Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

Please use this topic to suggest a Fantasy or Science Fiction Short Story, Novelette, Novella, Collection or Anthology of shorter works for our group's June, 2015, discussion (beginning June 11.)

If you choose an individual story, it's very helpful if you can indicate where it's in print, either individually or in some anthology or on a website.

You need not have read the title you are nominating; after all, you'll be reading along. Feel free to say why you are making the nomination, if you care to. If your nomination is selected by the group, you'll be expected to take the lead in the discussion.

We read two different SF/F novels and one short SF/F work each month: The short SF/F work may be a short story, novelette, novella, or an anthology or collection of such stories; that discussion starts the 11th of each month. The others are one "Classic" and one "Contemporary" SF/F novel; those discussion starts on the 1st & 21st of each month, respectively. You can always check on our upcoming SF/F discussion topics by scrolling down on the Group Homepage to the "Upcoming Reads” section.

You can review past group selections in the "read" section of our Group's BookShelf. If you wish to continue a discussion of one of those past selections, all those discussion topics are still open in our Book Discussions area.

Nominations will be open through Monday, January 25, when I'll collect the nominees and post a poll so members can choose among them.

I'll nominate the collection Falling in Love with Hominids by Nalo Hopkinson. I've liked Hopkinson's work, especially Midnight Robber, but I've never read any of her short fiction.

I nominate Public Domain Stuff by R.A. Lafferty, specifically The Six Fingers of Time and Sodom and Gomorrah, Texas.

I nominate this author's public domain works because apparently his writing is unusual and out of print. I like cult classics, and this sounds like it fits the bill.

Reminder: Today is the final day to nominate a Fantasy or Science Fiction short story, novella or anthology for our June group read and discussion.

I'll nominate I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison. It's available in all kinds of formats. I'd prefer Partners in Wonder, but that's only available in paper books, albeit inexpensively used.

Jim wrote: "I'll nominate I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison. It's available in all kinds of formats. I'd prefer Partners in Wonder, but that's only ..."

You are nominating the individual story, not the anthology of the same name? Just checking.

Jim wrote: "I'll nominate I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison. It's available in all kinds of formats. I'd prefer Partners in Wonder, but that's only ..."

Ellison hugs Locus All time short fiction list. The collection has a couple of well known stories (the eponymous story and Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes for example) but I'd recommend a couple other stories in addition:
A Boy and his Dog
Repent Harlequin, Said the Tic-Toc-man
The Whimper of Whipped Dogs
Basilisk
Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes
Adrift Just Off the Islets of Langerhans: Latitude 38° 54' N, Longitude 77° 00' 13" W

Disregarding the lack of those stories, yes, I'm in :)
The Deathbird

G33z3r wrote: "You are nominating the individual story, not the anthology of the same name? Just checking. "

I was thinking of the book itself, but I agree with Andreas & the audio book Voice from the Edge, vol 1: I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream has a couple of those he mentioned. Can I nominate any of the collections that have it? A catch it as you can deal? Doesn't really seem fair, but I've been enjoying his stuff since the old Outer Limits series. Lots of good material.

Jim wrote: "I was thinking of the book itself, but I agree with Andreas & the audio book [book:Voic..."

Okay, sorry, I misread your initial message.

Yeah, you can nominate that anthology, a different anthology, the audiobook (although that might constrain participation), or you can nominate an ad hoc list of Harlan Ellison stories in the Locus top 100, as Andreas has listed, if you like. (Though sending people scrounging from multiple sources might again limit participation — especially with an author like Ellison who isn't prone to putting his stories up on the web.)

You didn't misunderstand. I'll just nominate the book. If anyone wants to branch out to discuss his other stories, we'll just consider it a bonus, OK?

Thank you for the nominations. A poll to select our SF/F Novella or Anthology discussion topic for June (starting June 11) is now open. If you're interested in participating in the discussion of one of our nominees, you can vote here for your choice. Please only vote if you plan on participating in the discussion of that work.

This poll will be open through Monday, May 2.

Reminder: Today is the final day to vote for one of our SF/F story collections for our June group read and discussion.

Our SF/F short story collection discussion for June will be:

I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison

The discussion will begin June 11.