MobileRead February '09 Book Vote

pilotbob · 01-25-2009, 03:46 PM

Since there are only 5 selections this month I am setting the poll to 1 vote each person.

I will set the poll to run for 5 days hence.

Abstracts for this poll.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Little Brother is my first young adult novel, a story about hacker kids in San Francisco who use technology to reclaim democracy from the Department of Homeland Security after a terrorist attack and the concomitant crackdown. It was published by Tor Books on April 29, 2008.

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow
My first novel was published in January 2003. It concerns the machinations of technologically immportals who have occupied Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion and who aim to preserve it from the depredations of modernizers who would renovate it.
The book won the 2003 Locus Award for Best First Novel and is a finalist for the 2004 Nebula for Best Novel.

Refuge by Richard Herley
Like The Penal Colony, this is a thriller set in the near future.
It is twelve years on from a global plague. John Suter believes himself the sole survivor. He has gradually come to terms with his fate and has settled into a steady and self-reliant daily routine.
One morning he finds a mutilated body in the river near his house. In his terror, Suter knows he has no choice but to investigate.
What he discovers upstream stretches his endurance to its limits and forces him to reassess not only his own humanity, but also his place within the human family he had once believed extinct.
(The author has waved the requirement to pay for this book if you enjoy it. However, I would submit that you still should pay for it. Assuming we choose this book.)

Poker Without Cards: A Consciousness Thriller by Ben Mack
The book is in form of a dialog that occurs between a psychologist and a friend of an admitted patient. In the dialog the psychologist is trying to understand the events that led to the mental breakdown of “Bucky”, who prior to the breakdown was an intellect. Bucky’s friend Howard Campbell, in the dialog, uncovers Bucky’s life and ideas to the psychologist.

Prague by Arthur Phillips
A first novel of startling scope and ambition, Prague depicts an intentionally lost Lost Generation as it follows five American expats who come to Budapest in the early 1990s to seek their fortune—financial, romantic, and spiritual—in an exotic city newly opened to the West. They harbor the vague suspicion that their counterparts in Prague, where the atmospheric decay of post–Cold War Europe is even more cinematically perfect, have it better. Still, they hope to find adventure, inspiration, a gold rush, or history in the making. What they actually find is a deceptively beautiful place that they often fail to understand. What does it mean to fret about your fledgling career when the man across the table was tortured by two different regimes? How does your short, uneventful life compare to the lives of those who actually resisted, fought, and died? What does your angst mean in a city still pocked with bullet holes from war and crushed rebellion?

BOb

lilac_jive · 01-25-2009, 03:50 PM

Hooray! I think I'll be happy with any of these books

desertgrandma · 01-25-2009, 04:12 PM

It was hard choosing between "Refuge" and "Down and out in the Magic Kingdom" but since I've read the one and not the other......

Sparrow · 01-25-2009, 04:21 PM

psst, will sell vote for karma.

pilotbob · 01-25-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

psst, will sell vote for karma.

Like you need any Karma.

(negative karma given for your post!!!)

BOb

JSWolf · 01-25-2009, 04:23 PM

I voted for Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom because it's the one of the list that I do want to read most. If I had a second choice, it would be Little Brother.

Sparrow · 01-25-2009, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

(negative karma given for your post!!!)

- soz

pilotbob · 01-25-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I voted for Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom because it's the one of the list that I do want to read most. If I had a second choice, it would be Little Brother/

Cool... I've read them both and Little Brother was much better. (IMNSHO)

BOb

Sparrow · 01-25-2009, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Cool... I've read them both and Little Brother was much better. (IMNSHO)

The puff says it's a young adult novel; and I kind of feel that's what 'The Time Traders' was too - so it's inclining me away from 'Little Brother' at the mo, in favour of something different - but I'm not sure what.
It's a tricky decision this month.

pilotbob · 01-25-2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

The puff says it's a young adult novel; and I kind of feel that's what 'The Time Traders' was too - so it's inclining me away from 'Little Brother' at the mo, in favour of something different - but I'm not sure what.

Don't let that put you off. Many great novels are "young adult" so called. I think Ender's Game is too... and may people like the novel, young and old.

I do agree it is tricky. I haven't voted yet. But, I am leaning towards Refuge.

BOb

lilac_jive · 01-25-2009, 10:44 PM

Oh by the way, when are you going to make a group for the MRBC, bob?

pilotbob · 01-25-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

Oh by the way, when are you going to make a group for the MRBC, bob?

All the pressure.

BOb

desertgrandma · 01-25-2009, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

All the pressure.

BOb

Hey, try remembering all the countries in the world and putting THEM in a poll. THATS pressure!

lilac_jive · 01-25-2009, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

All the pressure.

BOb

You know, I could just do it myself. But I'm trying to be nice

pilotbob · 01-25-2009, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

You know, I could just do it myself. But I'm trying to be nice

Added. Join one and all.

BOb

View Poll Results: MR Book Club: February09 book nominations
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow	5	15.15%
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow	6	18.18%
Refuge by Richard Herley	13	39.39%
Poker Without Cards: A Consciousness Thriller by Ben Mack	3	9.09%
Prague by Arthur Phillips	6	18.18%
Voters: 33. You may not vote on this poll

01-25-2009, 03:46 PM	#1
pilotbob Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,832 Karma: 11844413 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Device: Kindle Touch	February '09 Book Vote Since there are only 5 selections this month I am setting the poll to 1 vote each person. I will set the poll to run for 5 days hence. Abstracts for this poll. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow Little Brother is my first young adult novel, a story about hacker kids in San Francisco who use technology to reclaim democracy from the Department of Homeland Security after a terrorist attack and the concomitant crackdown. It was published by Tor Books on April 29, 2008. Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow My first novel was published in January 2003. It concerns the machinations of technologically immportals who have occupied Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion and who aim to preserve it from the depredations of modernizers who would renovate it. The book won the 2003 Locus Award for Best First Novel and is a finalist for the 2004 Nebula for Best Novel. Refuge by Richard Herley Like The Penal Colony, this is a thriller set in the near future. It is twelve years on from a global plague. John Suter believes himself the sole survivor. He has gradually come to terms with his fate and has settled into a steady and self-reliant daily routine. One morning he finds a mutilated body in the river near his house. In his terror, Suter knows he has no choice but to investigate. What he discovers upstream stretches his endurance to its limits and forces him to reassess not only his own humanity, but also his place within the human family he had once believed extinct. (The author has waved the requirement to pay for this book if you enjoy it. However, I would submit that you still should pay for it. Assuming we choose this book.) Poker Without Cards: A Consciousness Thriller by Ben Mack The book is in form of a dialog that occurs between a psychologist and a friend of an admitted patient. In the dialog the psychologist is trying to understand the events that led to the mental breakdown of “Bucky”, who prior to the breakdown was an intellect. Bucky’s friend Howard Campbell, in the dialog, uncovers Bucky’s life and ideas to the psychologist. Prague by Arthur Phillips A first novel of startling scope and ambition, Prague depicts an intentionally lost Lost Generation as it follows five American expats who come to Budapest in the early 1990s to seek their fortune—financial, romantic, and spiritual—in an exotic city newly opened to the West. They harbor the vague suspicion that their counterparts in Prague, where the atmospheric decay of post–Cold War Europe is even more cinematically perfect, have it better. Still, they hope to find adventure, inspiration, a gold rush, or history in the making. What they actually find is a deceptively beautiful place that they often fail to understand. What does it mean to fret about your fledgling career when the man across the table was tortured by two different regimes? How does your short, uneventful life compare to the lives of those who actually resisted, fought, and died? What does your angst mean in a city still pocked with bullet holes from war and crushed rebellion? BOb Last edited by pilotbob; 01-27-2009 at 12:24 PM.

01-25-2009, 04:23 PM	#6
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 76,433 Karma: 136564696 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I voted for Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom because it's the one of the list that I do want to read most. If I had a second choice, it would be Little Brother. Last edited by JSWolf; 01-25-2009 at 04:33 PM.

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01-25-2009, 03:50 PM	#2
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	Hooray! I think I'll be happy with any of these books

01-25-2009, 04:12 PM	#3
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	It was hard choosing between "Refuge" and "Down and out in the Magic Kingdom" but since I've read the one and not the other......

01-25-2009, 04:21 PM	#4
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	psst, will sell vote for karma.

01-25-2009, 10:44 PM	#11
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	Oh by the way, when are you going to make a group for the MRBC, bob?

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