2013 Selections

2013 Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Club List

Meetings have been moved to Quarterly on the first Thursday of the month (exception for this year since July 4th is a Thursday so meeting has been moved to the 11th.) Two books have been nominated and either or both can be read for that quarter. October has only one book nominated with the second book space open as a ‘Float suggestion’. Any new books that come out in 2013 or are suggested reads should be mentioned at previous meeting to fill that float spot. Meetings will start at 6:00pm at an area restaurant.


Jan 3rd at 6:00pm at Panera on Old Fort Parkway (suggestions for restaurant for next meeting)
Books –
Saturn’s Children by Charles Stross
Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin

April 4th at 6:00pm – Restaurant to be determined
Books –
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne
Valente
Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti by Genevieve Valentine

July 11th at 6:00pm - Restaurant to be determined
Books –
Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi
*Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper – extra credit read. This is the inspiration for Fuzzy Nation
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

October 3rd at 6:00pm - Restaurant to be determined
Books –
At The Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft
Float Suggestion

2012 Selections

Here are our selections for 2012:

January -- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

February -- Oryx and Cake by Margaret Atwood

March -- The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

April -- Time and Again by Jack Finney

May -- Replay by Ken Grimwood

June -- A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge

July -- The Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher

August -- Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume I, edited by Robert Silverberg

September -- Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (in honor of banned books week!)

October -- Feed by Mira Grant

November -- Mistborn by Brian Sanderson

December -- Holiday Party 

2011 Selections

Here they are! Our selections for 2011!

Jan 26 -- Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Feb 23 -- The City and the City by Chia Mievelle
Mar 23 -- The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein
Apr 27 -- In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker
May 24 -- The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
June 27 -- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
July -- Movie Meeting: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two
Aug 24 -- I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Sep 28 -- The Skewed Throne by Joshua Palmatier
Oct 26 -- Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Nov 16 -- Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
Dec 11 -- Holiday Party & Book Selection

Holiday Party Canceled!

Due to the weather conditions, we've called off the holiday party this evening!

Just trying to get the word out as many ways as possible.

Please send your top seven nominations to bigorangemichael at gmail dot com. We'll compile the lists and let you know the winners and schedule.

2011 Nominations

Here they are! Our nominations for 2011.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K.Rowling
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R.Tolkein
Throne of Jade by Naomi Novak
Time Traveler's Never Die by Jack McDevitt
Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Bridge of Birds by Barry Hugart
Good Omens by Neal Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
To Ride Pegasus by Anne McCaffrey
Calculating God by Robert J. Sawyer
Rendevous with Rama by Arthur C.Clarke
Use of Weapons by Ian Banks
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
Time and Again by Jack Finney
The City and the City by China Mievelle
Sam Gunn Omnibus by Ben Bova
Slant by Greg Bear
The Skewed Throne by Joshua Palmatier
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker
Little Brother by Cory Doctrow
The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
Berserker by Fred Saberhagen

Last updated: December 1, 2011

Nominations Held Over From Last Year

Last year, we had three books that got a lot of response and interest, but in the end we couldn't find a place for them in our reading schedule.

We decided to punt them and strongly consider them for 2011. Those books are:

The City & the City by China Mievelle
Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress
Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks

Previous Reads (Updated for 2010)

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe by Douglas Adams
Gateway by Frederick Pohl
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri Tepper
A Canticle for Leibowitz by William Miller
Dragonflight by Ann McCafferty

The Mote in God's Eye by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Star Man's Son by Andre Norton
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

Wicked by Gregory Maguire
The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
Orphanage by Robert Buettner
The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement

American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
Farnham’s Freehold by Robert Heinlein
Children of Men by P.D. James
Red Mars by Kim S. Robinson

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
Way Station by Clifford Simak
Dune by Frank Herbert
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clark
Foundation by Isaac Asimov

There will be Dragons by John Ringo
Lucifer’s Hammer by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick
Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

Time Slave by John Norman
Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Warrior’s Apprentice by Lois M. Bujold
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

On the Beach by Nevil Shute
The Truth by Terry Pratchett
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Dorsai by Gordon Dickson
Glory Road by Robert A. Heinlein

Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card
Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
Santiago by Mike Resnick

The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Someplace to be Flying by Charles De Lint
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Off Armageddon Reef by David Weber

The Caves of Steel & The Naked Sun by Issac Asimov
Soulless by Gail Carringer
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp
Acacia by David Anthony Durham
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
Hyperion & Fall of Hyperion by Dam Simmons
The Traveler by John Twelve Hawkes

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Archangel by Sharon Shinn

Nominations Guidelines

It's that time again! Time for nominations. Here's the guidelines.

Here are the guidelines we follow for book nominations:

1. Each person can nominate up to four books--three non-Heinlein books and one classic sci-fi or fantasy novel (classic is defined as published before 1970).

2. Please help ensure that we can find the books by making sure they're easily available and at an affordable cost. (If it's out of print and goes for $50 on Amazon's market place, that may exclude some people or lead to mud wrestling for the book at the circulation desk.).

3. We can have nominations for a theme or a series that go together--provided we aren't required to read the entire Wheel of Time series in a month. For example, last year we did the entire C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy one month and we had nominations of 1984 and Brave New World last year because they're thematically similar.

For new members, each person can nominate up to four books as detailed above. For our December meeting, we get together and put together the list of books for next year. We also slot the books into the calendar for next year.

January was traditionally a month when we read a novel by Heinlein. However, we've opened it up to now be classic sf/fantasy month. Classic is being defined at a novel or work published before 1970. We've opened up the field a bit but if you love Heinlein you can still nominate him here or for one of our other monthly openings.

Similar to last year, I'll be happy to keep up with a spreadsheet of info on the availability of books, whether they're in print and the various editions (hardcover, paperback, etc). We would like to have the nominees finalized BEFORE we have our holiday festivities in December, so I'll ask that all nominees be to on or before the November meeting.

Previous Nominations

1984 & Brave New World	George, Aldous	Orwell, Huxley
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea	Jules	Verne
A Brother's Price	Wen	Spencer
A Call to Arms	Alan Dean	Foster
A Clockwork Orange	Anthony	Burgess
A Deepness in the Sky	Vernor	Vinge
Acacia	David Anthony	Durham
Accelerando	Charles	Stross
Any title	Kurt	Vonnegut
Armor	John	Steakley
Babel 17	Samuel	Delany
Berzeker series	Frederick	Saberhagen
Bio of a Space Pirate: Refugee	Piers	Anthony
Bridge of Birds	Barry	Hughart
Child of Fire	Harry	Connolly
Cities in Flight	James	Blish
City and the City	China	Mieville
Complete McAndrews, The	Charles	Sheffield
Conquistador	S.M.	Sterling
Conrad Starguard	Leo	Frankowski
Crystal Singer, The	Anne	McCaffery
Cyteen	C.J.	Cherryh
Darwin's Radio	Greg	Bear
Dawn for a Distant Earth	L.E.	Modesitt
Decision at Doona	Anne	McCafferey
Dispossed, The	Urusula	LeGuin
Dog Warrior	Wen	Spencer
Domination, The	S.M.	Sterling
Dragon and the George, The	Gordon	Dickson
Dragon and Thief	Timothy	Zach
Dreammaster	Roger	Zelazny
Ecolitan Operation	L.E.	Modesitt
Fantasies of Robert Heinlein	Robert A.	Heinlein
Faraday's Orphans	N. Lee	Wood
Fire Upon the Deep	Vernor	Vinge
Flatland	Edwin	Abbott
Flowers for Algernon	Daniel	Keyes
Golden Compass	Phillip	Pullman
Good Omens	Terry, Neil	Pratchett, Gaiman
Gravity's Rainbow	Thomas	Pynchon
Gridlinked	Neal	Asher
Have Spacesuit, Will Travel	Robert A.	Heinlein
Heart Shaped Box	Joe	Hill
Heritage of Hastur	Marion Zimmer	Bradley
Host, The	Stephenie	Meyer
Hyperion	Dan	Simmons
Ill Wind	Rachel	Caine
In the Garden of Iden	Kage	Baker
Job	Robert A.	Heinlein
Jupiter	Ben	Bova
Kiln People	David	Brin
Left Hand of Darkness, The	Urusula	LeGuin
Legacies	L.E.	Modesitt
Looking for Madhi	N. Lee	Wood
Macrolife	George	Zebrowski
March Upcountry	John	Ringo
Mutineer's Moon	David	Weber
Nekropolis	Maureen	McHugh
Neverwhere	Neil	Gaiman
Nueromancer	William	Gibson
Postman, The	David	Brin
Privateer	Ben	Bova
Protector's War (or The Fire Dies)	S.M.	Sterling
Road, The	Cormac	McCarthy
Scar, The	China	Mieville
Seeker	Jack	McDevitt
Something Wicked This Way Comes	Ray	Bradbury
Spin	Robert Charles	Wilson
Stardust	Neil	Gaiman
Steal Across the Sky	Nancy	Kress
Sword of Shanara	Terry	Brooks
The Alexandrian Ring (Gamestar Wars, Book 1)	W.R.	Forsctchen
The Child Garden	Geoff	Ryman
The Ecolotian Envoy	L.E.	Modesitt, Jr.
The Green Hills of Earth	Robert A.	Heinlein
Through the Looking Glass	Lewis	Carol
Time Traveller's Wife, The	Audrey	Niffinegger
Time's Eye	Arthur C, Stephen	Clarke and Baxter
Timescape	Greg	Benford
To Your Scattered Bodies Go	Phillip Jose	Farmer
Use of Weapons	Ian	Banks
Variable Star	Robert A., Spider	Heinlein, Robinsin
Way of the Pilgrim	Gordon R.	Dick
Yiddish Policemen's Union	Michael	Chabon

"Hyperion" and "Fall of Hyperion" by Dan Simmons

This month, we're reading "Hyperion" by Dan Simmons and strongly recommending reading "Fall of Hyperion" as well. Simmons has said on numerous occasions that this is one book, split into two halves due to the "realities of publishing."

Hyperion is the tale of seven people who make a pilgrimmage to a terrifying creature called the Shrike in an attempt to save mankind. Stunningly writt ...more Hyperion: Hyperion is the tale of seven people who make a pilgrimmage to a terrifying creature called the Shrike in an attempt to save mankind. Stunningly written and beautifully crafted, Simmons's Hyperion resonates with technical achievement and the excitement and wonder found only in the best SF.

Fall of Hyperion: In the continuation of the epic adventure begun in Hyperion, the far future is resplendent with drama and invention. On the world of Hyperion, the mys ...more In the continuation of the epic adventure begun in Hyperion, the far future is resplendent with drama and invention. On the world of Hyperion, the mysterious Time Tombs are opening. And the secrets they contain mean that nothing--nothing anywhere in the universe--will ever be the same.

The Obscure References SF/F Discussion Group will meet on Wednesday, August 25 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss these books. Meetings are held at the Linebuagh Public Library in Murfreesboro.
You can find the address at the library's web site.

"The Man in the High Castle" by Philip K Dick

July's selection is the Hugo-award winning classic, "The Man in the High Castle" by Philip K. Dick.

It's America in 1962. Slavery is legal once again. the few Jews who still survive hide under assumed names. In San Francisco the I Ching is as common as the Yellow Pages. All because some 20 years earlier the United States lost a war—and is now occupied jointly by Nazi Germany and Japan.

This harrowing, Hugo Award-winning novel is the work that established Philip K. Dick as an innovator in science fiction while breaking the barrier between science fiction and the serious novel of ideas. In it Dick offers a haunting vision of history as a nightmare from which it may just be possible to awake.

The Obscure References SF/F Discussion Group will meet on Wednesday, July 23 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss this book. Meetings are held at the Linebaugh Public Library in Murfreesboro.

"The Gunslinger" by Stephen King

March's book is the first entry in Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series, "The Gunslinger."

Thirty-three years, a horrific and life-altering accident, and thousands of desperately rabid fans in the making, Stephen King's quest to complete his magnum opus rivals the quest of Roland and his band of gunslingers who inhabit the Dark Tower series. Loyal DT fans and new readers alike will appreciate this revised edition of The Gunslinger, which breathes new life into Roland of Gilead, and offers readers a "clearer start and slightly easier entry into Roland's world."

King writes both a new introduction and foreword to this revised edition, and the ever-patient, ever-loyal "constant reader" is rewarded with secrets to the series's inception. That a "magic" ream of green paper and a Robert Browning poem, came together to reveal to King his "ka" is no real surprise (this is King after all), but who would have thought that the squinty-eyed trio of Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach would set the author on his true path to the Tower? While King credits Tolkien for inspiring the "quest and magic" that pervades the series, it was Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly that helped create the epic proportions and "almost absurdly majestic western backdrop" of Roland's world.

To King, The Gunslinger demanded revision because once the series was complete it became obvious that "the beginning was out of sync with the ending." While the revision adds only 35 pages, Dark Tower purists will notice the changes to Allie's fate and Roland's interaction with Cort, Jake, and the Man in Black--all stellar scenes that will reignite the hunger for the rest of the series. Newcomers will appreciate the details and insight into Roland's life. The revised Roland of Gilead (nee Deschain) is embodied with more humanity--he loves, he pities, he regrets. What DT fans might miss is the same ambiguity and mystery of the original that gave the original its pulpy underground feel (back when King himself awaited word from Roland's world)

The Obscure References SF/F Discussion Group will meet on Wednesday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss this book. Meetings are held at the Linebaugh Public Library in Murfreesboro.

Soulless by Gail Carringer

February's selection is the first in a new series, "Soulless" by Gail Carringer. Here's a short description from GoodReads.

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

The Obscure References SF/F Discussion Group will meet on Wednesday, Febuuary 24 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss this book. Meetings are held at the Linebuagh Public Library in Murfreesboro.

"Caves of Steel," "Naked Sun" Links

Here are some links for January's selections. (Warning! Some entries may contain SPOILERS for future installments in the series)

Wikipedia:
Issac Asimov
Asimov Bibliography
The Robot Series
Caves of Steel
The Naked Sun
Three Laws of Robotics

2004 Retro Hugo Nominations
2004 Retro Hugo Winners

Reviews:
SF Review: Caves of Steel
SF Site: Caves of Steel
Fantastic Reviews Blog: Caves of Steel
SF Review: Naked Sun

Goodreads: Caves of Steel
Goodreads: Naked Sun

2010 Selections

January 27: The Caves of Steel & The Naked Sun by Issac Asimov
February 24: Soulless by Gail Carringer
March 24: The Gunslinger by Stephen King
April 28: The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
May 26: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells & Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp
June 23: Acacia by David Anthony Durham
July 28: The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
Aug 25: Hyperion & Fall of Hyperion by Dam Simmons
September 22: The Traveler by John Twelve Hawkes
October 27: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
November 17: Archangel by Sharon Shinn
December 12: Holiday Party

Waiting for 2011:
The City & the City by China Mievelle
Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress
Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks

Nominations for 2010

It's that time of year again...time to begin thinking about the books we'd like to read and discuss next year.

Below is the list of this year's nominations.

Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
Hyperion & Fall of Hyperion by Dam Simmons
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffinengger
The Traveler by John Twelve Hawkes
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker
Acacia by David Anthony Durham
Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress
Archangel by Sharon Shinn
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart
Soulless by Gail Carringer
Child of Fire by Harry Connolly
The City & the City by China Mievelle
Cities in Flight by James Blish
Bio of a Space Tyrant: Refugee by Piers Anthony

Classic SF/Fantasy:
The Caves of Steel & The Naked Sun by Issac Asimov
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott
The Dream Master by Roger Zelazny
Too Many Magicians by Randall Garrett
Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp

Updated: December 3, 2009

Nominations Guidelines

As we start to wind down the year, it's time to start thinking about the books we'd like to nominate for the group to read next year.

I've updated the list we had from last year, adding the books we read this year and pulling all of last year's nominated but unselected books into the list of previous nominations.

So, start thinking about the books we'd like to read for next year. Also, as we begin to nominate books, remember our "guidelines."

1. Each person can nominate up to four books--three non-Heinlein books and one classic sci-fi or fantasy novel (classic is defined as published before 1970).

2. Please help ensure that we can find the books by making sure they're easily available and at an affordable cost. (If it's out of print and goes for $50 on Amazon's market place, that may exclude some people or lead to mud wrestling for the book at the circulation desk.).

3. We can have nominations for a theme or a series that go together--provided we aren't required to read the entire Wheel of Time series in a month. For example, this year we did the entire C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy one month and we had nominations of 1984 and Brave New World last year because they're thematically similar.

For new members, each person can nominate up to four books as detailed above. For our December meeting, we get together and put together the list of books for next year. We also slot the books into the calendar for next year.

We've made one update to our nominations process. January was traditionally a month when we read a novel by Heinlein. However, we've opened it up to now be classic sf/fantasy month. Classic is being defined at a novel or work published before 1970. We've opened up the field a bit but if you love Heinlein you can still nominate him here or for one of our other monthly openings.

Books We've Read (Through 2009)

As we prepare to nominate books for next year, it might be useful to have a list of books we've read in the past. Here is the list of books we've read and discussed so far....

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe by Douglas Adams
Gateway by Frederick Pohl
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri Tepper
A Canticle for Leibowitz by William Miller
Dragonflight by Ann McCafferty

The Mote in God's Eye by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Star Man's Son by Andre Norton
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

Wicked by Gregory Maguire
The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
Orphanage by Robert Buettner
The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement

American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
Farnham’s Freehold by Robert Heinlein
Children of Men by P.D. James
Red Mars by Kim S. Robinson

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
Way Station by Clifford Simak
Dune by Frank Herbert
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clark
Foundation by Isaac Asimov

There will be Dragons by John Ringo
Lucifer’s Hammer by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick
Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

Time Slave by John Norman
Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Warrior’s Apprentice by Lois M. Bujold
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

On the Beach by Nevil Shute
The Truth by Terry Pratchett
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Dorsai by Gordon Dickson
Glory Road by Robert A. Heinlein

Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card
Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
Santiago by Mike Resnick

The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Someplace to be Flying by Charles De Lint
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Off Armageddon Reef by David Weber

Books Previously Nominated But Not Selected

Here are some of the books from last year's nominations that weren't selected. Books from the list can be nominated again.

The Child Garden by Geoff Ryman
1984 by George Owell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
The Scar by China Mieville
Neuromancer by William Gibson
The Postman by David Brin
Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill
Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was by Barry Hughart
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Protector's War by S.M. Stirling
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Dragon and Thief by Timothy Zahn
The Sword of Shanara by Terry Brooks
Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
Archangel by Sharon Shinn
Decision at Doona by Anne McCafferey
Armor by John Steakley
A Call to Arms by Alan Dean Foster
Way of the Pilgrim by Gordon R. Dickson
Cyteen by C.J. Cherryh
The Ecologic Envoy by L.E. Modesitt
The Alexandrian Ring by William R. Forstchen

• Gridlinked by Neil Asher
• In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker
• Timescape by Greg Benford
• Jupiter by Ben Bova
• Privateer by Ben Bova
• Heritage of Hastur by Marion Zimmer Bradley
• Kiln People by David Brin
• The Postman by David Brin
• A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
• Ill Win by Rachel Caine
• Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carol
• Time's Eye by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter
• Babel 17 by Samuel Delany
• The Dragon and the George by Gordon Dickson
• Solider Ask Not by Gordon Dickson
• Acacia by David Anthony Durham
• To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer
• Conrad Starguard by Leo Frankowski
• Stardust by Neil Gaiman
• Nueromancer by William Gibson
• Flowers for Algernon by William Keyes
• The Disposssed by Ursula LeGuin
• The Left Hand of Darknes by Urusula LeGuin
• The Crystal Singer by Anne Caffery
• The Road by Cormac McCarthy
• Seeker by Jack McDevitt
• Nekropolis by Maureen McHugh
• Dawn for Distant Earth by L.E. Modesitt
• Ecolitian Operation by L.E. Modesitt
• Legacies by L.E. Modesitt
• Golden Compass series by Philip Pullman
• March Upcountry by John Ringo
• Berzerker series by Frederick Saberhagen
• The Complete McAndrews by Charles Sheffield
• A Brother's Price by Wes Spencer
• Dog Warrior by Web Spencer
• Conquistador by S.M. Stirling
• The Domination by S.M. Stirling
• Accelerando by Charles Stross
• A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
• Any Kurt Vonnegut novel
• Mutineer's Moon by David Weber
• The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
• Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
• Farday's Orphans by N. Lee Wood
• Looking for Madhi by N. Lee Wood
• Macrolife by George Zebrowski

Heinlein nominations
The Green Hills of Earth
The Fantasies of Robert A. Heinlein & Have Spacesuit, Will Travel
Have Spacesuit, Will Travel
Variable Star by Heinlein and Spider Robinson
JOB: A Comedy of Justice

November 2009 -- "Off Armageddon Reef" by Dave Weber

November's selection is the space opera, "Off Armageddon Reef" by Dave Weber.

Humanity pushed its way to the stars - and encountered the Gbaba, a ruthless alien race that nearly wiped us out. Earth and her colonies are now smoldering ruins, and the few survivors have fled to distant, Earth-like Safehold, to try to rebuild.

But the Gbaba can detect the emissions of an industrial civilization, so the human rulers of Safehold have taken extraordinary measures: with mind control and hidden high technology, they've built a religion in which every Safeholdian believes, a religion designed to keep Safehold society medieval forever. 800 years pass. In a hidden chamber on Safehold, an android from the far human past awakens. This "rebirth" was set in motion centuries before, by a faction that opposed shackling humanity with a concocted religion. Via automated recordings, "Nimue" - or, rather, the android with the memories of Lieutenant Commander Nimue Alban - is told her fate: she will emerge into Safeholdian society, suitably disguised, and begin the process of provoking the technological progress which the Church of God Awaiting has worked for centuries to prevent.

Nothing about this will be easy. To better deal with a medieval society, "Nimue" takes a new gender and a new name, "Merlin." His formidable powers and access to caches of hidden high technology will need to be carefully concealed. And he'll need to find a base of operations, a Safeholdian country that's just a little more freewheeling, a little less orthodox, a little more open to the new.

And thus Merlin comes to Charis, a mid-sized kingdom with a talent for naval warfare. He plans to make the acquaintance of King Haarahld and Crown Prince Cayleb, and maybe, just maybe, kick off a new eraof invention. Which is bound to draw the attention of the Churchand, inevitably, lead to war. It's going to be a long, long process. And it's going to be the can't-miss SF epic of the decade.

The Obscure References Book Group will meet at Linebaugh Library in Murfreesboro, TN on Wednesday, November 18 at 6:30 p.m.

Please note: Due to Thanksgiving, we will meet a week earlier than usual.