@f00l If you’re listening to the audiobook, that’s understandable. It’s capitalized at first in the book. Me? I’m reading on my Kindle, posting on the internet and watching the Grammy’s.
One of the slight issues with some books (and this one), listened to in auditory format, is that too many names and characters and too much action happens quickly.
When you are reading it’s easier to keep track of all lthat. When listening, if you get a lot of situations and characters introduced quickly without a lot if character dev, it’s harder to keep track of the names.
@f00l I’m probably picking up more detail than a listener would. There already has been quite a few strange names and such. I’d be further along, but between the Grammy’s and the internet, and now people texting me on my phone, I’m just in the middle of chapter 3.
@f00l I have been listening to the audiobook for a while on and off. I just looked for the book at my library- no kindle version and the actual books are all checked out. Trying to decide if it’s worth eight bucks. Or was is nine?
I find it slightly curious that a couple of you have checked the library and found multiple copies are checked out. It’s a good book, but it’s been out for about 12 years now.
I got an email from the library today (which is actually closed… odd). They have approved my request to borrow this book from the next county over. Hopefully I’ll have it by Wednesday.
My library, of course, does not have the e-version. Of the 4 hard copies, all are checked out. Fine, I’ll use some of the Amazon credits I got for no-rush shipping for the Kindle version. Net cost=$0.00.
I remember enjoying it, but I can’t remember very much about it. That happens to me a lot with books I only read once. I’ve got it in storage. Maybe I’ll go pick it up this week.
@f00l That book is over 10 hours. Wow. I have been listening to it on and off over a few months- I’ll restart it tomorrow because I have a long drive. And because I forgot a ton of what happened.
@f00l Agent is silly and fun. I really liked it. Though, I listened to Wil Wheaton’s narration. It’s likely that adds a bit of a different dimension to it.
@ruouttaurmind I haven’t finished the book so thanks! Maybe we should check back to see when everyone that wants to read it is done and then do spoilers.
I’m almost done- had to finish Ghosts of Belfast first because I really needed to know how it ended. Is everyone ready to chat, spoilers and all? @therealjrn@ruouttaurmind@f00l@oldcatlady
OK, I finally went to the library and renewed my card and took out this book and two books by or about Shirley Jackson (the latest biography and the posthumous collection put together by her [cheating dog of a] husband). I have two books I’m currently reading (well, three, but one’s hardly begun), but I own them and as long as I put in a bookmark they’ll keep.
Quick question: I’m certain I don’t need to reread Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep before I read this, but based on the title and cover, I just want to make sure. Do I need to reread Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep before I read this?
Nobody needs to know about the Shirley Jackson books, but she’s so good that I just like to mention her whenever possible.
@mossygreen This book has nothing to do with the Philip K Dick story. Only the title was influenced. The remainder of the book is completely unrelated.
I just finished the audiobook (and got my wallpaper down. Now to find another audiobook and scrape the goo off the walls.) I’ll stop by this afternoon to see if we can get a discussion going. And
/giphy bump
I’m done! Loved it and got all the wallpaper out of my powder room. I didn’t see a ton of stuff to discuss except that it was really funny. And that Narf is definitely a dick. And that I want to play wallball. Any comments? @therealjrn?
@f00l I bought a bunch of Scalzi books on Kindle when they were three bucks. Redshirts and Android’s Dream are the only ones I have read. I should get moving on that.
OK: I stayed up late last night and finished the book. It was really good! It was funny, well-paced, and everything that was set up came to fruition in a satisfying and sometimes surprising way.
Plot-related single issue I had: the bugged pen. We as readers knew as soon as the pen was left on the counter that it was bugged. Harry Creek knew the lizard-buying dad was not as he claimed as soon as he saw the gecko in the dumpster. Robin kept on explicitly mentioning the guy who left the pen at the store as the source of the pen, reminding the reader each time that the pen was bugged and in play. Yet, Harry doesn’t realize the pen was bugged until they’ve been tracked onto the Metro. This really bothered me because it felt out of character and like it existed solely to move the plot along.
On the other hand, the fact that “the gecko man” literally turns out to be a man working for lizard aliens is a nice touch. I didn’t try to visualize the Nidu all, so I don’t know how much they may have looked like geckos.
@ruouttaurmind Oh, it’s not that I couldn’t overlook it, exactly, it just stood out because the rest of the book worked so well. It’s a testament to the quality of the rest of the book that it bothered me as much as it did.
Finally hunkered down and read it since it had to be returned to the library. My library was nice enough to borrow it from a library almost an hour away with the caveat that I cannot keep it any extra days.
Thought it was fun. A little annoying that the descriptions of the aliens weren’t that clear to me.
Here’s the Amazon page for information about the book. I have the audiobook- read by Wesley Crusher. It’s quite entertaining.
https://www.amazon.com/Androids-Dream-John-Scalzi/dp/0765348284/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517104820&sr=1-1&keywords=android’s+dream
Nice, my library has it. Of course, my card is expired and I may have been boycotting the library for the past 20 years…
@mossygreen They know what they did.
@mossygreen My libary doesn’t have it, perhaps I will buy it.
@ConAndLibrarian I will boycott your library as well.
Turned out I own this one on Audible.
Ok!
@f00l Wil Wheaton reads that one IIRC. Wil is one of my favored narrators.
So far this is hilarious. Early chapters, all good.
@f00l “The Apparatus”? Am I reading the right book?
@therealjrn I’m sure Amazon has something similar for sale if it sounds like a good time.
@therealjrn
Android’s Dream
by John Scalzi.
@f00l @sammydog01 I thought you were reading the book. It starts out by talking about “the apparatus”
@therealjrn SPOILER ALERT
It’s an apparatus you stick up your ass.
@therealjrn Hence my comment.
@sammydog01 OHHHHH! I get it now. You could of just said yes, instead of being a di…what am I saying? Nevermind.
@therealjrn
I read your post too quickly. I thought you were reading the wrong book.
@f00l If you’re listening to the audiobook, that’s understandable. It’s capitalized at first in the book. Me? I’m reading on my Kindle, posting on the internet and watching the Grammy’s.
@therealjrn Yes.
/giphy happy now?
@sammydog01
/giphy ecstatic!
I’m also glad you founded the MBC-U. Good job.
@therealjrn
One of the slight issues with some books (and this one), listened to in auditory format, is that too many names and characters and too much action happens quickly.
When you are reading it’s easier to keep track of all lthat. When listening, if you get a lot of situations and characters introduced quickly without a lot if character dev, it’s harder to keep track of the names.
For all that, I love it so far. Lots of fun.
@f00l I’m probably picking up more detail than a listener would. There already has been quite a few strange names and such. I’d be further along, but between the Grammy’s and the internet, and now people texting me on my phone, I’m just in the middle of chapter 3.
@f00l I have been listening to the audiobook for a while on and off. I just looked for the book at my library- no kindle version and the actual books are all checked out. Trying to decide if it’s worth eight bucks. Or was is nine?
@sammydog01
Or - do you have a decent used bookstore? You might pick it up there for less.
Since I already owned it, audible prob put it on sale at some point. And I knew Scalzi was supposed to be good, so I picked it up.
@sammydog01 Four bucks on eBay for a paperback.
I find it slightly curious that a couple of you have checked the library and found multiple copies are checked out. It’s a good book, but it’s been out for about 12 years now.
@ruouttaurmind 3 out of 3 copies available here. No electronic copies available.
For all the non-Amazoner’s
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7081.The_Android_s_Dream
Barnes and Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/androids-dream-john-scalzi/1100356157
and SFreview if you want to read it
http://www.sfreviews.net/androids_dream.html
I got an email from the library today (which is actually closed… odd). They have approved my request to borrow this book from the next county over. Hopefully I’ll have it by Wednesday.
Hey @Narfcake! The Nidu ambassador in the book is Narf-win-Getag! Any relation?
@therealjrn Doubtful.
My library, of course, does not have the e-version. Of the 4 hard copies, all are checked out. Fine, I’ll use some of the Amazon credits I got for no-rush shipping for the Kindle version. Net cost=$0.00.
@OldCatLady I’m up to chapter three already and am thoroughly enjoying it.
@therealjrn Amazon DotD has Scalzi’s Redshirts for $3 today. If you’re enjoying this, Redshirts may also appeal to you.
@ruouttaurmind I saw that in the deals thread - so I got it. thanks!
@ruouttaurmind I loved that book.
@sammydog01 If you’re enjoying this, and you liked Redshirts, consider Agent to the Stars. It’s kind of silly, but lots of fun.
FWIW, The Androids Dream is running about $4 with free shipping on eBay (paperback)
I remember enjoying it, but I can’t remember very much about it. That happens to me a lot with books I only read once. I’ve got it in storage. Maybe I’ll go pick it up this week.
@lifftchi Yay!
Narf-win-Getag is really starting to do some shit in this story. I blame @Narfcake.
@therealjrn That guy’s a dick.
@sammydog01 The whole Nidu race is, really.
Little bit of a preview, not a spoiler exactly…
A HUMAN-chimpanzee hybrid was born in a Florida lab 100 years ago before being killed by panicked doctors, claims a renowned scientist.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5447151/human-chimp-hybrid-born-florida-lab-killed-humanzee/
@therealjrn Well, if it was in The Sun, it must be truth.
Finished mid afternoon.
Really enjoyed this, esp with Wheaton reading it.
Liked it so much I started on *Redshirts.
@f00l
Highly recommend Redshirts. Two hours of listening to go.
@f00l Damn you’re voracious!
@f00l That book is over 10 hours. Wow. I have been listening to it on and off over a few months- I’ll restart it tomorrow because I have a long drive. And because I forgot a ton of what happened.
/image electric sheep
/giphy electric sheep
Ok after going thru three books of Scalzi’s I made self switch to another writer.
Also recommend Agent To The Stars, to it’s not quite as good as these. It was his first book tho.
@f00l Agent is silly and fun. I really liked it. Though, I listened to Wil Wheaton’s narration. It’s likely that adds a bit of a different dimension to it.
I want to join the Church of the Evolved Lamb. They sound like a fun bunch.
@sammydog01 So difficult to respond to anyone’s comments in a spoiler-free manner. LOL!
@ruouttaurmind I haven’t finished the book so thanks! Maybe we should check back to see when everyone that wants to read it is done and then do spoilers.
I’m almost done- had to finish Ghosts of Belfast first because I really needed to know how it ended. Is everyone ready to chat, spoilers and all?
@therealjrn @ruouttaurmind @f00l @oldcatlady
OK, I finally went to the library and renewed my card and took out this book and two books by or about Shirley Jackson (the latest biography and the posthumous collection put together by her [cheating dog of a] husband). I have two books I’m currently reading (well, three, but one’s hardly begun), but I own them and as long as I put in a bookmark they’ll keep.
Quick question: I’m certain I don’t need to reread Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep before I read this, but based on the title and cover, I just want to make sure. Do I need to reread Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep before I read this?
Nobody needs to know about the Shirley Jackson books, but she’s so good that I just like to mention her whenever possible.
@mossygreen This book has nothing to do with the Philip K Dick story. Only the title was influenced. The remainder of the book is completely unrelated.
I totally forgot about this one, ah well
It’s one of his I don’t remember reading, so not fair to discuss.
Why not a second thread for the book discussion so there are no spoilers here and those who finished don’t have to wait?
@callow Not a bad suggestion.
@callow That’s kinda what this thread is for. There’s not much to discuss without spoilers. I hate to jam up the main page with too many threads.
@callow @sammydog01 Fair point. Once the book selection is announced, steer clear of this thread and you’re safe from spoilers.
Today’s audible DOTD is a Scalzi book.
The Dispatcher
By: John Scalzi
Narrated by: Zachary Quinto
Length: 2 hrs and 19 mins
$.99 today until midnight Pacific Time.
https://mobile.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Dispatcher-Audiobook/B01KKPH1VA?ref=a_home-page_c11_dd&pf_rd_p=71ba1fb1-ed3d-4a18-a8ed-a980cfd175d0&pf_rd_r=1AA8F54B46SM03EX6CJZ&
I’m also going to mention this in the Book Deals topic.
I just finished the audiobook (and got my wallpaper down. Now to find another audiobook and scrape the goo off the walls.) I’ll stop by this afternoon to see if we can get a discussion going. And
/giphy bump
I’m done! Loved it and got all the wallpaper out of my powder room. I didn’t see a ton of stuff to discuss except that it was really funny. And that Narf is definitely a dick. And that I want to play wallball. Any comments? @therealjrn?
@sammydog01
This book was funny enough to get me to immediately do a bunch of other Scalzi.
I particularly liked Redshirts.
@f00l I bought a bunch of Scalzi books on Kindle when they were three bucks. Redshirts and Android’s Dream are the only ones I have read. I should get moving on that.
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/02/sheep-human-hybrids-chimeras-crispr-organ-transplant-health-science/
OK: I stayed up late last night and finished the book. It was really good! It was funny, well-paced, and everything that was set up came to fruition in a satisfying and sometimes surprising way.
Plot-related single issue I had: the bugged pen. We as readers knew as soon as the pen was left on the counter that it was bugged. Harry Creek knew the lizard-buying dad was not as he claimed as soon as he saw the gecko in the dumpster. Robin kept on explicitly mentioning the guy who left the pen at the store as the source of the pen, reminding the reader each time that the pen was bugged and in play. Yet, Harry doesn’t realize the pen was bugged until they’ve been tracked onto the Metro. This really bothered me because it felt out of character and like it existed solely to move the plot along.
On the other hand, the fact that “the gecko man” literally turns out to be a man working for lizard aliens is a nice touch. I didn’t try to visualize the Nidu all, so I don’t know how much they may have looked like geckos.
@mossygreen I see your point. For Harry, a supposed experienced professional, to have missed such a glaringly obvious clue seems a fair bit contrived.
But I easily overlooked this minor plot error as being offset by the humor and unexpected plot turns.
@ruouttaurmind Oh, it’s not that I couldn’t overlook it, exactly, it just stood out because the rest of the book worked so well. It’s a testament to the quality of the rest of the book that it bothered me as much as it did.
@mossygreen That bugged me too.
Finally hunkered down and read it since it had to be returned to the library. My library was nice enough to borrow it from a library almost an hour away with the caveat that I cannot keep it any extra days.
Thought it was fun. A little annoying that the descriptions of the aliens weren’t that clear to me.