Book Club: March/April

[Ainsley Lynch]

Hiii it's my turn to pick the options for our HNZ book club, and I've tried to go for a very broad mix so there's something for everyone. I'll give EXTREMELY loose descriptions here, and put the full Goodreads summaries in spoilers, so you can choose how much info you want to have about the books before voting. (I'm also linking to the Goodreads pages directly, but be wary of spoilers if you choose to read the reviews!) They're all ones that've been on my Want To Read list for a while and all sound fantastic, so no matter where we go I'm eager to crack in

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
YA fantasy, based in Mexican mythology, described quite a lot in reviews as "Percy Jackson meets Hunger Games." 416 pages.

Spoiler

Welcome to The Sunbearer Trials, where teen semidioses compete in a series of challenges with the highest of stakes, in this electric new Mexican-inspired fantasy from Aiden Thomas, the New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys.

“Only the most powerful and honorable semidioses get chosen. I’m just a Jade. I’m not a real hero.”

As each new decade begins, the Sun’s power must be replenished so that Sol can keep traveling along the sky and keep the evil Obsidian gods at bay. Ten semidioses between the ages of thirteen and eighteen are selected by Sol himself as the most worthy to compete in The Sunbearer Trials. The winner carries light and life to all the temples of Reino del Sol, but the loser has the greatest honor of all―they will be sacrificed to Sol, their body used to fuel the Sun Stones that will protect the people of Reino del Sol for the next ten years.

Teo, a 17-year-old Jade semidiós and the trans son of Quetzal, goddess of birds, has never worried about the Trials…or rather, he’s only worried for others. His best friend Niya―daughter of Tierra, the god of earth―is one of the strongest heroes of their generation and is much too likely to be chosen this year. He also can’t help but worry (reluctantly, and under protest) for Aurelio, a powerful Gold semidiós and Teo’s friend-turned-rival who is a shoo-in for the Trials. Teo wouldn’t mind taking Aurelio down a notch or two, but a one-in-ten chance of death is a bit too close for Teo’s taste.

But then, for the first time in over a century, Sol chooses a semidiós who isn’t a Gold. In fact, he chooses two: Xio, the 13-year-old child of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck, and…Teo. Now they must compete in five mysterious trials, against opponents who are both more powerful and better trained, for fame, glory, and their own survival.

The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase by Mark Forsyth
Nonfiction, about how impactful sentences are constructed. (Figured this could be a fun read for us all as writers!) 205 pages.

Spoiler

The idiosyncratic, erudite and brilliantly funny new book from Mark Forsyth, bestselling author of The Etymologicon and The Horologicon.

In an age unhealthily obsessed with substance, this is a book on the importance of pure style.

From classic poetry to pop lyrics and from the King James Bible to advertising slogans, Mark Forsyth explains the secrets that make a phrase - such as ‘Tiger, tiger, burning bright’ or ‘To be or not to be’ - memorable.

In his inimitably entertaining and witty style he takes apart famous lines and shows how you too can write like Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde. Whether you’re aiming for literary immortality or just an unforgettable one-liner, The Elements of Eloquence proves that you don't need to have anything to say - you simply need to say it well.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Adult sci-fi thriller, themes of amnesia and isolation in space. Won a whole bunch of sci-fi awards. 476 pages.

Spoiler

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?

There are your options! This poll will be open for 7 days, so get your votes in quick! Once the lucky winner emerges, we'll have two months to discuss and enjoy in this thread, before the next poll begins.

React/discuss in the thread at your own pace, but since we all read at different speeds and are all different levels of busy, please be respectful and hide all potential spoilers behind spoiler tags.

Site rules apply to all discussion on site, but be warned that some books may potentially contain more mature themes or language.

The current book club leader schedule is as follows;
Jan/Feb - Cyndi
Mar/Apr- Rowan
May/Jun- Mia
Jul/Aug- Sarah
Sep/Oct- Kadi
Nov/Dec- Daphne
Anyone keen to take the lead in future should let Cyndi know!

 

[Stefan Archer]

So i voted for the Sci-fi one, but tbh, I'll probably still read the sunbearer one cause I've read the author's other book and really enjoyed it.

 

[Amber Chou Wilson]

I'm having trouble deciding, though it should be east since I've read the first one already but I liked it so much I kind of want to vote for it. I'm not going to because I want to read something new, but I would definitely recommend it!

I'm voting for the scifi one too because it's been on my to read list for ages.

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

Also selected the sci fi one because I've had other books by that author on my list for ages and am curious to see if I like their writing style! (Plus the plot of this one sounds so interesting!)

 

[Professor Elvera Le Fey]

ooh, good choices, Rowan. I would be happy with any of them. And my library has them all, so I can't even use that as a decider.
I voted for the sunbearer because I love books with queer plots, a bit of mythology.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Man I was expecting this to be a MUCH more even split!

I left it to see how other people were swinging before I cast my own vote, and I've gone for the nonfiction one just to be contrary i love an underdog I'm super keen to read all of these and I think they'd all be fun to discuss as a group, but I included that one because I'm SO curious how we would all feel about it with such different approaches and styles to writing. The discussions would be so much fun... (Also as a ~social experiment~ it would be FASCINATING to see what the effect on the site would be if we all read the same book about writing at the same time.....)

I'm mostly voting to be contrary though, I'm so fascinated by the summary of Project Hail Mary, and I've heard nothing but good things about The Sunbearer Trials, so I'm excited no matter which way this goes >:3

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Just under 12 hours left on the poll if anyone's been holding off on voting!

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

I pre-emptively put a hold on the e-book in the lead which was good because the estimate was 11 weeks away when I placed the hold last week. It's down to 9 weeks away now so I'm crossing my fingers that I'll get the book before the end of the month

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ahaha yeah my library's copy isn't free until late May, so I might wind up just having to buy it again woes of having a small & underfunded local library this is why i mostly wind up reading stuff that's free on project gutenberg lately

 

[lorenzzo]

The Sunbearer Trials sounds like an absolute adventure. I'm all about that Percy Jackson vibe mixed with Hunger Games intensity. Mexican mythology adds such a unique flavor too. Honestly, I'm torn between wanting to devour it ASAP and trying to savor the anticipation! I've been lurking here for a bit, and it's my first time joining the book club. Came across this forum while deep-diving into game of thrones books – got obsessed and needed more recommendations. Your mix of options is like a breath of fresh air. Can't wait to get lost in March/April's literary journey with everyone!

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

So excited about this winner - has anyone had a chance to start reading yet? I just got my hands on a copy yesterday (ty Daph) but I haven't started yet, I'd love to hear any preliminary thoughts!

 

[Amber Chou Wilson]

I have started it and I’m actually 1/4th of the way in already. I’m really enjoying it so far.

Spoiler

I really enjoy the flashbacks interspersed between the present day chapters. It’s slowly shaping the story more and more. The main character is also really likeable, imo.

I also really enjoyed The Martian by this author, so I’m glad this one is fun too.

 

[Amber Chou Wilson]

I apologize for double posting but I've finished it by now and I LOVED it, can't wait to see your guys' thoughts.

 

[Stefan Archer]

I'm just over half way

Spoiler

I've really enjoyed also the way its weaving the past and the present, it was a good way to like get slowly introduced to the sci-fi elements without it being like overbearing world building. I don't trust rocky. like not even 1 single little bit

 

[Amber Chou Wilson]

I'm just over half way

Spoiler

I've really enjoyed also the way its weaving the past and the present, it was a good way to like get slowly introduced to the sci-fi elements without it being like overbearing world building. I don't trust rocky. like not even 1 single little bit

Spoiler

I very much agree on the weaving part, it really helps. But around the point you were at I was getting very impatient with the flashbacks and just wanted to be in the present because ALIENS.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

I've FINALLY made a start, I'm about 30% of the way through & loving it.

Spoiler

My favourite thing about spacefaring sci-fi is always when writers take a genuinely unique approach to aliens, so I am EATING THIS UP YUM YUM YUM

The whole concept of another species having such a different relationship to physics that they can use noble gases as solids is fascinating. One of my cousins is studying astrophysics and I'll definitely be reccing this to him once I'm done, if he hasn't read it already.

Also here is a dumb and bad joke I can't get out of my brain

Spoiler

 

[Elodie Wynshaw]

I finished it! Omg it was sooooooo good!

Spoiler: Spoilers

I really enjoyed the back and forth of the present day and the past memories, and I almost dropped the book when it revealed Grace had been forced to go. I loved Rocky to death, though I also was afraid because of course he was a spider Spider aliens. But Rocky was fun. I nearly cried when I thought Grace hadn't gone back for Rocky, but thankfully he was brave for his friend.

I'm not the smartest, but this book was really easy to follow along with the sciencey things and I genuinely enjoyed it, thank you Rowan! Great rec.

This book was also really well written and really funny, I laughed several times out loud- scared myself with it once, lol.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

I'm 75% through now and GOD DAMN THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD

Spoiler

I was fully on the edge of my seat when it looked like Rocky had died saving Ryland oh my God the tone of the story has been juuuuuuust dark enough that I could have possibly seen it happening & the last section of the book being Ryland trying to carry on their work alone. (I'm still not totally convinced they're both making it out of here alive...}

I also enjoy that Ryland was wrong about how to save him - a lot of their predictions and guesses have turned out right so far, and it was nice seeing him get something so important wrong for a change. (Though I'm obviously glad Rocky still pulled through regardless )

I don't know nearly enough about science to really follow everything it entails but I love the amount of thought that's gone into making Rocky's biology both feasible and COMPLETELY alien. The discussions of sociological differences and similarities between their species is fascinating too, I love well thought through aliens in sci-fi, and this is definitely the best example I've ever read, hands down.

I was unsure from the offset whether or not Ryland had actually volunteered to go on the mission, but as soon as the original crews showed up I realised it was gonna turn out that he had been forced to go, so the explosion on the base wasn't a total surprise. The fact that he didn't choose this though... damn. Only makes it more powerful.

I'm not super sciency (I was born for the arts) but I'll definitely be reccing this book to one of my cousins - he's studying astrophysics, and has complained to me before that not enough sci-fi has actual science in it, so if he hasn't already read this he'll eat it up for sure.

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

The hold on this book finally came through for me, and it happened right before I hopped on my flight today so I was able to read some of it! I definitely already feel hooked into the mystery of the story (I'm in the middle of chapter 2) so I'm excited to read more tonight before bed.

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

Double posting because I think I'm the only one still reading the book but

I'm just over half way

Spoiler

I've really enjoyed also the way its weaving the past and the present, it was a good way to like get slowly introduced to the sci-fi elements without it being like overbearing world building. I don't trust rocky. like not even 1 single little bit

Spoiler

I didn't even think to not trust Rocky but now...I feel like I should be more suspicious

Spoiler

I really enjoy the flashbacks interspersed between the present day chapters. It’s slowly shaping the story more and more. The main character is also really likeable, imo.

Yes, I also find the main character super likeable. It's making this easy to breeze through because he feels relatable.

I stopped myself from reading the last two comments by Jess and Rowan because I don't want spoilers even though I want to know what you both thought very badly I've been reading during every free moment and staying up way past my bedtime so I think I'll be done by early next week!

 

[Stefan Archer]

Double posting because I think I'm the only one still reading the book but

Spoiler

I didn't even think to not trust Rocky but now...I feel like I should be more suspicious

Spoiler

i think my distrust of rocky is just very reflective of who i am as a person and my interaction with sci-fi being largely horror based.

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

I managed to finish before the end of the month! So glad with the choice. It was a fun read, and I'll definitely pick up another book by this author.

Spoiler

Similar to Jess, I loved the back and forth between the past and present. It was fun to see his memories come back into gear but by bit just like a ship or other machine might. I enjoyed the imagery it brought up for me.

While I loved that Grace went back for Rocky, I didn't love the ending. I'm going to let it marinate a bit more and see if I change my mind but that's my immediate reaction. I was happy that we found out all went well though. Or well enough.

I definitely have more thoughts, so will try to be back to add them in.

 

[Hugo Stark-West]

I just realised I haven’t posted my thoughts on the book.
i will start saying I enjoyed it. But… ib not necessarily a fan of space sci-fi. There is nothing wrong with it it just isn’t my cup of tea.
So with that in mind

Spoiler

I enjoyed the premise and the plot. And I loved rocky and watching the friendship grow. It was very interesting thinking of how a life form from a totally different solar system could have evolved so differently.
However I was not a huge fan of grace. Or maybe it was more that he was the unfortunate mechanism of my irks with the book.
Initially it annoyed me how upon waking from an unspecified amount of time in a coma he was able to conduct a science experiment to work out the strength of gravity before he could even remember who he was and why he was there. It also irked me for ages how a middle school science teacher was the choice for an earth saving mission. Although this is sort of answered as we get through. With his background in space biology. It however does t give me an answer as to how he gets to suck technical ideas outside of his usual field of speciality so quickly. Even being a science teacher doesn’t really explain the depths of his knowlage.
The other thing that bugs me is the taumeba. In some ways yes a smart way to save the worlds. But I want to know what happens to the energy?
If the solaphage are basically pure energy stored in bacteria form what happens to it when the taumeba eat it? Either a hell of a lot of energy is released (which is unlikely as it wasn’t noticed that they took over the ship) or they store the energy. So surly they could be used to power the ship.
I did enjoy the story and the flashback writing style. It would be interesting to read it in a strictly chronological order and see how different the experience is.
All up four out of five taus

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

Spoiler

Initially it annoyed me how upon waking from an unspecified amount of time in a coma he was able to conduct a science experiment to work out the strength of gravity before he could even remember who he was and why he was ththere.

Ah, interesting. Even before the explanation offered in the book of the injection they gave him, this made sense to me because of how things like amnesia can work. People typically lose short term memories but can retain information that's longer term because they get stored in different parts of the brain. So it made sense to me that something he'd probably taught/worked out a million times was easier to remember. It msde the actual reason even more nefarious to me because they actively wanted to make sure he didn't have access to those memories, though it made sense Stratt wouldn't leave it to chance.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

WHOOPS I fully thought I had posted in here when I finished the book & wrote my goodreads review, but apparently not The short version is I loved this book and the long version is I REALLY loved this book.

Spoiler

While I loved that Grace went back for Rocky, I didn't love the ending. I'm going to let it marinate a bit more and see if I change my mind but that's my immediate reaction. I was happy that we found out all went well though. Or well enough.

I can definitely see how you felt that way, but it's strange because I felt fully the opposite haha. After choosing to save Rocky there were really only two ways Ryland's story could end - he could die in space which would be a huge bummer, or they would find a way for him to live on with Rocky. Given the level of engineering expertise Rocky showed building his own habitats on Ryland's ship I didn't find it unreasonable that his people would be able to figure out a similar system for Ryland to live on their planet, and I enjoyed that he was able to build a life there that suited him. I also don't know how well I would have enjoyed things if he went back to Earth - that raises so many bigger questions about how things have changed while he's been away, what with the catastrophic state of things. I personally preferred that being left mostly open, and it felt sort of fitting that after the way Ryland was essentially forced to martyr himself for Earth he didn't have to return, but it was nice to get that little confirmation that he did manage to save whoever was left there.

Ah, interesting. Even before the explanation offered in the book of the injection they gave him, this made sense to me because of how things like amnesia can work. People typically lose short term memories but can retain information that's longer term because they get stored in different parts of the brain. So it made sense to me that something he'd probably taught/worked out a million times was easier to remember. It msde the actual reason even more nefarious to me because they actively wanted to make sure he didn't have access to those memories, though it made sense Stratt wouldn't leave it to chance.

This was exactly my take too yesssss - using the amnesia to ensure he'd do what was needed of him without knowing how he'd wound up there is SO sinister and cold. The amnesia angle was what drew me to the book initially (I love stories about amnesia) and I really loved how it was handled and the role it played in the plot.