15 Comments
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Linda Simpson's avatar

This looks fun and you’ve already mentioned the number of my favorites which have already read and pointed me to some I want to read now.

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Derek Smith's avatar

I’ve been reading SciFi for over 50 years now. After I became enthralled with The Andromeda Strain, I was hooked. I can recognize a large number of these aliens, from Herbert’s Guild Navigator and Gowachin, to Niven’s Pierson’s Puppeteers.

The past few years, I’ve been downloading $0.99 anthologies from the ‘classic’ age of SciFi for my Kindle (heretical to use Amazon, but there it is.) 60% of the stories are great, from unknown writers, or now familiar names just starting out, but some are obviously written before we knew much about the scientific reality of Venus, Mars and other planets in the solar system. I don’t get very far into a story about walking on the surface of Jupiter, for example.

I’ll have to go through the list and come back to comment further.

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Wendy🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🌈's avatar

Please do , we could all stand to read more , myself included

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Adam's avatar

Tiptree, Chalker, LeGuin, so many names from my childhood S/F reading. Here is one that truly stuck out- The Faded Sun: Kesrith by C. J. Cherryh (1978). And you included Larry Niven's Puppeteers!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I was that strange child reading the Hobbit at 10 years of age. I'm gonna try to rise to this challenge and prove it but not for some prize. For the fond memories and for the challenge!

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Adam's avatar

Just ordered a copy of Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials, a hardcover edition in excellent condition for $18.56 from Thriftbooks.

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Evelyn Freitas's avatar

I’m gonna check that out too.

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

I've read several of these, I will have to dive in on the rest. Not to get the free sub (I am happy to pay), but I love classic SciFi. I have an 8G torrent that I grabbed about 15 years ago, so I probably have most of these somewhere.

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Adam's avatar

I grew up on this stuff Geoff. Glad to see you have love for the authors and their work too. I had special dispensation from the library allowing me to check out and read books from the adult section when I was 9.

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Wendy Parker's avatar

This is awesome. I've got a new Goodreads list! Thank you!

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Evelyn Freitas's avatar

Wow, I have read very few of these! I’m in. Let me ask you about the rules of the reading challenge. Does audio reading count? How do readers prove they have read each book? Do they have to write a book report? Oral exams by Wendy?

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Mason, She/her/enchanted beast's avatar

Is the challenge to read all of them?

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Wendy🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🌈's avatar

my requirement data

1. Proof of ownership (screenshot of the library with a completed read icon next to the book, audio or otherwise, and / or a paper copy that looks read (not an unbent binding, with visable use).

2. No book reports, or any of that. Maybe the ability to talk intelligently about the book at SOME point, nothing else.

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Noel Keith's avatar