- Joined
- Sep 27, 2022
BOOKS OF THE MONTH: Perdido Street Station and Children of Time.
POLL FOR MAY: BOOKS WRITTEN POST 2000 A.D
Let’s all pick a science fiction or fantasy book to read each month and post our thoughts. The books will be chosen by a popular voot that concludes the last day of the month.
I know we got some real sci-fi/fantasy buffs here, so I look forward to seeing what you all would like to read. Classics, new books, pulp, any and all suggestions welcome.
POLL FOR MAY: BOOKS WRITTEN POST 2000 A.D
The Name of the Wind — Patrick Rothfuss
A legendary figure recounts his own life story, stripping away myth to reveal the fragile, brilliant, and often reckless boy he once was. Kvothe’s tale moves through poverty, obsession with knowledge, music, and the dangerous pursuit of magic, all framed by the tension that this hero’s story is clearly headed toward tragedy. It’s less about plot twists and more about voice, memory, and the construction of legend—perfect for digging into unreliable narration and the idea of mythmaking.
Mistborn: The Final Empire — Brandon Sanderson
In a world where the Dark Lord already won, ash falls from the sky and a godlike tyrant rules with absolute control. A street thief named Vin is pulled into a crew planning the impossible: overthrowing an immortal emperor using a tightly defined metal-based magic system. It reads like a heist story wrapped in epic fantasy, but beneath that is a sharp look at oppression, belief, and what happens when hope becomes a weapon.
Perdido Street Station — China Miéville
Set in the grotesque, sprawling city of New Crobuzon, this novel follows a rogue scientist whose experiments unleash something unspeakable. The world is dense with hybrid creatures, corrupt politics, and industrial grime, blending fantasy with horror and weird fiction. It’s not an easy read—but it’s a deeply immersive one, asking what “progress” really costs and whether knowledge should always be pursued.
The Lies of Locke Lamora — Scott Lynch
In a city of canals and elaborate cons, Locke leads a group of elite thieves who pose as nobles to rob the rich. What starts as a clever, character-driven heist story spirals into something darker when a mysterious figure begins dismantling the city’s criminal underworld. It thrives on sharp dialogue, loyalty between friends, and the thin line between performance and identity.
Old Man’s War — John Scalzi
At seventy-five, John Perry joins the military—not despite his age, but because of it. Recruits are given new, enhanced bodies and sent to fight brutal interstellar wars on behalf of humanity. The novel blends action with a surprisingly reflective tone, exploring identity, aging, and what it means to start over when you’re already supposed to be at the end of your life.
The Fifth Season — N. K. Jemisin
On a planet constantly wracked by catastrophic geological events, certain people can control seismic forces—but are feared, enslaved, and brutalized for it. The story weaves together multiple timelines and perspectives, slowly revealing a deeply broken world and the cost of survival within it. It’s structurally bold and thematically heavy, dealing with oppression, trauma, and cyclical destruction.
Ancillary Justice — Ann Leckie
Once a massive AI controlling a starship and its human “ancillaries,” Breq is now trapped in a single body, seeking revenge. The novel plays with identity in a fascinating way, including a culture that doesn’t distinguish gender linguistically. Beneath the revenge plot is a meditation on consciousness, empire, and what it means to be a person when you were once something far larger.
The Poppy War — R. F. Kuang
A war orphan rises through a brutal military academy using sheer will and unexpected power, only to be drawn into a conflict inspired by real historical atrocities. What begins like a familiar “chosen one” arc quickly turns into something much darker and more morally complex. It’s intense, often harrowing, and unflinching in its depiction of war and power.
Children of Time — Adrian Tchaikovsky
Humanity’s last survivors encounter a distant planet where evolution has taken an unexpected turn—intelligent spiders have developed their own civilization. The novel alternates between the remnants of humanity and this alien society, creating a sweeping story about evolution, intelligence, and what it means to inherit a world. It’s big-idea sci-fi that still feels surprisingly human.
Blindsight — Peter Watts
A crew of augmented humans is sent to investigate an alien presence at the edge of the solar system, only to encounter something that challenges the very idea of consciousness itself. The novel leans hard into neuroscience, philosophy, and first-contact horror, asking whether self-awareness is actually an evolutionary advantage—or a mistake. Cold, unsettling, and dense with ideas, it’s the kind of book that sparks arguments long after you finish it.
WILDCARD: Minecraft: The Island — Max Brooks
A man awakens alone in a strange, blocky world with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Forced to learn everything from scratch—how to gather resources, craft tools, and survive the dangers of night—he slowly begins to understand the hidden logic of this world. Written in a reflective, almost journal-like style, the novel turns Minecraft into a philosophical survival story, exploring curiosity, fear, and what it means to build a self when you have nothing but instinct and observation. It’s unexpectedly introspective, blending humor with a quiet sense of discovery as the protagonist transforms from confused wanderer into something far more capable.
A legendary figure recounts his own life story, stripping away myth to reveal the fragile, brilliant, and often reckless boy he once was. Kvothe’s tale moves through poverty, obsession with knowledge, music, and the dangerous pursuit of magic, all framed by the tension that this hero’s story is clearly headed toward tragedy. It’s less about plot twists and more about voice, memory, and the construction of legend—perfect for digging into unreliable narration and the idea of mythmaking.
Mistborn: The Final Empire — Brandon Sanderson
In a world where the Dark Lord already won, ash falls from the sky and a godlike tyrant rules with absolute control. A street thief named Vin is pulled into a crew planning the impossible: overthrowing an immortal emperor using a tightly defined metal-based magic system. It reads like a heist story wrapped in epic fantasy, but beneath that is a sharp look at oppression, belief, and what happens when hope becomes a weapon.
Perdido Street Station — China Miéville
Set in the grotesque, sprawling city of New Crobuzon, this novel follows a rogue scientist whose experiments unleash something unspeakable. The world is dense with hybrid creatures, corrupt politics, and industrial grime, blending fantasy with horror and weird fiction. It’s not an easy read—but it’s a deeply immersive one, asking what “progress” really costs and whether knowledge should always be pursued.
The Lies of Locke Lamora — Scott Lynch
In a city of canals and elaborate cons, Locke leads a group of elite thieves who pose as nobles to rob the rich. What starts as a clever, character-driven heist story spirals into something darker when a mysterious figure begins dismantling the city’s criminal underworld. It thrives on sharp dialogue, loyalty between friends, and the thin line between performance and identity.
Old Man’s War — John Scalzi
At seventy-five, John Perry joins the military—not despite his age, but because of it. Recruits are given new, enhanced bodies and sent to fight brutal interstellar wars on behalf of humanity. The novel blends action with a surprisingly reflective tone, exploring identity, aging, and what it means to start over when you’re already supposed to be at the end of your life.
The Fifth Season — N. K. Jemisin
On a planet constantly wracked by catastrophic geological events, certain people can control seismic forces—but are feared, enslaved, and brutalized for it. The story weaves together multiple timelines and perspectives, slowly revealing a deeply broken world and the cost of survival within it. It’s structurally bold and thematically heavy, dealing with oppression, trauma, and cyclical destruction.
Ancillary Justice — Ann Leckie
Once a massive AI controlling a starship and its human “ancillaries,” Breq is now trapped in a single body, seeking revenge. The novel plays with identity in a fascinating way, including a culture that doesn’t distinguish gender linguistically. Beneath the revenge plot is a meditation on consciousness, empire, and what it means to be a person when you were once something far larger.
The Poppy War — R. F. Kuang
A war orphan rises through a brutal military academy using sheer will and unexpected power, only to be drawn into a conflict inspired by real historical atrocities. What begins like a familiar “chosen one” arc quickly turns into something much darker and more morally complex. It’s intense, often harrowing, and unflinching in its depiction of war and power.
Children of Time — Adrian Tchaikovsky
Humanity’s last survivors encounter a distant planet where evolution has taken an unexpected turn—intelligent spiders have developed their own civilization. The novel alternates between the remnants of humanity and this alien society, creating a sweeping story about evolution, intelligence, and what it means to inherit a world. It’s big-idea sci-fi that still feels surprisingly human.
Blindsight — Peter Watts
A crew of augmented humans is sent to investigate an alien presence at the edge of the solar system, only to encounter something that challenges the very idea of consciousness itself. The novel leans hard into neuroscience, philosophy, and first-contact horror, asking whether self-awareness is actually an evolutionary advantage—or a mistake. Cold, unsettling, and dense with ideas, it’s the kind of book that sparks arguments long after you finish it.
WILDCARD: Minecraft: The Island — Max Brooks
A man awakens alone in a strange, blocky world with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Forced to learn everything from scratch—how to gather resources, craft tools, and survive the dangers of night—he slowly begins to understand the hidden logic of this world. Written in a reflective, almost journal-like style, the novel turns Minecraft into a philosophical survival story, exploring curiosity, fear, and what it means to build a self when you have nothing but instinct and observation. It’s unexpectedly introspective, blending humor with a quiet sense of discovery as the protagonist transforms from confused wanderer into something far more capable.
Let’s all pick a science fiction or fantasy book to read each month and post our thoughts. The books will be chosen by a popular voot that concludes the last day of the month.
I know we got some real sci-fi/fantasy buffs here, so I look forward to seeing what you all would like to read. Classics, new books, pulp, any and all suggestions welcome.
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