Beyond Reality discussion

Hi everyone,
Guess what? It's time to open nominations for our July 2019 Books of the Month. Each group member may make 1 science fiction and/or 1 fantasy nomination in this thread. If you would like to make a nomination, please reply to this post with the title and author of the book(s) you would like to put forward for the group’s consideration. A couple of suggestions to keep in mind:

1. Telling us a little about the book and why you think it would be a good group read can help get other members interested in reading (and voting for) your nomination. If possible, please use a link to the book and author in your nomination post. Click on “add book/author" for an easy way to do that.

2. To see if your nomination has already been read by the group, you can check:

a. the group's bookshelf for Previous Books of the Month

and/or

b. these threads:
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2018 - Present
Master list of Previous Books of the Month (Apr-Dec 2017)
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2012 - 2017
Master list of Previous Books of the Month 2006 - 2011

Books the group has read in the past 2 years are not eligible for current consideration. Being chosen as a past BotM prior to that time is not an automatic disqualification, but be aware that it may hinder your nomination’s chances at the polls.

General guidelines:
• Feel free to re-nominate a book that didn’t win in the polls in previous months!
• For questions regarding specifics such as book formats, books in series, self-nomination and various rules for nominations, please see the group FAQ.
• Seconding isn't necessary in this group.
• Friendly discussion & debate is strongly encouraged, but let's please keep things civil.

Poll schedule:
• Nominations will remain open through Wednesday April 17.
• The first (preliminary) round of polls will open Thursday April 18 and will run through Wednesday April 24.
• The final run-off polls go up Wednesday April 25 and will be open through Tuesday April 30.

Thanks!
Chris, Moderator

NOMINATIONS SO FAR:
SCIENCE FICTION:
Blackfish City
Starship Grifters
Places in the Darkness
A Scanner Darkly
Feed
Azanian Bridges

FANTASY:
Winter Rose
Trail of Lightning
The Last Days of New Paris
The Stress of Her Regard
Djinn City
All the Birds in the Sky

Winter Rose by Patricia A. McKillip Fantasy. A mysterious cursed house and a lost-long heir returning.

Starship Grifters by Robert Kroese SF comic adventure among the stars.

Fantasy: Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse --I used to love urban fantasy but got burnt out on it a few years ago. Now that this has been nominated for a Nebula AND a Hugo, I think it could be the book that draws me back in.

Sci-Fi: Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller got close last month and it seems that we as a group really like sci-fi books with "city" in the title so maybe it will work out this time around.

OK, Kari, you made me look back at our bookshelf. To date, the group has read these "city" books:
Jade City - 2018
The City & the City - 2009 and 2018
City of Golden Shadow - 2016
The Infernal City - 2016
City of Stairs - 2016
The City and the Stars - 2013 and 2019
The Etched City - 2013
City of Bones - 2011
City of Saints and Madmen - 2006 and 2009

We could use a few more nominations. Check out your “want to read” lists and make a suggestion!

For SF I'll nominate Places in the Darkness, the first science fiction novel from Scottish crime writer Christopher Brookmyre


For fantasy, The Last Days of New Paris by the excellent China Miéville

For SF: A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick

Ok, here are a few that I've had loaded on my kindle for some time now and haven't gotten around to yet!

For SF, Feed by Mira Grant, who is also Seanan McGuire - I adore Seanan McGuire's urban fantasies and would love to see how she is at SF/horror/zombies.

For fantasy, Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers, who is one of my favorites. This is one of the few I haven't read of his.

Chris wrote: "OK, Kari, you made me look back at our bookshelf. To date, the group has read these "city" books:
Jade City - 2018
The City & the City - 2009 and 2018
[book:City of G..."

Lol, Chris! That's hilarious. :)

After looking at the book again, I'm going to withdraw the nomination for Hide Me Among the Graves and instead nominate another Powers book The Stress of Her Regard, which many of the reviewers said was best read first, as apparently it's a loose sequel. I did read it once many years ago and remember liking it but I'd enjoy a re-read; all of Powers' books benefit from repeated readings because there is so much going on!

for SF: Azanian Bridges by Nick Wood

for fantasy: Djinn City by Saad Hossain

Fantasy nomination: All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders. This was a runner-up for our November 2018 Fantasy read and it caught my eye today when I realized it is by the same author as our May SF BotM.

Preliminary (first round) polls are up, and will be open through Wednesday April 24. We have some wonderful choices. Let's vote!

Science Fiction: Preliminary SF Poll

Fantasy: Preliminary Fantasy Poll

Chris, Moderator
Beyond Reality

Final polls are up, and will be open through Tuesday April 30. We have some wonderful choices. Let's vote!

Science Fiction: Final SF Poll

Fantasy: Final Fantasy Poll

Chris, Moderator
Beyond Reality

Our final polls are very close. Today is the final day to cast your vote. Help decide what we'll read in July. Time is running out … vote now!

Science Fiction: Final SF Poll

Fantasy: Final Fantasy Poll

Chris, Moderator
Beyond Reality