[Gileh]

Hello All,

It strikes me that we are all fairly literate kinda people. Lots of peole seem to be insatiable readers. It also strikes me that the university book club book I have in my bag is barely opened and why? Because I don't really care about it that much. There's no spaceships. No Dragons. I sincerely doubt that one of the secondary characters will turn out to be a cyborg or a shape shifter later on.

So why not start a book club? We all read a book in a month and meet up for drinks and nibbles at a house (mine, probably) and natter about it at the end. Since we all are into fantasy/SF the books would fall, roughly, into our interest areas and I find it hard to get reading (I find it hard to read, believe it or not) so I know I would like it. Any one else?

[Death Jester]

Sounds pretty good to me I guess, just not sure if Id rather be rolling dice

And travel may be an issue mainly cos when I get  back I wont be living in chester for a while.

[Haskeer]

not sure id be interested to be honest, but i think it would be good to read books from other genres instead of just fantasy books.

[Gileh]

[paz]

I'd be interested, as it may provide the impetus for me to actually start reading books again.

[Kamikazegerbil]

Could be interesting. I'm often quite lazy about my book reading so this could be a good boost.

[metagaia]

well, this will certainly not be on the list:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7619828.stm

Is nothing sacred?  It feels like they are taking one of my childhood institutions, placing it in a wrecking ball made of broken dreams and slamming it at me, powered by the forces of free market ineptitude.

*goes off and cries*

[paz]

[Gileh]

[metagaia]

I am avoiding that film and will scream and bolt from the room if I ever discover it on a viewing device.  

The book I feel I may have to read out of tortured resignaton, though as long as it's not mediocre (I can reject a truly awful book) I should be able to cope.

[Gileh]

RE: book club- shall we all have a chat about this on Monday evening?

[Gileh]

List of books
Okay these are Just off the top of my head. They are books some or all of us will have read, but I'm just throwing them out there, in the vague hope someone else will come up with other suggestions. Some of them  are borderline, but I'm okay with that.

Wicked- Geremy Maguire
Time Traveller's Wife- Audrey Niffenigger
Time's Arrow- Martin Amis
The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula Le Guin
Slaughter House 5 - Kurt Vonnegut
Shikasta - Doris Lessing
Watchmen - Alan Moore

[paz]

Some that I have read already, but which are otherwise suitable IMHO:

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
The Hobbit - JRR Tolkein
One Discworld book - Terry Pratchett

Possibly Neuromancer, Ringworld...

There must be lists on the web of best SF/fantasy books that we can use for reference.

[metagaia]

Well, will the club be focusing on stuff that we feel everyone should read (in which case a lot of the stuff seems fine).  Or are we focusing on looking on unread books then talking about them?  The selection will be very different depending on the clubs aim.

[Gileh]

Basically I think we should pick a book that we all want to read, or would like to read a second time.
Then when the time comes around we'll discuss and disect it. It a house or in a pub.

[Teflon Billy]

[Haskeer]

read any thing by danny wallace. the mans a legend.

simon i am correct in thinking u belonged to the karma army?

[paz]

[Haskeer]

same year?
were you freinds?

you look similar!
are you brothers?
which school he traveled alot?

[Shaphron]

I'm sure I can add books to the list, lets see...

First question - are we ignoreing ones which may lead into a series? And owuld we like to focus on Sci-Fi or Fantasy, or do one one month, then swap the other month, as they are very different, and I get quite worked up that book shops always lump them together - how many times have you gone the the "science fiction" area to find Lord of the Rings? Honestly, they must never have read the damn book...

But, I'm assuming that it doesn't matter if the book may potentially lead onto a series, as Ringworld has already been mentioned, which has a LOT of books which potentially follow on from it.. so, my list of books that you have to read are (in no particular order):

Magician by Raymond E Feist (fantasy)
Reality Disfuntion by Peter F Hamilton (sci fi)
Assasin's Apprentice by Robin Hob (fantasy)
Earth by David Brin (sci fi)
Dune by Frank Herbert (Sci fi)
The Mote in Gods Eye by [I've forgotten] (sci fi)
Little Fuzzy by H Beam Piper (sci fi)
The Name of the wind by Patrick Rothfuss (fantasy)
Imajica by Cliver Barker (I'd say sci fi, but would welcome discussion)
Perdido Street Station by China Mieville (sci fi)
No Present like Time by Steph Swainston (fantasy, I think)
Archangel by Sharon Shinn (fantasy)
Sabriel by Garth nix (fantasy) - this is a lighter book, I think aimed at children, but the world is really interesting
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey (fantasy)
The Traveller by John Twelve Hawks (fantasy, I think)
Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (fantasy)

As you can probably now guess, I think this idea is a great idea - I am happy to have our home up as a base if you want, or to go to someone elses (like most lazy people, I would actually prefer to have it at ours, but am willing to travel!) I will make a fuss about this tonight, as I don't think many people will read this before tonight, but could be wrong. It's a great idea Leigh!

[Shaphron]

Just boosting this to the top to remind people it's here, and to try to get a definate idea - what book do people think we should read first, who is interetsed, and when should the first meeting be, and where. Leigh - you were asking your house mates if they owuld mind it being at yours once a month, in the unlikely situation that they don't like it then we can have it at mine. I'm going to say that we would prefer Wednesdays or Fridays.

[Gileh]

Hey Guys, I will be printing off this list and bringing it on Monday. You can also record a preference or a specific objection to any one on here.

Books
Pick your favourite and second favourite, and post below.

Slaughter House 5 - Kurt Vonnegut (Sci Fi)
Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke (Fantasy)
The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick (Sci Fi)
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey (Fantasy)


Dates
How are people for Wednesday the 19th of November or Friday the 21st of November?

Venue
My house, unless anybody else wants to volunteer somewhere.
My housemates are all okay with it. The address is 35B Bouverie Street, CH1 4HF
Google maps: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=c...1&t=h&z=20&iwloc=addr

[paz]

Books
Heather and I are both interested, and agree on the following:

First choice: The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick
Second choice: Slaughter House 5 - Kurt Vonnegut

I have already read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell - at over a thousand densely-packed pages it might be a bit ambitious for the first choice. Reading the back cover of Kushiel's Dart, it just doesn't grab me.

Also, please add 'A Canticle for Leibowitz' to the list for future consideration; I've always meant to read it and have heard it's good, and if I don't put it in this post I'll just forget all about it again!

Dates
I need to check on dates. One issue might be leaving people enough time to read the book...

Venue
We're happy to host - it makes things easier for us as we don't need to organise a babysitter. We're near here (I'm not posting my exact address on a public forum... )

[paz]

I'm made an Amazon Store which people may find useful.

I'm not 100% sure, but I may get a referral bonus if people order through this; I swear on my Player's Handbook to put the 10p or so I may make back into the club.

[paz]

Another potential future nomination: World War Z by Max Brooks.

[metagaia]

Well, my prefernce is the same as Paz's; not least because I already own Man in the high castle but have not yet read it (I was planning on getting up to date with wheel of time but I guess this will get the bump now).

Kushiel's Dart didn't really sound like a fantasy from the description, merely a medieval romance with fantasy tidbits.

I have no personal recommendations at this time, I would have to think about it.

[HDimagination]

[Gileh]

votes were in and Man in the High Castle Won. Can we all pencil in 28th November at my place as a time for meeting up?[url]
http://www.amazon.co.uk/High-Cast...p;qid=1224965129&sr=8-1[/url]

Leigh

[paz]

Heather and I are both keen to join in; any chance we could do it at ours?

Who's actually participating?

[metagaia]

[Shaphron]

Matt and I are participationg, I owuld second the Kushiel's Dart comment Matt made - it has almost no romance in it at all, there are some sex scenes, as the main character is a coutesan - but that's because she;s trained as a spy, and spying is her first more than her second profession. The sex scenes do not always go into much detail, but it is sado-massochitic, so if that bothers you you will not like the book. It is that way as a part of the plot, tho, not for some kinky bent. It is very much plot driven, and I really, really like it due to it's focus on intregue and spying, as I find that unusual in fantasy books, which are more sword and sorcery, normally. It also has a very strong female protagonist, without making her at all butch or manly, which is also quite unusual in the fantasy setting.

OK, off to join the library to get a copy of Man in the High Castle. See you all tonight!

[Shaphron]

Oh - just thought of another book to put on the list of possible future reads - Daughter of the blood by Anne Bishop. This may be considered a bit of a romance, but it's a fantastic book, again plot driven far more than romance driven, it is gritty and mean, and I've read it about 50 times, as I love it so much. The world is definately fantasy, and it's one of the most original settings of a book you'll ever find. but again, if you don't like the "darker" sex scenes, then this book is probably not for you. (As opposed to Kushiels Dart, this book has more rape/unwilling-ness, whreas in Kusiel it is mostly consentual (sp??))

[paz]

[Shaphron]

I asked Leigh about this yesterday - he said he didn't mind where it was, but we will all of course have to know where you live, so as far as I'm aware it's fine for us to hold it at yours, will you provide us with directions next monday?

[Gileh]

We need to settle on a  date for the first meeting.

Leigh

[metagaia]

[Shaphron]

[Gileh]

Okay 28th At Paz's- Paz are The Wife/Spawn/Cats okay with this?

[paz]

[Shaphron]

Good question - I've not been in one before either. I had a fuzzy idea of discussing our impressions of it, and then devolving into friendly arguments about characters/motivations/anything at all (to do with the book). If we had a question on something in particular that would help start discussions - tho if you can't think of a question it shouldn't be mandatory....

Anyone else know what a book club should do?

[paz]

Do we people want to aim to come round about 8ish? This should give us time to get Hannah into bed and finish our dinner.

I'm just about to send Chris our address; does anyone else not know where we are?

The only complication is that Hannah currently has a virus so may wake during the evening if it hasn't cleared by then.

[metagaia]

Do we actually choose the next book at the meeting itself or do we discuss that conundrum online?

[HDimagination]

We also do not know where you are.

I think it's best to make the decision in person, as the forum has not been the best place for decison making recently.

Should we bring drinks/refeshments?  If so what manner would be prefered?

[paz]

[Shaphron]

Does someone have a list of all titles which have been suggested so far, or would you like me to complile one from this thread before the night?

[HDimagination]

Ok, so do we think as a group (with Paz having right of veto here as it's his house) that refreshments include Alcamaholic bevarages?

I'm not proposing getting hammered quanitities, just a bottle of wine or couple of drinks for general relaxation purposes and thought it would be best to ask first.

[metagaia]

I have no problem with it, but I'll probably be sticking with coke/pepsi (depending how much cheaper pepsi is at the shop)  

[Gileh]

I will print off a list of titles from before, but if someone want to suggest a book they can make a case for it at the end- say what book you like, what you like about it and a sentence or two about what  it's about and the setting. we'll vote there and then by show of hands?

[paz]

[Gileh]

How are peoples getting there- anybody know what trains/buses run?
Leigh

[metagaia]

Well, if chester is your object.  The route seems to be:
Chester to Hooton, then Hooton to Overpool.

Trains leave at 19:00 if you want to get to the station for 19:33, or 19:30 if you want to arrive for 20:03

Getting back to chester you just trace back the route and there are trains leaving at 21:52 and 23:22.

[HDimagination]

[metagaia]

[metagaia]

Unfortunately, I will not be able to make it tonight.  

My mother is feeling unwell (dizzyness etc) so I'm going to have to take care of her.  

Sincere apologies for both the cancellation and the late notice.

Hope everyone else has fun.  

[paz]

[paz]

[metagaia]

[Gileh]

Sorry you couldn't make it Chris. We can talk about the book on Monday for a bit.

It was decided:

The next book shall be the The Year of Our War by Steph Swainston

The next meeting shall be Friday the 9th Of January, unless anyone has issues with that.

The idea was the first Friday in January. But that is actually the 2nd of January. I have no problems with that, but others might. I'd actually prefer it, in fact.

[metagaia]

Ok, no problem with the book, no problem with the date.  

I must admit that was my favourite Phillip K Dick book so far, and despite IMO the unsatisfactory ending, I really enjoyed it as a fully plausible 'what if' type book.

Unfortunately, I don't own the year of our war, so it's off to the library I go! (tomorrow hopefully)

[paz]

Just a note to make sure people are OK for tonight...

I did manage to finish the book in time!

[Shaphron]

We're still ok for tonight. I'm assuming the same time - around 8?

[metagaia]

*sigh* Afraid I am not going to be able to make it, *again*.  This time, it is me who is feeling under the weather (just a cold I think, but really don't want to travel).

I promise one day I will make it, it is just lady fate has decided I shall be banned from extra club activities  

Many apologies,
Chris.

[HDimagination]

Much sympathy dude... Well I hope that you enjoyed the book! We can have a chat about it in the pub on monday.

[Gileh]

We have agreed to meet next on February the 13th and for the book to be Childhood's End by A.C. Clarke This is a short book (hopefully) so we can get through it first. We have penciled in Dark Moon by David Gemmell as the book for March, because the shortness of the sf choice will give the busier/slower (like me) readers among us more time to get through it.

Sorry you couldn't make it Meta, if we see you at the TC we can all chat about it then, or before the game on Monday

[paz]

Heather's had a fraught couple of weeks and the next fortnight doesn't look much better; do people have a problem with moving the next meetup back to 20th Feb?

[Gileh]

Do you need a dinosaur to look out for you two? He's house trained and very brave and loyal.

[Gileh]

Remember to post here if you have difficulty getting hold of a copy of the book so we can lend you spares ones.

Also, if readers of this thread feel they want join in, just say so .

[Shaphron]

20th is fine with us - will help with the whole moving thing too.

[HDimagination]

Hope that we are still ok for tonight?  Thought it best to give this a bump to remind people.

[paz]

All OK here. In theory, we should have dinner all finished by 19:30-19:45ish.

Any drink/snack requests?

[HDimagination]

yummy Stuff!

[metagaia]

Don't suppose anyone knows where those sour balls came from?

[Gileh]

[paz]

Sour balls will not be permitted; I was still experiencing mouth pain on Wednesday!

(Yet another perfectly innocent but very dodgy-looking post on the boards...)

[metagaia]

They do take some getting used to.  Is there a corner shop nearby yours where with bountiful confectionary supplies?

[Gileh]

[metagaia]

[Gileh]

Can the hosts please let us all know what is best. I think we said the 20th but can't remember

[metagaia]

The 20th and 27th are certainly free for me, but the 13th is not quite certain, and I would have to get back to you for that one.

Of course I am not the host so that was completely useless  

[Shaphron]

[metagaia]

[paz]

I think we said 3 April, as 20 March was only 4 weeks (for our longest book so far) and we aren't available on 27 March.

[paz]

Heather's pretty sure she won't be able to read the book before Friday due to other commitments. Therefore the book club can be held elsewhere if preferred, depending on what's convenient for people. I will be available as normal.

[HDimagination]

We are pretty sure that we can accomodate people at ours, so if people want to go ahead with the book club, then please let us know, and we will make an effort to make our house habitable.

[metagaia]

I am up for it at least.  I don't want the book to fade too much from my mind and have to end up rereading it.

Anybody else?  

[metagaia]

Unfortunately, my mother does not feel comfortable with me heading off to Ellesmere Port via Liverpool.  As I really don't want to upset her, I feel I have to cancel (again).  It was a really nice book though, best one so far by a mile!

[Gileh]

[metagaia]

A) There are two potential routes to Ellesmere Port from where I live.  The first is to go from Greenbank to Chester, then to Hooton, then finally to Ellesmere Port.  This involves two connections, including one with only a 10 minute window, meaning Bad Things happen if one train is late.  It also involves leaving a good 30 minutes earlier (I would probably have to leave at 21:30).  Not to mention Chester station is not much of an improvement on Liverpool.

The second is Hartford to Liverpool, then Ellesmere Port.  It is quicker, even with a 30 minute wait for the connection.  But I would be spending that 30 minutes waiting on Liverpool Lime station for 30 minutes on a Friday night.  The prospect of that hardly filled my mother with glee.

B) (I assume you mean unpleasant).  It's not Ellesmere port that she had a problem with, but the connecting stations.  I do kinda agree with her as well.  I have taken late trains on Fridays from Liverpool and Chester, and uneventful is the absoloute best you can hope for.  I do see her point, even though it led to a large argument in itself.  This wasn't something I wanted to do willingly.

[Gileh]

[metagaia]

[Gileh]

[metagaia]

[Gileh]

New book is Ender's Game New date is.... help me out here, Paz?

[paz]

[Shaphron]

Well, the thought now is if it's not at Paz's then we'll go for it at Leighs, which will hopefully be easier for everyone to get to. Our house is less than 5 mins walk from both train and bus stations, so we thought it might have been ok, but we're proved wrong.

Although it has to be said, on the train journeys I've taken which involve being out late at night I've never had a problem. nor have I had a problem walking through Ellesmere Port at night. But that's just me.

[paz]

Does anyone:

1. Have Ender's Game already
2. Not intend to read any of it in the next week
3. Intend to come to the club tonight?

I only ask I'm still waiting for my copy to be delivered and wanted to get started on it this week. If not, hopefully mine will arrive soon!

[Teflon Billy]

[HDimagination]

Guys, I think it may be a good Idea to delay the book club for a week. I’ve only just started reading the book, Shell has not read it yet, and I know lee has not read it yet either (I know this as we have borrowed his book!)

I think it would be better all round to put the book club off a week till the 15th to give us all a bit of breathing space.

What do people think?

[metagaia]

I have not yet read it either.

I am Christopher Barnett and I approve this message  

[paz]

Slackers!

Unfortunately a week on Friday isn't great for us, for a number of reasons; can we push it back to the Friday after that (22nd)?

Has anyone got ideas for fantasy books that we can read for the following meetup?