betsy the Quilter]

I've been inspired by the reading threads by The Hooded Claw, tipsy telstar and Seleya... and I do have quite a backlog... so I've decided to start working on my backlog by theme; which will generally mean genre but might not. This will allow me to read all in a series together, or several books by the same author. I tend to read that way anyway. Or, I could read several books in a row by women authors; or with female protagonists. Or books by KB authors.

This month's theme is Sci-Fi...because I had already started reading the Wool Omnibus by KB member Hugh Howey.

I'm really enjoying this. I find the setting very original and Hugh's writing to be very, very good. I should be done today...not sure which I'll read next. I'm going through my library on Shelfari and tagging things. I have quite a few tagged as Sci Fi already.

And of course, any book I buy instantly becomes part of my backlog...

Betsy

 

[Imogen Rose]

What a fun way of doing it!

 

[NottiThistledore]

Great idea. I love to read to themes as well, and find that my understanding and appreciation of linked books really grows as a result. It's funny how that happens even when you're not intentionally looking to create a theme with your reading, though!

I've heard good things about Wool and really must check it out.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

I enjoyed Wool (the Omnibus) quite a bit. I found Wool 1 to be an intriguing short story; Wool 2 to be a bridge between the short story and the rest of the book, and Wool 3 to be where the action really starts. Juliette is a great heroine, loved her. I thought the setting and premise were very original and that the writing was very, very, very good.

Now, I've started, for the second time, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Started this before and couldn't get into it. It was one of the very first books I bought for my Kindle, on November 5, 2008. I paid $2.95 for it.

Books so far:

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy bought 11/05/2008. $2.95 Wool bought 10/06/2012

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

Great idea. I love to read to themes as well, and find that my understanding and appreciation of linked books really grows as a result. It's funny how that happens even when you're not intentionally looking to create a theme with your reading, though!

Exactly! And it's interesting--in looking through my books, I'll be able to come up with all sorts of themes! Some themes may be kind of weird--"Books set in places I've travelled to."

Betsy

 

[Sam Kates]

Now, I've started, for the second time, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Started this before and couldn't get into it. It was one of the very first books I bought for my Kindle, on November 5, 2008. I paid $2.95 for it.

Just finished re-reading Hitchhiker's for the first time since I was in my twenties and fell in love with it all over again. Like every book, it's not for everyone but I hope you enjoy it enough to get through it this time.

 

[NogDog]

I wonder if Hitchhikers' tends to be more entertaining to those of us who have read a lot of science fiction, since so much of it is essentially playing with and satirizing many sci-fi tropes? Anyway, if you still don't get into it now, when you're ready for a Fantasy month, maybe try his Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul and/or Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, which I actually enjoyed more than his more popular SF series.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

Just finished re-reading Hitchhiker's for the first time since I was in my twenties and fell in love with it all over again. Like every book, it's not for everyone but I hope you enjoy it enough to get through it this time.

I've already gotten farther than I did before and am more engaged in it that I was the last time. So far, so good!

I wonder if Hitchhikers' tends to be more entertaining to those of us who have read a lot of science fiction, since so much of it is essentially playing with and satirizing many sci-fi tropes? Anyway, if you still don't get into it now, when you're ready for a Fantasy month, maybe try his Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul and/or Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, which I actually enjoyed more than his more popular SF series.

Thanks, NogDog. While I've never read a lot of Sci Fi, it's always been a presence...going back to John Carter of Mars and a lot of Heinlein and Bradbury in my youth. So, hopefully, I'll get into HHG this time. It is going better.

Betsy

 

[Tony Richards]

Exactly! And it's interesting--in looking through my books, I'll be able to come up with all sorts of themes! Some themes may be kind of weird--"Books set in places I've travelled to."

Betsy

What's weird about that? I read A Farewell to Arms while staying pretty close to the Italian Alps, and The Mabinogion while I was vacationing in Wales once. Reading books about places that I had travelled to WHILE I WAS THERE, in other words.

 

[Ergodic Mage]

I've loved all 5 books in the Hitchhiker's Trilogy.

If I may make a recommendation (and even if I can't), Rendezvous with Rama by Clarke is a must read for SciFi and one of my most recommended books.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

What's weird about that? I read A Farewell to Arms while staying pretty close to the Italian Alps, and The Mabinogion while I was vacationing in Wales once. Reading books about places that I had travelled to WHILE I WAS THERE, in other words.

Yep, done that, too. Perhaps "weird" isn't the correct word choice--arbitrary, whimsical, offbeat--you pick it!

I've loved all 5 books in the Hitchhiker's Trilogy.

If I may make a recommendation (and even if I can't), Rendezvous with Rama by Clarke is a must read for SciFi and one of my most recommended books.

I only have the one Hitchhiker book, and since the idea is to chip away at my TBR pile, that will likely be it. (I'm enjoying it so far, not loving it, but we'll see). The Clarke book looks good but again, I don't own it and it's above my price point for impulse buys, but I've added it to my wish list.

I think it's going to be Stephen King/Horror month in February, though there may not be room for more than the SK books I've got in the TBR pile. Or maybe Romance in honor of Valentine's Day. And then SK in March, it's a longer month.

Betsy

 

[Ann in Arlington]

I only have the one Hitchhiker book, and since the idea is to chip away at my TBR pile, that will likely be it. (I'm enjoying it so far, not loving it, but we'll see).

I'd say it's actually the best one. The second isn't bad and the third is o.k. But the 'increasingly misnamed trilogy' also got increasingly kooky after number 3.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

I'm thinking I would have really loved it when I was in college, but then it wasn't written then. 

Betsy

 

[Ann in Arlington]

I'm thinking I would have really loved it when I was in college, but then it wasn't written then.

Betsy

I think I first read it fairly shortly after college. . . at least the first 3. . . .then the other two came out but it really felt like he began trying too hard and was just attempting to capitalize on the popularity of the first ones.

If you decide you want to listen or watch it, get the original BBC radio program or the BBC TV series

We might even have recordings of one or the other ourselves. . . .I'll have to look around. It's been a while. . .they might be VHS recordings.

Either of those are, in my opinion, better versions than the 2005 movie, though it wasn't bad. The thing was originally written as a BBC radio play and then made into a book instead, so that's part of the reason.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

I think I first read it fairly shortly after college. . . at least the first 3. . . .then the other two came out but it really felt like he began trying too hard and was just attempting to capitalize on the popularity of the first ones.

If you decide you want to listen or watch it, get the original BBC radio program
or the BBC TV series


We might even have recordings of one or the other ourselves. . . .I'll have to look around. It's been a while. . .they might be VHS recordings.

Either of those are, in my opinion, better versions than the 2005 movie, though it wasn't bad. The thing was originally written as a BBC radio play and then made into a book instead, so that's part of the reason.

Yeah, I saw it was a radio play originally. That might be fun to listen to.

Betsy

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

Well I finished Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and it was okay. I'd rate it three stars. I'm glad I read it, but overall I thought it was kind of silly and pointless. I don't feel any need to read any more. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it in college.


I did like the idea of the Improbability Drive...

Next up, because it was already on my PW and I was out and about today, Alan Dean Foster's Midworld:


Betsy

Books so far:

^Reading now.

Midworld by Alan Dean Foster bought 01/20/13. $1.99
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy bought 11/05/2008. $2.95
Wool bought 10/06/2012. $1.99

 

[Ann in Arlington]

Well I finished Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and it was okay. I'd rate it three stars. I'm glad I read it, but overall I thought it was kind of silly and pointless. I don't feel any need to read any more. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it in college.


I did like the idea of the Improbability Drive...

Well. . . .yes. . . .that's it in a nutshell: 'silly and pointless'.

 

[Ergodic Mage]

I'd say it's actually the best one. The second isn't bad and the third is o.k. But the 'increasingly misnamed trilogy' also got increasingly kooky after number 3.

If you had read the toothpick instructions, then you would have understood. Talk to Wanko the Sane and he'll explain everything you need to know about the Asylum.

 

[hs]

I came across this list on NPR of favorite sci-fi and fantasy books: http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books. Hopefully, it'll give you some more ideas.

How are you liking Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? That's probably my favorite sci-fi book because of how it pokes fun at sci-fi, and I found it hilarious overall.

I'm also a big fan of Neil Gaiman (who has 4 books in the list above), but I don't know if his stories are considered fantasy more than sci-fi.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

I'd say it's actually the best one. The second isn't bad and the third is o.k. But the 'increasingly misnamed trilogy' also got increasingly kooky after number 3.

Increasingly kooky? LOL! Hard to imagine....

Another problem was that in the edition I read (linked in my prior post), the actual book ended at about 70% into the book; the rest was backmatter that, at least at the beginning, was about the movie version. So that was disappointing. Or maybe not.

Betsy