The Evolution of Science Fiction discussion

We are looking for nominations for any sci-fi novel or collection of short stories written between 1980 and 1999 that has not previously been read by the group. Please check the bookshelf (https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...) & the nomination rules (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...) before nominating a book.

Please also add your nominated book title as a clickable link directly to the goodreads' book page, so it looks like this:

Around the World in Eighty Days
Ideally, add the author, too: Jules Verne.
And mention the Publication Year, please.

We'd appreciate it if you tell everyone a bit about why you chose the book that you're nominating, but we don't require that.
Bear in mind, too, that we'll mostly likely be closing this nomination thread on the 15th, in order to have plenty of time for polls and then for acquisitions of the winner(s).

Everything you can do to help the moderators' tasks will help the group flourish, so thank you!

The Peace War by Vernor Vinge, It was first published as a serial in Analog in 1984, and then appeared in book form shortly afterward. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1985.

I suggest Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future by Mike Resnick. It was published in 1986.

It has a 4.06 rating on Goodreads. This resume comes from wikipedia: "The setting of the novel is the Inner Frontier (the region toward the core of the Galaxy) of the interstellar Democracy which humans have formed. The title character, Santiago, is the most sought-after outlaw of the region if not the human universe.

The protagonist is a bounty hunter named Sebastian Nightingale Cain, who receives a very valuable piece of information: a hint to the whereabouts of Santiago. Cain crosses the paths of several others also hunting Santiago: besides competing bounty hunters, journalist Virtue Mackenzie wants an interview with Santiago to make her fortune, and master thief the Jolly Swagman covets some unique pieces of alien art in Santiago's possession.

The novel is divided into six parts, each named after one of the larger-than-life characters that populate the Inner Frontier, and headed by a quatrain, purportedly composed by another such character, the wandering balladeer Black Orpheus."

The Peace War
Santiago
Blue Champagne
On Basilisk Station
Cradle
Superluminal

Blue Champagne John Varley published 1986 I hope. Not sure if this would be easy to get hold of, I can only find a couple 2nd hand in the UK.

It's a collection of short stories. I came across it while looking through books published in the relevant decades and remembered it very fondly. Don't know how it will stand up now of course but it has some good reviews.

I'll nominate On Basilisk Station by David Weber. This is the first of the Honor Harrington series, a really engaging space opera based loosely on "Horatio Hornblower in space" according to Weber. Honor is a tough woman who has bonded with a treecat & captains a starship in Her Majesty's fleet. She's often in trouble, but has some great friends to back her up.

Weber was one of the first authors to make his older books free in the Baen library a decade or so ago. I downloaded this one, read it, & immediately bought another in paperback which I prefer. I think I have a dozen now. It's still free & you can download it here:
https://www.baen.com/on-basilisk-stat...

There are a lot of free books there (Hammer's Slammers & more) & a lot of extras if you download the Baen CDs which are here:
http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/

Blue Champagne is on openlibrary.org.
I don't know if that if only for US readers or not, though.

Cheryl wrote: "Blue Champagne is on openlibrary.org.
I don't know if that if only for US readers or not, though."

Looks like I can sign up. Thanks Cheryl I haven't come across this resource before.

I'm Hoping that Cradle by Arthur C. Clarke qualifies.

1987 year of first publication.

Why ? Well Arthur C Clarke & Gentry Lee are a great combination, and I've never read this A.C. book.

Adrian wrote: "I'm Hoping that Cradle by Arthur C. Clarke qualifies...."

We've read 4 other books by Clarke in this group, but only one from this period, so it's fine.

Jim wrote: "Adrian wrote: "I'm Hoping that Cradle by Arthur C. Clarke qualifies...."

We've read 4 other books by Clarke in this group, but only one from this period, so it's fine."

Phew !!

As the date polls go up changed?

Sorry, I just got back from a challenging road-trip last night.
I nominate Superluminal by Vonda N. McIntyre, from 1983, because of this article at Tor/com:

https://www.tor.com/2019/06/10/the-19...

Poll is up!
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

Don't forget to vote on the poll for August's read if you want to discuss the book of your choice!

Two of the polled books were nearly tied, and there are more than enough votes for the runners-up to re-allocate and change the outcome. So please vote again if you're interested in either Weber's "On Basilisk Station" or Resnick's "Santiago."

Vote now, as the poll closes on the 20th to give us a chance to acquire the winning book!

And the winner is On Basilisk Station!