pretty new goodies
Posted on: April 28, 2016
The While I’ve been devouring Kage Baker books to keep ahead of spoilers in this read-along, some new goodies showed up at the house. And my friend Andy took me to the ginormous Lowry’s Books. And I bought some other stuff.
What of these look good to you?
What of these have you read? Which of these should I read first?
Goodies from the used bookstore:
The Proteus Operation, by James P Hogan, published 1985.
We Who Are About To… by Joanna Russ, published 1977
Destination Void, by Frank Herbert, published in 1966. Oops, turns out I already have a copy of this one, but apparently there is the original version of the novel, and an updated version… so if I’m lucky, now I have one of each.
Greg Bear is always good! Darwin’s Radio came out in 1999. I read the back of this book, and it sounded frightfully contemporary. Bear can see the future?
van Vogt isn’t always my cuppa, but if you look at the find print under his name, you’ll see “includes Black Destroyer”, inspiration for the movie Alien. So yup, I had to have this.
and of COURSE I had to buy more Gabaldon! there was even a magazine cut out of Jamie taped to the wall behind the books! so cute! I wasn’t sure if I’d find these in fantasy, fiction, or romance, which gave me a great excuse to get lost in the bookstore. They were in fiction.
Here’s some new stuff I bought:
I’ll be seeing Cat Valente at PenguiCon this weekend, so YAY! Radiance!! and my local scifi bookclub chose Armada as our next book. I’m ready to be recruited by the Star League to defend the frontier against Xur and the Ko-Dan armada!
Some very pretty review copies have shown up in the mail recently as well:
Dead on the Bones by Joe Lansdale, and Way Down Dark by J.P Smythe
and
Too Like the Lightning, by Ada Palmer
so, what looks good? What are you interested in? What should I dive into first, as soon as I can pull myself away from Kage Baker?
The Valente and Cline are probably my top priorities.
I’ll be going to dark for a few days, I’ll be at PenguiCon over the weekend, and then Tuesday starts the family and friends road trip tour! home the following Sunday. I’ll have twitter on my phone, but who knows if I’ll sit down much at a laptop.
15 Responses to "pretty new goodies"
April 28, 2016 at 9:56 pm
Torrey said Karl Schroeder recommended Too Like the Lightning, so she wants the book group to do it when it’s in paper.
Have fun at the con. If you see Toby, tell him I said hi!
LikeLike
April 28, 2016 at 10:18 pm
will do!
Does Torrey want to borrow Too Like the Lightning?
LikeLike
April 28, 2016 at 11:02 pm
I’ve read the proteus operation, destination: void, and Darwin’s Radio. I have …Space Beagle. I remember liking Destination Void, and really enjoying The Ascension Factor and The Jesus Incident.
About Darwins Radio, I read it recently enough that it’s in my blog. I said: I kind of hesitate to refer to the book as a classic, but if it’s not, it’s close. I had to look up the 2000 Hugos. I see that Darwin’s Radio is nominated. I can’t argue with A Deepness in the Sky having won, that’s another great novel.
I’ve enjoyed all the Hogan novels I read, but I can’t remember any specifics about The Proteus Operation.
LikeLike
April 28, 2016 at 11:24 pm
To me Way Down Dark by J.P Smythe looks really good. Enjoy the books.
LikeLike
April 29, 2016 at 12:34 am
I got a copy of Way Down Dark too and I’m really looking forward to checking it out. Also I just finished Too Like the Lightning – it’s heavy, strange, but brilliant book.
LikeLike
April 29, 2016 at 8:55 am
Yay for Radiance and Armada! Two completely different but equally wonderful books.
LikeLike
7 | John D Loyd (@johndloyd)
April 29, 2016 at 1:00 pm
I’ve read Destination: Void, The Proteus Operation and Darwin’s Radio. I have a copy of Space Beagle.
I remember liking Destination: Void, and really enjoying the two that follow in that universe–that The Jesus Incident and The Lazarus Effect.
I’ve liked all the James P. Hogan novels I’ve read, five, Proteus I read in 1986 and don’t remember any specifics.
Darwin’s Radio I read recently enough that it’s in my blog. “I kind of hesitate to refer to the book as a classic, but if it’s not, it’s close. I had to look up the 2000 Hugos. I see that Darwin’s Radio is nominated. I can’t argue with A Deepness in the Sky having won, that’s another great novel.”
LikeLike
April 29, 2016 at 4:14 pm
Hi
If you are giving Van Vogt another try this is probably the best one to choose. It is a bit more focused and the plotting less confused than some of his other work and I think it was fairly influential for a number of later books and films. The Herbert and the Russ are both on my to be read list so I will be interested in what you think.
Happy Reading.
Guy
LikeLike
April 30, 2016 at 6:12 pm
I’d probably start with the Russ and then go to the Cline. Have a blast at the con!
LikeLike
April 30, 2016 at 6:17 pm
and I sure don’t remember “Dark Destroyer” as being much like Alien, but it’s been a very long time since I read it.
LikeLike
April 30, 2016 at 6:44 pm
and…looking at this makes me think a small box of goodies needs to be sent to you from Portland, where we’re still “swimming in Rhodies”. 🙂
May 2, 2016 at 8:48 pm
Dark Destroyer doesn’t have much in common with Alien. It was probably the most interesting story in the bunch tho. I may have reviewed that last Vintage SF. You probably saw my review of the Russ. No comments on the others, but Too Like the Lightning is new to me. Is it awesome? (I’m a bit out of touch right now…)
LikeLike
May 6, 2016 at 9:05 pm
I picked up the Radiance book but put it back down – don’t think I was in the right frame of mind but I will give it another shot. I fancy the Lansdale book – hope you enjoy and look forward to your view.
Lynn 😀
LikeLike
the Little Red Reviewer 
April 28, 2016 at 9:40 pm
I love the paperback issue of Armada! I bought the hardcover when it was first released , but the cover isn’t nearly as cool… Also, for some reason I still haven’t read it. :s
I Hope you read it soon and review it. I need one last nudged to finally read it.
LikeLike