Science Fiction Challenge, 2011 -- COMPLETE!

[phoenixfalls]

There are three options to complete this challenge.

Light Challenge: Read one novel in 5 out of the 10 categories in Parts A-C and read one novel in 3 out of the 5 categories in Part D. A maximum of 3 titles may double-qualify. (Total of 15-18 titles)
Regular Challenge: Read one novel in all 35 categories in Parts A-D. A maximum of 5 titles may

Comments

hahaha, TBR to add to!

[comrade_cat]

Might I suggest Bimbos of the Death Sun, by Sharyn McCrumb, for Meta-SF (if I'm interpreting the genre name right) - if you've ever been to a con? The sequel, Zombies of the Gene Pool, is a completely different tone, but the first one is really funny.

For Gaylactic Spectrum may I suggest my fav winners:
Dark Water's Embrace - Steven Leigh (intersex, gender roles)
The Wild Swans - Peg Kerr (gay)
Fire Logic - Laurie J Marks (gay, lesbian)

Also, Implied Spaces by Walter Jon Williams, is a pretty good novel of the singularity.

AI:
Shelter - Susan Palwick
Hellspark - Janet Kagan

Undersea:
Dark Life - Kat Falls (YA)

Prix Aurora:
Passion Play - Sean Stewart
Nobody's Son - Sean Stewart

Prometheus Award (even though Libertarianism itself drives me batty):
Little Brother - Cory Doctorow

Re: hahaha, TBR to add to!

[comrade_cat]

Argh, wait, you're separating F & SF, aren't you? Um okay, move Fire Logic, Wild Swans, & Nobody's Son over to fantasy . . .

Re: hahaha, TBR to add to!

[phoenixfalls]

Hmmm. . . lessee. . .

I've never heard of the two AI novels you mention, or the undersea one, so I'll check those out!

I was already planning Passion Play for the Aurora Award, because Nobody's Son is currently on my top 10 fantasy novels of all time list. ;)

And I was going to use a Le Guin for the Prometheus Award category, but have been meaning to give Cory Doctorow a try one of these days, so I'll check that out too!

(And I'll keep the Kerr and the Marks in mind for the Fantasy Challenge! I've heard good things about both of those. . .)

and Doctorow

[comrade_cat]

I don't like regular Cory Doctorow, he gets a little too present tense and fancy for me - but his nonfic and YA novels are awesome.

[shel99]

Wow, sounds like fun! I've never participated in one of these very specific challenges, and this year is certainly not going to be the first, but maybe someday :)

SF dealing with religion - have you read The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell?

SF dealing with a secret history - perhaps The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert? Have you read/liked Dune? It's a similar style, though a totally different plot.

[phoenixfalls]

I'm planning on reading The Sparrow for the religion category. ;)

I have read and liked Dune, but I was maybe 13, so I'm sure I didn't do it justice. I was probably just going to use that category as an excuse to read one of the Kage Baker Company short story collections (since I've now sadly finished all the novels) but I'll take a look at The Dosadi Experiment! Thanks for the recs!

[comrade_cat]

I like Dosadi Experiment too - I love the legal system!

[shel99]

I can't wait to hear what you think of The Sparrow, then :) I've been meaning to re-read it, because I absolutely loved it. There's a sequel, but I've been hesitant to pick it up because I've heard it isn't as good.

[comrade_cat]

Oh, and is Second Contact aka Lost Colony sf? Cos I highly recommend Another Heaven, Another Earth, by HM Hoover. Sad and beautiful.

[phoenixfalls]

Nope, second contact is a subgenre I made up (at least as far as I can tell!) to categorize most of Cherryh's work -- you know, where first contact happened ages before the start of the book, but the book's all about figuring out how to establish real communication between species that just don't *think* the same way. Delany has some stuff I'd call second contact too. . .

I totally forgot about all the lost colony stuff! I'll have to add that category to next year's challenge! ;)