Science Fiction - Outer Space!

So to start this post I found a great fan site I want to share.

http://classics.jameswallaceharris.com/

This site reviews the classics of science fiction, so if you are a new reader or want to go back to the roots of sci-fi, or need a good reading list to get you started on new authors,  this is the list for you.    Lots of good information, even separated by decade.   Check this site out!

Here are three "outer space" authors I have found!

Arthur C. Clarke is a prime example, where would we be without the Space Odyssey books?
You can either read 2001, 2010,  2061 and then 3001, the final Odyssey!  Apparently they involve the HAL-9000, some sort of super computer that kills a main character in the first saga, but by the final saga, technology has improved so much that a freeze dried person can be brought to life.  The series seems to have information on what is happening on Earth as well as space travel, and life on other worlds, super-technology and colonies on the moon.  I may be too dim to understand all of this, but I am sure it would appeal to someone who really likes an in depth space saga.

Isaac Asimov would definitely appeal with the robot saga, beginning with "I Robot"
Yes, I know I am going with many classics here, but classics are perfect to attract new readers and are also mainstays in the genre and will have appeal even long after they are written.   Many of us can probably recite the three rules of robotics beginning with "a robot must not injure a human being" and we will see how long this rule lasts!    During this saga, the galaxy is colonized and the positronic brain spreads far beyond just Earth,  hence the factor of outer space and the outer planets.  There is also a bit of mystery and detection in this saga so may appeal to non sci-fi readers as a novel that they may like to try.

My third title is a new title,  called The Human Division John Scalzi and apparently there is something called the human Colonial Union,  and this union has been created to keep information from humans about threats from the outside universe.  So, some outside visitors from the world beyond have arrived and are now forming an alliance to try to take down the Colonial Union.    Whether the union is good or bad remains to be seen,  but sometimes you need a group of people willing to protect you from alien invasion.     This novel appears to be earth centered but as the threats seem to be coming from outer space and they are probably arriving on starships, this may be a good title for a person who likes a little political drama as well as a hearty space battle. 

Mashup Take Two!

It was only a matter of time before Steampunk and Romance would intertwine.

In this novel, a beautiful woman and a surly gentleman bent on exposing her secrets wind up in Iceland where there may be hidden some legendary secrets that seem to be mechanical in nature.   Though, a disaster happens, leaving the two stranded on a glacier,  trying to escape a madman and letting nature take its course...

This is part of a series called the "Iron Seas"

I think Steampunk will appeal to many romance readers, as the men have the air of Victorian swagger and intelligence, and the heroines can take center stage, be smart and plucky,  escaping from the confines of traditional Victorian values while still wearing traditional Victorian romantic garb.    BCPL has this novel catalogued in our science fiction collection,  but there is definitely a high romantic bent to this one, sure to appeal to our romance readers.

Disaster - Adventure!

Though, I have not come across a "fan blog" for this type of novel, I found some titles that would probably work.

James Rollins - Deep Fathom has an ex Navy SEAL who surfaces to find the world on fire, because of some horrible solar flares that are causing no end of trouble.   It seems that there is more to the story, including an ancient civilization, but it appears that the flares, the burning and the earthquakes would probably appeal to someone who wants high adventure and people in peril, plus a strong hero to save the day.

Now, Stephen Coonts is more military action, but in Deep Black: Death Wave  there is definitely a threat of a disaster,  as a fault line is compromised, and there  is a plan to set off a landslide that will activate the fault line and create giant waves that may wipe out a lot of cities.    So, I would put this definitely in the "threat of disaster" category and think that I could convince  a reader to try it.   It does look like it also has an engaging adventure hero working to prevent the disaster from happening. 

The third will by by old adventure standby, Clive Cussler.
I found one called Zero Hour,  and apparently, there is a new energy source called zero point energy,  but perhaps harnessing it is not a good idea, as it weakens the Teutonic plates and will probably cause massive earthquakes that will destroy the planet.   So, in order to prevent this from happening, an underwater team of specialists need to head deep into the depths of the ocean and find these energy creating devices before it is too late.  This also falls more into the "preventing a disaster" category, but I think would be enjoyable for readers who like a lot of action and adventure with a disaster theme.

Assignement 3 : Mashup #1

My first mashup is a book I am struggling with  to finish, mentioned earlier on the blog.   The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oates is a mix of several sub genres, but ultimately I am not sure if they work well together.

The first sub genre is literary.  We can all agree that Ms. Oates has a tremendous vocabulary and is very apt with description and turns of phrases.   The book moves at a more leisurely pace as a result because the text is so rich.  She chooses words carefully to get the best results and readers who like language have much to discover by her writing style.

Secondly this book is historical.   She appears to have done quite a bit of research on certain characters in the novel that are drawn directly from history,  Woodrow Wilson, Upton Sinclair, and Mark Twain all make appearances and the works of Aurthur Conan Doyle are discussed at length.   Woodrow Wilson's days at Princeton University are discussed,  and his ultimate disgrace at being asked to leave Princeton.  I don't know all that much about Woodrow Wilson, so am at a loss as to what is true in her account and what is embellished, but there is a lot of history in the novel, taking place in 1905-1906.

Oddly enough, this is also somewhat paranormal horror.   There is a curse on the main family of the book, the Slades,  and there is a mysterious devil type character who can shape shift, and almost create illusions.  At one point in the novel,  one of the main characters runs off with the devil character and ends up in a horrific locale with strange an unknown creatures.   The legend of the Jersey devil is brought up more than once and appears to be a thread in the novel.

I can only imagine that Ms. Oates wanted to write a horror novel, but ultimately this is too literary with too much historical detail and to this reader, it makes the thrill or the "fear factor" as it were, to suffer.    I think this title may have a hard time finding an audience, but it cerrtaily is a mashup of several genres,  and I do applaud Ms. Oates for trying something new.

Sub genres!

I am going to work on some subgenres of fiction this week,  and tell you what I discover.  I have narrowed down the playing field, and these are the subgenres that  I have chosen.

Adventure - disaster!
Science Fiction - outer space!
Western - contemporary!

So, my assignment is to find a fan site or blog about each subgenre and find at least three titles or authors who fit the genre - making sure I note appeal factors.    I will admit, I DO like Adventure - disaster books but I rarely read anything set in outer space, and have not read anything with a Western setting in a very long time,  aside from

And as this is not contemporary,  or a Western for that matter, I don't think it counts.

I just wanted to show y'all how smart I am!

Genre site (week six assignment 1)

I posted this last week as part of my other assignment, as I thught we were supposed to blog about both sites we were following.  So, I will repost the assignment now.  Sorry for the duplication, if you happened upon my site and are enjoying yourselves.


REPOST:

Heroes and Heartbreakers is updated much more frequently, and is much more fun, with enticing cover shots, excerpts from the novel,  and sometimes even including "classic" novels or bits of pop culture, like movies or TV  (Game of Thrones seems to be a popular discussion topic).  I also appreciate the "categories" section which breaks down the posts to specific types  -  contemporary,  paranormal, historical.  I would be most likely to read a historical romance,  so I can get a quick snapshot of new books in that genre.   I also have discovered many new authors writing in romance that I can now have name recognition when I am browsing the new shelves to help customers with authors that may be currently popular.     I love this site's layout.  Easy to use, attractive and would be a good site to share with customers who would like to look for reviews from home.

Some new additions since last I blogged:   Atlatnean goddesses,  fairy tale princesses,  the Fast and the Furious and more beefcake.   The beefcake alone makes the blog worth reading!

Reminds me, I have always wanted to try one of these!   This looks like the type of romance I would enjoy.  A little romance, a little classic fairy tale, a little bit of a historical setting. 

The things I find.

As many of us do,  I have an extensive paperback collection that I have amassed over the years, that only grows bigger with each passing day.   Sometimes when I am at a loss for something to read, and nothing new is jumping out at me,  I like to peruse the "stacks" as it were to discover a hidden gem that I have always meant to read but haven't as yet got around to doing so.

Hence, the John D. MacDonald you see before you.   I had a friend who loved the Travis McGee novels, and I have since discovered that I own three of them.   I selected this one as my first, appears to be written in 1964, the year before I was born.

Travis is an interesting character.  He is a self proclaimed "beach bum" that lives on a houseboat and goes through money rather quickly.  Whenever he needs some new cash, he takes a case, rakes in some dough and then goes back to spending it.   In this novel, he meets a new woman who is having trouble divorcing her husband.   He had control of all her finances and the trust left from her father, but had told her the trust ran out and she has nothing.   She doesn't believe him.  Travis is not about to get involved, thinking this a case best left to lawyers but then a shot rings out and she ends up dead at his feet.   Great start to a mystery.  It surely pulled me right in.   Now, back to reading.

Something anticipated (Week five, assignment 3)

Looking at the list, I came across THIS title, due in August.   Baba Yaga by Toby Barlow


Will is a young American ad executive in Paris. Except his agency is a front for the CIA. It’s 1959 and the cold war is going strong. But Will doesn’t think he’s a warrior—he’s just a good-hearted Detroit ad guy who can’t seem to figure out Parisian girls.
     Zoya is a beautiful young woman wandering les boulevards, sad-eyed, coming off a bad breakup. In fact, she impaled her ex on a spike. Zoya, it turns out, has been a beautiful young woman for hundreds of years; she and her far more traditionally witchy-looking companion, Elga, have been thriving unnoticed in the bloody froth of Europe’s wars.
     Inspector Vidot is a hardworking Paris police detective who cherishes quiet nights at home. But when he follows a lead from a grisly murder to the abode of an ugly old woman, he finds himself turned into a flea.
     Oliver is a patrician, fun-loving American who has come to Paris to start a literary journal with the help of friends in D.C. who ask a few favors in return. He’s in well over his head, but it’s nothing that a cocktail can’t fix. Right?
     Add a few chance encounters, a chorus of some more angry witches, a strung-out jazzman or two, a weaponized LSD program, and a cache of rifles buried in the Bois de Bologne—and that’s a novel! But while Toby Barlow’s Babayaga may start as just a joyful romp though the City of Light, it quickly grows into a daring, moving exploration of love, mortality, and responsibility.

Reading the description, I can't help but think I would like it.    The setting is the first thing that jumps out at me,  Paris in the 1950's is rather an exotic locale and time period, so that is a definite appeal.     The next appeal factor would be the characters,  they seem quirky and a bit humorous and definitely not run of the mill, there is a unique feel to this title that will appeal to readers who like an unusual read.     I get the feeling that there is humor, but also a more thematic literary thread, so it may be a more thoughtful read that spans many levels, so a reader who likes to think about things under the surface would enjoy this one.   I think for the same reason it may be a good title for book groups.   The cover itself gives it that slightly literary look, so I don't imagine that this would be a fast page turner, but have a slower, more leisurely pace.  I imagine that this title might be  a slow burner, and not have as much appeal for the bestseller readers, but more toward the serious fiction fans that want to branch out and try something completely different.   I sure am willing to give it a try. 

Of Love and Bonnets.

Week 5 Assignment 2     

What is popular with my customers?  What authors do I need to learn more about?

Well, let me tell you,  currently,  Amish fever seems to be sweeping Baltimore County.   This is even narrower than general Christian or inspirational fiction!  At several stops, I am specifically asked to provide Amish fiction.   I was told by one customer,  "the woman needs to be wearing a bonnet on the cover."    As a good librarian, I try to comply,  but having never read Amish fiction in my life,  I was at a loss as to where to begin.  

It seems that Early Word is at a loss, too.  I checked several of their links along the side, and came up with not a lot of Christian titles.  They DO list the Christian Bookseller's Association (http://www.cbaonline.org/nm/BSLs.htm)  and that is a place to start.  It lists the current bestsellers, but in text form without covers and no descriptions,  so you get what is current, but not a lot of information about that particular title.

I dug a little deeper  and found Christianbook.com  (http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=1999184&sp=1001&kw=amish%20fiction&event=PPCSRC&p=1018818&gclid=CLmPr6fZrLcCFUqZ4AodJFMAUQ).  This is a Christian bookstore, but it has an entire shop for Amish fiction and the hottest and newest authors.  It has a section on new releases, and also tells you the series numbers for series books.   This site seemed just the ticket, so I can quickly look for titles when asked, provide new authors, and reserve titles that may be coming.  It will also help me to pull books from the shelves when I need to stock my shelves when I am heading off on the road.

And naturally I learn my lesson. Wouldn't you know that my old nemesis, Goodreads, would have an entire Amish fiction list!  http://www.goodreads.com/genres/amish-fiction

It just goes to show you, that you are never to old to learn new things.  I still may not be reading a title about bonnets and buggies and the simple life.  But I know where to go to find an author and title, and get my customer just the book they desire.

Week 5: Assignement 1

So, what am I learning?

I have been following Salon.com

This is not a hard task, as Salon does not post reviews very often,  maybe one or two a week.    The reviews are also pretty detailed and in depth, so you get a lot of information about the book.   Salon does deal primarily with non-fiction and are usually books that I would not choose to read, so having the review is very useful because I get enough information to be able to tell a reader the general idea of the book without having to read it.

Heroes and Heartbreakers is updated much more frequently, and is much more fun, with enticing cover shots, excerpts from the novel,  and sometimes even including "classic" novels or bits of pop culture, like movies or TV  (Game of Thrones seems to be a popular discussion topic).  I also appreciate the "categories" section which breaks down the posts to specific types  -  contemporary,  paranormal, historical.  I would be most likely to read a historical romance,  so I can get a quick snapshot of new books in that genre.   I also have discovered many new authors writing in romance that I can now have name recognition when I am browsing the new shelves to help customers with authors that may be currently popular.     I love this site's layout.  Easy to use, attractive and would be a good site to share with customers who would like to look for reviews from home.

Week four. Why I hate Goodreads (in case you wanted to know)

I am glad we are using Goodreads as an assignment,  I have been a member of Goodreads for years,  but in the last two I have pretty much avoided it.   When it started I found it to be a useful tool but the more I used it and the more commercial it became, the less likely I am to use it for anything now.  But as it has become the focus of week four,   I guess I will share my thoughts.

Things I hate about good reads:

Inappropriate tagging. 

Because Goodreads is based on users reviews,  they can tag anything with any tag they want.  I usually like to search for mysteries,  because I read them and they are my favorite genre.  When I look on the page for mystery,  I am assaulted with 17 steampunk titles,  5 romances,  6 mainstream authors,  and maybe 5 overly popular thriller writers that I don't enjoy.   Not one I would classify as a "mystery".  Sure, there may be a mystery embedded in there somewhere but it is not the main appeal of the book for me.   I don't have time to wade through all of that to find exactly what I am looking for.

Listmainia and the Twilighters.

Yes, you can make lists of books you think other people should read.  When Twilight was popular, EVERY SINGLE list had a twilight title as one of the books I was expected to read, and every time I logged in, this list was first and foremost on my page as if everything I was currently reading would be a read alike for Twilight.   We all know that this is not so, and I got sick of looking at the cover of the book.

Desperate Ebook authors:

They about on Goodreads and always want to "friend" you so you buy their book.  You get friend requests all the time from people you don't know or care to know, and they want you to purchase their books.  Many of the books are only available by Ebook and would not even be purchased by the library system, so you have to wade through those to get to the books you can actually use in your day to day activity.

Improperly written or weighted reviews.

Let's face it, all reviews are not created equally,  you have to read quite a lot of reviews by people who either overly enjoy or hate a title,  don't offer any pertinent information,  or are quite possibly a publisher plant who is only trying to sell a title.    And beware of Spoilers.  Some people don't understand when too much information is too much information.


In conclusion, I think that Goodreads can be useful  if you are keeping a shelf of books to keep tabs on what you read, but it is kind of overwhelming to use as a site to search for reviews or new things to read.   There really isn't any rhyme or reason to the categories, and like I said, you can tag a book any way you want and put it on any list you want, however inappropriate.    I much prefer review sources that are weighted and the books actually selected to fit the category described.

Be More Bookish - Conversation 3

I just read this great book The River of Doubt.  It was about Teddy Roosevelt and this ill fated expedition to chart an uncharted river in the Amazon.  They lost almost all their provisions, the president was injured, and it turns out one of their crew was a murderer since there was a murder.  And the most amazing thing was that it true.  It was fascinating and really fast paced.  Do you have anything to recommend that is like that?


This person clearly likes non-fiction with a bit of a historical mystery thrown in.. I would try "Devil in the White City" by Larson,   probably "Suspicions of Mr. Whicher" by Summerscale and the "Girls of Muder City"  by Perry.

I may throw in Flawless by Selby  -  this was a more contemporary Diamond Heist, but was full of action and really told you a lot about the Diamond industry and may appeal as something similar enough  but could steer the reader to a new direction.

Be more bookish conversation 2

Everything, but especially that teen love story – way too much angst! And way too slow.  Have you read any good vampire stories lately?

This was somewhat easier for me, as I like vampire stories but ones that are in the horror category and veer away from sparkly love vampires.

I would suggest   The Passage by Justin Cronin, or maybe Salem's Lot by Stephen King. 

If they like graphic novels, I would also suggest I Vampire from DC,  or American Vampire, just to mix things up.

Be More Bookish Assigment time.

This is my response to "conversation one"

The last book I read was Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Everyone is reading it so I had to pick it up. It was lovely. She is such an interesting woman and so brave. I enjoyed the descriptions of the countries she went to and what she did while she was there, of course, but I think what I liked most was how she shared her inner thoughts — so reflective but funny too. I thought it might be just light fluff or all me, me, me, me, but it was so much more than that. I read all the Oprah books and just love them. Anyway I wanted to ask you for a few suggestions for my book group. It’s my turn to pick the title.


Here I picked up on the fact that she liked the setting and the description of the setting,  she also liked a personal twist with a little introspection and enjoyed things that were slightly literary with less fluff.

So, I would suggest   "A walk in woods"  by Bill Bryson and "Under the Tuscasn Sun" by Frances Mayes, both have the travel, new vista element but also have the introspection and could be discussable.

I may also throw in "Julie and Julia" for fun, because it is about someone who learns about herself while learning the art of French cooking.

It's like my birthday!

Yesterday I arrived at work to find THIS waiting on the hold shelf.

One thing you can say for the King family,  they do not shy away from long novels.   It's pretty heavy, but I am super excited to start it.   I think, once I find time to finally finish the one I am currently reading, I can move on to this. 

I love the cover.   Something about a smashed insect and a license plate covered in blood that makes you just feel all giddy inside.   Better go now.  The book is not going to start itself.

Everyone needs a hobby

This past week, I have been on a crusade.

My free time is limited but when I found myself with a spare moment, I worked on trying to save the TV series SMASH.   NBC has not been kind to the struggling show,  starting the season in February,  limiting the number of episodes,  and then moving it to the "death slot" on Saturday nights.

SMASH fought back, though.   They hired Jennifer Hudson to belt out a few tunes.  They added Bernadette Peters as a recurring character.  They even featured Liza Minnelli. They put pizazz back on the small screen,  and add some catchy tunes to boot.  I figured that I should do my part.  A Facebook campaign was launched.  Emails were frantically sent,  petitions were signed and even E! Online had a frantic few days of mad power  voting to see which one show that was being canned deserved another shot.   The SMASH fans fought hard and victory was won.  SMASH won the poll, but will NBC listen?

The future is unclear,  but I can tell  you this.   If SMASH returns next season, I still will be watching.   I have stayed with the show for this long, and I need to know if the imaginary Broadway shows "Bombshell" and "Hit List"  will win the imaginary Tony award.

You can currently check out season one at your local library so you can catch up on what you missed, with season two just around the corner.   If you are not sure what to expect, think GLEE, but in the world of musical theater with a healthy dose of Debra Messing and Katharine McPhee. Yes, it sounds like I am name dropping but this show has talent in spades. 

After all, who could EVER get enough of Anjelica Huston?

Pop culture.

Today I am very excited for Cyndi Lauper.

I am including a Broadway musical post, because as librarians, we do need to know what is going on in the world around us.

And I adore Cyndi Lauper.   She has been nominated for her score for the new musical Kinky Boots.   I am not sure if you remember, but Kinky Boots was a rather old British film about a man taking over his father's shoe business, a business that was failing.   But,  he is suddenly inspired by a drag queen to create a line of "sexy" shoes, and turns things around.   This is a perfect film to make into a feel good musical, and Cyndi Lauper is a perfect person to give music and lyrics to the project.   I am also excited because Harvey Fierstein wrote the book, and that is another reason to rejoice.

I  have not seen this one yet.   It is on my definite "to do" list.  With all the press, and accolades, I am hoping it will run for a long time,  giving me the chance to book the Megabus and head up to the land of shining footlights.

Feel free to chime in on good shows you have seen, or anything that you want to see.  Live theater.  There really is nothing like it.