Online Science Fiction Book Clubs

Replay by Ken Grimwood

chimeradave — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 02:45:21 +0000

Replay by Ken Grimwood (1987) is is the October Modern Group read and the Classic Science Fiction Message Board.

In 1988, Jim Winston is a bitter 43-year-old man who hates his life. When Jim dies of a heart attack he wakes up in 1963 in his 18-year-old body. He takes advantage of this second chance at life and begins to relive his life with intact memories of the previous 25 years.

What would you do differently if you could relive your life with foreknowledge and what would you do if the cycle seemed to never stop!

Tau Zero by Poul Anderson

chimeradave — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 02:33:38 +0000

Tau Zero by Poul Anderson is the October Classic Read at the Classic Science Fiction Message Board. The novel was based on a 1967 short story, “To Outlive Eternity.” It was expanded into a novel and published in 1970. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1971.

Tau Zero follows the crew of the starship Leonora Christine, a colonization vessel crewed by 25 men and 25 women aiming to reach a distant star system.

The text consists of narrative prose interspersed with paragraphs in which Anderson explains the scientific basis of relativity, time dilation, the ship’s mechanics and details of the cosmos outside.

Reader Reviews

John Grayshaw

Barsoom Project by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes

chimeradave — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 04:05:36 +0000

“The Barsoom Project” (1989) by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes is September’s modern read at the Classic Science Fiction Message Board.

“Barsoom” is a sequel to “Dream Park”; in these novels a futuristic theme park exists where clients live out all manner of adventures be they sword fights, or dinosaur hunts.

The Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold

chimeradave — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:47:02 +0000

Ever wanted to use time travel and go back and meet your earlier self? David Gerrold explores this idea in “The Man Who Folded Himself,” the September Classic read at the Classic Science Fiction Message Board.

Gerrold is perhaps best known for writing the Star Trek episode “The Trouble with Tribbles.”

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel

jameswharris — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:02:41 +0000

Most people think The Life of Pi by Yann Martel as a literary classic and winner of the Man Booker Prize. Some people will think of it as a young adult fantasy novel about a boy in a boat with a tiger. One of our members who nominated this book for the Classic Science Fiction book club insists that it’s science fiction. You’ll have to read the book and join the discussion to find out if he’s right, or has just tricked the group into reading a fantasy novel for the modern science fiction book of the month.

Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke

jameswharris — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:49:09 +0000

Can you imagine what life would have been like if we had colonized the Moon after the Apollo landings? In the 1955 novel Earthlight, Arthur C. Clarke writes an espionage story set on Luna in the 22nd century. This is our selection for the classic science fiction book of the month for the Classic Science Fiction book club.

The Cosmic Puppets by Philip K. Dick

chimeradave — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 02:36:28 +0000

“The Cosmic Puppets” (1957) by Philip K. Dick is the July classic group read at the Classic Science Fiction Message Board.

Ted Barton returns to his hometown after many years and finds that it is a far different place then the town he once lived in, even the street names aren’t right. But the strangest thing is no one seems to remember that anything has changed. Is Barton crazy or has someone altered people’s memories?

This novel was expanded from Dick’s short story “A Glass of Darkness” (1956).

Calculating God by Robert Sawyer

chimeradave — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:09:53 +0000

“Calculating God” (2002) by Robert Sawyer is July’s modern group read at the Classic Science Fiction Message Board.

The novel, tells the story of aliens, called Hollus, coming to Earth to gather evidence for the existence of God. It seems that there is a correlation between cataclysmic events on Earth and events on at least two other worlds including the Hollus homeworld. This leads the aliens to believe in God. The main human character, Thomas Jericho, is an atheist and provides the counterpoint to the discussions.

“Calculating God” was nominated for the Hugo award in 2001.

The Risen Empire by Scott Westerfeld

chimeradave — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 04:07:24 +0000

“The Risen Empire” (2003) by Scott Westerfeld is the June modern group read at the Classic Science Fiction Message Board.

The novel is set in the far future where there is a galactic empire that spans 80 worlds. The Emperor of this civilization has ruled for over 1000 years because he can even defy death itself. However, his rule is threaten by the Rix, cyborgs who worship powerful artificial intelligences.

This novel’s sequel, “The Killing of Worlds” was also published in 2003

The Mote in God’s Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

chimeradave — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 03:53:34 +0000

The Mote in God’s Eye (1974) by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle is the June classic group read and the Classic Science Fiction Message Board.

The novel is set in the year 3017 during the Second [Galactic] Empire of Man and is about human’s first encounter with an alien civilization. The Moties are really alien and unlike anything you’ve read before.

This novel is firmly in the Hard Science Fiction category. It was nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula in 1975.

Reader Reviews: John Grayshaw