SF&F Literati go Interstellar Sept. 24!

Reading beyond the Solar System

Book: Noumenon
Author: Marina J. Lostetter; Amazon Author Page; Facebook 
Discussion Where: Oak Park Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214, on 2nd floor by the windows
Discussion Date: September 24, 2018
Discussion Time: 7:00 p.m.
Dinner Before Discussion: Keep your eye on the SF&F Literati Facebook Page for updates on the optional dinner destination.
No, you DON'T need to have read/finished the book to participate!

The Reviewers say:
A Publishers Weekly "Best Books of 2017" pick!
A Kirkus Reviews "Best Books of 2017" pick!
A B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasty Blog "Best SFF of 2017" pick!

Book Description:
With nods to Arthur C. Clarke’s Rama series and the real science of Neal Stephenson’s Seveneves, a touch of Hugh Howey’s Wool, and echoes of Octavia Butler’s voice, a powerful tale of space travel, adventure, discovery, and humanity that unfolds through a series of generational vignettes.

In 2088, humankind is at last ready to explore beyond Earth’s solar system. But one uncertainty remains: Where do we go?

Astrophysicist Reggie Straifer has an idea. He’s discovered an anomalous star that appears to defy the laws of physics, and proposes the creation of a deep-space mission to find out whether the star is a weird natural phenomenon, or something manufactured.

The journey will take eons. In order to maintain the genetic talent of the original crew, humankind’s greatest ambition—to explore the furthest reaches of the galaxy— is undertaken by clones. But a clone is not a perfect copy, and each new generation has its own quirks, desires, and neuroses. As the centuries fly by, the society living aboard the nine ships (designated Convoy Seven) changes and evolves, but their mission remains the same: to reach Reggie’s mysterious star and explore its origins—and implications.

A mosaic novel of discovery, Noumenon—in a series of vignettes—examines the dedication, adventure, growth, and fear of having your entire world consist of nine ships in the vacuum of space. The men and women, and even the AI, must learn to work and live together in harmony, as their original DNA is continuously replicated and they are born again and again into a thousand new lives. With the stars their home and the unknown their destination, they are on a voyage of many lifetimes—an odyssey to understand what lies beyond the limits of human knowledge and imagination.

Next Month's Selection: Flex, by Ferrett Steinmetz, October 22, 2018

IMAGES: Many thanks to Amazon Smile, for both the Noumenon cover and the cover image for Flex.

Death or the stars . . . NEXT MONDAY!

Do you have the next book?

SF&F Literati meet next week July 23, 2018. Do you have your copy of the book they'll discuss?

Title: The Wrong Stars 
Author: Tim Pratt
Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble
Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2nd Floor, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214
NOTE: ALL ARE WELCOME to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not.

Publisher's plot overview:
Finalist for the 2018 Philip K. Dick Award.

A ragtag crew of humans and posthumans discover alien technology that could change the fate of humanity… or awaken an ancient evil and destroy all life in the galaxy.

The shady crew of the White Raven run freight and salvage at the fringes of our solar system. They discover the wreck of a centuries-old exploration vessel floating light years away from its intended destination and revive its sole occupant, who wakes with news of First Alien Contact. When the crew break it to her that humanity has alien allies already, she reveals that these are very different extra-terrestrials… and the gifts they bestowed on her could kill all humanity, or take it out to the most distant stars.

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon for the book cover image.

Will Gabriel's devious plot succeed?

SF&F Literati storm the gates of Hell in March

Date: Monday, March 26, 2018, at 7:00 p.m.
Title: Who Wants to be The Prince of Darkness?
Author: Michael Boatman
Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble
Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2nd Floor, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214
NOTE: All are welcome to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not.

Overview:
Lucifer is enjoying his retirement in an obscure corner of Limbo when he learns of a plot by Gabriel, the current ruler of Hell, to use humanity’s greatest weapon against it – Television!

Cue the hottest reality game-show ever conceived: Who Wants To Be The Prince Of Darkness? Gabriel orchestrates an “Infernal takeover” of Earth by stealing unwitting mortal souls and sending them to a mostly empty Hell, hoping to reinvigorate the Infernal Realm.

Now Lucifer must find a living champion to seize control of Hell and free millions of stolen mortal souls before the theft becomes permanent. But who would ever want to be Hell’s champion?

Many thanks to Amazon, for this book description.

IMAGE: Many thanks to Goodreads for the cover image.

Do you Tesseract?

Coming Monday! 
The SF&F Literati discuss a classic!

Date: Monday, February 26, 2018, at 7:00 p.m.
Title: A Wrinkle in Time
Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble
Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2nd Floor, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214
NOTE: All are welcome to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not. But we recommend you use this opportunity to read this SF classic before you see the movie! (opens in theaters March 9, 2018).

Overview: 
It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract."

A tesseract (in case the reader doesn't know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L'Engle's unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg's father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.

A Wrinkle in Time is the first book in The Time Quintet, which also consists of A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time. A Wrinkle in Time is soon to be a movie from Disney, directed by Ava DuVernay, starring Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling.

Many thanks to Amazon for this book description.

IMAGE: Many thanks to witchqueen of arkham's Twitter feed, @voidember, for this particular  A Wrinkle in Time cover, by 2004 ConQuesT Artist Guest of Honor, Jody A. Lee.

Cultivate the seeds of discussion with the SF&F Literati THIS MONDAY!

When: January 22, 2018, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Oak Park Mall Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS
Discussing: Seeds of Earth, by Michael Cobley

Join the Kansas City SF&F Literati on the second floor by the windows, to discuss the first selection of 2018--then help pick the next four selections the group will read. All are welcome (including first-timers) to come to meetings--even if you haven't finished it. Come join the discussion!

Seeds of Earth
The first intelligent species to encounter mankind attacked without warning. Merciless. Relentless. Unstoppable. With little hope of halting the invasion, Earth's last roll of the dice was to dispatch three colony ships, seeds of Earth, to different parts of the galaxy. The human race would live on ... somewhere.

150 years later, the planet Darien hosts a thriving human settlement, which enjoys a peaceful relationship with an indigenous race, the scholarly Uvovo. But there are secrets buried on Darien's forest moon. Secrets that go back to an apocalyptic battle fought between ancient races at the dawn of galactic civilization. Unknown to its colonists, Darien is about to become the focus of an intergalactic power struggle where the true stakes are beyond their comprehension. And what choices will the Uvovo make when their true nature is revealed and the skies grow dark with the enemy?
--Overview provided by the publisher

Reviews
"A complex, finely detailed thriller-cum-space opera"
--SFX

"Proper galaxy-spanning Space Opera ... a worthy addition to the genre"
--Iain M. Banks

"After a devastating and unanticipated alien war, Earth sent out colony ships to preserve humanity. The human colony on Darien has coexisted peacefully with the indigenous Uvovo for the past 150 years, but now a power struggle for control of the galaxy threatens the amity. A space opera series opener by the author of the Shadowkings trilogy."
--Library Journal

"Seeds of Earth has everything: well-realised extraterrestrials, scheming artificial intelligences, set-piece space battles and bizarre technology from the dawn of the galaxy. The first book of the trilogy is also a convincing portrayal of political machinations and the plight of individuals caught up in events beyond their comprehension."
--Eric Brown, The Guardian online

"Seeds of Earth is as powerful as Smoke on the Water, as twisted as Paranoid and as epic as Stairway to Heaven. As a lover of epic fantasy I tell you that is the kind of space opera I want to read. For me it is epic fantasy in future. I recommend it! Give it a go...."
--"Edifanob," on Only The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon for the cover art.

2-Week notice: SF&F Literati discuss Seeds of Earth sooner than you think!

Have you finished it yet?
Michael Cobley's "Humanity's Fire" series-opener Seeds of Earth is the selection up for discussion at the Kansas City SF&F Literati meeting, set for January 22, 2018.

"Seeds of Earth has everything: well-realised extraterrestrials, scheming artificial intelligences, set-piece space battles and bizarre technology from the dawn of the galaxy. The first book of the trilogy is also a convincing portrayal of political machinations and the plight of individuals caught up in events beyond their comprehension."
--Eric Brown, The Guardian online

The discussion's in just two weeks! 
But there's still time to read it! 
Mark your calendar for January 22, 2018 at the Oak Park Mall Barnes & Noble, second floor, 7:00 p.m. Everyone's welcome--even if they haven't finished the book. First-timers are welcome!

Note that the January meeting offers a special opportunity: that's the night they'll choose the Spring selections! Don't miss it!

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon for the Seeds of Earth cover image.

Did you get book gift cards in your stocking?

Did Santa bring you bookstore gift cards?
The Fourth Monday of December fell on Christmas Day this year--and the Kansas City SF&F Literati did not meet. But they WILL on January 22, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. at the Oak Park Mall Barnes & Noble (2nd floor). 

Their January selection is Seeds of Earth, by Michael Cobley. If you have bookstore gift cards burning a hole in your pocket, here's a golden opportunity!

Praise for Seeds of Earth from critics:
"A complex, finely detailed thriller-cum-space opera"
SFX

"Proper galaxy-spanning Space Opera ... a worthy addition to the genre"
Iain M. Banks

"After a devastating and unanticipated alien war, Earth sent out colony ships to preserve humanity. The human colony on Darien has coexisted peacefully with the indigenous Uvovo for the past 150 years, but now a power struggle for control of the galaxy threatens the amity. A space opera series opener by the author of the Shadowkings trilogy."
Library Journal

"Seeds of Earth has everything: well-realised extraterrestrials, scheming artificial intelligences, set-piece space battles and bizarre technology from the dawn of the galaxy. The first book of the trilogy is also a convincing portrayal of political machinations and the plight of individuals caught up in events beyond their comprehension."
Eric Brown, The Guardian online

"Seeds of Earth is as powerful as Smoke on the Water, as twisted as Paranoid and as epic as Stairway to Heaven. As a lover of epic fantasy I tell you that is the kind of space opera I want to read. For me it is epic fantasy in future. I recommend it! Give it a go...."
"Edifanob," on Only The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy online

"This is Space Opera in the truest sense: no wonder there is an Iain M. Banks blurb on the cover."
Goodreads contributor

Or you could try this . . . 
Of course, if your friends and relatives don't love you enough to give you book gift cards, or you have other purchases in mind, this might be a good moment to reserve your copy from the library!

Either way, the Kansas City SF&F Literati would love to see you at the book discussion next year!

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon, for the Seeds of Earth book cover image!

What's that we hear?

Another mystery of Christmas

IMAGE: Many thanks to the Christmas Sweaters and Star Trek Pinterest Page.

Can you spare a little charity?

Beware! It's Fannish Friday . . . 

IMAGE: Many thanks to ETS Only for this image.

It's not too early to plan for 2018!

Get your copy now! 
The Kansas City SF&F Literati were holding their November book discussion when this post went live. If you read The Clown Service but couldn't attend the meeting, you might enjoy the after-meeting online summaries and comments they post on their Facebook page.

And there's no time like the present to plan for their next meeting! 

Since their regular Fourth Monday of December always falls during the height of the winter holidays, the group takes a month off, but that just gives you more time to read and enjoy the January selection, a sweeping space opera. Order or reserve your copy now!

Seeds of Earth
By Michael Cobley

Overview 
from Barnes & Noble:
The first intelligent species to encounter mankind attacked without warning. Merciless. Relentless. Unstoppable. With little hope of halting the invasion, Earth's last roll of the dice was to dispatch three colony ships, seeds of Earth, to different parts of the galaxy. The human race would live on ... somewhere.

150 years later, the planet Darien hosts a thriving human settlement, which enjoys a peaceful relationship with an indigenous race, the scholarly Uvovo. But there are secrets buried on Darien's forest moon. Secrets that go back to an apocalyptic battle fought between ancient races at the dawn of galactic civilization. Unknown to its colonists, Darien is about to become the focus of an intergalactic power struggle where the true stakes are beyond their comprehension. And what choices will the Uvovo make when their true nature is revealed and the skies grow dark with the enemy?

Hope to see you next year!

Plan now to join the discussion January 22, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the Oak Park Mall Barnes & Noble Booksellers (second floor, by the windows). Everyone's welcome, even if you haven't finished the book or have never joined the group before. 

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon for the Seeds of Earth cover image.

It was a great song

Beware! It's Fannish Friday . . .

IMAGE: Many thanks to JunkIFindontheInternet via Pinterest, for this image.

Discuss the Lightless experience Monday!

Date: Monday, October 23, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.

Title: Lightless

Author: C. A. Higgins

Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble

Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2^nd Floor, 11323 W. 95^th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214

NOTE: All are welcome to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not.

What's the buzz about Lightless? 
Here's the publisher's overview.
Named one of the best books of the year by BuzzFeed and Kirkus Reviews.

“Gripping . . . sci-fi flavored with a hint of thriller.”—New York Daily News

“[A] measured, lovely science-fiction debut [that is] more psychological thriller . . . contained, disciplined, tense . . . The plot is compulsive. . . . Lightless is the first of a planned series, and you can’t help looking forward to learning what’s next.”—The New York Times

“Lightless is full of suspense and fun as hell to read.”—BuzzFeed

“Absolutely brilliant . . . This is science fiction as it is meant to be done: scientific concepts wedded to and built upon human ideals.”—Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of the October Daye series

“The stakes in this story are high—life and death, rebellion and betrayal—and debut novelist Higgins continually ratchets up the tension. . . . A suspenseful, emotional story that asks plenty of big questions about identity and freedom, this is a debut not to be missed.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A taut, suspenseful read.”—Tech Times

“Lightless is an exercise in lighting a very slow fuse and building the tension to an unbearable pitch while making us guess just how apocalyptic the ultimate explosion will be. . . . It is a high-wire act, a wonderment, and a fine accomplishment from a name we’ll be seeing again.”—Sci Fi

IMAGE: Many thanks to Goodreads, for the cover image for Lightless.

Special notice: This Friday!

Do you remember Becky Rickart?

Becky Rickart in 2004, at ConQuesT 35, which she co-chaired
 with dear friend Susan Satterfield.

A Celebration of Life Service for longtime KaXFAN and occasional ConQuesT Chair Becky Rickart will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, October 13, 2017 at the Vulcan's Forge meeting space above the store(s).

The address is 3936 Broadway, Kansas City, Missouri. Come ready to share your stories, photos, and memories of this very special woman who was loved by so many.

The organizers have created Facebook event, where interested people can go to RSVP.

PHOTO: Many thanks to the indispensable MidAmerican Fan Photo Archive, for this photo of Becky doing something she loved.

In just two weeks, the lights go out!

October 23, 2017 is just around the corner!

Have you ordered or reserved your copy of Lightless, by C. A. Higgins?

The SF&F Literati meet at 7:00 p.m. every fourth Monday (with a couple of exceptions), on the second floor of the Oak Park Barnes & Noble Booksellers. If you'd like to see discussion notes from the evening, check the group's Facebook Page.

What's Lightless about? 
Here's the publisher's overview:

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BUZZFEED AND KIRKUS REVIEWS

With deeply moving human drama, nail-biting suspense—and bold speculation informed by a degree in physics—C. A. Higgins spins a riveting science fiction debut guaranteed to catapult readers beyond their expectations.

Serving aboard the Ananke, an experimental military spacecraft launched by the ruthless organization that rules Earth and its solar system, computer scientist Althea has established an intense emotional bond—not with any of her crewmates, but with the ship’s electronic systems, which speak more deeply to her analytical mind than human feelings do. But when a pair of fugitive terrorists gain access to the Ananke, Althea must draw upon her heart and soul for the strength to defend her beloved ship.

While one of the saboteurs remains at large somewhere on board, his captured partner—the enigmatic Ivan—may prove to be more dangerous. The perversely fascinating criminal whose silver tongue is his most effective weapon has long evaded the authorities’ most relentless surveillance—and kept the truth about his methods and motives well hidden.

As the ship’s systems begin to malfunction and the claustrophobic atmosphere is increasingly poisoned by distrust and suspicion, it falls to Althea to penetrate the prisoner’s layers of intrigue and deception before all is lost. But when the true nature of Ivan’s mission is exposed, it will change Althea forever—if it doesn’t kill her first.

IMAGE: Many thanks to Goodreads, for the cover image for Lightless.

Advanced medicine

Beware! It's Fannish Friday . . . 

IMAGE: Many thanks to DarkJediKnight via FlickrHiveMind.net

By any lights, order now, for the October SF&F Literati!

October 23, 2017 will be here sooner than you think!
The SF&F Literati just met to discuss The Outsourcerer's Apprentice. They meet at 7:00 p.m. every fourth Monday (with a couple of exceptions), on the second floor of the Oak Park Barnes & Noble Booksellers. If you'd like to see discussion notes from the evening, check the group's Facebook Page.

You have a month: NOW's the time to order or reserve your copy of Lightless, by C.A. Higgins.

What's it about? 
Here's the publisher's overview:

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BUZZFEED AND KIRKUS REVIEWS

With deeply moving human drama, nail-biting suspense—and bold speculation informed by a degree in physics—C. A. Higgins spins a riveting science fiction debut guaranteed to catapult readers beyond their expectations.

Serving aboard the Ananke, an experimental military spacecraft launched by the ruthless organization that rules Earth and its solar system, computer scientist Althea has established an intense emotional bond—not with any of her crewmates, but with the ship’s electronic systems, which speak more deeply to her analytical mind than human feelings do. But when a pair of fugitive terrorists gain access to the Ananke, Althea must draw upon her heart and soul for the strength to defend her beloved ship.

While one of the saboteurs remains at large somewhere on board, his captured partner—the enigmatic Ivan—may prove to be more dangerous. The perversely fascinating criminal whose silver tongue is his most effective weapon has long evaded the authorities’ most relentless surveillance—and kept the truth about his methods and motives well hidden.

As the ship’s systems begin to malfunction and the claustrophobic atmosphere is increasingly poisoned by distrust and suspicion, it falls to Althea to penetrate the prisoner’s layers of intrigue and deception before all is lost. But when the true nature of Ivan’s mission is exposed, it will change Althea forever—if it doesn’t kill her first.

IMAGE: Many thanks to Goodreads, for the cover image for Lightless.

Found it!

Beware! It's Fannish Friday . . . 

IMAGE: Many thanks to ETS Only for this image.

A quick reminder! SF&F Literati's time (Aug. 28, 2017) has almost come!

Date: Monday, August 28, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.
Title: Just One Damned Thing After Another
Author: Jodi Taylor
Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble
Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2nd Floor, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214

NOTE: All are welcome to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not. ADDED BONUS: This month's the meeting where the Fall/Winter book selections are chosen, so come prepared with a list!

Jodi Taylor, International Woman of Mystery, guides us into a whole new realm of historical studies (don't call it "time travel"!) with St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, in which historians “investigate major historical events in contemporary time.”

This madcap British romp through history takes readers "From eleventh-century London to World War I, from the Cretaceous Period to the destruction of the Great Library at Alexandria," alongside the "disaster-magnets" of St. Mary's.

Even if you haven't read (or haven't finished) the book, the group would love to see you there, to discuss this beloved series-opener.

IMAGE: Many thanks to Goodreads for the cover image.