Tried any Jack McDevitt? I like both of his main series (Alex Benedict and Priscilla Hutchins ones). Remember enjoying deep six, chindi, and seeker in particular. He has a unique feel which I think I saw someone describe as science fiction archaeology which I think is apt.
I think if we sticky a thread for voting we can get something chosen to discuss by the end of the month. You want me to write it up and post it?
It could be that I listened to them on audiobook but I kinda pictured an Arnold/Terminator kinda person.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - Philip K Dick
Runner-up suggested by Troy
That’s what I’ve done at !printsf@lemmy.ca but to be honest theur hasn’t been a lot of engagement. Would be happy to run the one here if you’d like.
I’ll plug the !printsf@lemmy.ca community. Two months in and last months read was Iain Banks Player of Games and this months is Winter World by A.G. Riddle. Usually have a vote thread 6 weeks before the end of the month to pick a new one.
Maybe do a series of horror movie watch parties for October instead?
But battling the small community issue in printSF and Detroit Lions. Makes me miss Reddit.
So I flew through this read but I’m not sure I enjoyed it. Also my first read of a Culture novel. Some stray thoughts:
-The initial presentation of Azad as a meritocracy through performance at essentially a competitive test a la the SAT, ACT, A levels, only to be revealed again and again how it’s set up to enforce the class structure. Elite schooling and training to perform better, performance enhancing drugs, and just straight out blocking people from participating at a certain level.
-Gurgeh got played begining to end by Special Circumstances. This coupled with the heavy handed commentary about the utopian possibilities offered from having the same virtues as the Culture I think are somewhat at odds? Also a surprisingly high number of people die in the Culture (like at the end) after spending a chunk of time talking about how that rarely happens.
Surprisingly I think TV/Movies got this more right because of the want to show the actors. If you had a sci-fi movie or show it was probably in there. 2001 A Space Odyssey and Star Trek both in the sixties had an, albeit clunkier, face time or zoom. I think with novels with less of a need to show who was talking radio and messages were more common.
Winter World by A.G. Riddle
Runner-up suggested by RatTub
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - Philip K Dick
Runner-up suggested by Troy
It’s not too late to start the drinking game. Soooo good.
As of the other day the series was on sale at GOG. ~$30 for 0 though 6.
New to the series and started with 0 and been enjoying it.
Haven’t played but from another thread I saw about that game awhile ago was to try and play co-op to start. Was told it can be very difficult initially playing solo.
World of Tanks is similar too. A little faster paced perhaps but doing the right thing in the right place is a 1000% more important than reflexes imo. Never played in clans and it might be different at that level.
Commented on something like this the other day. Official votes should be limited to its own community with only active votes. The slate of votes would run at standard times (i.e. Sunday to Sunday). The agora could be used for discussion and meeting a threshold for a topic to clear to be put on the voting slate.
I think the vote posts might be better off in their own community outside the agora, like c/pollingplace or something. Discussions and topics that meet a threshold here are moved to that community and voting goes for a week. Each week the current slate of pending votes is posted and voting can occur with upvotes and downvotes on an aye, nay, and abstention comments inside the post.
Can a mod/admin/whatever pull who upvoted what? Somehow Lemmy is tracking it since it knows what you’ve upvoted. But it might make sense for the first couple of votes to do some real data analysis on them (who/what instances, age of account, average post quantity voted which way) to determine an algorithm that minimizes brigading while allowing everyone a voice.
Was thinking having a vote be #1 in Agora for 7 days might be an interesting pass metric. Would guarantee anyone who visited saw it. Would also naturally slow down rule changes and build a cooling off period so things don’t get passed because of some temporary kerfuffle.
Very fair. Good luck finding a new book