|
View Poll Results: Which book shall we read for February's discussion? | |||
Portrait of Jennie by Robert Nathan |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
13 | 20.63% |
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
14 | 22.22% |
Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
5 | 7.94% |
The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
8 | 12.70% |
Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
10 | 15.87% |
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
14 | 22.22% |
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
10 | 15.87% |
A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
24 | 38.10% |
Love Story by Erich Segal |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
11 | 17.46% |
Stardust by Neil Gaiman |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
22 | 34.92% |
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 63. You may not vote on this poll |
![]() |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
![]() |
#46 | |
Resident Curmudgeon
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 75,656
Karma: 134319570
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
Quote:
Lolita <-- a sick man wanting a little girl Circle of Friends <-- description reads nothing like a romance The Greatest Knight <-- description reads like a typical poor knight rises to fame type story Shards of Honor <-- has science fiction elements to it Outlander <-- has time-travel and the description says nothing about romance or love Water for Elephants <-- description read nothing like a romance A Town Like Alice <-- description reads more like the girl is looking for the hero to thank him for his help Love Story <-- description doesn't read like a romance Stardust <-- has fantasy elements Now, after reading all the descriptions, Shards of Honor and Stardust do sound more like romances then everything else. Should we be clamping down on what's nominated so we don't get books that only maybe sort of fit and books that don't actually fit (like Cloud Atlas)? In your opinion, what is romance? Last edited by JSWolf; 01-23-2013 at 10:26 AM. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#47 |
Bah, humbug!
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 39,072
Karma: 157049943
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA
Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.
|
I can see Outlander as romance, just as The Time Traveler's Wife is romance. Sure, both have elements of science fiction, but is you remove the romantic element there's no story left. The romance overshadows the scf-fi element.
I'm not sure that's the case with Stardust. |
![]() |
![]() |
Advert | |
|
![]() |
#48 | |
Resident Curmudgeon
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 75,656
Karma: 134319570
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
Quote:
Shards of Honor sounds like a romance amid an interplanetary war. Overall, the descriptions do not play up the romance aspect of the stories. So based on just the descriptions, the two that you feel may be least suited sound the most suited. When I was looking for a book to nominate, I did think of the Princess Bride (we've already read it). That's a romance for sure and if you take out the romance, the story does fall apart. I've read Outlander and if you removed the time-travel/romance out of it, it could still work as a historical novel. Last edited by JSWolf; 01-23-2013 at 11:01 AM. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#49 |
Grand Sorcerer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 5,185
Karma: 25133758
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA
Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)
|
I've read Stardust and seen the movie. It's a romance. It has a fantasy-adventure setting, and it's not *only* a romance, unlike Harlequin or Mills & Boone stories where "boy meets girl; tensions ensue; everybody lives lustfully ever after" is the only thing going on. But the core plot is one of the classic romance tropes. (I don't want to go into detail and spoil it for those who'll be reading it soon.) If the romance were removed, the story would be impossible; the relationships are the driving force for the adventures.
Shards of Honor is a military SF story with a romance in its center. The story would be different without the romance, but not impossible. I'd call it "romantic science fiction" rather than "a science fiction romance" (which doesn't mean I think it's inappropriate for February's choice; I'm happy to have broad categories instead of narrow ones). I suspect that in a more restrained society--Victorian era England or US, perhaps--it would read more firmly as a "romance;" the parts are all there, but it's more subtle than modern romance-genre books expect. Lolita, which, I haven't read, I understand to be a creepy psychological study about obsession rather than "romance." Again, though, I'm willing for "romance" to cover "all stories with strong elements of romantic or sexual relationships," even if they're not the classic "meet other person, overcome obstacles together, ![]() ![]() ![]() Love Story is a romance. It was hailed as an Epic Novel of Great Truths in the 70s; it's likely to come across as either a bit dated or wonderfully nostalgic now. Outlander is on my do-not-read list; Gabaldon had some vile things to say about fanfiction... although she admits that she based one of her own characters on Dr. Who. Authors who insist it's illegal and immoral for me to be artistically inspired by their works are off my readlist. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#50 |
Evangelist
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 432
Karma: 1720909
Join Date: Mar 2011
Device: Voyage, K3
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
Advert | |
|
![]() |
#51 |
Resident Curmudgeon
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 75,656
Karma: 134319570
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
It is only available in paper. I've downloaded the eBook from the library and there are no illustrations. I've hopefully ordered the correct pBook vversion with the illustrations to read. If it is the one with the illustrations, I'll read it regardless if it wins or not. Thank you for pointing out the illustrated version of Stardust.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#52 |
Resident Curmudgeon
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 75,656
Karma: 134319570
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
Elfwreck, thank you for your take on some of the books for this month. It really does help put them into perspective.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#53 |
Indie Advocate
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 2,863
Karma: 18794463
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Device: Kindle
|
I think it was pretty clear that there was circumvention going on, because it's already basically been discussed earlier on. People have freely admitted that romance is "not their thing" and attempted a compromise with several nominations that have reasonably strong romantic leanings that still remained palatable to them.
I haven't read it yet, but Shards of Honor looks like a pretty reasonable compromise even if I don't think romance is the right classification for it. I mean if you had to choose a sci-fi book to fit into a romance category, it doesn't look like an awful choice. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#54 |
Indie Advocate
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 2,863
Karma: 18794463
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Device: Kindle
|
OK - I'm still hoping for Love Story or Portrait of Jenny, but for the moment....
GO ALICE GO!!!! |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#55 | ||
Series Addict
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 6,180
Karma: 167189477
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Florida, USA
Device: Kindle Paperwhite (2nd Gen)
|
Quote:
Besides Lolita, I'm actually least interested in Love Story. It sounds very... cliche. My only reason for not voting for A Town Like Alice, is that it is quite expensive (and not public domain here in the US). Quote:
![]() Last edited by Nyssa; 01-23-2013 at 07:26 PM. Reason: Calification & typos... |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#56 | |
Series Addict
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 6,180
Karma: 167189477
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Florida, USA
Device: Kindle Paperwhite (2nd Gen)
|
Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#57 |
Zealot
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 146
Karma: 620038
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: USA
Device: Kindle Paperwhite
|
While I haven't read the book, the movie version of Stardust is definitely a romance, with love being the central theme. However, I must admit, it is the fantasy element that makes it more interesting to me. The illustrated version is on my Amazon wishlist. I do like the Outlander series "verra well" but have recently finished a reread so would prefer not to tackle it again.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#58 | ||
Resident Curmudgeon
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 75,656
Karma: 134319570
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
Quote:
Quote:
That is an awful Scottish accent. ![]() Last edited by JSWolf; 01-23-2013 at 07:20 PM. |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#59 |
Zealot
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 146
Karma: 620038
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: USA
Device: Kindle Paperwhite
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#60 | ||
Bah, humbug!
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 39,072
Karma: 157049943
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA
Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.
|
Quote:
Quote:
Although my first choice remains Portrait of Jennie by Robert Nathan. |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
MobileRead February 2013 Book Club Nominations | WT Sharpe | Book Clubs | 95 | 01-22-2013 08:16 AM |
MobileRead January 2013 Book Club Vote | WT Sharpe | Book Clubs | 44 | 01-03-2013 09:54 PM |
MobileRead February 2012 - Book Club Vote | WT Sharpe | Book Clubs | 29 | 02-01-2012 10:02 PM |
MobileRead February 2011 Mobile Read Book Club Vote | pilotbob | Book Clubs | 67 | 02-21-2011 07:47 PM |
MobileRead February 2010 Mobile Read Book Club Vote | pilotbob | Book Clubs | 98 | 02-10-2010 07:22 AM |