MobileRead August 2015 Book Club Vote

[WT Sharpe]

August 2015 MobileRead Book Club Vote

Help us choose a book as the August 2015 eBook for the MobileRead Book Club. The poll will be open for 5 days. There will be no runoff vote unless the voting results a tie, in which case there will be a 3 day run-off poll. This is a visible poll: others can see how you voted. It is You may cast a vote for each book that appeals to you.

We will start the discussion thread for this book on August 20th. Select from the following Official Choices with three nominations each:

• Agent of Change by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Amazon US / Audible / Baen / Kobo

Spoiler:

From Amazon:

Once a brilliant First-in Scout, Val Con yos'Phelium was "recruited" by the mysterious Liaden Department of Interior and brainwashed into an Agent of Change—a ruthless covert operative who kills without remorse.

Fleeing the scene of his latest murderous mission, he finds himself saving the life of ex-mercenary Miri Robertson, a tough Terran on the run from a team of interplanetary assassins. Thrown together by circumstances, Val Con and Miri struggle to elude their enemies and stay alive without slaying each other—or surrendering to the unexpected passion that flares between them.

• The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Goodreads / Amazon Au / Amazon Ca / Amazon UK (Kindle Unlimited) / Amazon US / Audible US

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Remember. Survive. Run.

• The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein
Amazon UK / Amazon US / Kobo Ca / Kobo US

Spoiler:

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

If you ask, she must answer. A steerswoman's knowledge is shared with any who request it; no steerswoman may refuse a question, and no steerswoman may answer with anything but the truth.

And if she asks, you must answer. It is the other side of tradition's contract -- and if you refuse the question, or lie, no steerswoman will ever again answer even your most casual question.

And so, the steerswomen — always seeking, always investigating — have gathered more and more knowledge about the world they traveled, and they share that knowledge freely.

Until the day that the steerswoman Rowan begins asking innocent questions about one small, lovely, inexplicable object…

Her discoveries grow stranger and deeper, and more dangerous, until suddenly she finds she must flee or fight for her life. Or worse -- lie.

Because one kind of knowledge has always been denied the the steerswomen:

Magic.

“If you haven’t read Kirstein’s Steerswoman books I envy you the chance to read them now for the first time.... I think they have a very good claim to be my favorite thing still being written. […] If you like science, and if you like watching someone work out mysteries, and if you like detailed weird alien worlds and human cultures, if really good prose appeals... you’re really in luck.” — Jo Walton, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner, author of Among Others and Farthing.

"[Kirstein] walks the tightrope between fantasy and science fiction with precision and grace... [her] compassion for even minor characters is evident on every page, and her prose is measured and alluring without being overworked." -- Damien Broderick & Paul Di Filippo, in Science Fiction: The 101 Best Novels 1985-2010

• Dhalgren by Samuel R Delany
Amazon UK / Amazon US / Kobo

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

In Dhalgren, perhaps one of the most profound and bestselling science fiction novels of all time, Samuel R. Delany has produced a novel "to stand with the best American fiction of the 1970s" (Jonathan Lethem).

Bellona is a city at the dead center of the United States. Something has happened there…. The population has fled. Madmen and criminals wander the streets. Strange portents appear in the cloud-covered sky. And into this disaster zone comes a young man–poet, lover, and adventurer–known only as the Kid. Tackling questions of race, gender, and sexuality, Dhalgren is a literary marvel and groundbreaking work of American magical realism.

• Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Amazon UK / Amazon US / Barnes & Noble

Spoiler:

From Wikipedia:

Rendezvous with Rama is a hard science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke first published in 1972. Set in the 22nd century, the story involves a 50-kilometre (31 mi) cylindrical alien starship that enters Earth's solar system. The story is told from the point of view of a group of human explorers who intercept the ship in an attempt to unlock its mysteries. This novel won both the Hugo and Nebula awards upon its release, and is regarded as one of the cornerstones in Clarke's bibliography.

• The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything by John D MacDonald
Amazon US

Spoiler:

From John D. MacDonald, one of the enduring American novelists of the twentieth century, comes a science fiction classic with a timeless premise. An aimless young man discovers a way to stop the world in its tracks—and that’s when his life truly begins.

From John D. MacDonald, one of the enduring American novelists of the twentieth century, comes a science fiction classic with a timeless premise. An aimless young man discovers a way to stop the world in its tracks—and that’s when his life truly begins.

Introduction by Dean Koontz

Once an ordinary math teacher, Omar Krepps developed a knack for gambling, amassed a fabulous fortune, and spent the rest of his life traveling the world and giving away his millions. Upon his death, however, Krepps bequeaths nothing to his nephew and only living blood relative, Kirby Winter—nothing, that is, except an antique watch and a sealed letter to be opened after one year.

But Kirby has much more in his possession than he realizes. The watch has the power to manipulate time. Not only does this revelation shed light on the mystery of his uncle’s life, it puts Kirby on the path to unimaginable wealth and a new lease on love . . . as well as a whole host of deadly troubles. Even in a universe where time is no issue, Kirby must tread carefully to stay one step ahead of danger.

• The Martian by Andy Weir
Goodreads / Amazon Au / Amazon Ca / Amazon UK / Amazon US / Audible US

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

• Way Station by Clifford D. Simak
No links provided.

Spoiler:

From Amazon:

"Enoch Wallace survived the carnage of Gettysburg and lived through the rest of the Civil War to make it home to his parents' farm in south-west Wisconsin. But his mother was already dead and his father soon joined her in the tiny family cemetery.

"It was then that Enoch met the being he called Ulysses and the farm became a way station for space travellers. Now, nearly a hundred years later, the US government is taking an interest in the seemingly immortal Enoch, and the Galactic Council, which set up the way station is threatening to tear itself apart.

"Winner of the Hugo Award for best novel, 1964."

[John F]

I'm trying something different and voting early.

[HomeInMyShoes]

A nice selection of titles to peruse.

[BenG]

I wonder how a non-PDF ebook with reflowable text handles the unusual format of one of the later parts of Dhalgren (The Anathēmata: a plague journal) which has two columns on a page with different narratives in the right and left.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by BenG

I wonder how a non-PDF ebook with reflowable text handles the unusual format of one of the later parts of Dhalgren (The Anathēmata: a plague journal) which has two columns on a page with different narratives in the right and left.

One suspects with difficulty. Always a tricky problem.

Fortunately, there are excellent choices without dealing with that particular problem.

[fantasyfan]

Quite a nice selection!

[CRussel]

Yes, an excellent selection of titles this month.

I'd like to solicit a bit of love for The Steerswoman, though. This is the first book in a currently 4 book series, and it's extremely well done and quite enjoyable. The premise appears to put it on the Fantasy side of SF/F, but I'd argue that it really fits on the Science side ultimately. And I love the idea of a class of people whose sole role is to wander and ask (and answer) questions to increase knowledge.

[din155]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Yes, an excellent selection of titles this month.

I'd like to solicit a bit of love for The Steerswoman, though. This is the first book in a currently 4 book series, and it's extremely well done and quite enjoyable. The premise appears to put it on the Fantasy side of SF/F, but I'd argue that it really fits on the Science side ultimately. And I love the idea of a class of people whose sole role is to wander and ask (and answer) questions to increase knowledge.

I am looking forward to read it regardless of the poll results.

[bfisher]

A great slate this month. I've already read "Agent of Change", "The Steerswoman" and "The Martian". They were all excellent, and I do plan to reread them (I've read Agent of Change twice already), but I decided to vote for some that I haven't read yet.

[John F]

Could we move the poll closing date up two days*? I have some Amazon credits that will be expiring.

This is a joke; I do not really want to change the close date.

[issybird]

Sci-Fi's not at all my thing. The John D. MacDonald appeals to me but it looks like a no-hoper.

[JSWolf]

If you are of the type of reader that won't finish a book that's lousy, than you don't want to start Rendezvous with Rama because it is lousy.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

Sci-Fi's not at all my thing. The John D. MacDonald appeals to me but it looks like a no-hoper.

The Steerswoman then. I predict you'll like it.

[bfisher]

Quite the nail-biter this month. Will it be a photo-finish?

[Dazrin]

I can't remember a vote where there were this many titles in contention this late in the voting period.