SciFi and Fantasy eBook Club discussion

The December Science Fiction Theme: Colonization is open for Nominations.

Colonization can cover a wide range of themes from terraforming to first contact to battles for Independence. I think they're all valid and all interesting. Some are hard Science and some are not. There is a lot to choose from in this theme, I think.

I think the main criteria here is to distinguish between invasion and colonization. While they can overlap, usually a story tends more toward one or the other. I think that for this theme, we should skip those stories where the main premise is one sentient race conquering (or attempting to conquer) another with the primary intention of replacing them as the dominant species on a planet.


Remember our few rules:
1. They must be available as an ebook
2. One nomination and one seconding per person
3. No nominating your own book and
4. Mods can veto a nomination if they decide the book doesn't fit ... :-)


And, as always, authors selected in the past 12 months may not be nominated. For a list, you may check here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...




Nominated and Seconded
Dragonsdawn by Anne McCaffrey
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Moving Mars by Greg Bear
Proxima by Stephen Baxter
Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon
We See a Different Frontier: A Postcolonial Speculative Fiction Anthology by Various


Nominated
The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin
Titan by Ben Bova

I've been wanting to reread some Bear for a while so I'm going to nominate one I haven't read in a while: Moving Mars by Greg Bear

I'm going to put up Golden Witchbreed by Mary Gentle for consideration.
It is on the edge of all of this months criteria, but who knows.
:)
Excerpt from book description.....
Orthe - half-civilized, half-barbaric, home to human-like beings who live and die by the code of the sword. Earth envoy Lynne Christie has been sent here to establish contact and to determine whether this is a world worth developing. But first Christie must come to understand that human-like is not and never can be human....

Nominating The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin. Ok, I'm not sure if it fits the criteria, maybe it is more focused on invasion? I really can't tell, I'll leave it for you to decide:


Excerpt from the description:

"Terran colonists take over the planet locals call Athshe, meaning "forest," rather than "dirt," like their home planet Terra. They follow the 19th century model of colonization: felling trees, planting farms, digging mines & enslaving indigenous peoples. The natives are unequipped to comprehend this. They're a subsistence race who rely on the forests & have no cultural precedent for tyranny, slavery or war. The invaders take their land without resistance until one fatal act sets rebellion in motion & changes the people of both worlds forever."

I'd like to nominate Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. I read it years ago and enjoyed it.

Excerpt from the description:

"John Boone, Maya Toitavna, Frank Chalmers, and Arkady Bogdanov lead a mission whose ultimate goal is the terraforming of Mars. For some, Mars will become a passion driving them to daring acts of courage and madness; for others it offers and opportunity to strip the planet of its riches. And for the genetic "alchemists, " Mars presents a chance to create a biomedical miracle, a breakthrough that could change all we know about life...and death.

The colonists place giant satellite mirrors in Martian orbit to reflect light to the planets surface. Black dust sprinkled on the polar caps will capture warmth and melt the ice. And massive tunnels, kilometers in depth, will be drilled into the Martian mantle to create stupendous vents of hot gases. Against this backdrop of epic upheaval, rivalries, loves, and friendships will form and fall to pieces--for there are those who will fight to the death to prevent Mars from ever being changed."

How about Dragonsdawn?

I always thought it was the best of the Pern novels, as well as the least Pern-y and the most SF-y. It's theoretically the 9th in the series, but it can function as a standalone or introduction to the series (in fact in some ways it might work better with certain elements coming as a surprise) - it's set hundreds (thousands?) of years before the earlier novels.

Basic summary: settlers from a far-future interstellar society arive on an uninhabited, out-of-the-way, low-resource planet, seeking a simpler, better life. Many of them are battle-scarred veterans of a brutal inter-species war; others are simply those seeking a more natural life for their families than on the overcrowded worlds they come from, while others still are specialists, there for the money and the prestige. Unfortunately, soon after their arrival, Problems Arise, both from outside and from inside the colony.

Oh, and part of their attempt at addressing some of those problems involves genetically-engineering some large fire-breathing flying lizards, as you do.

Second Dragonsdawn.

Red Mars is one of those books that one seems to either adore or loathe .... I've heard it argued many times. I've read it 3 times - possibly 4. I think I'll second it. :-)

I would like to nominate Embrace. Great story with colonization theme. Space opera is the best I would describe it. Has military and aliens. I thought it was a fun read.

Are anthologies permitted? I've been meaning to get to We See a Different Frontier: A Postcolonial Speculative Fiction Anthology.

It's a long time since I read (red?) Red Mars. I remember enjoying it, but felt the series went steadily downhill.

otoh, Dragonsdawn annoyed me. I enjoyed Pern when it was pure fantasy. When she tried to retrofit science into it, it seemed like too much of a cop-out (and yes, I know the story always did involve colonization from space, but it was more believable before she retconned it).

We see a different frontier publishers are having a crowdfunding campaign at the moment for a new anthology with "we see a different frontier" available as one of the award levels. It looks an interesting anthology and I will certainly be reading it soon. there was a good discussion of it on Writer and Critic - no idea whether eligible or not for this discussion though although I would vote for it if it was. If it is eligible I will happily second it.

Red Mars is a wonderfully divisive read - some people will love it, others a frustrating slog. One of my other groups discussed Word for World... recently so whilst I probably wouldnt vote for it would join in the discussions if it one - its a wonderful book and is also available in Again Dangerous Visions - with lots of additional reading, often for the same price as buying it on its own.

I'll nominate Proxima by Stephen Baxter. It's new and looks interesting.

I'll second Moving Mars.

I'll approve Dragonsdawn.

Golden Witchbreed is not about colonisation per se, more an emissary moving about the planet.

How aboutRemnant Population by Elisabeth Moon. I wouldn't mind reading something else from her after the Trading in Danger series

Derek (Guilty of thoughtcrime) wrote: "Are anthologies permitted? I've been meaning to get to We See a Different Frontier: A Postcolonial Speculative Fiction Anthology."

Anthologies are eligible - although they're not very popular in this crowd. I like 'em but seems like I'm definitely in the minority.

Clare wrote: "I'll approve Dragonsdawn.

Golden Witchbreed is not about colonisation per se, more an emissary moving about the planet."

I was wondering about that after I read the blurb. I gave it the benefit of the doubt but I do kinda agree ...

Geoffrey wrote: "Clare wrote: "I'll approve Dragonsdawn.

Golden Witchbreed is not about colonisation per se, more an emissary moving about the planet."

I was wondering about that after I read the blurb. I gave i..."


Bow to you...
:)

In my defense...


Colonization can cover a wide range of themes from terraforming to first contact to battles for Independence. I think they're all valid and all interesting. Some are hard Science and some are not. There is a lot to choose from in this theme, I think.

I think the main criteria here is to distinguish between invasion and colonization.



Earth envoy Lynne Christie has been sent here to establish contact and to determine whether this is a world worth developing.

Heeheee....can't blame a girl for trying.
;)

Geoffrey wrote: "Anthologies are eligible - although they're not very popular in this crowd."

Well, I am with the crowd, generally, but I feel I don't read enough short fiction.

I'll second Proxima.

Remnant Population was the first book that popped into my head, too! I'll second it.

I would like to nominate Titan par Ben Bova. It's about attempting to colonize the moon of Saturn called Titan (surprise!). I find it interesting that the colonization spaceship is mostly filled with outcasts.

Derek (Guilty of thoughtcrime) wrote: "Well, I am with the crowd, generally, but I feel I don't read enough short fiction."

I tend to agree - I like short fiction when grouped in an anthology or collection. I read quite a few books like that - in fact I started one this morning. But, collectively, they seldom, if ever, get selected.

Brenda,

Ya know I'm open to suggestion. I haven't read this particular book so I can't say for certain. My read of the blurb felt like it was more about bringing the planet into a larger confederation vs. colonization per se.

I was thinking along the lines of bringing Poland into the EU - not colonization - but I think you're suggesting this is more like bringing India into the British Empire - colonization .... Am I getting the gist correct?

Speaking of books titled 'Titan,' I'll nominate Titan by John Varley.

Mark wrote: "I would like to nominate Embrace. Great story with colonization theme. Space opera is the best I would describe it. Has military and aliens. I thought it was a fun read."

I'll second Embrace

Just noticed - I'm a different 'Mark' than the proposer^^

Mark wrote: "I would like to nominate Embrace. Great story with colonization theme. Space opera is the best I would describe it. Has military and aliens. I thought it was a fun read."

I missed this nomination earlier. Upon review, however, I am vetoing it. This appears to be a self-nomination.

Maria wrote: "Speaking of books titled 'Titan,' I'll nominate Titan by John Varley."

We read this on December 2013 .... good choice though.

Nominating The Legacy of Heorot by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes. One of the best alien creatures I have ever experienced. Gripping.

OK, I'm going to open the Poll ... this is a good list.

Since I put Golden Witchbreed by Mary Gentle on the list then took it off, but may have been mistaken, I think I'm going to include it in the poll ...

I'll second The Legacy of Heorot

Geoffrey wrote: "Since I put Golden Witchbreed by Mary Gentle on the list then took it off, but may have been mistaken, I think I'm going to include it in the poll ... "

Sure, it belongs. It's a very wide-ranging topic, after all.

Geoffrey wrote: "Mark wrote: "I would like to nominate Embrace. Great story with colonization theme. Space opera is the best I would describe it. Has military and aliens. I thought it was a fun ..."

It was not a self-nomination

Agreed, not a self nomination - and I've added a P to my name to differentiate me from the other Mark to save any future confusion - obviously one of us having an avatar and one not was not enough

Mark, the first, you may or may not be the author but you joined the same day as your nomination - and given your posts in other groups, apparently to nominate the book. At best, you seem to be associated with the author and are assisting in promoting the book.

Mark, the second, I apologize if I came across as impugning your character - I know you're not the same person.

Geoffrey wrote: "Mark, the first, you may or may not be the author but you joined the same day as your nomination - and given your posts in other groups, apparently to nominate the book. At best, you seem to be as..."

No offence taken - just wanted to clarify:)

Ok, I see the confusion. I joined the group because some of the others I have been on don't do much on the ebook side. I got a Kindle Fire HD this summer and it has been awesome. Wish I had it a long time ago. One of the first posts I saw was the poll and I had just finished reading the second book in that series. I liked the others posted. Proxima is a great read. It's been a while since I read Red Mars. I still have Blue Mars in paperback somewhere, but I don't have the first two in that series anymore.
I've tried Elizabeth Moon's stuff and it gets a bit romancy for me.

I am not associated with that other author, nor do I care if we put it in the poll. It was something fresh in my mind about the theme that was mentioned.