Litsy

Here are a few questions to get us started on the discussion of The Three-Body Promblem. This is just a guide, you are welcome to discuss anything. #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC

@Larkken @Deblovestoread @bnp @Johanna414 @BookmarkTavern @julesG @sebrittainclark @BookBelle84 @Readergrrl @CSeydel @Roary47 @Lizpixie @Ruthiella

TheSpineView @PaperbackPirate @PageShifter @kwmg40 @majkia @AuthorCjwhitcomb @Bookwomble @wanderinglynn @MerlinTheSlightlyAwkward @klou @RamsFan1963 @BookwormAHN @LeticiaToraci 1d

TheSpineView @CatLass007 @AmandaBlaze @psalva @Karisimo @BethM @rretzler @Lauredhel @CaroPi @DuckOfDoom @The_Literary_Jedi 1d

Bookwomble Q1: While the mechanism for contact was, necessarily, speculative, the SETI approach did seem realistic to me. Q2. I thought this was less about disarmament and more about maintaining technological superiority during the relativistic journey between star systems, which coincidentally is a theme of the tagged #ClassicLSFBC book for June 2024. Q3. I've completely forgotten who the listener is! Can you remind me? 😊

The Forever War

17h

Ruthiella 1. I thought the way contact was initiated was realistic. Both sides are looking for contact but not 100% sure what to do once it‘s made. 2. I think the reaction of the Trisolarians is understandable. Why would other life forms be benign to humans? If they are anything like humans, they wouldn‘t be. 3. I think both Ye and the listener are similar in that they are small cogs trying to make a difference. (edited) 10h

Roary47 This book was so witty. As a Science teacher I find that students don‘t get “simple” concepts anymore. When we had moments such as moving the pool table and the different possibilities of sinking that ball. Just in the 9 years I have taught the quality of their understanding and learning has depreciated. Critical thinking I hope will make a come back. 9h

49 likes5 comments

TheSpineView

Goliath | Tochi Onyebuchi

Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi is the winner for June. It is available for free to read, in the US, if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Even my tiny local library had a physical copy and ebook format also. This book has a number of accolades so I am hoping it lives up to the hype. Enjoy!
Anyone who wants to be added or removed from the tag list let me know.
@Larkken @Deblovestoread @bnp @Johanna414 @BookmarkTavern @julesG @sebrittainclark

TheSpineView #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC @BookBelle84 @Readergrrl @CSeydel @Roary47 @Lizpixie @Ruthiella @PaperbackPirate @PageShifter @kwmg40 @majkia @AuthorCjwhitcomb 2d

TheSpineView @Bookwomble @wanderinglynn @MerlinTheSlightlyAwkward @Klou @RamsFan1963 @BookwormAHN @LeticiaToraci @CatLass007 @AmandaBlaze @psalva @Karisimo 2d

TheSpineView @BethM @rretzler @Lauredhel @CaroPi @DuckOfDoom @The_Literary_Jedi @LitsyEvents 2d

See All 13 Comments

BookmarkTavern Looks interesting! 2d

julesG It's somewhere on #MountTBR, I think 2d

Karisimo My library has the e-audiobook available! 2d

TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern Agree. 2d

TheSpineView @julesG I get that. I have a mountain myself. 2d

TheSpineView @Karisimo 😎 2d

Roary47 I have it at my library I‘m in 2d

Ruthiella Awesome! My library has a copy. 👍 2d

RamsFan1963 I bought a copy the first time I nominated the book, so I'm glad I now can read it. 2d

Lizpixie Awesome👍 17h

55 likes13 comments

LitsyEvents

Untitled | Anonymous

repost for @TheSpineView

Voting is now open to pick the June selection for the #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC. Voting will be open through Tuesday. I checked with my library, and three of these books are available online: All Systems Red, The Fated Sky and Goliath. The other two are not overly pricey on Amazon at 9.99 and 4.99.

#BuddyRead

original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2737670

TheSpineView Thanks! 7d

34 likes1 comment

TheSpineView

Untitled | Untitled

Voting is now open to pick the June selection for the #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC. Voting will be open through Tuesday. I checked with my library, and three of these books are available online: All Systems Red, The Fated Sky and Goliath. The other two are not overly pricey on Amazon at 9.99 and 4.99.

@Larkken @Deblovestoread @bnp @Johanna414 @BookmarkTavern @julesG @sebrittainclark @BookBelle84 @Readergrrl @CSeydel @Roary47

TheSpineView @Lizpixie @Ruthiella @PaperbackPirate @PageShifter @kwmg40 @majkia @AuthorCjwhitcomb @Bookwomble @wanderinglynn @MerlinTheSlightlyAwkward @Klou @RamsFan1963 7d

TheSpineView @BookwormAHN @LeticiaToraci @CatLass007 @AmandaBlaze @psalva @Karisimo @BethM @rretzler @Lauredhel @CaroPi @DuckOfDoom 7d

majkia All Systems Red! 7d

See All 19 Comments

julesG Sticking to my nomination, but I'm open for any of them.

The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain

wanderinglynn I vote for

Goliath

BookmarkTavern I really loved The Calculating Stars, so

The Fated Sky: A Lady Astronaut Novel

CaroPi This is a tricky one. I read all systems in red and I love murderbot... But the idea is to read something new... I will go with

Fortuna

Lizpixie I‘m voting for this one as I‘d planned on a reread of Murderbot anyway coz I‘ve just bought the latest one!

All Systems Red

Ruthiella I‘ll vote for

Goliath

CatLass007 From what I‘ve seen so far, this one is going to be close.

The Fated Sky: A Lady Astronaut Novel

The_Literary_Jedi I‘d love to join in with you! Goliath is available in KU if anyone has a subscription 6d

Karisimo Sounds good! Same thoughts as @CaroPi

Fortuna

(edited) 6d

TheSpineView @The_Literary_Jedi Do you want me to add you to the tag list? You are also welcome to shadow us. 6d

RamsFan1963 I'm voting for my selection

Goliath

The_Literary_Jedi Yes, please add me! Thank you! 6d

Roary47 My vote is for All Systems Red 6d

kwmg40 I‘ll vote for

Goliath

TheSpineView @The_Literary_Jedi Will do! Be sure to vote. 6d

AmandaBlaze I'm going with my rec, though I'm interested in several of these as well.

All Systems Red

48 likes19 comments

Bookwomble

The Three-Body Problem | Cixin Liu

pick

#LSFBC #LitsySciFiBookClub @TheSpineView @CatLass007

I liked this from the beginning, but didn't feel connected with it until a little over halfway through. I like the ideas in it, and the narrative sweep. There aren't any particularly engaging characters in it - perhaps wily police officer Da Shi, but he's not exactly a nice guy - so it's really about the ideas and how they're linked, which I found interesting. It was also interesting to ⬇️

Bookwomble ... pick up some of the triumverates in the story, though whether they were deliberate or apophenic I'm not sure. 4⭐
I wasn't sure I'd bother to read the other books in the series, but having finished this one I think I will at some point. 2w

Kitta I‘m watching the show, it‘s great. 1w

Bookwomble @Kitta I paused watching to read the book spoiler-free, but I'll restart now I've finished. Good to hear it's a good show 😊 1w

Lesliereadsalot The show is really good. Better than the books and I liked the books. 1w

Bookwomble @Lesliereadsalot I've rewatched the first episode, and it's so different to the book that I find it annoying. However, I'm going to set that aside and watch it as it's own thing, not least because then I get to enjoy Benedict Wong as Da Shi: I've had a soft spot for him since his part as lovely but put-upon Errol in 15 Stories High, a British sitcom of the early 2000s. 1w

43 likes5 comments

TheSpineView

The Calculating Stars: A Lady Astronaut Novel | Mary Robinette Kowal

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs #SpringSkies #BkClubRead

Reading this book in April for the #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC which I host. It is a reread for myself. I enjoyed this book and look forward to visiting with the characters again.

Karisimo Have you read the whole series? 2mo

TheSpineView @Karisimo Yes. Book 1 and 3 are my favorites 2mo

Eggs 💙🖤💙 Perfect 2mo

See All 6 Comments

julesG Same. I'm going to enjoy the audiobook shortly before our discussion. 2mo

Karisimo @TheSpineView good to hear! 2mo

TheSpineView @Eggs 😊 2mo

59 likes1 stack add6 comments

TheSpineView

The Man Who Fell to Earth | Walter Tevis

Here are a few questions on The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis. These are just to get us started. Please feel free to discuss anything about this book. There was a lot going in it and I would love to hear your thoughts. #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC

@Larkken @Deblovestoread @bnp @Johanna414 @BookmarkTavern @julesG @sebrittainclark @BookBelle84 @Readergrrl @CSeydel @Roary47 @LeeRHarry

TheSpineView @Lizpixie @Ruthiella @PaperbackPirate @PageShifter @kwmg40 @majkia @AuthorCjwhitcomb @Bookwomble @wanderinglynn @MerlinTheSlightlyAwkward @Klou @RamsFan1963 2mo

TheSpineView @BookwormAHN @LeticiaToraci @CatLass007 @AmandaBlaze @psalva @Karisimo @BethM @rretzler @Lauredhel 2mo

Ruthiella 1. think at least in part the book is to show how humans can‘t see beyond their own limited understanding and perspective, to our own detriment.
2. Was he an alcoholic? I never thought of him that way, interesting! In any case, I found him relatable in his need for solitude coupled with his need for companionship.
3. I never saw Newton as a Christ figure. Icarus fits in that his ambitions were too high and were ultimately his downfall. 2mo

See All 9 Comments

Bookwomble 1. That vested interest will outweigh wisdom. That we don't learn from experience. That technology can't save us if our intentions continue to be domination through force.
2. Tevis was actively alcoholic when he wrote the book, and alcoholism was a feature of many of his stories. I thought it an interesting inversion of culture shock, as historically alcoholism is a factor in the collapse of a colonised culture. Saying that, Newton does lose... 2mo

Bookwomble ... himself in American culture, "goes native", and perhaps alcohol is the haven of the alienated alien.
3. There's an early scene in which Newton sees a picture of Christ crucified and sees him as Anthean, so the comparison is there, but I think as a contrast between Christ's arrival being the salvation of the fallen universe and Newton's failure to save anything. The fate of Icarus is the overarching metaphor: the fall of Anthean civilisation... 2mo

Bookwomble ... through the misuse of technology, the incipient fall of human civilization, the literal and metaphorical fall of Newton from space to earth, and from grace to purgatory, if not damnation. Rumpelstiltskin span straw into gold, and Newton arrived not just with literal gold, but with the prime materials to create wealth from, essentially, nothing. Photography is the innovation most mentioned: wealth created by the conversion of the real into... 2mo

Bookwomble ... an image, and faery gold is traditionally illusory, lacks intrinsic value and eventually reverts to leaves and dust.
(My apologies for hogging bandwidth.) 2mo

kwmg40 Good observations here. I don't really have anything to add to the discussion, but the rest of you have given me more to think about. 2mo

rretzler I would agree that there have been some good observations. While reading the book, I felt that I could see the handwriting on the wall when Newton started at first to drink, as if that would ultimately lead to his downfall. So in answer to that question, I think it made him more human. But perhaps the Antheans were “human” anyway, as their civilization is a cautionary tale for our own. 2mo

37 likes9 comments

TheSpineView

The Last Gifts of the Universe | Rory August

The April selection for the #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC is The Last Gifts of the Universe by Rory August. At 203 pages it should be a quick read. I hope everyone one will enjoy April's selection. If you want to be added or removed from the tag list, please let me know. Happy Reading!

Discuss for March's selection, The Man Who Fell to Earth, will start in a couple of days. You still have time to read/finish because this one is short also.

TheSpineView @LitsyEvents @Larkken @Deblovestoread @bnp @Johanna414 @BookmarkTavern @julesG @sebrittainclark @BookBelle84 @Readergrrl @Roary47 2mo

TheSpineView @LeeRHarry @Lizpixie @Ruthiella @PaperbackPirate @PageShifter @kwmg40 @majkia @AuthorCjwhitcomb @Bookwomble @wanderinglynn @MerlinTheSlightlyAwkward @Klou 2mo

TheSpineView @RamsFan1963 @BookwormAHN @LeticiaToraci @CatLass007 @AmandaBlaze @psalva @Karisimo @BethM @rretzler @Lauredhel 2mo

See All 22 Comments

CatLass007 According to Amazon and ThriftBooks this book won‘t be released until October. Do you have an ARC? 2mo

CatLass007 Also, I wasn‘t tagged when the voting was posted. 2mo

kwmg40 I'm afraid I'll have to sit this one out. I can't find any copies in my local libraries or bookstores, and while Amazon and Kobo offer e-books, they won't be available until October! This may be a problem just in Canada, though. 2mo

PaperbackPirate Same for the US @kwmg40 . 2mo

rretzler Looks like it‘s the same for me (and I voted for it 🤣) 2mo

TheSpineView @CatLass007 My bad. Sorry, you are on my list and I some how over looked you. Squirrel brain!!🤦‍♀️ 2mo

TheSpineView @CatLass007 GoodReads said it was published on April 5, 2022???? Yet I see it is pre-order only on Amazon and the release date is October 1st. Wow, I took what GoodReads said as correct and didn't check Amazon. @rretzler @PaperbackPirate @kwmg40. We will have to put this one until a later date. That will mean we will read The Calculing Stars unless you guys want to recast votes. Let me know. 2mo

CatLass007 The description on Litsy says it‘s being released in September. So who knows how any information is accurate? Nobody‘s fault. I read the blurb and it sounds entertaining because cat. I think The Calculating Stars sounds like a great idea! 2mo

TheSpineView @CatLass007 I was looking forward to this one. Kind of bummed that we have to wait until October. 2mo

CatLass007 We‘ll have plenty of other adventures between now and then. 2mo

TheSpineView @CatLass007 Truth! 2mo

CatLass007 😘 2mo

julesG It was self-published in April 2022, when I bought it. So I guess a publishing house snatched it up and is re-releasing it. Honestly didn't know about this when I nominated the book. MEA CULPA 2mo

kwmg40 No problem, and I'm fine with The Calculating Stars. I've read it already and am not sure I'll reread but I'd be happy to participate in discussions with everyone else. 2mo

RamsFan1963 I'm fine with switching to The Calculating Stars. I'm not sure if my library has a copy, but I've seen several copies for under $10 on ebay. 2mo

AmandaBlaze I'm fine with

The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut, #1)

2mo

LitsyEvents Would you like us to hold off on reposting this since there might be a change in the book? 2mo

TheSpineView @LitsyEvents Yes, please 2mo

julesG I'm fine with Calculating Stars, too. In case you were wondering. 😁 2mo

60 likes4 stack adds22 comments

Bookwomble

The Man Who Fell to Earth | Walter Tevis

pick

Breughel's "The Fall of Icarus", explicitly referenced at the novel's start, sets the tone of grand failure. This is a pessimistic examination of humanity's probable (though not certain) inability to save itself from destruction. While Tevis had nuclear apocalypse in mind, there are parallels with the structural inability of vested interests to deal with the present climate crisis.
Re-read upgrade from 4 to 5⭐
#LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC ?

Bookwomble Thomas Jerome Newton, the eponymous protagonist and failed Christ figure, doubly unable to effect the salvation of his own dying people and that of his earthly planet of exile, is endearingly tragic in his inability to escape the perverse machinations of government agencies. Understandable though these may be, political advantage trumps wisdom.
The people of Newton's home planet, Anthea, learn about human culture from TV and radio broadcasts, and (edited) 2mo

Bookwomble ... I wonder whether the name Thomas Jerome is a nod to cartoon antagonists Tom and Jerry, and the cat & mouse game of deception and obfuscation played by both earthlings & Antheans?
It's hard to identify Newton's home planet, as the information seems contradictory. Venus and Mars are too close, despite hints and possibly deceptive denials. Jupiter seems about the right distance, and as Anthea was a daughter of Jupiter to an ocean nymph, one of ⬇️ (edited) 2mo

Bookwomble ... the Jovian moons is a possible candidate.
My movie tie-in edition states that Bowie wrote the film score, which he did but director Nicholas Roeg decided not to use it, indicating the book was prepared for press before the film release. Bowie did rework his compositions for the second side of his album, Low, with its iconic cover art from the film.
There is apparently a lot of Tevis autobiography in the novel: as a child he was isolated due ⬇️ (edited) 2mo

See All 9 Comments

Bookwomble ... to illness, was uprooted from the city to rural Kansas, and was an alcoholic whose drinking significantly impacted his ability to work.
For a short novel, there's a lot going on, and I'm glad I re-read it 👽 (edited) 2mo

batsy This book sounds super intriguing, and that painting is one of my favourites 💜 2mo

Bookwomble @batsy I love it, but it has a mixed Litsy reception at 59%. Library Thing rating is 3.85 and GR is 4.05, so more highly regarded on those platforms. Just to give you a more democratic indication than my personal view 😄 The painting is intriguing, particularly in the way the title event is very much backgrounded. 2mo

batsy @Bookwomble Yes, something both hopeful and depressing in the depiction of that major event (hiz legs sticking out of the water) and life just going in the foreground. Re: the book, sometimes the most interesting ones have exactly this kind of mixed reception 🙂 2mo

kwmg40 Nice analysis of the book. I have to admit that the deep pessimism of the story affected my enjoyment of it, but I find that I'm still musing on the themes of the book. 2mo

Bookwomble @kwmg40 Thank you 😊 And your comment seems to bear out that of @batsy 🤝 I have a deep vein of pessimism, so maybe it struck a chord with me 😏 2mo

36 likes9 comments

Bookwomble

The Man Who Fell to Earth | Walter Tevis

#TenuousLiteraryConnection 1: The epigraph for TMWFTE is a verse by Hart Crane, who was friends with poet Samuel Loveman, who was also a friend of H. P. Lovecraft, whose story "The Statement of Randolph Carter" I've just read, in which the doomed character Harley Warren is based on Loveman. (Yes, this is exceedingly tenuous!)
#LSFBC #BooksAndBowie

Bookwomble #TenuousLiteraryConnection 2: The cover of my edition is painted by George Underwood, David Bowie's childhood friend turned album and book cover artist, whose punch to the eye during a fight over a girl caused the injury resulting in heterochromia that contributed to David's air of otherworldliness, which was part of the mystique Nicholas Reg utilised when casting him in the film adaptation as alien visitor, Thomas Jerome Newton.
#BooksAndBowie 2mo

BarbaraBB Interesting! And a worthy photo for your profile as well! 2mo

bibliothecarivs A striking image 2mo

Bookwomble @BarbaraBB I have it (at least the "Low" album cover version) on a t-shirt, too ? 2mo

Bookwomble @bibliothecarivs It's one of my favourite Bowie images, and I've wanted that coat since forever! 2mo

33 likes5 comments

Welcome to Litsy!

Trending Hashtags

Trending Books