September book: choices

1

Do people have preferences for a September book?

I have two we could read.

  • A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine (and review), recent Hugo-winner. It's a high-stakes political thriller with interesting things to say about imperialism (from both sides of the act).
  • Space Opera by Catherynne Valente (review) is a well-done comedy, of Eurovision in Space, but with a real life-affirming heart about art and what it means to be human.

I've read them both and liked them.

Which would people prefer? (I don't promise to pay any attention to replies!)

Comments

  • 1

    Hmm. I am wary of comedies - my sense of funny does not correspond to other people's - so I would prefer the thriller.

  • 1
    I’m ok with either. I also am not normally a fan of comedies, but Space Opera sounds like a High Strung scenario in the making and I wouldn’t mind exploring that.
  • 1

    You did a similar set up for High Strung, didn't you, @Apocryphal? I was wondering why it sounded so familiar!

  • 1

    @clash_bowley said:
    Hmm. I am wary of comedies - my sense of funny does not correspond to other people's - so I would prefer the thriller.

    The comedy is in the style of Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. If you like that, you'll probably like Space Opera; if not, probably not. Does that help inform your choice?

  • 2
    edited August 2020

    @NeilNjae said:
    The comedy is in the style of Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. If you like that, you'll probably like Space Opera; if not, probably not. Does that help inform your choice?

    Well... The first two times I tried to read Hitchhiker's Guide I threw it down swearing it was the stupidest thing ever, but I tried one more time and it was hilarious, and so was the rest of the series. So who knows! :o

    I think it's because Hitchhiker is woven of equal parts farce and black comedy, and the first two times all I saw was the farce. The third time, I caught the black comedy and rolled with it.

  • 0
    I'm happy whichever of those two is chosen. I don't think we've had a political thriller for ages, and I don't ever recall a comedy!
  • 1
    The Pastel City must have been a comedy - doesn’t make sense any other way.
  • 1

    I'm happy with either. Since that's not a helpful response I'll vote for the comedy; we've had a few months in a row now of relatively heavy books.

  • 1

    I’m good with either. I like the thought of exploring ideas memory, but beware; I’ve read more than a bit of hermeneutical phenomenology about memory, and I might get excited and start inflicting that on you.

    I also like the thought of exploring ideas about art, but even stronger caveat than above. I’ve actually written a bit of phenomenology of art, so.... you’re getting phenomenology no matter what.

    Regarding Space Opera, I must add, “Show me what you got!” (A Rick & Marty reference, if you need an explanation)

  • 0
    > @Apocryphal said:
    > The Pastel City must have been a comedy - doesn’t make sense any other way.

    Before my time, I think 🙂
  • 1

    Thanks folks. That's settled. Space Opera it is.

    Life is beautiful and life is stupid.

  • 1

    Probably for the best!

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