# Reading > Forum Book Club >  Science Fiction / April '11 Poll

## Scheherazade

*Please nominate the "science fiction" novel you would like to read in April in this thread.

Please remember that:

- Only those members with 50+ posts can nominate.

- One nomination per member.

- Only the first 10 nominations will be included in the poll.


The Book Club readings are for those who would like to read and discuss books together with other members. 

If you are not able to take part or unwilling to (re)read your own nominations, please refrain from nominating book.


A list of science fiction novels*

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## Paulclem

Sci Fi..... I can't decide. I'm looking forward to this one.

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

I will be willing to read just about anything in sci-fi. 

I'll nominate a classic. _Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea_ by Jules Verne.

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## Dark Muse

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

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## OrphanPip

Another classic, but not as old as MM's nom. 

_The Left Hand of Darkness_ - Ursula K. LeGuin

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

> Another classic, but not as old as MM's nom. 
> 
> _The Left Hand of Darkness_ - Ursula K. LeGuin


Read that not too long ago, could give it a reread. One of the most interesting sci-fi reads I've experienced.

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## ClaesGefvenberg

Ok, I'll Nominate Ringworld by Larry Niven,

/Claes

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## bouquin

*The Drowned World* (J. G. Ballard)

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## Veho

_Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep_ by Philip K. Dick

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## Paulclem

Any of those will do. I've read Ringworld - great book.

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## Veho

Hm, you can strike mine; just realised it was read last year.

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## sixsmith

_Riddley Walker_ - Russell Hoban

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

> Any of those will do.


Agreed.

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## Taliesin

I'll nominate "Hard to Be a God " by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, the fathers of Soviet SF.

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## Paulclem

I nominate The Algebraist by Iain M Banks. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2004...rror.iainbanks

Good book. Still got it, so it must be!

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## manolia

> I'll nominate "Hard to Be a God " by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, the fathers of Soviet SF.


^^ I'd nominate Roadside Picnic, but you beat me to the S brothers  :Biggrin: 

I nominate "Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem

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## simon239

I know i'm not allowed to nominate, (so I wont don't worry would be happy to read any suggested so far  :Smile:  ) but when the disscusion acutally gets underway will I be able to take part? Or am I going to have to post like I have never posted before?

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## OrphanPip

> I know i'm not allowed to nominate, (so I wont don't worry would be happy to read any suggested so far  ) but when the disscusion acutally gets underway will I be able to take part? Or am I going to have to post like I have never posted before?


The discussions are open to anybody who wants to participate.

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## simon239

Fantastic, thank you for the quick reply. I shall clear some reading time.

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## OrphanPip

> Fantastic, thank you for the quick reply. I shall clear some reading time.


Well it's not until April, there's a long time to go.

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## simon239

True but sadly reading for pleasure has become a bit of a guilty secret and must be planned well in advance incase lecturers discover any deviation from the specified set texts

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

> Well it's not until April, there's a long time to go.


Too long. Let's just put off the whole realist thing and go straight to the sci-fi  :Nod: .

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## Scheherazade

Nominations so far:

*1. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne 

2. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood 

3. The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. LeGuin 

4. Ringworld by Larry Niven 

5. The Drowned World (J. G. Ballard) 

6. Riddley Walker - Russell Hoban 

7. Hard to Be a God  by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

8. The Algebraist by Iain M Banks. 

9. Solaris by Stanislaw Lem* 


The last nomination's up for grabs.

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## the facade

> _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep_ by Philip K. Dick


I second that. I've read it before but it would be interesting to engage in discussion about it.

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## ClaesGefvenberg

> The last nomination's up for grabs.


Very well... How about something rather recent: *Pushing Ice* from 2005, by *Alastair Reynolds*?

/Claes

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## Scheherazade

> Very well... How about something rather recent: *Pushing Ice* from 2005, by *Alastair Reynolds*?
> 
> /Claes


Claes,

You had already nominated _Ringworld_. Would you like to change your nomination to _Pushing Ice_?

Still last nomination up for grabs...

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## jlb4tlb

How about "Starship Troopers" by Robert E. Heinlein. A great read and sure to cause lots of discussion.

Namaste

Jeff

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## Scheherazade

I don't have much interest in Sci-Fi in general so I might take part only if something really tickles.

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

I hope the voters of _Hard to Be a God_ looked up the prices for a copy before voting, because they are ridiculous. I know one thing: if it wins, I won't be participating. I'm not spending 35$ for a paperback.

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## Scheherazade

> I hope the voters of _Hard to Be a God_ looked up the prices for a copy before voting, because they are ridiculous. I know one thing: if it wins, I won't be participating. I'm not spending 35$ for a paperback.


No worries; I think we will ask Taliesin to provide a copy for everyone who is willing to take part.

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## ClaesGefvenberg

> Claes,
> 
> You had already nominated _Ringworld_. Would you like to change your nomination to _Pushing Ice_


Nah, I'll stick to Ringworld. I just got a bit carried away... :Smilewinkgrin: 

/Claes

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## Scheherazade

That's OK, Claes  :Smile: 


So, a four-way tie?? We do need more votes!

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

I'm biding my time. My vote will come....

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## Scheherazade

Well, please don't pout and sulk when I pick the book at the end of the month! 

 :Svengo:

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

Why would you have to choose? I haven't even cast my vote yet.

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## Paulclem

The excitement is growing. The crowd is getting restless... :Biggrin5:

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## Scheherazade

*Going once...*

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

> *Going once...*


'fraid not.  :FRlol:

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## Scheherazade

*Going twice...*

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## OrphanPip

I really didn't expect the feminist or environmentalist stories to win this poll, not that it was a smash win for LHoD and Oryx and Crake.

Though, Atwood hates, hates, hates to be called a science fiction author, she says its "speculative fiction" because her stories don't require new science, only the different application of the science we have today. Which is kind of true, there's nothing really sci-fi about the Handmaid's Tale, fundamentalist Christians taking over the US doesn't have much to do with science. Oryx and Crake does seem more in the sci-fi vein though.

Edit: Atwood and LeGuin may be fairly considered the most "literary" of the authors on the poll, that might account for it.

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## TheFifthElement

I'd say Ballard was as 'literary' if not more than Atwood or LeGuin. Shame The Drowned World didn't get more votes, it's an excellent read and quite precient for it's age.

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

The only reason LHoD didn't get my vote is because I've read it. I definitely have no problem giving it another read. It's a fascinating book. 

Authors who complain about what they're work is categorized as kind of chaps my ***, though. Get over yourself, Atwood! Just be happy people read an appreciate your work. If it's called sci-fi, does it really matter that much?

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## JuniperWoolf

> Which is kind of true, there's nothing really sci-fi about the Handmaid's Tale, fundamentalist Christians taking over the US doesn't have much to do with science. Oryx and Crake does seem more in the sci-fi vein though.


Yeah, isn't it kind of strange that they're working on making a meat product that's a lot like "chickie-nobs?" I don't know if they had published anything about it _before_ Atwood wrote about chickienobs, but it weirds me out. Sort of. I don't know. I'm not sure _how_ I feel about lab grown meat. I'm torn on the subject.

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