Kevin's Watch Book Club - February's pick: Redshirts

[I'm Murrin]

Voting has ended for February 2013's Book Club selection. We will be reading Redshirts by John Scalzi in February.

While we're all getting on with January's pick, it's time to begin choosing a book for February. As with last time, we'll start by taking suggestions from the membership here.

I'm going to try something out: The runner-up from the previous month's poll will be automatically included in the next poll. This means Life of Pi by Yann Martel is automatically included in February's nomination list.

Edited: This has been extended to other works that gained a vote. See below.

Of course you're free to re-submit a suggestion for any book that didn't get chosen last time.

The final poll will open on the 21st of January, for one week.

[I'm Murrin]

Revision to a more sensible version of the idea: All nominations that gained at least 1 vote in the previous month will be automatically included.

This month's automatic nominations:

- Life of Pi, Yann Martel
- Redshirts, John Scalzi

This is because I don't see the need to exclude something just because it wasn't the most popular at a given time, and it gives selections that just got overshone by others a chance to rise up later. This saves people the effort of repeatedly re-nominating.

(Disclosure: This change does add my own nomination from last month back into the pool. I would have re-nominated it anyway. In January's poll, I did not vote for the work I had nominated. This change isn't about a particular book, but about long-term keeping good books from being missed because they came behind and people didn't try again.)


Do still feel free to renominate works that didn't get a vote last time, if you think it deserves a shot. Make your enthusiasm known and you might get the rest of the group interested.

If we somehow wind up with enough participation that nomination lists start getting long, then we'll look at refining the process further.

[aliantha]

I'd nominate the Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey, but it looks like the paperback's not coming out 'til March.

[I'm Murrin]

I'm sure you can manage not to forget it exists by then. Must admit having seen it mentioned a few times on the forums now I'm curious.

[Shaun das Schaf]

I vote for the Wool Omnibus too, because I've got a copy of the eBook but haven't read it yet. To deal with the problem of those book club members not yet in possession of an reader, I vote aliantha to type out the manuscript and post to those effected members

Just kidding obviously, but maybe this is a good one for when the pb does come out? As for Feb rec, let me get back to you on that.

ETA: You see, this is the problem with insomnia: posting at the same time as you guys; aka seems Muffin beat me to it.

[aliantha]

I vote for the Wool Omnibus too, because I've got a copy of the eBook but haven't read it yet. To deal with the problem of those book club members not yet in possession of an reader, I vote aliantha to type out the manuscript and post to those effected members

As Magickmaker would say, "Ha ha, NO." (You know that grumpy cat meme that's been going around? Several of her friends have told her how much it reminds them of her. )

[I'm Murrin]

Entirely off-topic, I find myself with an automatic aversion to grumpy cat, most probably because I first heard of it when cartoonist Kate Beaton pointed out they were using a quote from one of her comics on the site without attribution (the header: "I had fun once. It was awful.").

[Linna Heartbooger]

Here's my nom:
"The Magic Engineer"
...set in the world of L.E. Modesitt's Recluse Saga.
...Most of those come in pairs set at a particular time, but this one is a stand-alone.

"A young smith with healing talents, exiled from the land of Recluce for his desire to work with the stuff of chaos, becomes the fulcrum for a war between the forces of chaos and order. This latest novel in Modesitt's "Recluce" series demonstrates the author's subtle storytelling, as the everyday lives of her characters intertwine with events of epic proportions. Grand fantasy on a small scale, this intelligently crafted novel deserves consideration by most libraries."
-Library Journal

To deal with the problem of those book club members not yet in possession of an reader...

My plan was to see if I can get an "e-reader program" that just runs on my computer... I swear someone here said you could do that?

ETA: You see, this is the problem with insomnia: posting at the same time as you guys; aka seems Muffin beat me to it.

Muffin?
Hope you'll be able to deal with that insomnia before it gets you making mistakes, Shaun...

[Savor Dam]

My plan was to see if I can get an "e-reader program" that just runs on my computer... I swear someone here said you could do that?

Yes. Kindle Reader software for PC is a definite option. It is not as book-like as using a handheld reader, but it is certainly a viable way to participate.

[Menolly]

I believe I have Nook for PC software, but not Kindle.

I need some way to read the Kindle version of Seiged. Not comfortable asking to borrow Dam-sel's Kindle.

[Frostheart Grueburn]

I vote for the Wool Omnibus too,

ETA: You see, this is the problem with insomnia: posting at the same time as you guys; aka seems Muffin beat me to it.

Well, I have no trouble acquiring what I first considered a massive knitting manual before glancing at the description. It's on Audible.

Muffin should just save us the trouble and change his username already. At least it's not as bad as a typo I almost made towards the end of a very long workday: b and v, and i and u lie very close on the keyboard, and if you type the Finnish 'bitti' while tired, you may end up talking about women's wossnames.

[Iolanthe]

And this would be a good avatar!



Sorry, Murrin! Couldn't resist it.

[Shaun das Schaf]

Haha Frosty, the knitting thing would actually make sense given it was Ali who suggested it and she's a mad knitter. Or maybe she's just mad, I can't remember. Anyway, sounds like Wool might have some voting legs?

And thanks Linna for pointing out the "typo", but here's the bit where I admit it was actually deliberate. Originally it was an auto-correct in Mallorys which I decided to leave because you know, it's Mallorys and one has permission to be silly. Unfortunately for Murrin, he was unwise enough to say, "Please don't let that nickname stick", which, in my book, is just asking for the spreading of Muffin to a wider Watch audience. In fact, I believe Stevie G already let one loose somewhere.

And now to settle the matter, Iolanthe finds the perfect avatar.

I wonder if Murrin/Muffin will be borrowing Magickmaker's "Ha ha, NO."

[Iolanthe]

I believe I have Nook for PC software, but not Kindle.

I need some way to read the Kindle version of Seiged. Not comfortable asking to borrow Dam-sel's Kindle.

And another - it's Siezed, Menolly.

And I apologise for butting in here where I'm not a "member" but I've been interested in what was nominated. I couldn't possibly commit to reading a particular book each month as I just don't have the time, but as I've already read Seized (and Fissured, and Tapped) I will be interested to see what is said about it. Must say I thoroughly enjoyed all three. [Exits stage left promising not to intrude again].

[ussusimiel]

What's this with people getting nicknames based on their Watch handles. wayfriend was called 'wayfiend' recently, and now Murrin is 'Muffin'. I want one!

On topic: I nominate The Long Price by Daniel Abraham.

A really good book with a great idea at its core.

u.

[I'm Murrin]

Are you suggesting the entire quadrilogy, or can we settle for just A Shadow in Summer, the first volume?

Also: You were already given ussussussussussussussussimiel!

[Shaun das Schaf]

And let's hope we don't have to call that out when warning him he's about to be hit by a bus.

I shall go and wiki The Long Price. I haven't heard of it or its author, but always up for books with ideas.

And Murrin, here I was thinking you were doing your usual, 'ignore them and they'll go away' thing and then I saw your handle tag. Nice work. But since you specify no 'F' -singular - and Muffin has two f's, I'm going to have to slip the odd one in now and again. And no changing your handle tag in the meantime!

And Io, don't exit, do intrude.

[Linna Heartbooger]

On topic: I nominate The Long Price by Daniel Abraham.

A really good book with a great idea at its core.

Definitely interested!
Been -considering- the series for awhile. (but putting it off indefinitely.)
Figure I'd probably find it fascinating & disturbing.

also, u, u are the Squash-Man!

Shaun(a), ah, and here I thought it was just you sleepily mis-typing it, and then just left it as evidence of insomnia.

Well, I have no trouble acquiring what I first considered a massive knitting manual before glancing at the description. It's on Audible.

also, was thinking it was practically required that Shaun make a comment on it, given the title.

[aliantha]

I lose track partway through u.'s name. Hence: u.

Guys, all my books also come in paperback. You can order 'em from Amazon (except for The Maidens' War -- you have to go to either Joy's site or to Lulu for the paperback).

And yes, there's free Kindle software for PC, Mac, and smartphones. Just click this link.

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Yeees, after all this "It's not MUFFIN!!!1112" talk, my fingers are sure to err on the F button more and more...

Well, I have no trouble acquiring what I first considered a massive knitting manual before glancing at the description. It's on Audible.

also, was thinking it was practically required that Shaun make a comment on it, given the title.

I am jealously guarding the minuscule success of my rare half-keistered jest, and pointing out that the sheep baa'ed something else about wool and ali. This is MINE. PRECIOUSSSS.


I'm going to make a tongue-in-cheek suggestion and nominate The Kalevala. Required reading for all Tolkien fanboys and -girls who want to brag with their knowledge of his background materials. Like where does the elvish number 23, leminkainen, come from??? What does the tragic giant Kullervo have to do with Túrin Turambar? Would Väinämöinen win Saruman in a contest of magic rune-singing?

I need some way to read the Kindle version of Seiged. Not comfortable asking to borrow Dam-sel's Kindle.

And another - it's Siezed, Menolly.

Seized. </spelling nazi who should go to shee...sleep>