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@fskornia@glammr.us cover
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

fskornia

@[email protected]

Public Digital Librarian. Don't join dangerous cults. Practice safe sects.
Other interests include SF/F/H, gaming, quilting, and astronomy
He/Him/His
https://glammr.us/@fskornia (Twitter)

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fskornia , to bookstadon
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

This week I'm reading 'I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons' by Peter S. Beagle and it is incredibly charming and delightful.
If you're bummed about recent news about a certain fantasy author and haven't read Beagle, I highly recommend him. He has a lot of the same vibe, but without much of the darkness or cynicism. And Beagle has a great range, so of his books are notably different.
@bookstadon

fskornia OP ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

I'm also back to Jacqueline Carey and 'Kushiel's Justice' after a quick detour to the Rivers of London on audio.
I enjoy so much of Carey's books and they are holding up remarkably well to my memory of reading them ages ago.
@bookstadon

dickrubin716 , to bookstodon
@dickrubin716@bookstodon.com avatar

Is it too soon to Covid times from 2020 in a fictional story? I’m thinking about including that as one of the plots in an upcoming book. @bookstodon @mastodonbooks

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@golgaloth @dickrubin716 @bookstodon As a librarian that regularly is reading through book reviews of upcoming books, there are a good number of fiction books that are dealing with the COVID pandemic

fskornia , to bookstadon
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

Currently reading a book called 'Calypso' by Oliver K. Langmead and it's... odd
It's written in different sort of verses. When I started it, I wasn't sure I was going to stick with it, but I'm 100+ pages into it now, so I guess I am :-)
An colony ark engineer wakes up when the ship reaches its destination and finds a strange world and society has grown on the ship.
It reminds me most of reading Silverberg's 'Lord Valentine's Castle' or Wolfe's Book of the New Sun series
@bookstadon

LincolnRamirez , to bookstodon
@LincolnRamirez@mstdn.social avatar

I've been thinking of finally reading some Stephen King, but no idea where to start.

Go for one of the likes of his famous work, like the Shining or the Green Mile? Or something lesser known?

@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@LincolnRamirez @bookstodon What do you typically like to read? King has a very wide range, so there is probably something good to transition into.

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@LincolnRamirez @bookstodon Hmm. Then you might like his more recent 'Fairy Tale'. It's dark fantasy that is still very King and would probably give you a good taste of what many of his books are like.
He also has Eyes of the Dragon, which is also very fantasy, but kind of meh in my opinion.
If you're up for something very long, '11/22/63' is a great time travel story.
If you want to lean into his horror, then 'The Shining' is a very good place to start. Also 'Salem's Lot' if you like vampires

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@LincolnRamirez @bookstodon I hope you enjoy!

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@dbsalk @LincolnRamirez @bookstodon Mmm. The Talisman is fantastic. It's also a collaboration with the great Peter Straub.
And it aligns with stuff that King did later with his Dark Tower books and other multi-world stories.

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@AndyT @LincolnRamirez @flyblue @bookstodon I read The Dead Zone in 2016 as part of a massive King reread (I read from Carrie to The Stand chronologically that year) and I seriously wondered if King had future visions when he wrote it.

stina_marie , to horror
@stina_marie@horrorhub.club avatar

I watched THE FIRST OMEN on last night and it was rad. I thoroughly enjoyed it- it's well-done, creepy, disturbing, and surprisingly artful in a lot of its imagery & cinematography.

It also has me pondering a question:

Would the Catholic Church be pro-abortion, if the fetus in question was proven to be the Anti-Christ? 🤔

@horror @horrorfilm

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@stina_marie @horror @horrorfilm I would absolutely love to see a book, film, or TV show tackle that idea as its main plot. It would probably be incredibly controversial though.

kimlockhartga , to bookstodon
@kimlockhartga@beige.party avatar

Since we are coming up on June, it seems like a good time to check in with everyone here on @bookstodon regarding favorite reads of 2024 so far. Whatcha got?

My top five reads of 2024 so far:

The Criminal series of graphic novels by Ed Brubaker (ten primary works)

James, Percival Everett

The Book of Love, Kelly Link

Poor Deer, Claire Oshetsky

Prequel, Rachel Maddow

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@kimlockhartga @bookstodon Ooh, I love a favorites update thread.
My 5 favorites I've read in 2024 (not necessarily published in this year)

The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Cornichec
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malka Older
Light from Other Stars by Erika Swyler
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishigo

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@Eliot_L @kimlockhartga @bookstodon I loved 'The Chosen and the Beautitful' when I read it.
If you want another book inspired by Gatsby with witches and magic, I recommend 'Wild and Wicked Things' by Francesca May. It diverts a bit from Gatsby, but there is enough there to recognize it as the foundation.

ChrisMayLA6 , to bookstodon
@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us avatar

I sometimes thought my father thought he could't die while he still had books on his pending pile (a stab at immortality I seem to be replicating)... so, it was strangely touching to see Tom Gauld has had similar thoughts.

@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@WhiteCatTamer @ChrisMayLA6 Circ stats are circ stats. We just like the numbers going up :-) @bookstodon

ChrisMayLA6 , to bookstodon
@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us avatar

This week I've been mainly reading, no. 153.

Each of Emma Newman's Planetfall quartet explores a different aspect of the same overarching story of religious driven intergalactic migration. In Atlas Alone (2019), the fourth story centres on an elite gamer & their attempt to uncover & then take revenge for a crime against humanity. To say much more would ruin the plot for you, but as with the others, this is great, fascinating sci-fi, which has a great payoff at the end.


@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@ChrisMayLA6 The Planetfall books are some of my all time favorite books in recent SF writing. @bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@TimWardCam @ChrisMayLA6 Not necessarily. I think the greater scale has the potential to expand religion because the immense distances would reduce the potential of clash between ideologies. Looking at it historically, you can see the ways that sects of Christianity evolved and flourished when expanding from Europe to the American continents. It also proves that religion is a really good way to control masses of people. Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch books explore that a lot. @bookstodon

Jennifer , to bookstodon

I need some new science fiction to read, who has some suggestions? I don't like military sci-fi. For reference, my favorite series is the Expanse, I also enjoyed Scalzi's Collapsing Empire, I love Robert Charles Wilson's books. I mostly enjoy space operas and unique stories about technology, for example I really liked the recent book Mountain in the Sea about AI and intelligent octopus. Suggestions from the awesome Bookstodon community? @bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@Jennifer @bookstodon Have you read Arkady Martine's 'A Memory Called Empire' yet?
I also recommend 'A Darkling Sea' by James Cambias.
'Generation Ship' by Michael Mammay
'The Deep Sky' by Yume Kitasei

SallyStrange , to bookstodon
@SallyStrange@eldritch.cafe avatar

10 authors, of whose books I've read at least five:

Ursula Le Guin
Kim Stanley Robinson
Octavia Butler
N. K. Jemisin
Becky Chambers
Iain M. Banks
Martha Wells
M. R. Carey
Lois McMaster Bujold
Vonda McIntyre


@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@bookstodon

There are a lot, because I like series, but here is a list off the top of my head (which means probably some of my favorites)

Claire North
NK Jemisin
Robert Jordan
Stephen King
James SA Corey
Guy Gavriel Kay
Janny Wurts
Peter F. Hamilton
Robin Hobb
Ann Leckie

fskornia , to bookstodon
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

I finished 'Light from Other Stars' by Erika Swyler this morning. It is a beautiful melancholy SF book about broken people trying to do the best they can and faced with impossible circumstances.
I highly recommend it, though it may be a tough read for some. Probably a good SF recommendation for someone that does not often read SF.
@bookstodon

fskornia , to bookstodon
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

Ever read a book that just hits you in a way you were not expecting?
I've had several books like that, like my current read, 'Light from Other Stars' by Erika Swyler.
I chose it for a SFF book discussion mainly because I was looking for a shortish SF novel that would be good for discussion. But I have been absolutely blown away by it so far.
The voices of the characters. The melancholy examination of time and entropy. The slow reflections. All in prose that is beautiful to bask in.
@bookstodon

CindySue , to bookstodon
@CindySue@bookstodon.com avatar

What is everyone reading? I feel like I haven't picked a book up in ages.

@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@CindySue @bookstodon Light From Other Stars by Erika Swyler. Beautiful SF novel about love, grief, connections and time.

fskornia , to bookstodon
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

WOOT! Gabino Iglesias has a new book coming out this year, just in time for my Spooky Reads 2024!
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/gabino-iglesias/house-of-bone-and-rain/9781668641453/?lens=mulholland-books
@bookstodon

KaraLG84 , to bookstodon
@KaraLG84@dragonscave.space avatar

What I love about rick Riordan's novels is the thing of setting ancient myths in modern times. what I don't like about them is the sheer amount of teenaged angst and people not communicating with each other.
So, I'd love to read something like that, but for adults. Any recommendations welcome.
@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@KaraLG84 @bookstodon A few suggestions:
'American Gods' & 'Anansi Boys' by Neil Gaiman
The 'Olympus Bound' trilogy by Jordanna Max Brodsky sounds like almost exactly what you are looking for
'Summerlong' by Peter S. Beagle is a beautiful modern spin on Persephone
'Gods Behaving Badly' by Marie Phillips
The 'Paternus' trilogy by Dyrk Ashton if you're looking for something more action-packed
Ben Aaronovitch's 'Rivers of London' series is more fae/supernatural than myth, but still very good

Likewise , to bookstodon
@Likewise@beige.party avatar

Short Stories.

Love ‘em, hate ‘em, somewhere in the middle?

Years ago one of my dear friends (who is a huge bookworm) and I were talking. She told me she hated short stories. I can’t remember why or if she even told me a reason. This conversation has stuck with me, because I struggle with them- why? I have no idea. I have tried different tactics to overcome this. I am s l o w l y reading one now, but I don’t gravitate toward it (not the one pictured, but it’s one I really want to read if I can ever get there).

I’d love to hear your thoughts.
@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@Likewise I adore short fiction, especially SF/Fantasy and horror. I've been a long time subscriber to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and it's a treat each month when the new issue arrives. Short fiction is also exceptionally ideal for horror.
Short stories allow for greater creativity and experimentation that may not hold up in longer forms.
@bookstodon

fskornia , to bookstodon
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

What are the books that have /stuck/ with you?
I mean the books that you find yourself thinking about at random moments long after you have read them.

One for me is 'Great Circle' by Maggie Shipstead. I find it hard to define exactly what gripped me so much about this book, but it still rattles around my brain.

Another is Virginia Woolf's 'To the Lighthouse'. I read the last 2/3 of this book in a 4 hour sprint and when I was done it was like waking from a dream.

@bookstodon

fskornia OP ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@CindySue @bookstodon I haven't read it, but checking the synopsis, I absolutely must now.

fskornia OP ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@lunalein @bookstodon Yeah, I was completely dazed when I finished that book.

fskornia OP ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@bookstodon Thinking some more, another book that has stuck with me for years was Erin Morgenstern's 'The Night Circus'. I reread it a couple of years ago and was instantly enchanted by the book again.
I actually think her 'The Starless Sea' is a better book overall, but it did not have the melancholic impact on me that 'Night Circus' does

kimlockhartga , to bookstodon
@kimlockhartga@beige.party avatar

@bookstodon What's your favorite book title, whether you've read it or not?

Mine is EVERYONE ON THE MOON IS ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL, by Julian K. Jarboe, which I have not yet read, followed closely by THEY DON'T MAKE PLUS SIZE SPACESUITS, by Ali Thompson, which I have read.

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@kimlockhartga @bookstodon I don't read them so I don't have a favorite, but I adore the titles of cozy mysteries. Reading a good punny title will make my day everytime.

CultureDesk , to bookstodon
@CultureDesk@flipboard.social avatar

Peter Benchley's bestselling novel, "Jaws," came out 50 years ago; the Steven Spielberg movie followed just a year later. Both were phenomenally successful and spawned the idea that sharks were malevolent creatures that preyed on unsuspecting swimmers. According to Gavin Naylor, Director of Florida Program for Shark Research at the University of Florida, the book and film also inspired a generation of scientists. Here's his story for @TheConversationUS.

https://flip.it/LM.GUa

@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@mikej @CultureDesk @TheConversationUS @bookstodon Yup. Also 'The Shawshank Redemption'. Darabont elevated a solid but mediocre King novella into a film that is still the number 1 rated film on IMDB

KitMuse , to bookstodon
@KitMuse@eponaauthor.social avatar

I need your help . One of the classes I'm taking at the graduate level this semester is Religion & Science Fiction. I read more fantasy, and would like to do my research paper on something that's not obvious (like ST/BS5/Matrix/etc.) & I'd love to use more modern sf rather than the golden age classics.

Anyone have any interesting ideas for my research paper on regarding the intersection of religion and science fiction?

@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@KitMuse @bookstodon Highly recommend checking out "The Sparrow" and "Children of God" by Mary Doria Russell
I haven't read them, but Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos have religious aspects to them
Frank Herbert's 'Destination Void' and 'The Jesus Incident' are probably too old for what you're looking for, but they might help provide a foundation. Same with Le Guin's 'Left Hand of Darkness'
Neal Stephenson's 'Anathem' is based around a quasi-religious order of mathematician-philosophers

fskornia , to bookstadon
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

I finished reading 'Generation Ship' by Michael Mammay this morning.
It was a 5-star read right up to the ending. Unfortunately it falls into the increasingly common group of books that just have lousy endings where they just stop with very little resolved or even hints of resolution.
I've starting to believe that there is a whole current generation of writers that do not know how to write endings.
@bookstadon

AndyPaciorekArt , to bookstodon
@AndyPaciorekArt@mastodon.social avatar

Now ...
2024 looks like it'll be a continuation of morbid, dark and gallows humour for me. 💀📚

@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@AndyPaciorekArt This is a good book. I hope you enjoy! @bookstodon

fskornia , to bookstadon
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

Just finished my final book of 2023: 'Christmas and Other Horrors: A Winter Solstice Anthology'
It was a great collection of stories by some of the best horror writers in the business focused on the whole range of winter holidays.
I highly recommend it for your seasonal reading.
@bookstadon

weirdwriter , to bookstodon

I cannot believe that this is already a proposal, advertisements in e-books! I was making an offhand prediction from a college essay I did years ago, but then, someone actually replied with this. This is a literal nightmare come true! US20120084150A1 - Ebook advertising and related techniques - Google Patents https://patents.google.com/patent/US20120084150A1/en @bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@weirdwriter @bookstodon I remember discussions about ads inserted into ebooks way back when Amazon launched the first Kindle in 2007 (there were previous ereaders and ebooks, but that was really the first mass interest in the format). Concern grew when Amazon introduced Kindles that were subsidized by ads on the home screen and the screensaver.
Considering Amazon's move with ads in Prime Video starting next month, I think there is a reasonably good chance we'll be hearing about ebook ads soon

kimlockhartga , to bookstodon
@kimlockhartga@beige.party avatar

@bookstodon This book release week in the U.S. is too abbreviated for a list.

So, I will turn things around and ask you all to tell us about a great book released in 2023 that you loved. ❤📚❤

(Or if you didn't read any 2023 releases, any one book you keep recommending to everyone!)

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@kimlockhartga @bookstodon
Favorite 2023 Releases:
HOUSE OF ODYSSEUS by Claire North
THE MIMICKING OF KNOWN SUCCESSES by Malka Older
SILVER NITRATE by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
TRANSLATION STATE by Ann Leckie

It was a very good year for reading.

kimlockhartga , to bookstodon
@kimlockhartga@beige.party avatar

@bookstodon As we approach the end of 2023, I would love to know about the very best books you read this year. (They don't have to have been published in 2023 for your "best of" list.)

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@kimlockhartga @bookstodon
House of Odysseus by Claire North
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
This is How Your Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
Translation State by Ann Leckie
A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
Circe by Madeline Miller
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older
Babel by RF Kuang

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@kimlockhartga @bookstodon Tell Me an Ending by Jo Harkin
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
The World We Make by NK Jemisin

CultureDesk , to bookstodon
@CultureDesk@flipboard.social avatar

A debut author has lost her book deal after she admitted to "review bombing" competitors on Goodreads, largely targeting women of color. In a letter posted to X, Cait Corrain blamed her behavior on mental-health struggles and addiction. Here's more from the Mary Sue.

https://flip.it/AQ9gCG

@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@tutwilly @CultureDesk @bookstodon A big part of this was that she was submitting one-star reviews before the books were published and in some cases before advanced reader copies were sent out to reviewers. So there would be no other reviews tempering the low ratings.
These ratings can feed into the selection systems that bookstores and libraries use and then could affect preorders.

fskornia , to bookstadon
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

This week we have our discussion for the last work-obligated reading I need to do for the rest of the year.
So it's time to binge on the 2023 releases I may have missed.
Was there any fantasy & science fiction books this year that blew you away? Or were just a generally good read?
I know I could look myself, but often the wisdom of the crowd unveils hidden gems.
@bookstadon

Helen50 , to bookstodon
@Helen50@mastodonapp.uk avatar

when do you abandon a book?
I'm not very good at it, but I might be about to do it again.
@bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@Helen50 @bookstodon I used to be bad about abandoning books, but there is always too much to read to spend on something I'm not enjoying. I'll usually give it 50-100 pages. If I'm not motivated to continue, I'll move on to something else.

leapingwoman , to bookstodon
@leapingwoman@spore.social avatar

@peachfront @psychopoesie @dvmheather @bookstodon To Say Nothing of the Dog was my mom's all-time favorite book. It never failed to cheer her up.

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@westerling @leapingwoman @peachfront @psychopoesie @dvmheather @bookstodon Bellwether is definitely great. Crosstalk is good, not as strong as her other books, but a fun romantic comedy sci-fi.

kimlockhartga , to bookstodon
@kimlockhartga@beige.party avatar

@bookstodon Now that it's October, let's do a Five Fave Modern Horror book list.
My contemporary spooky reads top five:

  1. The Only Good Indians, Stephen Graham Jones

  2. The Library at Mount Char, Scott Hawkins

  3. Slade House, David Mitchell

  4. The Glassy, Burning Floor of Hell, Bryan Evenson

  5. Sorrowland, Rivers Solomon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@kimlockhartga @bookstodon My favorite 5 from my years of doing Spooky Reads (in no particular order):

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

The Cipher Kathe Koja

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@kimlockhartga @bookstodon There has been so much good stuff in horror lately. Your list and the responses is going to be full of so many different titles and everyone is going to be correct.

fskornia , to bookstadon
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

I spent my morning finishing 'From Below' by Darcy Coates and I thought it was a great read that was settled nicely in my sweet spot for horror.
It had atmosphere and dread, some from the environment and some from the characters' interactions and did this two fold over 2 different time periods.
It also ended surprisingly upbeat for a horror novel.
I highly recommend if you like haunted house tales and I'm looking forward to reading more from the author.
@bookstadon

owlislost , to bookstodon
@owlislost@nerdculture.de avatar

Hellooo and happy Friday! What are you ? I'm mostly in textbook-land these days but I am listening to Daisy Jones & the Six, which is great as an audiobook. I'm weighing either starting Stradal's The Lager Queen of Minnesota or The Horse by Geraldine Brooks. https://geraldinebrooks.com/horse/ @bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@owlislost @bookstodon I loved the Daisy Jones audiobook. I listened to it after watching the show and I adored both versions (I still annoy my GF by raving about it to her and we watched it together)
I'm currently read 'From Below' by Darcy Coates and listening to 'The Hollow Places' by T. Kingfisher

jillrhudy , to bookstodon
@jillrhudy@mastodon.social avatar

I'm in a reading slump! I had a long weekend and couldn't get any book to "catch." I need ideas! Something that grabs the reader from paragraph one but isn't a thriller. @bookstodon

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@jillrhudy @bookstodon Not sure how you are on historical fiction, but I absolutely adored 'Great Circle' by Maggie Shipstead when I read it last year.

fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@dbsalk @jillrhudy @bookstodon The Daisy Jones audio was fantastic. Although it was hard to tell at times which guy was speaking. Except for Benjamin Bratt who has a great audiobook voice

slanderoid , to random
@slanderoid@goblin.camp avatar

It's September 15th! That means it's the official start of the Spooky Season 🦇 I'm celebrating day one by:

  1. Starting to read "The Only Good Indians" by Stephen Graham Jones. It's got tons of ghost deer, so I'm pumped!

  2. Watching "The Twilight Zone" reboot. The first story was creepy and interesting!

  3. Playing "Signalis". It had me hooked after I picked up a copy of "The King in Yellow" in-game

18+ fskornia ,
@fskornia@glammr.us avatar

@slanderoid @bookstodon 🍄 🍄 🍄

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