Society of Speculative Fiction

All Those Moments Will Be Lost In Time... Like Tears In Rain

2011-07-19T11:25:00.010-04:00

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Quiz Show

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July's book club meeting saw some schedule conflicts so our group was a small one. We did not get a chance to get to the discussion questions for Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? so Christie has posted them here on the blog via Slideshare. If you would like to share your answers, add them to the comments. It will be great to read everyone's thoughts!

The biggest surprise for our members was the revelation that Edward James Olmos was in Blade Runner and that Blade Runner was one of the inspirations for the remake of Battlestar Galcatica.

This will be our last book club for a while due to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's adult programming reclassification according to new guidelines. We hope to resume in November 2011 when there will be an opportunity to add back focused programs to the library’s offerings. If you would like to show your support for our book club you can respond directly to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Adult Programming Team. We'll decide the next book selection once we know when we can begin again. Hope to see you soon! Keep reading!

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

2011-07-06T16:24:00.007-04:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Monday, July 18, 2011 from 6:00-8:00PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) written by Philip K. Dick.

Summary: The novel that was the basis for the movie Blade Runner. In 2021, Rick Deckard was an officially sanctioned bounty hunter whose job was to find rogue androids, and to retire them. But cornered, androids tended to fight back, with deadly results.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks with an android, San Francisco, or noir theme (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

Angel of Vengeance Live!

2011-03-18T19:37:00.000-04:00

Live TV by Ustream

Check out the book club live and in action! We certainly would like you to be with us but if you find that there are many miles between you and Charlotte, NC the live feed is the next best thing to being there. Posting your questions for Trevor before the event will increase the chances of it being asked since it will be incorporated into the program. You can post your questions in the comments section below this post, via the Meebo chat widget in the left column on the blog (no account required--you can change your MeeboGuest name), or you can use the twitter hashtag #AOVBookClub. See you soon!

Angel of Vengeance

2011-02-03T19:41:00.011-05:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Monday, March 21, 2011 from 6:00-8:00PM EST
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
Registration is required. Register Online or call 704-416-4800 opt. 4

We will discuss Angel of Vengeance:The Novel That Inspired the TV Show Moonlight (2011) written by Trevor O. Munson.

Trevor Munson will be joining the book talk via Skype.

Have your questions ready. Index cards will be provided if needed. You can also IM your questions to Christie via the Meebo widget right on the blog. No account or registration needed. You can send the questions whether she is logged in or not. You can edit your Meebo guest nickname if you like. Christie will post the questions in the meeting recap blog entry.

Costume contest for "Best Vampire," "Best Look-A-Like," and "Best Freshie" if enough participate! We have great prizes for the winners!

Check out the book review on The Daily Blam and his interview with World Wide Moonlighters. There is also a recorded interview with him, on Feb. 3, 2011 on BlogTalkRadio by The VRO.

Synopsis: The novel that inspired the TV series Moonlight puts a twist on the classic Dracula vampire tale and blends it with Chandler hardboiled P.I. detective fiction.

LA-based P.I. and vampire Mick Angel has been hired by a beautiful red-headed burlesque dancer to find her missing sister. But the apparently simple case of a teenage runaway is soon complicated by drug dealers, persistent cops, murder and Mick’s own past. Mick must learn the hard way what every vampire should know - nothing stays buried for ever, especially not the past.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks with a vampire or detective theme (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, bottled water and other liquid refreshment available. Think poker night @ Josef's! ;) See you at the next meeting!

Ender Is On His Own

2011-02-03T15:42:00.017-05:00

Enders game quiz show

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We had a comfortable level of participants to make conversation fun and engaging including two new members. Some members had scheduling conflicts and could not come but were with us in spirit. We had people from 22 to 62 there! For one participant, it was the book that changed his life. He almost cried on the spot. Everyone enjoyed the “mistake” dog tags for party favors and our quiz show winners got to enjoy their commemorative “Dragon Army” pendants. The ultimate gamer food – pizza – and Mountain Dew was served along with Tang for the astronaut wannabes in the group.

Christie contacted Orson Scott Card’s assistant to see if he would be interested in Skyping in for the book club meeting. Unfortunately Mr. Card recently suffered a stroke on Jan. 1, 2011. Orson Scott Card’s assistant responded,”Thank you for writing and for your well wishes. Mr. Card has several Skype interviews he was supposed to do this semester, and unfortunately he asked me to cancel them all. So for the time being, he has asked me not to schedule any additional functions for him -- even if it doesn't require leaving the house. Sorry!”

We opened the discussion with how Ender’s Game was a title that many read when they were teens and they identified with many the characters and situations in the book. In Ender’s world, he is used to adults telling him lies. He goes along with the lies but he doesn’t have to accept them or believe them. In times of crisis, luxuries such as childhood are suspended for the greater good of survival of the human race. Many believed that if humans and buggars could have communicated that war could have been avoided. It was inevitable that war would happen if they couldn’t communicate. Xenocide was destined to happen considering how Ender was trained. The military commanders knew that he would take the offensive and solve the situation once and for all, like he did with the bullies in his life, so that the enemy could not hurt him again.

We wrapped up by voting for the May book club selection since March’s selection was already determined. For May the book club will be reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. It was the basis for the movie, Blade Runner.

Our next book club selection will be Angel of Vengeance: The Novel That Inspired The TV Show Moonlight (2011), by Trevor O. Munson. Our next meeting will be Monday, March 21, from 6-8PM. You can place a copy on hold to be sent to the branch of your choice in the library catalog.

Ender's Game

2010-12-06T14:41:00.004-05:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Monday, January 24, 2011 from 6:00-8:00PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss Ender's Game (1991) written by Orson Scott Card.

Check out the book review on Reader's Club.

Summary: A veteran of years of simulated war games, Ender believes he is engaged in one more computer war game when in truth he is commanding the last fleet of Earth against an alien race seeking the complete destruction of Earth.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks with a space or gamer theme (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

Jigs, Reels, and Lament

2010-12-02T17:12:00.004-05:00

Soceity of Speculative Fiction Quiz Show : Lament

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November book club was a great fun! Everyone enjoyed the ice cream social and brought in lots of toppings. We ate plenty of ice cream while working through technical difficulties on the laptop. We had all returning members this time and it was a very cosy session.

We skipped the quiz show since we had only three persons so they became the winners! Everyone enjoyed the prizes. They were four-leaf clover Irish knotted bracelets. And the clovers were real! Everyone had their favorite quotes but we all agreed on Deirdre's thought: "Delia was an overbearing cake with condescending frosting, and frankly, I was on a diet."

Amy wrote the quiz show questions. They really made the meeting. Kudos Amy on a job well done!

James knew he could see faeries even before he told Deirdre. We wondered why he didn't mention it when he saw Deirdre at the competition. Since Deirdre was a cloverhand she was the only one that could pronounce Luke's name correctly. We thought that Dierdre's gift as a cloverhand is what you make it, a tool. It's how you use the tool that determines whether it's for good or ill. We also felt that Deirdre's trust in Luke was driven by both her intuition and her hormones. We felt that Luke truly loved Deirdre and didn't just try to use her to get out of his obligation to the Faery Queen. When Luke allowed Dierdre to look into his thoughts, they both made a connection. Dierdre sees the trapped dove that is Luke's soul and the bloody tasks he has had to fulfil to the Faery Queen. At that point Luke is at his weakest. When a muscian is very good it attracts the attention of the Fey. Sometimes it is not the sort of attention that you want. We all thought that Deirdre made the right choice by saving James, but were sad because we knew she was leaving Luke behind.

Our next book club selection will be Ender's Game (1991), by Orson Scott Card. Our next meeting will be Monday, January 24, from 6-8PM. You can place a copy on hold to be sent to the branch of your choice in the library catalog.

Lament : The Faerie Queen's Deception

2010-09-30T17:48:00.003-04:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Monday, November 22, 2010 from 6:00-8:00PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss Lament : The Faerie Queen's Deception (2008) written by Maggie Stiefvater.

Summary: On the day of an important music competition, talented but painfully introverted and nervous Deirdre Monaghan is helped to perform by the compelling and enigmatic Luke Dillon and finds herself inexorably drawn into the mysteries and dangers of the faerie world.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks with a Faerie or Renaissance Faire theme (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

The Man In Black Fled Across The Desert...

2010-09-27T19:33:00.007-04:00

Soceity of Speculative Fiction Quiz Show : Gunslinger

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Good times were had by all at our September book club! We had returning and new members and had a nice amount of people to make the conversation very interesting and fun. One of our members brought a chili bake and it was very tasty! Yum! The winners from the quiz show all enjoyed their prize bags which included bolo ties, trail mix, and jerky for their travels down the dusty trail.

For many Stephen King fans in the group, this series was one of their favorites, more so than some of King's classic horror titles. For those that read both the original and the revised editions of The Gunslinger, most said that they enjoyed the writing of the original much better even though it was shorter. Many readers picked up on the references to Stephen King's other works in the Dark Tower series and shared them with the group. We were surprised that King allowed Marvel to make a series of graphic novels on the Dark Tower series. He is usually so protective of his work. One member felt that they didn't really add to the story unless they offered original content that was not in the books. We compaired King's concept of ka and time and how they are like a wheel in the series. It reminded us the film Pulp Fiction where you end up at the beginning of the movie at the end. We all thought that Roland using David the falcon as his weapon of choice against Cort was a shrewd choice and one that forshadowed his willingness to sacrifice all that he loved for his quest to the Dark Tower. We also thought about all of Roland's encounters with women in the Gunslinger. All of them were strong and forceful to get their way with the men in their lives, but all of them were used as well by Roland for his needs. The end of the book forshadowed the Gunslinger's long quest throughout the series and fortells his gradually becoming more caring and more humane to the point that he will be willing to sacrifice himself for the quest like he has sacrificed those he has loved along the way. The Dark Tower reminds us of the Matrix trilogy where Neo enters the room with the Architect and also at the end where he interfaces with the computer brain of the world and changes it forever. Overall the Gunslinger and the Dark Tower series is a favorite for bookclub members and highly regarded, despite feeling like you're dropped in the middle of the action and aren't sure of excactly what's going on in the Gunslinger. The rest of the series makes up for this feeling and is well worth the reading.

The library will be changing it's hours beginning October 4 but we will continue to meet on Mondays from 6-8PM to accomodate those who work or who have classes during the day. Our next book club selection will be Lament (2008), by Maggie Stiefvater. Our next meeting will be Monday, November 22, from 6-8PM. You can place a copy on hold to be sent to the branch of your choice in the library catalog.

The Gunslinger

2010-07-07T23:10:00.011-04:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Monday, September 20, 2010 from 6:00-8:00PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss The Gunslinger (1982) written by Stephen King.

Check out the book review on Reader's Club.

Summary: Eerie, dreamlike, set in a world that is weirdly related to our own, The Gunslinger introduces Roland Deschain of Gilead, of In-World that was, as he pursues his enigmatic antagonist to the mountains that separate the desert from the Western Sea. Roland is a solitary figure, perhaps accursed, who with a strange singlemindedness traverses an exhausted, almost timeless landscape. The people he encounters are left behind, or worse-left dead. At a way station, however, he meets Jake, a boy from a particular time (1977) and a particular place (New York City), and soon the two are joined-khef, ka, and ka-tet. The mountains lie before them. So does the man in black and, somewhere far beyond...the Dark Tower.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks with a cowboy traveler theme (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

Twilight Nocturne

2010-06-25T16:42:00.004-04:00

Society of Speculative Fiction Quiz Show : Twilight

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March certainly "Roared in like a Lion." We had 3 new members and returning friends. Our meeting was overshadowed by the looming fear that the library where we meet, Independence Regional Library, could possibly be one of 12 libraries closed due to budget cuts by the county. Our meeting was even taped by WSOC Channel 9 News reporter, Tenikka Smith, and she asked our new members how they felt about the possiblity of the library closing. They said that when they heard the news they were devastated about the news of the possible closing. They were excited to find a group of people who have similar interests.

Everyone did very well on the quiz show featuring Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and only missed one or two questions. The book was fresh on everyone's mind. Most had already seen the movie and we commented how if you had read the book first, the film felt very disjointed. Many of the descriptions in the book had to be summed up without any dialogue on the actors part with facial expressions. Also the extra emphasis on the murders in Forks and Bella's Biology class going on a field trip left us wondering what was going to be true to the book. We felt like the entire time we were watching the film it was drifting away from the story.

We felt that for a first book, Edward and Bella seem more infatuated with each other than in love. As a love story it is very restrained with sexual abstinance. But this is replaced with the tension of Edward wanting to drink Bella's blood. As a girl's coming of age novel it shows all the teen angst you could want. It will certainly be considered a modern phenomenon like Harry Potter but we don't know if it will obtain classic status like Bram Stoker's Dracula. Will it influece the genre that much?

Everyone had their favorite characters and many didn't choose Bella, Edward, or Jacob. The real attraction is to see three outsiders create their own world that comes to attention of the community they live in. Hiding in plain sight is as alluring as sneaking cookies from the cookie jar. Carlisle sets the standard for restraint and it is all Edward can do to keep following it, even though he is so fascinated with Bella. Without him the Cullens would have a difficult time remaining "vegetarian". The highlight of the book is when Edward removes James' venom from Bella. In a reverse of the typical vampire ending--he keeps Bella human and continues to follow Carlisle's guidance of not making a vampire unless there is no other way to save the person from death. It is that unique charm, along with Meyers' plot devise to always have the major characters at opposites with each other that keep the story rolling and readers wanting more.

Our next book club selection will be The Gunslinger (1982), by Stephen King. Our next meeting will be TBA due to the library budget crisis. You can place a copy on hold to be sent to the branch of your choice in the library catalog.

Twilight

2010-01-24T15:55:00.005-05:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Thursday, March 18, 2010 from 6-8 PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss Twilight (2005) written by Stephenie Meyer. Twilight was adapted to film in 2008.

Check out the book review on Reader's Club.

Summary: When seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not wholly human.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks with a Seattle theme (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

The Souls Are Coming!

2010-01-24T13:47:00.010-05:00

Society of Speculative Fiction Quiz Show : The Host

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January brought a cold wind and rain but for the book clubbers who came, we had a great time. We had high energy and a reunion of friends. During the quiz show featuring The Host, some of us felt like the incorrect answers could have been incorporated into the story and made it better, especially choice D on question 6 where Wanderer "kicks" Kyle after he tries to kill her! The bell tones for the correct answers during the slide show were also a hit. I found extra excuses to ring the correct answer tone. ;) Jeopardy can't compete with the Society of Specualtive Fiction Quiz Show!

Our favorite characeters were Wanderer and Jeb. Wanderer for her unique perspective on what it means to be human and Jeb becasue he's such a smart character who only uses the "conspiracy theorist" idea as a front. He knows how to motivate people to make good decisions in the group. Over time, we know that the Souls will become more and more affected by the intense emotions and the ability to lie of their hosts. If there is a sequel, this would be a good thing to focus on. For Wanderer's opinion of the Fire Eaters, we hypothesized that she was a Fire Eater on the Fire Planet and that is why she avoided answering the question about if she thought it was ethical to eat the sentient Walking Flowers. So far as the difference between Melanie's and Wanderer's secrets, the secrets show their biggest fears and what they value the most. One could debate which was more important but they were both the most important secret to each of them. We could see both sides when it came to Wanderer's compassion and Sharon's hatred. Both are justified in being "human(e)". We all agreed that what Wanderer was willing to do, sacrifice herself for Melanie's happiness would be hard to do. We thought that we could do it for someone we loved directly but not indirectly. Responses were mixed if we wore Jeb's shoes. Some said no that they would have put Melanie/Wanderer out of their misery and some said they would have brought Melandie/Wanderer into the caves as a compromise. They've brought in Souls before. We all thought that Ian and Wanderer had the stronger relationship over Melanie and Jared. Ian loved Wanderer even when holding her in her Soul form. Melanie and Jared thought they were the last two humans on Earth. How much of their love is purely from this and not for the person? If there is a sequel, we feel that Wanderer, Ian, and Burns Living Flowers will be the next love triangle to move the plot.

Our next book club selection will be Twilight (2005), by Stephenie Meyer. We will meet on Thursday, March 18, 2010 from 6-8 PM. You can place a copy on hold to be sent to the branch of your choice in the library catalog.

The Host

2009-11-23T15:05:00.007-05:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Thursday, January 21, 2010 from 6-8 PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss The Host (2008) written by Stephenie Meyer. Stephenie Meyer is also famous for the popular Twilight series that has recently been adapted to film.

Check out the book review on Reader's Club.

Summary: The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie Stryder's body didn't expect her to refuse to relinquish possession of her mind.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

November Flight

2009-11-23T13:36:00.008-05:00

Society of Speculative Fiction Quiz Show : Maximum Ride - The Angel Experiment

View more presentations from Christie BW.

November was a cosy affair. This opened up the opportunity to really discuss how we felt about James Patterson's Maximum Ride. Most had finished the book or were at least half way through it. Immediate reactions were that this was a beach reading type book with common action adventure themes. We thought that the major appeal for readers was to imagine they could fly like the birdkids and to identify with one of the flock. Maximum Ride the manga was surprisingly well received. To be a title written by an American author, NaRae Lee adapted it to manga with style. Many commented that the artwork was better than they had anticipated. Everyone thought that "The Voice" was Jeb Batchelder. He seemed the only logical choice. Since Max didn't trust Jeb face to face anymore, this is probably the only way that Jeb could continue to coach and influence her. We thought that Max has the potential to be a good leader but she still needs a lot of work and her behavior was very annoying.

Our next book club selection will be The Host (2008), by Stephenie Meyer. We will meet on Thursday, January 21, 2010 from 6-8 PM. You can place a copy on hold to be sent to the branch of your choice in the library catalog.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

2009-09-15T15:45:00.002-04:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2008 from 7:00-8:30 PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss Maximum Ride: the Angel Experiment (2005) written by James Patterson. Mr. Patterson is also famous for the Alex Cross series, two Along Came A Spider and Kiss the Girls, have been turned into films. Another series that is fast becoming a hit is Daniel X. It has won acclaim as a series for reluctant male readers.

Summary: After the mutant Erasers abduct the youngest member of their group, the "birdkids," who are the result of genetic experimentation, take off in pursuit and find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and purpose.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog. It is also available in graphic novel format.

If you would like to bring food or drinks (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

Book Club Has A New Name!

2009-09-10T18:22:00.012-04:00

Hello Outside The Inner Limits Book Club Readers at Independence Regional Library,

PLCMC Library Administration has re-approved all book clubs in the library system. Hurray! However, there are some restrictions that we have to follow.

PLCMC Adult Programming Guidelines

1. PLCMC is in support of all book clubs. However, because of the high number of book clubs in our community, library sponsored and independent, we cannot always supply every book club with all the copies they need to conduct their discussions. Book clubs must use materials already in the collection and available for circulation.

2. In terms of PLCMC sponsored book clubs, it is recommended that you choose books that are already in sufficient quantity to satisfy your book club without monopolizing the library’s supply. If you decide to choose a recently published book, be aware that there may be high demand within the community for this book and the book may have a holds queue. Holds queues cannot be shuffled to accommodate book clubs.

Since one of the original founders of the book club is no longer participating, we are broadening the focus of the book club to be more inclusive. The name of the book club has changed. It is now called "The Society of Speculative Fiction". Here is the definition of what books will be featured in the book club:

The Society of Speculative Fiction is a book club for adults ages 18+ . The definition of speculative fiction we are using is: "A class of fiction including but not necessarily limited to fantasy, horror, and science fiction dealing with worlds, themes and characters not part of everyday life." (Wiktionary) Some of the many kinds of books we read are: paranormal/supernatural, urban fantasy, superhero fiction, swords & sorcery, spies, utopian and distopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate histories. We include reading graphic novels and manga in this book club.

This was devised because many titles that are available today cross more than one genre. Many authors will write a book that will combine elements of multiple genres.
For example: Jim Butcher writes about Harry Dresden in the Dresden Files series. Mr. Dresden is a hard-boiled P.I. who solves crimes using magic. So the book could be classified as mystery, urban fantasy, or paranormal/supernatural depending on what parts you focus on. Also by naming science fiction and fantasy in the book club's title, it seemed too confining.

The book club blog's website address has also been updated. It is now: http://speculativefictionsociety.blogspot.com

The book club will still meet every other month to accommodate selections that may have holds on them. Meetings are bi-monthly (January, March, May, July, September, November) and normally the third Thursday of the month. I cannot always guarantee we'll get that particular Thursday but we will try to be consistent. We are still meeting in Independence Regional Library's Community Room. Our November meeting will be on Thursday November 19, 2009 from 7-8:30 pm. But beginning in January the program time will be from 6-8pm. Some participants in the past had mentioned that they would like an earlier meeting time so this is to accomodate them. Also it will facilitate more time for me to break things down after book club before the library closes.

Refreshments - feel free to bring something for book club. I will try to have coffee, tea, a couple of sodas and bottled water available. I will also try to have something sweet and something salty to snack on.

I hope to also have a Facebook page up at some point (hopefully around Christmas) so you can join that if that is how you like to keep up with your calendar of events.

Every other month I will send out 5 choices for book club members to vote on. The book with the most votes will be the book selected for the next meeting. Book selections will be formulated based on New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, Library Journal, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Borders best sellers and other media sources such film and TV series based on a book. I try to feature books that are stand alone titles or first in a series. That way if you like the first book you will be ready for the rest of the books in the series. I will only offer titles that do not have too big of a holds list and that I know the library has sufficient copies for the book club to use.

If you would like to suggest a book for inclusion in the selection of choices be sure the title has at least 7-10 copies in the PLCMC library system so that everyone will have a good chance to read the book before the club meets. Holds should be no more that half of the number of copies available. For instance: if a title has 10 copies in the library system, it should have 5 holds or less. If we select your suggested title, you must provide 10 discussion questions for the book and lead the discussion. I will continue to do the Quiz Show questions like I have done in the past for an icebreaker before the discussion.

Here are the book club selections for our November 19th, 2009 meeting (7-8:30PM)

1. Dark Fever (2006) by: Karen Marie Moning (320p.) Book 1 in the Fever Series (13 copies in the system, 1 hold.) (The latest book in the series, DreamFever, is on the NYT Bestseller list this week.)

Summary: The quest to find her sisters killer draws MacKayla Lane into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle her power to see into the dangerous realm of the Fae.

2. Wizards First Rule (1994) by: Terry Goodkind (First in the Sword of Truth Series) Now a TV series on WZJY called The Legend of the Seeker. (9 copies available, 3 holds.) (573 pages) (Goodkind's latest, The Law of Nines is on the NYT Bestseller list this week.)

Synopsis: The masterpiece that started The New York Times bestselling epic Sword of Truth In the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher's forest sanctuary seeking help . . . and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence. In a dark age it takes courage to live, and more than mere courage to challenge those who hold dominion, Richard and Kahlan must take up that challenge or become the next victims. Beyond awaits a bewitching land where even the best of their hearts could betray them. Yet, Richard fears nothing so much as what secrets his sword might reveal about his own soul. Falling in love would destroy them--for reasons Richard can't imagine and Kahlan dare not say. In their darkest hour, hunted relentlessly, tormented by treachery and loss, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword--to invoke within himself something more noble. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed . . . or that their time has run out. This is the beginning. One book. One Rule. Witness the birth of a legend.

3. Maximum Ride : the angel experiment / James Patterson. New York : Little, Brown, 2005. 422 p. (22 copies in the system, 1 hold.) (Amazon number 3 bestseller 46 days in the top 100, B&N Top 20 Bestseller)

Summary: After the mutant Erasers abduct the youngest member of their group, the "birdkids," who are the result of genetic experimentation, take off in pursuit and find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and purpose.
Storyline: From Death Valley, California, to the bowels of the New York City subway system, 14-year-old Max leads her feisty "family" on a journey of action, adventure, and soul-seeking in this #1 "New York Times" bestselling series debut.

4. Perdido Street Station / China Mieville. New York : Del Rey/Ballantine Publishing Group, 2001, c2000. 710 p. (7 copies in the system, no holds.) New Crobuzon series, book 1. (one of the top 5 in Amazon.com’s Sci-Fi/Fantasy Bestseller list, 10 days in the top 100)

Summary: In squallid and brutal New Crobuzon, a Garuda requests eccentric crisis theorist Isaac to work with lab specimens, particularly a caterpillar that feeds on a hallucinatory drug until its evolution, when it will invoke malignant terror.

5. Full moon rising / Keri Arthur New York : Bantam Books, 2006, 291p. (13 copies, 2 holds.) (one of the top 5 in Amazon’s sci-fi/fantasy bestseller list, 10 days in the top 100)

Summary: When her twin brother, Rhoan, an assassin who protects the innocent from evil supernatural beings, vanishes, Riley Jensen--a young woman who is half werewolf, half vampire--joins forces with a sexy but disoriented vampire to find him.

Please vote by Friday September 11, 2009 at 3PM. I apologize for only giving you one day to vote but our deadline for inclusion in our library events magazine, Check It Out, is tomorrow. Thanks!

Who Watches the Watchmen?

2009-05-16T15:49:00.010-04:00

Outside The Inner Limits Quiz Show : Watchmen

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May book club saw four new members! For two of them, it was their first time ever participating in a book club. First Timers--*ding, ding* :) We discussed Alan Moore's graphic novel, Watchmen. Most had finished the book but a few did not get to finish because the hold list for the Watchmen at the library was very long. One person got 10 answers out of 12 correct on the Quiz Show and we had two people get 9 answers right. So they all received goody bags for being the top three winners. Some wanted to read the graphic novel after seeing the movie premier in March, others had been long time Watchmen fans.

We all thought that since the movie already clocked in at 3 hours, doing Alan Moore's original ending would have added another sub-plot to an already long movie. I know that purists were sad but for those of us that went to the theaters to see it, we were already running to the restroom at lightning speed when it was over. All of us enjoyed the soundtrack for the film. Some of the songs were covered by artists other than the originals referenced in the graphic novel but everyone was OK with this. The new artists brought another level to the film. The most favorite character by far was Rorschach. His observations and one liners were certainly the most memorable. In a world where superheroes were real, we wondered, how do we get those great superpowers? We felt that the stories within the story, Tales of the Black Freighter and Under the Hood, added to our understanding of what was happening in the current action. Also we felt that the numerous allusions added to the depth of the story. Sometimes we felt like there was too much going on to really appreciate all the references! Now that Dr. Manhattan has left Earth, the balance in the world has been restored. We felt that Adrian Veidt (Ozymandias) should have asked Jon Osterman (Dr. Manhattan) to destroy all the nuclear weapons before he left Earth instead of using the alien invasion tactic. That way it would force both the U.S. and Russia to live without the nuclear war card, at least for a while. If the alien invasion doesn't happen soon, people will begin to ignore it and go back to their previous habits.

This will be our last book club until all PLCMC library adult programming has been reclassified according to new guidelines. We hope to resume in November 2009. Hope to see you then. Keep reading!

Watchmen

2009-03-25T10:14:00.006-04:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2008 from 7:00-8:30 PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss the graphic novel Watchmen (1987) written by Alan Moore, illustrated/lettered by Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins is the colorist. Alan Moore is also famous for other acclaimed graphic novels including V for Vendetta, From Hell and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, two of which have been turned into films. Check out the book review on Reader's Club.

Summary: A group of super heroes plagued by all too human failings fall from grace while the concept of the super hero is dissected and inverted as strangely realistic characters are stalked by an unknown assassin.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

Wicked Reading

2009-03-24T20:07:00.005-04:00

Outside The Inner Limits Quiz Show : Wicked

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March Bookclub was a Blast! We had one new member and discussed Gregory Maguire's Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Some of us did not have time to finish the book but hoped to finish soon. Everyone got seven or more answers correct on the quiz show, even without finishing the book! Hmm...does this mean I need to make the questions more challenging? One thing we zeroed in on was the difference between the liasons that Melena had with visitors to her house and the possibility of liasons that Sarima may have had with visitors to Kiamo Ko. We wondered how this may have affected the affair between Elphaba and Fiyero and their views of whether it was wrong to pursue or not.

We also talked about the upcoming film to be based on the musical set to be released in 2010. We thought that a film based on the book would be much better. The musical is different in how things are presented than the book, even though it covers the same content. Many were surprised to realize that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written over 100 years ago and the classic film starring Judy Garland was released in 1939. Most everyone agreed that their favorite character was Elphaba, with the remaining votes going to Dr. Dillamond.

Our next book club selection will be the graphic novel, Watchmen (1987), by Alan Moore. We will meet on Thursday, May 14, 2009 from 7-8:30 PM. You can place a copy on hold to be sent to the branch of your choice in the library catalog.

Wicked

2009-01-27T18:51:00.008-05:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Thursday, March 19, 2008 from 7:00-8:30 PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss Wicked : The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995) by Gregory Maguire. Gregory Maguire is also famous for other books concerning popular fairy tales but with a modern twist such as Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Mirror Mirror, and Leaping Beauty.

Summary: This re-creation of the land of Oz, tells the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who wasn't so wicked after all. Past the yellow brick road and into a phantasmagoric world rich with imagination and allegory, Wicked just might change the reputation of one of the most sinister characters in literature.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

January Blues

2009-01-27T16:16:00.017-05:00

Outside The Inner Limits Quiz Show : Neverwhere

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January Bookclub was small and fun. After comparing Neverwhere the BBC series to Neverwhere the book we dove into the Quiz Show. We had two winners in the quiz show. Both received goody bags. Congrats to both winners! Most thought that the book was far better than the BBC series. Many things went by so quickly in the series. Details were lost in the action. Depending on whether we read the book before or after watching the series also determined how we interpreted it. Those who read the book before watching the series had much more fantastic mental images of animals and characters that those who watched the series and had a mental image of the actors in their heads as they read. Places that reminded us of London Below were the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland and New Orleans, Louisiana. Favorite characters included Lady Door and the marquis De Carabas, who by the way is originally a character from Puss in Boots. Overall Neverwhere was well enjoyed for all of its unique qualities. We are looking forward to the movie version of Coraline which will be released in February 2009. Congratulations to Mr. Gaiman in winning the 2009 Newberry Award for The Grave Yard Book. Kudos Neil!

Our next book club selection will be Gregory Maguire's Wicked (1995). We will meet on Thursday, March 19, 2009 from 7-8:30 PM. You can place a copy on hold to be sent to the branch of your choice in the library catalog.

Neverwhere

2008-11-24T14:07:00.007-05:00

Our next meeting will be:
Date: Thursday, January 15, 2008 from 7:00-8:30 PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss Neverwhere (1997) by Neil Gaiman. Mr. Gaiman is also famous for The Sandman graphic novels, Coraline, and most recently The Graveyard Book. Check out the book review on Reader's Club.

Summary: When Richard Mayhew stops one day to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London sidewalk, his life is forever altered, for he finds himself propelled into an alternate reality that exists in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations. He has fallen through the cracks of reality and has landed somewhere different, somewhere that is Neverwhere.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

Cold Winds of November

2008-11-24T11:43:00.005-05:00

Outside The Inner Limits Quiz Show : Anathem

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Our November book club meeting was intimate and fun. Except for myself, no one had finished Anathem and one person hadn't even read it yet! It's one of the reasons I do the Quiz Show. I use the Quiz Show for two reasons, 1-for an icebreaker and 2-to review the plot of the book. Even without finishing the book one person got four correct answers and another got five right! They recieved goodie bags for their efforts. Then we watched the Anathem trailer. I had provided some holiday teas, coffee, a pastry tray and nuts for the something sweet and salty. I think I may try chips and dip or crackers next time.

All of us who read the novel had a very difficult time getting into it. Having to constantly refer to the glossary in the back or to the Anathem Wiki to interpret what was going on was very nerve wracking for the first 250 pages. Then the plot started to move forward. The story was interesting but could have been said in 400 pages or less. The characters kept going on tangents to describe things in the most minute detail that could have been skipped. Then when you wanted the characters to explain things in the climax of the book in the last two chapters, it was just said that the Invokers were able to travel parallel universes without any explanation of how. Also it was never explained how the Saecular and Avout governments would work jointly. There was just the symbolic marriage of two couples at the end--one Saecular and one Avout representing the Saecular and Avout worlds working in parallel together. Other members of the group mentioned that is how Neal Stephenson writes. He always ends his books abruptly when he's ready to finish. I enjoyed Snow Crash but I found Anathem tedious and time consuming. I may read something else by him but I will certainly wait and see how it is reviewed first before diving headlong into another one of his tomes.

Our next title will be Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. Famous for his Sandman graphic novels, he has written many titles for adults and children. His book, Coraline, will be turned into a film in early 2009. His most current title is The Graveyard Book. Gaiman's works are noted as having that rare combination of critical acclaim and popularity. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog. The next meeting will be Thursday, January 15, 2009 from 7-8:30 PM in the Community Room. See you then!

Anathem

2008-09-25T14:08:00.005-04:00

Our fourth meeting will be:
Date: Thursday, November 20, 2008 from 7:00-8:30 PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room
No registration required.

We will discuss Anathem (2008) by Neal Stephenson. Mr. Stephenson is also famous for Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon. Check out the book review for Anathem on Reader's Club.

Summary: Raz, a mathematician, is among a cohort of secluded scientists and philosophers who are called upon to save the world from impending catastrophe.

Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book. There are plenty of copies in the library system and only a few holds. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog.

If you would like to bring food or drinks (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products, something sweet and something salty, coffee, tea, and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

Soothing September

2008-09-24T16:31:00.005-04:00

Outside The Inner Limits Quiz Show : Dead Until Dark

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Our September meeting was small but still very fun. We have a new member and she aced all of the Quiz Show questions based on our reading selection, Dead Until Dark. She answered all of them as I read them out! Hmm - I'm going to have to make tougher questions. ;)

We all thought that there was a good cross over between the book and the trailers from the HBO series True:Blood. None of us have HBO so we are waiting until it comes out on DVD to rent from Blockbuster or Netflix. We had some technical difficulties with the sound so we had to sit close to the InFocus projector to hear the trailers. Of course after book club was over, I figured out how to get the sound working. At least next time we should have something that fills the room instead of sounding like a tin can.

None of liked the fact that in Charlaine Harris' vampire world, even when the vampire is Sookie's lover, you still feel like Sookie is something to feed off of and not a person. This carries over to the sexual realm where Bill almost rapes Sookie and then feeds off her at the sexual climax when she goes to find him after the killing of the 3 Monroe vampires plus one unidentified vampire. It left us all feeling that Sookie was used and abused. It was voted that Sookie should drop Bill and date Sam Merlotte, the shapeshifter. Sam is a much nicer guy and Sookie can't read his thoughts either so there won't be that impediment to the relationship.

Since the last 3 books discussed in book club were fantasy, the next book club selection will be science fiction. We will be discussing Anathem by Neal Stephenson. Neal Stephenson is also famous for Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon. There are plenty of copies in the library system and only a few holds. You can place your hold on the book through the library catalog. The next meeting will be Thursday, November 20, 2008 from 7-8:30 PM in the Community Room. See you then!

Dead Until Dark

2008-07-27T16:09:00.010-04:00

Our third meeting will be:
Date: Thursday, September 18, 2008 from 7:00-8:30 PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room

Our book club selection will be Dead Until Dar k by Charlaine Harris. Dead Until Dark is the first in the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries, which is soon to be an HBO series called TRUEBLOOD. Check out the book review from Reader's Club. Copies of the novel will be available at the Information desk for checkout. Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book.

If you would like to bring food or drinks (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products (plates, cups, silverware) and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

Hot Time in July

2008-07-26T16:38:00.010-04:00

Outside The Inner Limits Quiz Show : Guilty Pleasures

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Our July 24, 2008 meeting was terrific! The book club selection was Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton. We opened by having a multiple choice quiz show based on the book. The winner received a reading journal and a packet of pens. Also, we had two new people come and it really added to the discussion.

Our next title is Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. Copies are available at the Information Desk if you didn't get a chance to come to the July meeting. Dead Until Dark is the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries series. This title was selected from one of our members recommendations. This member will put the discussion questions together and also be the discussion leader for the book.

Recommendations are considered based on availability of the title in the library system and how many holds are on the book. If you would like to see how many copies are available of a book you would like to recommend, just check the PLCMC library online catalog. If you would like to recommend books that the library doesn't have or doesn't have enough copies for the group, we can talk about how everyone feels about purchasing their own copy to read at the next meeting.

The guide we use for choosing the next book discuss comes from Reading Group Choices. You can print out a copy of the worksheet "Choosing the Next Book to Discuss" and drop it off anytime at the Information Desk. If you can get it to Independence Regional Library before August 22, 2008 I can include your recommendations in the selection for December's book. I hope to have enough recommendations in the future to have book selections available as a flyer for the entire year in 2009.

Do you like the author biographical information and read-alikes that I include as handouts during the meetings? If you do I'll continue to supply them. They come from the library's literature databases. If they aren't helpful in finding the kinds of titles you like to read or aren't interesting let me know and I'll stop printing them and save a tree. ;-)

September's book club meeting will be Thursday, September 18, 2008, from 7-8:30 PM. See you then!

Get Ready for Anita Blake!

2008-05-20T16:31:00.005-04:00

Our second meeting will be:
Date: Thursday, 7/24/2008, 7:00-8:30 PM
Age Range: Adults Ages 18+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room

Our book club selection will be: Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton. Check out the review on Reader's Club. Guilty Pleasures is the first title in the the Anita Blake : Vampire Hunter series. Copies of the novel and the graphic novel will be available at the Information Desk for checkout. Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book.

Put on your quiz show hat because we'll be doing multiple choice questions from the book. The format will be similar to "Scene It" or "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire".

The questions will be in this type of format:

What happened to so and so? Did they:
1. Disappear
2. Run Away
3. Call for backup
4. Resolve the conflict

As you are reading Guilty Pleasures, if you come across something that you think would make a good game show question just pass it along to me and I'll include it in the presentation.

If you would like to bring food or drinks (no alcohol please) to the next book club meeting feel free. I will have paper products (plates, cups, silverware) and bottled water available. See you at the next meeting!

Our First Meeting Was A Success!

2008-05-20T15:45:00.009-04:00

Thank you to all participants for making the first meeting of Outside The Inner Limits : Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Club a success! After introductions and meet and greet we settled into the meeting. There was a lively discussion comparing Storm Front the book and Storm Front the TV episode from the Dresden Files series on the SciFi Channel. We also compared Harry Dresden and Harry Potter and how their worlds are similar as well as different. We all agreed that Mr. Butcher's storytelling technique of creating an ever-growing pile of ever-worsening problems to be resolved in an ever-shrinking, seemingly impossible time frame kept us reading and didn't want to put the book down!

Please feel free to drop off your "Choose The Next Book to Discuss" worksheet anytime at the Information Desk here at Independence before the next meeting. If you can get it to me before July that will help me get our next book club reading selection in for PR in our "Check It Out" programming flyer. I really want to make this something that everyone in the group feels they can contribute to.

Our next book club selection will be: Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton. Guilty Pleasures is the first title in the the Anita Blake : Vampire Hunter series. The next meeting will be on Thursday, July 24, 2008, 7:00-8:30 PM. Copies of the novel and the graphic novel will be available at the Information Desk for checkout.

Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Club Premier

2008-03-04T15:56:00.009-05:00

Greetings fellow science fiction and fantasy book lovers. Welcome to Outside the Inner Limits, the science fiction and fantasy book club at Independence Regional Library.

Our first meeting will be:
Date: Thursday, 5/15/2008, 7:00-8:30 PM
Age Range: Ages 16+
Location: Independence Regional Library Community Room

The first meeting will cover how titles will be selected for discussion. The initiators plan to have a handout that addresses frequently asked questions.

The first book for discussion will be Storm Front by Jim Butcher. Storm Front is the first in a series called The Dresden Files, made famous by the SciFi Channel. Check out the book review on Reader's Club. Here are some typical discussion questions you may want to keep in mind as you read the book.

About The Book Club

2008-02-26T19:23:00.026-05:00

The Society of Speculative Fiction is a Speculative Fiction book club for adults ages 18+. Some books discussed may have themes inappropriate for readers under age 18. We will also discuss audio/visual media that is related to the genre. Independence Regional Library will provide space for the meetings and have copies of the current reading selection available at the Information Desk for check out. A PLCMC Library Card is required for check out of library materials. Book club members are free to bring refreshments if they like. Independence Regional Library is a part of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County.

You might also enjoy PLCMC's Online Book Clubs provided by DearReader.com. When you join your receive chapters from popular books in your email. There are separate "clubs" for several genres including Science Fiction and Horror.

Check out PLCMC's Reader's Club for book reviews. You can search for just reviews on science fiction & fantasy, horror or graphic novel titles, add rss feeds of your favorite genres, or enjoy the podcasts, celebrity reviews, and meet the author features. You can also subscribe to the Reader's Club newsletter for the latest news and reviews, create a reading log to keep a list of what you have read, submit your own book reviews, and browse a plethora of reading resources. You can even support the library with your online purchases by clicking through the Reader's Club website first to purchase books from Amazon.com.

For a listing of other bookclubs available at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, browse the PLCMC: Book Club Directory or the PLCMC Progams & Events Listing for Books, Literature & Writing. The library also has online Book Club Resources available for more ideas.