It seems like only yesterday we bid adieu to 2009, and now one twelfth of 2010 is behind us. As has been the norm of the last several years, Science Fiction has dominated my reading landscape. For me personally, the 2010 Sci Fi Experience was an enjoyable one, and we have a month yet to go.
I read a total of nine books, broken down as follows:
Novels:
1. Desolation Road ~Ian McDonald
2. Deathworld 3 ~Harry Harrison
3. Starship Troopers ~Robert A. Heinlein
4. Old Man’s War ~John Scalzi
Short Story Collections/Anthologies:
1. The Green Hills of Earth ~Robert A. Heinlein
2. Galaxy, December 1964 ~edited by Frederick Pohl
3. The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction: Seventh Series ~Anthony Boucher, ed
Art books:
1. Spectrum 16 ~edited by Cathy and Arnie Fenner
2. Mark Schultz: Various Drawings Volume 4 ~Mark Schultz
In addition I read 7 short stories from Isaac Asimov’s Robot Dreams, which I will review when I finish the collection.
Other short stories I read where:
The Hated ~Frederik Pohl (4/5 stars):
If you’ve ever been in a space for a long period of time with someone whose idiosyncrasies cause you to fantasize about strangling them, then The Hated is a story that you can relate to. Byron has returned from a very confining mission to Mars and wants nothing more than to be able to work out his pent up anger. It is scary how relatable this story is.
You can find this story and read it online, as I did, here at Rusty’s site.
Dali’s Clocks ~Dave Hutchinson (3.75/5 stars)
A very interesting take on the nature of creativity. Recommended by Ian Sales. You can read the story online here (scroll down, the story begins immediately after the picture).
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Despite having a half dozen books checked out from the library, I have managed to get to none of them thus far. I suspect that will soon be changing as I am itching to get to them. I just got an email that the copy of The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume 2A has come in from the library on a one week hold so I will be getting to this one immediately. I requested it on interlibrary loan because it contains Poul Anderson’s story Call Me Joe, one of the main stories linked to Avatar.
Though there is a lot of overlap, I did manage to do reading for 6 of the 8 Challenges that I am currently participating in.
I was pretty good with my book purchasing this month compared to previous Januarys. For whatever reason I generally go crazy every January. I did purchase three new books (partially with gift cards), Desolation Road (which I read), Gateway by Frederick Pohl (which I am half way through) and Heat Wave by Richard Castle (which I have started). On the used book front, I picked up Starship Troopers (read), three Asimov paperbacks (for a whopping $1.54 for the set), a hardback copy of The Demolished Man, an Ensign Flandry paperback by Poul Anderson with a cool Michael Whelan cover and a Fredric Brown paperback. I also found a paperback of Podkayne of Mars with a cover that I liked, different from the one that I own, that was too cheap to pass up. So, some of the money my parents gave me for Christmas, which I intended to use for clothes, was spent on books. No surprise there. Proves the truth of the Erasmus quote, ““When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.”
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Films:
The only movie I managed to see in theaters was Avatar. You can read my thoughts as well as the thoughts of others in my review here.
I finally got a chance to watch UP! thanks to a free afternoon and Redbox. It was a delightful film, the beginning being especially poignant and tear-inducing for an ol’ softy like me.
Television:
On the television front, we decided to give Castle a try and ended up tearing through Season One as fast as Netflix could get us the discs. We watched Season Two online on YouTube and then Hulu and got caught up in time to watch the January 25th episode “live”. What a fantastic show! If you liked Nathan Fillion in Firefly, I guarantee you that you will love him here. The cast has such a great chemistry and Fillion’s character’s relationship with his daughter is one of the highlights of the show.
House is our other can’t miss show during the week.
Watched Human Target premiere episode and found it to be okay. Will probably watch a few more episodes (which we are already behind on) before making a decision.
We watched Season One of MI-5 on Netflix through X-Box Live and found it entertaining enough to move on to Season Two.
Worked our way through all but the final episode of the Inspector Lynley series. Will really hate to see that one end as we have grown very fond of Lynley and Havers.
All 6 seasons of Corner Gas are now up, in high def, on the Corner Gas YouTube Channel and so we picked up where we left off with Netflix last year and are about 3/4ths the way through Season 5. Corner Gas is the Canadian version of “a show about nothing” and the three of us cannot get enough of it. We are a family of simple pleasures…you just can’t get tired of an old man calling everyone “jackass”.
And of course there was a lot of NFL playoff football that got watched. We haven’t even had the Superbowl yet and already I am missing the NFL.
Other:
On the gaming front I worked my way through the Point Lookout Expansion Pack for Fallout 3 and have just barely cracked in to the recently released Mass Effect 2. Nothing like a little sci fi gaming to go with the Sci Fi Experience.
What about you, how was your January?!?!
Carl,
I am glad that you enjoyed The Hated, I thought it was quite a thought provoking story. And I am very interested in your thoughts on Gateway. I read it over 10 years ago, and still find myself pondering it – especially the ending.
Thanks for the heads up about Castle – I loved Firefly so I’ll be sure to give this one a try.
My girlfriend and I did exactly the same thing with Castle last November. I was prompted by the opening to the Halloween episode where Castle dresses up as a space cowboy in homage to Firefly. It was hysterical and brilliant and I was immediately hooked.
It’s also funny how Old Man’s War seems to have rekindled people’s love for reading SF, as your story was similar to mine when I read OMW a couple of years ago. And we’re I’m sure not the only ones who have Scalzi to thank for that.
Cheers.
Ummm, Carl, did you sleep at all during January?!!
What a busy month of fun! Makes me feel like I didn’t accomplish anything. Hmmmm…maybe because I didn’t accomplish anything.
I know what you mean about buying books in January! I’ve never been able to figure out why I go so overboard, after just being spoiled at Christmas. I think I was a little better this year, too, though…even still have a little gift card money left.
I hope February brings you every bit as much fun and January did! Heck, I hope it brings you even more! 😀
Not ready for football season to end either.
The only other film (besides Avatar) I saw in January was Daybreakers. Great concept, fell flat at the end. Hoping the Wolfman doesn’t disappoint.
Its awesome to hear of others loving Corner Gas. It’s one of my favorite shows and was filmed not far from where I live!
You had a great reading month, hope February treats you just as well 🙂
Bella: My brother-in-law mentioned Corner Gas several times and then my wife’s cousins had us over last year and had us watch a couple of episodes and we were hooked. The three of us cackle hysterically why it is on and the whole time we all know that not everyone would find this as silly and fun as we do.
AlexJ: So who are you pulling for in the big game?!?! I too hope the Wolfman is enjoyable, despite the fact that it is coming out during the graveyard time of the theatrical season.
Debi: I try to get my sleeping done at work! Just kidding. As for you accomplishing nothing, I think I said something about that on your post the other day. Managing the schooling for a house full of children, especially the way that you do it (which is the thoughtful way) is more than a full time job. And, if your household is anything like mine, I am sure that sometimes Rich is just like a big kid himself. I know that I have my moments like that.
I have a small amount of gift card money left as well. I hope all of our February’s are even better than Jan. was.
Christian: It is funny that you mention the Halloween episode because that is what finally pushed me over the edge. Two of my friends kept talking about how much they enjoyed the show and one night they showed me that opening online and I knew I had to watch the show. Took me another month to get to it, but I’m so glad we did.
And I definitely know we are not alone in what OMW did for our feelings about science fiction.
Rusty: I’m glad you posted The Hated as it was a fun, quick story to read and my first experience with Pohl. I am really unsure what I feel about Gateway right now and it is really going to depend on how the whole thing plays out. I’m enjoying all the psych parts a lot but the on Gateway parts aren’t grabbing me yet. The concept is, just not sure how I feel about the main character while he is on Gateway at this point. However, I realize that this is one of those “whole picture” novels and I won’t judge it until its all over.
Have you been reading the posts Pohl is doing about Asimov? They are great!
My husband and I recently discovered MI-5 too and we’re currently halfway through Season 2 on instant netflix. What a riveting show. I love Castle too. Wasn’t it great to see Nathan Fillion back as Mal? It made me go watch the whole Firefly series again!
olduvai: I was actually shocked by a few things that happened in the first season of MI-5, in a good way. So often you don’t see characters killed the way they did on that show. Fun to see “House” and “Bertie Wooster” (Hugh Laurie) in MI-5 (or actually 6, as he is in the show!).
I cried like a baby during the scrapbooking part of UP – so touching!
what a busy month you have had. I am struggling to get through my library books at the moment. I never know what to read next.
House is a series I never thought I’d be able to watch because of the CGI thing they do, even though the little sneak peeks TV gives us were always fascinating and convincing me that, if not for those bits, it’d be right up my alley.
I was right on both counts. Figured out this wonderful concept of looking away from the scary bits. I’m getting better at determining when they’ll happen now. ^-^
Glad to hear your January sounds so well-enjoyed, Carl! ^-^
Shanra: Seems to me there are less and less of those moments then there used to be, but maybe I’m just not noticing them as much. The look away technique is a great one to develop. 🙂
Vivienne: It worked out nicely for me that there were playoff football games on many of the weekends. I read when I watch football, between commercials, half-time, and during the game sometimes as well, so I got A LOT of reading done on Sundays. And now that my daughter is back and work we are watching less tv (saving stuff to watch with her) so I get a lot more reading done in the evenings as well.
Stephanie: Me too!
Awesome month Carl! I’m with you on football…I’m totally missing it already, though our celebrating is far from over :p We have a parade scheduled for next Tuesday whether they win or lose! And I totally need to start watching Castle! In fact, I think I’m going to go add season 1 to my netflix right after I leave this comment. I’ve heard nothing but great stuff about it. Hope February is just as good for you if not better!
Chris: Castle is definitely a show for you! You’ll enjoy it. And just so you know, I’m pulling for your Saints in the big dance. I like Peyton well enough, but he has a ring. I’d like to see Brees and Co. get one this time.
Go Colts !!!
Can’t believe you’d diss Chris like that. So cold…so cold…
I am SO with you on Castle and House. Castle is very much Malcolm Reynolds in his show — similar humour and flare — love it! And the season pilot for House has been one of my favorite episodes in the series so far.
Looking forward to checking out Caprica this month — it’s a BSG spin-off set prior to the cylon attack. Should be good!
Yay for Corner Gas! That was a really funny show. I was sad to see it end, but they wanted to go out with a bang, I guess. There is all ready another show in the works by the same guy, I do believe.
I didn’t buy as many books in January as I normally do, either. And what I did buy was with gift cards, so I guess I was good this year. 🙂
after having seen the movie I really wish I had watched Firefly! it was either on late where I lived or against something else I watched back then. I watch Castle when I can, again it’s on a bit late for me to make it all the way thru it and sometimes I forget when it’s on.. CRS what can I say?
it’s obvious your sci fi reading is your favorite.. i do believe you do more reading for this than you do for your other two challenges! But it’s nice because you can hear your excitement when you post about it!!
Deslily: I think you are probably right about the amount of reading I do for this vs. the other challenges. I’m sure that is in large part due to science fiction being my first love, but I also think that I’m pretty focused at the start of a new year and I tend to get more distracted by reading whims as the year moves on. Will be interesting to see if this year follows suit or not.
Kailana: Hooray for both of us being better with our money! 🙂 Yes, it will be sad when we get to the end of Season 6 of Corner Gas, but its been a fun show to watch and we’ve spread it out over a fairly long period of time now.
Maria: The season opener for House this year was definitely the best episode of the show ever. Loved it. I’m glad they’ve kind of built from that and not had him return in entirety to the person he was before. I am one of those professed science fiction fans who didn’t watch BSG and now that I don’t have cable/satellite will probably not be watching Caprica. I’ll be interested in listening to what people think of it though.
I still have much love for Chris and the Big Easy but I’m a bigger fan of Peyton, Dallas, Austin, Dwight, Reggie, Bob, and on and on.
I feel bad for Archie Manning though. His team finally makes the big game and he ends up having to root for his son over his team.
That’s making an awful big assumption. Maybe Archie is really pulling for the Saints! 😉
I think that was one of the reasons why I continued watching MI-5. The shock factor. You can’t help wondering, who are they going to kill off next?
JANUARY ROUND-UP
Here’s the reading results for January 2010:
Norman Saunders by David Saunders – coffee table art book on illustrator
The Dawn Patrol by Don Winslow – mystery
The Ship of Ishtar by A. Merritt – fantasy
A Christmas Blizzard by Garrison Keillor – general fiction
Snake Agent by Liz Williams- science fiction/occult/fantasy
War Games by Christopher Anvil – science fiction short story collection
Bullet for a Star by Stuart Kaminsky – mystery
The Day the Music Died by Ed Gorman – mystery
Meridian by Kesel, Middleton & McNiven – graphic (collection of issues 1-9 of comic
Hospital Station by James White – science fiction
Star Surgeon by James White – science ficiton
Major Operation by James White – science fiction
The Case of the Singing Skirt by Erle Stanley Gardner – mystery (Perry Mason)
Assume all know that Firefly is available in it’s entirety from Netflix (4 discs). Also the film Serenity.
Carl – Actually it’s not an assumption. I saw an interview with Archie where some reporters asked him point blank who he’d be rooting for and he said he couldn’t root against his own son and any one with kids would understand. Speaking as someone with kids I do understand what he means. I couldn’t root against my kids either.
I really want to increase my Scifi readin this month, and maybe even try something by Asimov, which seems quite daring to me. I really didn’t get too much reading done in January, and my pile of books has really built up. But I’m currently reading Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind, which I’m loving.
Simcha: If you are reading The Name of the Wind it is no wonder you didn’t get much reading done. That is one BIG book! Personally I loved the three Foundation novels, starting with Foundation, and the short story collection, I, Robot from Asimov. I was rather daunted to try him out too until I just did it, and he quickly became a favorite.
Jeff: Now you and I both know that the “anyone with kids would understand” line means that he was lying so his kids would *think* that was who he was rooting for! Can’t believe you missed that one. 😉
Richard: Thanks, you made my day! I love seeing what people read. That is why those year end posts are such fun and why I will probably keep doing these monthly wrap ups. I should have maybe talked about favorite reads for the month, but that might be hard even now to determine. I was really pleased with January’s selections. I’ll be reading some more hard-boiled detective stuff as the year wears on, I expect. I have some Hard Case Crime books on the pile as well as some older ones that I’ve collected that I want to read. I also want to continue on with where I left off in my Ian Fleming reading. I believe the next one on the list is Goldfinger.
Yikes, just got 4 more books in the mail from BookSwap, including Walter Jon Williams’ DREAD EMPIRE’S FALL: THE PRAXIS. It’s the first in the series, supposed to be very good. Also a SF and two mysteries. Four free books. so cool.
Fun wrapup! I need more SF in my life. For whatever reason I have no desire to see Avatar, although everyone raves about it. I’ll see it later… I’m not really a movie person. I would like to read Starship Troopers, that sounds like fun.
Daphne: Not everyone raves about it. 😉 Starship Troopers is fun, and it is not an overly long book, you should give it a try. And Old Man’s War is really, REALLY fun so I would highly recommend that if you haven’t read it.
Richard: That’s great! I picked up the March issue of Asimov’s tonight. I was drawn in by the Donato cover and interested to read the story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch since her latest book seemed to be on people’s ‘best of’ lists. I’ll be interested in checking this one out.
Also, thought you might find it interestingly coincidental, my friend Jerry recommended James White tonight when we were talking about books. He is going to bring me one of his favorites by White to read.
That’s HORRIBLE Jeff, HORRIBLE! 😉 We love Peyton down here too…he went to high school down here of course and though of COURSE we all want our Saints to win this game, we’ll be celebrating regardless. This is truly a dream superbowl for us in New Orleans. Couldn’t get any better. And I know Archie feels the same way!