SF/F Books: Chapter Two - What Are You Reading?

[Brian]

I finished the Star Trek 3-in-1 "Glass Empires" set in the Mirror Universe. The middle one (Spock's story) was my favorite. The first one was Empress Hoshi Sato's story. It was alright, but ended with the non sequitur of

Spoiler: Glass Empires, book 1

cloning Jonathan Archer back into existence.

I'm guessing that was just to set up other stories in the MU. But in the second story,

Spoiler: Glass Empires, book 2

Spock became Emperor after "deposing" Empress Hoshi Sato III,

so it would seem that

Spoiler: Glass Empires, book 1

Jonathan2

didn't make much of a splash. And in the first one

Spoiler: Glass Empires, book 1

Hoshi and Shran had an offspring,

which seemed to have no effect on future history, either. The third story, Picard's, while set in the MU didn't feel very MU-y, if you know what I mean. Aside from the Terrans not being in control, people acted pretty much like they would act in our universe.

With Prince Caspian coming out in theaters this year, I've decided to revisit The Chronicles of Narnia. I didn't read them before the first movie because I was so familiar with that story, but the rest of them I have only read once through, decades ago. I'm starting "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" today. It's much thinner than I recall.

 

[S. Gomez]

^I remember rereading Narnia for the first time in years not that long ago (well, now that I think about it, it's been a couple years) and it was awesome getting to revisit the world.

I'm less than 100 pages from the end of Fatherland; pretty good. I also have a Neil Gaiman anthology, Fragile Things, and a graphic novel called Blankets in the pipeline. And then... it's *finally* time to catch up on my Star Trek reading, starting with David R. George III's Crucible trilogy, followed by the long-awaited perusal of the TNG books which lead up to its Relaunch. Yes, I have left them this long.

 

[PointyHairedJedi]

Making a random connection between the two, it seems to be that Fatherland would make a pretty good graphic novel. I'm guessing though that books don't tend to jump that way.

 

[S. Gomez]

I'm trying to think of any novels that have been adapted into comic form... oh, and I just remembered that there are some classics that have had that done. I used to have a condensed version of A Tale of Two Cities, which was given to me along with the full book. I'm sure there are others. But yeah, books don't tend to be adapted that way.

I don't know if you can really call Fatherland science-fiction or fantasy; it's alternate history, yes, but I'm not sure if that's enough in this case. Regardless, I just finished it... It was going along, proceeding like any fairly good conspiracy suspense thriller would. But it's the last chapters that really elevate it into something unique. This is really a good novel, and I think it would make a great German-language feature film - with the right director, cast, and script. (I know it's been done as a TV movie, but the story deserves front-and-centre publicity.) I kept seeing the haunting cinematography of Expressionism as I read, and I'd love to see the story in the right hands.

 

[Kegek]

I used to have a comic of The Hobbit.

S. Gomez said:
science-fiction or fantasy; it's alternate history, yes, but I'm not sure if that's enough in this case.

It's generally classed as SF&F so far as I know.

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

Lots of classic novels have been adapted into comic book form, most notably by Classics Illustrated. Marvel currently has a line adapting classics.

As for modern novels, some of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books have been adapted into graphic novels. Marvel has also recently produced comic book versions of Stephen King's The Dark Tower and Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, although I don't know whether they were direct adaptations or spinoffs.

 

[Ruaidhri]

Kegek said:
I used to have a comic of The Hobbit.

S. Gomez said:
science-fiction or fantasy; it's alternate history, yes, but I'm not sure if that's enough in this case.

It's generally classed as SF&F so far as I know.

I also had a Hobbit graphic novel, I think the illustrator was David Wenzel, and the art was BEAUTIFUL. Piers Anthony's On A Pale Horse was adapted in six parts in the nineties, but it had a ton of delays and I don't think the last two parts were ever released. I don't think one need look too hard to find novel to GN adaptations.

On the topic of alt-history, unless there is a distinct SF element to the story, then I usually think of it as fantasy. Fatherland, which I just finished a few days ago, would be fantasy based on how I look at it.

And I will say that I loved Fatherland. Very compelling despite the fact that the reader knows the truth of things, and a suitable ending.

 

[Maestro]

I am on a book-queue-induced-hiatus from SF/F right now, as my current book is LeCarre's spy classic, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. However, my last book was Charles Stross's The Atrocity Archives.

Not sure if the next book I'll be tackling from the queue will be the current Repairman Jack book or another F. Paul Wilson book, The Select.

 

[S. Gomez]

Ruaidhri said:
Very compelling despite the fact that the reader knows the truth of things, and a suitable ending.

You know, looking back, that was probably the book's greatest strength: the Holocaust is hardly uncommon knowledge, but it's still very well handled as a big mystery that has to be uncovered.

 

[Gov Kodos]

Red Sonja trades from Dynamite Entertainment and also the Conan stories that have been reprinted. I have really been getting back into the pulp fiction characters and their offshoots of late.

 

[Kegek]

Ruaidhri said:
I also had a Hobbit graphic novel, I think the illustrator was David Wenzel, and the art was BEAUTIFUL.

That may be it. I remember loving the artwork and reading it repeatedly.

 

[PointyHairedJedi]

Maestro said:
I am on a book-queue-induced-hiatus from SF/F right now, as my current book is LeCarre's spy classic, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

I'm in the position of having seen the BBC adaptation of it but not read it, and having read Smiley's People but not having seen (all) of the adaptation of it (I've seen the last episode only). Never read The Honourable Schoolboy, but I suppose I must at some point.

Alec Guinness pwns all.

 

[Maestro]

I had no clue that Sir Alec played Smiley in a BBC adaptation. I must obtain this DVD.

I also completely forgot that Smiley appeared in The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.

Sir Alec as Smiley... Hmmmm.... We'll have to see how it changes my view of the character when I crack the book open next.

Must get this DVD.

 

[PointyHairedJedi]

Maestro said:
I also completely forgot that Smiley appeared in The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.

Another one with a decent adaptation, though in that case the novel is unquestionably superior.

 

[Maestro]

On to F. Paul Wilson's medical thriller The Select, about a selective Med School that only takes 50 applicants each year, completely funds their eduction, and the weirdness that our heroine discovers.

Wilson's Repairman Jack series is outstanding, and I tried a non-Jack book of his, Midnight Mass (A vampire epic), a few months ago. I enjoyed it, so I have high hopes for The Select as well.

 

[Teelie]

Currently reading Star Wars: Allegiance by Timothy Zahn.

 

[S. Gomez]

Finished Neil Gaiman's anthology Fragile Things last night. I think I liked "The Monarch of The Glen" the best, if only because it continues Shadow's story.

Now picking up my Trek fiction again, beginning with the Crucible trilogy which I unforgivably never finished.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

I'm about a third of the way through A Feast For Crows...

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[PointyHairedJedi]

I've just started Consider Phlebas by Iain Banks, which I've read a few times already but not for a wee while. Given how much I enjoy Banks I think I'll probably rip through it quite quickly.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Not quite SF or F, but damn near the real-life equivalent, I've just read Jon Ronson's The Men Who Stare At Goats, which is amusing if *very* hard to believe in places (and easy in others!)