Decision-making by DW Poll

[dsudis]

So, one of the ways in which I am a ginormous nerd is that in the last couple of years, since I started keeping track of what I read, I have started assigning myself goals for the books I read--not just a number of books, but within that a number of non-fiction books, a number of books of poetry, a number of books published in the current year, and

Comments

[etakyma]

Sadly, I cannot vote in poll, but if I could "Thomas the Rhymer" is worth reading.

[dsudis]

It is on the short list! :)

[lovessong]

I think Melissa Scott's work in general would be relevant to your interests. She's written a lot of interesting feminist science fiction and fantasy, is herself queer, and sometimes (including in the Pointsman series, of which Point of Dreams is the third book) includes queer characters in a matter-of-fact sort of way. The Pointsman series itself is a pretty cool blend of fantasy and a detective story.

[dsudis]

I actually have, here upon my coffee table waiting to be read, A Choice of Destinies, her Alexander alternate history book. Someone recommended it to me when I asked what to read next after The Persian Boy. (If you've read it, do you know what's up with the futuristic laser-shooting jet-fighter fortress thing on the cover? Does Alexander also wind up conquering ALIENS?)

Anyway--yeah, Point of Dreams is definitely on the short list. :)

[lovessong]

I haven't read that one -- it looks interesting, though, I've added it to my list on Goodreads . . . where at least one person has it cross-referenced as cyberpunk, so maybe that explains the jet-fighter fortress? somehow?

Mostly I've read her more cyberpunk-y books -- she's actually the author I think of when I think of cyberpunk as a genre, because I like her much better than William Gibson.

[dsudis]

Apparently--so I am told over in the DW post--there are little flash-forward views of how the world went if Alexander lived long enough to solidify his empire and it lasted forever. Apparently we get to space much earlier that way. :)

[crookedfeet]

I think you would like Thomas the Rhymer. If you haven't read Swordspoint, you really should. I like Melissa Scott's work a lot, but that one isn't my favorite. I loved Galveston myself. I am allergic to Morrow's prose, but I think the book would speak to you.

[dsudis]

I have read Swordspoint, and in fact I have had the next book, the one that also has Sword in the title, sitting on my to-be-read shelf for ... a while. Thanks for the input!

[aswanargent]

Wish I could help, but I haven't read any of them. A couple of classics, though, that you must have read (if not, why not?) would be Clarke's Childhood's End and Simak's Way Station.

I started keeping reading lists back in 1978; have a spiral notebook that I use for the purpose....

[dsudis]

I haven't read those; for a long time I avoided both classic SF and books someone told me I Absolutely Must Read like the plague.

[aswanargent]

Oops! Sorry! Forget I said anything.

[shihadchick]

I have only read Thomas the Rhymer of those, and while it is very interesting, it also took me a little bit to get into, so fair warning if that's the one you land on? It does pick up!

[dsudis]

Good to know! I think I'm going to go with A Woman of the Iron People first, but Thomas the Rhymer is definitely on the short list. :)