LORDS OF LORE

We are a science fiction/fantasy book club in Chicago. There are ten or so of us. We abide by a fairly strict set of rules (see below). This is the official LORDS OF LORE home page, containing information and a record of our deliberations.

You may also enjoy a visit to the OFFICIAL LORDS OF LORE BLOG, affording some insight into the rarefied aesthetic predilections of, if not a majority, then at least a refined and proactive cross-section of our membership.

Rules

Here are the rules:

  1. You choose a book to read.
    1. Your book must be sci-fi/fantasy, and really it must be classified as such by the publisher. In other words, it must be "genre fiction", don't try any shit like reading a Vonnegut or Murakami book and calling it science fiction. Hint: suitable books can be found in the SCI-FI SECTION of your favorite store.
    2. Your book should have a copyright date of 2009, 2010 or 2011. There are a few problems with this. The idea is to be reading new books, so really it should have an original copyright date of 2009, 2010 or 2011. Don't read some book that's twenty years old but just republished, or some mass market that came out in 2003 in hardcover, or some book that came out in a British edition in 2000 but is just now seeing American release. However, we do recognize that sometimes it's pretty hard to find out when a book was really originally published, which makes this a little challenging. Just do your best. ALSO: we do recognize that this is pretty restrictive. You might not have an easy time finding something, particularly something that's not part of an ongoing series and particularly in the fantasy genre. This is sort of the point. So really, just try to do your best. If you pick something from 2005 and can justify your choice, you will IN ALL LIKELIHOOD not be expelled from the club. But like I said, this difficulty is really sort of the whole point of the club, so please try to do your best.
  2. Read your book, and prepare in any way necessary to present your findings.
  3. Present your findings at our next club meeting. Generally, meetings are held every two months.

That's about it. Go nuts.

Meeting Dates

  1. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 (minutes, which are frankly garbage)
  2. Tuesday, December 10, 2007 (minutes, which are nearly garbage)
  3. Tuesday, February 5, 2008 (minutes)
  4. Tuesday, April 29, 2008 (minutes)
  5. Friday, July 11, 2008 (minutes)
  6. Tuesday, August 26, 2008 (minutes)
  7. Friday, October 3, 2008 (minutes)
  8. Friday, January 16, 2009 (minutes)
  9. Friday, February 27, 2009 (minutes)
  10. Friday, April 24, 2009 (minutes)
  11. Friday, June 12, 2009 (minutes)
  12. Thursday, July 23, 2009 (minutes)
  13. Friday, September 19, 2009 (minutes)
  14. Thursday, October 8, 2009 (minutes)
  15. Thursday, December 3, 2009 (minutes)
  16. Thursday, January 14, 2010 (minutes)
  17. Thursday, March 11, 2010 (minutes)
  18. Saturday, April 17, 2010 (minutes)
  19. Saturday, June 19, 2010 (minutes)
  20. Friday, September 3, 2010 (minutes)
  21. Saturday, November 13, 2010 (minutes)
  22. Sunday, January 9, 2011 (minutes)
  23. Friday, February 25, 2011 (minutes)
  24. Thursday, April 28, 2011 (minutes)
  25. Saturday, October 15, 2011 (minutes)
  26. Saturday, December 18, 2011 (minutes)
  27. Saturday, January 28, 2012 (minutes)
  28. Saturday, June 23, 2012 (minutes)
  29. Saturday, October 13, 2012 (minutes)
  30. Sunday, January 27, 2013 (minutes)
  31. March, 2013 (planned)

Mailing list

There is a mailing list for the purpose of coordinating our actions. It can also be used to foster a small amount of discussion or for the distribution of noteworthy news items.

Books Read

Roughly in chronological order. Reviews and comments can be found in the meeting minutes (sometimes spread across several meetings or reviewed by different people on multiple occasions), and copies of most have been donated to the Library of Lore and are available to be checked out.

  1. Jack McDevitt. Seeker.
  2. Charles Stross. Glasshouse.
  3. Alastair Reynolds. Pushing Ice.
  4. Chris Genoa. Foop!.
  5. William Dietz. Runner.
  6. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. Left Behind.
  7. Peter F Hamilton. Pandora's Star.
  8. Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden. Baltimore.
  9. Joe Haldeman. Camouflage.
  10. Brian Francis Slattery. Spaceman Blues.
  11. M John Harrison. Light.
  12. M John Harrison. Nova Swing.
  13. Jeff Vandermeer. Shriek: An Afterword.
  14. Violette Malan. The Mirror Prince.
  15. Charles Stross. Missile Gap.
  16. Karl Schroeder. Sun of Suns.
  17. Karen Traviss. Matriarch.
  18. Vernor Vinge. Rainbow's End.
  19. Vernor Vinge. A Fire Upon the Deep.
  20. Karl Schroeder. Sun of Suns.
  21. John C Wright. Orphans of Chaos.
  22. William Gibson. Spook Country.
  23. Charles Stross. Halting State.
  24. Matthew Jarpe. Radio Freefall.
  25. Joe Abercrombie. The Blade Itself.
  26. Joe Abercrombie. Before They Are Hanged.
  27. Patrick Rothfuss. The Name of the Wind.
  28. Dan Simmons. Hyperion.
  29. Dan Simmons. The Fall of Hyperion.
  30. Ekaterina Sedia. The Secret History of Moscow.
  31. China Mieville. Iron Council.
  32. Richard K Morgan. Thirteen (Black Man).
  33. Michael Flynn. Eifelheim.
  34. Iain M Banks. Matter.
  35. John Scalzi. The Android's Dream.
  36. John C Wright. Fugitives of Chaos.
  37. John C Wright. Titans of Chaos.
  38. Alastair Reynolds. Revelation Space.
  39. Alastair Reynolds. Chasm City.
  40. Alastair Reynolds. Redemption Ark.
  41. Alastair Reynolds. Absolution Gap.
  42. Alastair Reynolds. Galactic North.
  43. J F Lewis. Staked.
  44. Iain M Banks. Consider Phlebas.
  45. Geoffrey A Landis. Mars Crossing.
  46. Donald Kingsbury. Psychohistorical Crisis.
  47. Joe Abercrombie. Last Argument of Kings.
  48. Stephenie Meyer. Twilight.
  49. Stephenie Meyer. New Moon.
  50. Portia Da Costa. The Stranger.
  51. Gene Wolfe. Pirate Freedom.
  52. Audrey Niffenegger. The Time Traveler's Wife.
  53. Mary Robinette Kowal. For Solo Cello, Opus 12.
  54. Leinad Zeraus. Daemon.
  55. Michael Chabon. The Yiddish Policemen's Union.
  56. Neal Stephenson. Anathem.
  57. George R R Martin. A Game of Thrones.
  58. Simon Messingham. Doctor Who: The Doctor Trap.
  59. Brandon Sanderson. Elantris.
  60. David J Schwarz. Superpowers.
  61. M T Anderson. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing.
  62. Scott Lynch. The Lies of Locke Lamora.
  63. Scott Lynch. Red Seas Under Red Skies.
  64. Thomas M Disch. The Word of God.
  65. J F Lewis. Revamped.
  66. William Schafer (ed.). Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy.
  67. Matthew Hughes. Majestrum.
  68. Cormac McCarthy. The Road.
  69. Jaye Wells. Red-Headed Stepchild.
  70. Brandon Sanderson. Mistborn.
  71. Brandon Sanderson. The Well of Ascension.
  72. Brian Francis Slattery. Liberation: Being The Adventures of The Slick Six After The Collapse Of The United States Of America.
  73. Richard K Morgan. The Steel Remains.
  74. Brandon Sanderson. Hero of the Ages.
  75. Max Brooks. World War Z: An Oral History Of The Zombie War.
  76. Michael Swanwick. The Dog Said Bow-Wow.
  77. Brian D'Amato. In the Courts of the Sun.
  78. Kristin Cashore. Graceling.
  79. Steven Erikson. Gardens of the Moon.
  80. Steven Erikson. Deadhouse Gates.
  81. Buzz Aldrin and John Barnes. Encounter With Tiber.
  82. George Stewart. Earth Abides.
  83. Joe Abercrombie. Best Served Cold.
  84. Larry Niven. The Integral Trees.
  85. Laurell K Hamilton. Guilty Pleasures.
  86. Laurell K Hamilton. The Laughing Corpse.
  87. Laurell K Hamilton. Circus of the Damned.
  88. Laurell K Hamilton. The Lunatic Cafe.
  89. Laurell K Hamilton. Bloody Bones.
  90. Laurell K Hamilton. The Killing Dance.
  91. Laurell K Hamilton. Burnt Offerings.
  92. Laurell K Hamilton. Blue Moon.
  93. Laurell K Hamilton. Obsidian Butterfly.
  94. Laurell K Hamilton. Narcissus in Chains.
  95. Laurell K Hamilton. Cerulean Sins.
  96. Laurell K Hamilton. Incubus Dreams.
  97. Laurell K Hamilton. Micah.
  98. Laurell K Hamilton. Danse Macabre.
  99. Laurell K Hamilton. The Harlequin.
  100. Laurell K Hamilton. Blood Noir.
  101. Laurell K Hamilton. Skin Trade.
  102. Kim Harrison. Dead Witch Walking.
  103. Kim Harrison. The Good, the Bad, and the Undead.
  104. Kim Harrison. Every Which Way But Dead.
  105. Kim Harrison. A Fistful of Charms.
  106. Kim Harrison. For a Few Demons More.
  107. Kim Harrison. The Outlaw Demon Wails.
  108. Kim Harrison. White Witch, Black Curse.
  109. China Mieville. The City And The City.
  110. Stephen King. The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger.
  111. Jacqueline Carey. Kushiel's Dart.
  112. Jacqueline Carey. Kushiel's Chosen.
  113. Jacqueline Carey. Kushiel's Avatar.
  114. Jacqueline Carey. Kushiel's Scion.
  115. Jacqueline Carey. Kushiel's Justice.
  116. Jacqueline Carey. Kushiel's Mercy.
  117. Greg Bear. The City at the End of Time.
  118. Ursula K LeGuin. The Left Hand of Darkness.
  119. George R R Martin. A Clash of Kings.
  120. Charles Stross. Saturn's Children.
  121. China Mieville. Perdido Street Station.
  122. Sumana Harihareswara and Leonard Richardson (eds.). Thoughtcrime Experiments.
  123. C J Cherryh. Defender.
  124. Neil Gaiman. Neverwhere.
  125. Scott Sigler. Infected.
  126. Iain (M?) Banks. Transition.
  127. A J Menden. Tekgrrl.
  128. Kit Whitfield. In Great Waters.
  129. Scott Sigler. Contagious.
  130. Laura E Reeve. Peacekeeper.
  131. Paolo Bacigalupi. The Windup Girl.
  132. Carl Sagan. Contact.
  133. Sasha Miller. Ladylord.
  134. Diana Wynne Jones. Dark Lord of Derkholm.
  135. Charles de Lint. The Mystery of Grace.
  136. C J Cherryh. Destroyer.
  137. Karen Miller. Empress.
  138. Karen Miller. The Riven Kingdom.
  139. Patrick Ness. The Knife of Never Letting Go.
  140. Nick Harkaway. The Gone-Away World.
  141. China Mieville. Kraken.
  142. Alastair Reynolds. House of Suns.
  143. Joe Haldeman. The Forever War.
  144. Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games.
  145. Suzanne Collins. Catching Fire.
  146. Suzanne Collins. Mockingjay.
  147. John Joseph Adams (ed.). Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse.
  148. Patrick Ness. The Ask and the Answer.
  149. Tom Holt. The Portable Door.
  150. Guy Gavriel Kay. Ysabelle.
  151. Cory Doctorow. The Makers.
  152. Seth Grahame-Smith. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
  153. Laurell K Hamilton. A Kiss of Shadows.
  154. Laurell K Hamilton. A Caress of Twilight.
  155. Laurell K Hamilton. Seduced by Moonlight.
  156. Laurell K Hamilton. A Stroke of Midnight.
  157. Laurell K Hamilton. Mistral's Kiss.
  158. Laurell K Hamilton. A Lick of Frost.
  159. Steven Erikson. Memories of Ice.
  160. Dave Gross. Prince of Wolves.
  161. Kimberly Frost. The Would-Be Witch.
  162. Brandon Sanderson. The Way of Kings.
  163. Patrick Ness. Monsters of Men.
  164. Tom Holt. Blonde Bombshell.
  165. Lieberman and Rossmo. Cowboy Ninja Viking.
  166. Lev Grossman. The Magicians.
  167. William Gibson. Zero History.
  168. N K Jemisin. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.
  169. Vernor Vinge. Marooned in Realtime.
  170. Cherie Priest. Boneshaker.
  171. Grant Morrison and Mukesh Singh. 18 Days.
  172. The Pathfinder Team. Pathfinder: Bestiary 2.
  173. Arthur Machen. The Great God Pan.
  174. J F Lewis. Crossed.
  175. Joe Abercrombie. The Heroes.
  176. Gwyneth Jones. Bold as Love.
  177. Sara Douglass. Hades' Daughter.
  178. Kim Harrison. Black Magic Sanction.
  179. Patrick Rothfuss. Wise Man's Fear.
  180. Laurell K Hamilton. Flirt.
  181. Laurell K Hamilton. Bullet.
  182. Laurell K Hamilton. Hit List.
  183. Alastair Reynolds. Terminal World.
  184. Iain M Banks. Surface Detail.
  185. Ian McDonald. The Dervish House.
  186. China Mieville. The Scar.
  187. China Mieville. Embassytown.
  188. Paolo Bacigalupi. Ship Breaker.
  189. George R R Martin. A Storm of Swords.
  190. George R R Martin. A Feast for Crows.
  191. George R R Martin. A Dance with Dragons.
  192. Neal Stephenson. Reamde.
  193. Lev Grossman. The Magician King.
  194. Neal Stephenson. Quicksilver.
  195. Neal Stephenson. The Confusion.
  196. Neal Stephenson. The System of the World.
  197. David Weber. On Basilisk Station.
  198. Veronica Roth. Divergent.
  199. Storm Constantine. Wraeththu.
  200. C S Lewis. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
  201. C S Lewis. Prince Caspian.
  202. C S Lewis. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
  203. C S Lewis. The Silver Chair.
  204. C S Lewis. The Horse and His Boy.
  205. C S Lewis. The Magician's Nephew.
  206. C S Lewis. The Last Battle.
  207. David Weber. The Short Victorious War.
  208. David Weber. Field of Dishonor.
  209. Hannu Rajaniemi. The Quantum Thief.
  210. Richard K Morgan. The Cold Commands.
  211. Glen Cook. The Black Company.
  212. J R R Tolkien. The Hobbit.
  213. J R R Tolkien. The Silmarillion.
  214. Stephen King. The Gunslinger.
  215. Stephen King. The Drawing of the Three.
  216. James S A Corey. Leviathan Wakes.
  217. Haruki Murakami. 1Q84.
  218. Paolo Bacigalupi. The Drowned Cities.
  219. James Stokoe. Orc Stain.
  220. Ernest Cline. Ready Player One.
  221. Jeffrey Brown. Darth Vader and Son.
  222. David Anthony Durham. Acacia: The War with the Mein.
  223. David Anthony Durham. Acacia: The Other Lands.
  224. Paolo Bacigalupi. The Alchemist.
  225. Elizabeth McCoy. Herb-Witch.
  226. Elizabeth McCoy. Herb-Wife.
  227. Stephen King. The Waste Lands.
  228. Stephen King. Wizard and Glass.
  229. Dan Simmons. Rise of Endymion.
  230. Ben H Winters. The Last Policeman.
  231. M John Harrison. Empty Space.
  232. A N Roquelaure. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty.
  233. A N Roquelaure. Beauty's Punishment.
  234. A N Roquelaure. Beauty's Release.
  235. Stephen King. Wolves of the Calla.
  236. Stephen King. Song of Susannah.
  237. Stephen King. The Dark Tower.
  238. Jo Walton. Among Others.
  239. Robin Sloane. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore.
  240. Joe Abercrombie. Red Country.
  241. Iain M Banks. The Hydrogen Sonata.
Last updated 2/2013 by Matt.