It’s normal to feel uncomfortable after sharing that level of vulnerability. I’d never seen your channel before but I’m staying because I admire your commitment to reading and your hobby. We can respect your wish to return to the original focus of your channel. Good luck!! 🍀🍀
If you hadn’t posted that video I would never have learned about “booktube”. I’m always looking for good science fiction books. Looking forward to hearing about books I’ve yet to read! Thank you for coming back. Still sending light n hugs.
In tough times like what you went through, one of the best ways to cope is turning to a hobby you love. It worked for me when I lost family and people close to me. Doesnt work for all but I am glad you kept going because life is unpredictable.
Great to see you back Matt. I'm going to be reading The Listeners soon too. Ronald Walotsky is one of my favorite SF artist, usually when I notice some art that I really like I find out it's Ron. I love Book Club editions mostly because they seem unwanted and discarded, plus I joined the SFBC back in the early 90's so there is nostalgia.
Great score on the BCEs, all those for 7 bucks! I tend to avoid the BCEs but do have a few. the covers on those are all great! Good luck with flipping the ones you don't intend to keep. As you say, one day at a time. Hope you are both holding up ok. xx Jon
Back into the swing of things! Let’s get it!💖💖 nothing to do but go UP from here. Thank you for sharing. You gave me strength to share my story. New subscriber, yes, but worth it. If you helped me, think of the hundreds of others. Embrace your story, it is important. 💖✨✨✨ also my husband and I are sci fi fans hardcore, so you gained true subscribers!!
If I were to recommend one short story of SF by Bradbury, it would be The Long Rain. The scenery & sensual detail in it are something else. & I was blown away by Where Time Winds Blow - by Robert Holdstock. It's the type of book I will re-read at some point.
Wonderful to see you back Matt I'm trying to collect the Del Rey / Ballantine Best Ofs... but they are not easy to find over here in the UK in good condition, but I've managed to collect 14 of them. Nice haul of hardcovers. I go back and forth on whether I want to collect hardcovers, but they take up too much space so I always end up back with the paperbacks. Read Haldeman's Forever War a couple of months ago and was pretty impressed with it. Back in the day I read quite a few Dick short story collections and enjoyed them. More recently I read my first two novels by him - Man In The High Castle which I did not get on with at all, and Do Androids Dream... which I did quite enjoy - so the jury is still out on him for me. You really should get round to trying Bradbury - he's up there as one of my favourite authors. Sending you both all my best wishes... Peter
Great to see you! Most of the Book Club editions you’ve shown are from my era in the club, and I can look up and see them on my shelves. Clarke did say Songs of Distant Earth was his favourite; you told me this in a reply to a question I posed so it isn’t a false memory! I’m still on the lookout for that one for completeness sake. As for acquiring and then storing books you never read, something I’m guilty of as well, I take solace in the wise words of Mr. Spock:”Having is not so pleasing a thing after all, as wanting .” Cheers to you!
Glad to hear your Haldeman take on what helped cement your interest in SF, Matt. He's a dependable good read no matter what. Clarke's Childhoods End is my favorite novel by him, I like that hardcover you showed. Lots of great cover art in this episode as well. Cheers.
‘The Forever War’ is one of my favourite classic SF. Just finished reading a newer novel of Haldeman’s ‘The Accidental Time Machine’. Very different in tone, more of a popcorn movie feel. Beautiful Bear, Niven, Clarke, Simak, etc. hardcovers.
I'm subscribed to quite a few book tube channels now. It's always interesting to see how many books I've still to get to or even discover in the first place. My TBR mountain never seems to get smaller although free space certainly does.
Glad to see you back! Glad to see you feeling a bit better. Time is the healer. What name did you give your son? Science-Fiction helps a lot. That soft back PKD collection sure looks good to me. Keep strong! PS: Robert Silverberg has great taste in anthologizing. These stories shouldn't disappoint. Lastly those 30 year retrospective anthologies are GOLD.
I'm really happy to have found your channel. When I was still in school I always read mostly high fantasy/science fiction. But in the years since I graduated, I shifted all my attention to high fantasy. I've been wanting to delve into sciene fiction again but have been completely lost on where to start after moving away from it for so long. Going through your back log of videos has been extremely helpful to me. As someone who also prefers older books, I thank you for making such great videos and recommendations. Keep up the amazing content!
@sciencefictionreads Thank you so much for responding! I've already made a list of a few books you've recommended to check out from the library on my next trip. As far as my recommendations, the Birthgrave Trilogy and the Earthsea Cycle. Depending on if you're up for a heaftier or lighter read.
New sub here but I'm here for the duration. My peak science fiction reading was from '79 when a teacher introduced me to it to the late 90's when I got together with my now wife. A vintage series I miss is the Berserker saga created by Fred Saberhagen. Very surprised about Heinlein. His early stuff is very solid sf with some good concepts. His writing evolved as he aged but was still good towards the end. 20:57
I have the Saberhagen books but haven’t yet read anything of his. I really should. And not having read any Heinlein is something I should correct this year as well 👍
Great haul, recently picked up that BCE of Childhood's End for 15 bucks at a local bookstore, spent a long time looking for a copy in the wild so was stoked to find it for that price but you got yours for pennies on the dollar, a very solid get!
What a haul for $7!!! The only Jack McDevitt I've read is "Eternity Road" which I thoroughly enjoyed so I guess I should pick up more of his stuff. I'm glad to have found your channel, despite everything. As you said, one day at a time.
OMG😂 that fan art cover of Limits!! That cover is its own sci-fi Piano Man video! The coverless haldeman near the beginning is totally book club. Legacy of Heorot is supposed to be way better than that collection of authors working in concert sounds. Like it really is the best of each of them, might want to hold on to that as a reading copy.
Really great to see you. Take it one day at a time. Mythago Wood is more amazing, subtle, and atmospheric then you would expect. It is also a healing book. (I know, woo woo alert) It deals with family, it deals with loss, It deals with disjoint of time and alienation, Of trying to find one's place in time, in the world and where Nations and families overlap, using a framework of British mythology and nature and the unconscious. I might not read it this month or next, but I would read it soon. And I can also help you with the ancient musical cues that are in the book. Best.
New sub, I've liked scifi since I was a kid but haven't read any in ages. But after finding your channel, I've been going through your vids, and your knowledge and passion is an absolute JOY to watch. I'm inspired now to dive deeper into scifi and space opera!
I learned of your channel from that video. But I watch sci-fi and fantasy booktube every day, so your channel was a good recommend for me. I'm interested in reading some older sci-fi, and I pretty much only know about the bigger authors. I already learned a few things from your video today. Lol
I picked mutants up myself recently I’m a big silverberg fan hoping it’s got a good selection of stories in and hadn’t read any Larry Niven in years so picked up footfall, lucifers hammer , I liked mote in gods eye but it’s so long since I’ve read anything by him I hope enjoy them . Good to see you back mate🫡
I'd suggest hanging on to that A Talent For War simply for the cover art. The paperback version I've seen available most has that guy with the ridiculously over-detailed space helmet. My favorite of that series to read, though, is Seeker (4th book). I agree with you about that depiction of the Puppeteers. I think the best depiction is found in Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials (not sure where my copy is).
A Talent for War is very good. I like his other stuff and read this after reading several of his singletons and the first 5 Hutch books and it shot to the top. Dream Park is like a theme park mixed with an ARG. Of course things go wrong and the characters have to survive and get out. It's a lot of fun. The sequels are good but I don't think they hold up as well
I am one of your new subscribers from that video. I am sorry it got too much for you, but glad it helped for a time. Looking forward to your content ❤️
The Immortals by James Gunn was adapted into a TV movie Starring Christopher George in 1969, as I recall. Pretty good, the following 1970 TV series was essentially The Fugitive, and was OK, but did not last.
Just started getting more into reading, recently finished the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy by Cixin Liu, blown away by that, currently working on book 2 of the Salvation Sequence, your channel seems like a great place to look for my next read!
I read my first Frederik Pohl a few months ago and it was just ok. I'm glad I borrowed it from the library. I don't know if I'll try any of his other books.
I did start 'Gateway' once and couldn't get interested but i need to give him a fair go. Usually, a 'best of" or short story collection is a good way to find out if they're an author for me or not.
Glad to see you back. Yes normality must set it. All the best for you. Now about the books that we both like to talk.. what's your take on Jake mcdevitt behind your video ?
I like Mcdevitt. I’ve mostly only read his Academy series though. But I enjoy his archaeology and ancient long dead civilizations. His aliens are often a little too human for my liking though.
Out of curiosity, just how big is your library? Not sure I've ever seen another angle in the videos. I've come to a point of having to decide what will go in boxes and what will go on shelves. No more room, but it's not as if I could consider not buying any more books.
There’s a fourth shelf like the three behind me, another larger shelf for hardcovers and two wall mounted shelves. I’ve done a couple videos where I go through them in detail. And then theres boxes and boxes waiting for the day I have more space. I agree, not buying books isn’t an option😝
Seriously, well done with how far you have come already since the last video. I love the photo in the background. You and your partner are strong and your feelings are 100% valid.
Thankyou so much. Something that comes to mind that i read recently is the work of James H Schmitz. Specifically his 'Federations of the Hub' stories. A lot of those feature strong female characters. I actually made a video a few months ago on that Universe and its female characters 👍
It’s normal to feel uncomfortable after sharing that level of vulnerability. I’d never seen your channel before but I’m staying because I admire your commitment to reading and your hobby. We can respect your wish to return to the original focus of your channel. Good luck!! 🍀🍀
Feel exact same and am staying ❤
If you hadn’t posted that video I would never have learned about “booktube”. I’m always looking for good science fiction books. Looking forward to hearing about books I’ve yet to read! Thank you for coming back. Still sending light n hugs.
Thankyou ❤️
@@sciencefictionreads Welcome back.
@@sciencefictionreadsHi. I cannot find the book “The Last Days of Skandokar” anywhere. Do you know of any places to buy it? Thanks.
Sending love my dude, don't ever feel like you owe people more of yourself than you want to put out.
We're glad to see you back
I can't say it any better than this. Glad to see you.
No pressure.
In tough times like what you went through, one of the best ways to cope is turning to a hobby you love. It worked for me when I lost family and people close to me. Doesnt work for all but I am glad you kept going because life is unpredictable.
Good to see you back, Matt. Nice haul. Be easy on yourself, my friend.
Well I'm sticking around if you don't mind.
Same. And I never would have found Booktube either
The real humanity you showed to the world is inspiring. I look forward to seeing your channel grow.
Welcome back! It's great to see you again. Positive vibes all the way.
Thanks!
Great to see you back Matt. I'm going to be reading The Listeners soon too. Ronald Walotsky is one of my favorite SF artist, usually when I notice some art that I really like I find out it's Ron. I love Book Club editions mostly because they seem unwanted and discarded, plus I joined the SFBC back in the early 90's so there is nostalgia.
Great score on the BCEs, all those for 7 bucks! I tend to avoid the BCEs but do have a few. the covers on those are all great! Good luck with flipping the ones you don't intend to keep. As you say, one day at a time. Hope you are both holding up ok.
xx
Jon
Back into the swing of things! Let’s get it!💖💖 nothing to do but go UP from here. Thank you for sharing. You gave me strength to share my story. New subscriber, yes, but worth it. If you helped me, think of the hundreds of others. Embrace your story, it is important. 💖✨✨✨ also my husband and I are sci fi fans hardcore, so you gained true subscribers!!
Thankyou ❤️
If I were to recommend one short story of SF by Bradbury, it would be The Long Rain. The scenery & sensual detail in it are something else.
& I was blown away by Where Time Winds Blow - by Robert Holdstock. It's the type of book I will re-read at some point.
Wonderful to see you back Matt
I'm trying to collect the Del Rey / Ballantine Best Ofs... but they are not easy to find over here in the UK in good condition, but I've managed to collect 14 of them.
Nice haul of hardcovers. I go back and forth on whether I want to collect hardcovers, but they take up too much space so I always end up back with the paperbacks. Read Haldeman's Forever War a couple of months ago and was pretty impressed with it. Back in the day I read quite a few Dick short story collections and enjoyed them. More recently I read my first two novels by him - Man In The High Castle which I did not get on with at all, and Do Androids Dream... which I did quite enjoy - so the jury is still out on him for me.
You really should get round to trying Bradbury - he's up there as one of my favourite authors.
Sending you both all my best wishes... Peter
Thanks Peter!
I love to read. I wouldn't have found you if your video hadn't come across my feed. ❤
Lot's of great old covers. I like that Story of Stone especially.
Fab, glad to see you back on the proverbial horse Matt. On my way back from 🇫🇷, will watch this properly later. 👌 👍
Great to see you! Most of the Book Club editions you’ve shown are from my era in the club, and I can look up and see them on my shelves. Clarke did say Songs of Distant Earth was his favourite; you told me this in a reply to a question I posed so it isn’t a false memory! I’m still on the lookout for that one for completeness sake. As for acquiring and then storing books you never read, something I’m guilty of as well, I take solace in the wise words of Mr. Spock:”Having is not so pleasing a thing after all, as wanting .” Cheers to you!
My memory is terrible but i thank you for confirming that i did indeed previously mention that Clarke tidbit😆 Thankyou, and thanks for watching!
Matt, it’s awesome to see you back sharing your passion with us. 🙂
Thanks, Bart!
Cheers :) I started as a SciFi channel, so I'm really into SciFi books. I love old stuff especially.
Glad to hear your Haldeman take on what helped cement your interest in SF, Matt. He's a dependable good read no matter what. Clarke's Childhoods End is my favorite novel by him, I like that hardcover you showed. Lots of great cover art in this episode as well. Cheers.
Thanks, Rick!
welcome back whatever you want to put out there I'll want to watch, thanks for the great content.
Thankyou!
It's great to see you back!
Really glad you are back in the game, i really missed your videos
I have started reading a bit of old sci-fi the last years, so this channel is perfect for me =D
‘The Forever War’ is one of my favourite classic SF. Just finished reading a newer novel of Haldeman’s ‘The Accidental Time Machine’. Very different in tone, more of a popcorn movie feel. Beautiful Bear, Niven, Clarke, Simak, etc. hardcovers.
Welcome back, man! Glad to see you’re getting back into the swing of things. It’ll get better, my friend. 🤘🏻
I'm subscribed to quite a few book tube channels now. It's always interesting to see how many books I've still to get to or even discover in the first place. My TBR mountain never seems to get smaller although free space certainly does.
Booktube is not a healthy environment for your TBR 😝
Glad to see you back! Glad to see you feeling a bit better. Time is the healer. What name did you give your son?
Science-Fiction helps a lot. That soft back PKD collection sure looks good to me.
Keep strong!
PS: Robert Silverberg has great taste in anthologizing. These stories shouldn't disappoint. Lastly those 30 year retrospective anthologies are GOLD.
Thanks Seven! His name is Theodore. I either forgot to mention it in the last video or it was cut.
Spacing has a lovely cover!
Good to see you back.
I'm really happy to have found your channel. When I was still in school I always read mostly high fantasy/science fiction. But in the years since I graduated, I shifted all my attention to high fantasy. I've been wanting to delve into sciene fiction again but have been completely lost on where to start after moving away from it for so long. Going through your back log of videos has been extremely helpful to me. As someone who also prefers older books, I thank you for making such great videos and recommendations. Keep up the amazing content!
Thanks so much! And thanks for watching! I hope I can lead you to some excellent SF. High Fantasy recommendations always welcome too!
@sciencefictionreads Thank you so much for responding! I've already made a list of a few books you've recommended to check out from the library on my next trip.
As far as my recommendations, the Birthgrave Trilogy and the Earthsea Cycle. Depending on if you're up for a heaftier or lighter read.
Bunch of great looking books.
Glad your back
Heartened to see you.
Thankyou ❤️
Digging the style. Thanks for sharing!
New sub here but I'm here for the duration. My peak science fiction reading was from '79 when a teacher introduced me to it to the late 90's when I got together with my now wife. A vintage series I miss is the Berserker saga created by Fred Saberhagen.
Very surprised about Heinlein. His early stuff is very solid sf with some good concepts. His writing evolved as he aged but was still good towards the end. 20:57
I have the Saberhagen books but haven’t yet read anything of his. I really should. And not having read any Heinlein is something I should correct this year as well 👍
Glad to see you back!
Great haul, recently picked up that BCE of Childhood's End for 15 bucks at a local bookstore, spent a long time looking for a copy in the wild so was stoked to find it for that price but you got yours for pennies on the dollar, a very solid get!
Its an awesome copy of the book. Happy to hear you tracked one down!
You are an awesome guy... keep it up bro
If you have Heinlein's The Door Into Summer in that box of paperbacks, start with that -- think you'll like it.
Thankyou for the recommendation!
Glad to see you back Matt. I hope you are doing a little better, just know the community is thinking about you and sending good vibes your way.
Love all the old covers, I love Bradbury though I haven't read all of his. Some of them can be on the darker side.
Good to see you back in the seat. Be kind to yourself.
What a haul for $7!!! The only Jack McDevitt I've read is "Eternity Road" which I thoroughly enjoyed so I guess I should pick up more of his stuff. I'm glad to have found your channel, despite everything. As you said, one day at a time.
I also enjoyed Eternity Road! And nearly everything I've read by him. Great author! Thanks for watching!
OMG😂 that fan art cover of Limits!! That cover is its own sci-fi Piano Man video!
The coverless haldeman near the beginning is totally book club.
Legacy of Heorot is supposed to be way better than that collection of authors working in concert sounds. Like it really is the best of each of them, might want to hold on to that as a reading copy.
Welcome back.
Really great to see you.
Take it one day at a time.
Mythago Wood is more amazing, subtle, and atmospheric then you would expect. It is also a healing book. (I know, woo woo alert)
It deals with family, it deals with loss,
It deals with disjoint of time and alienation,
Of trying to find one's place in time, in the world and where Nations and families overlap, using a framework of British mythology and nature and the unconscious.
I might not read it this month or next, but I would read it soon.
And I can also help you with the ancient musical cues that are in the book.
Best.
Love the older authors. Have purchased a couple of books to see what newer SciFi is like.
Oh, you are going to love Ray Bradbury! What a treat you are in for!! I love the artwork on the vintage books. Great lot for $7.00!
New sub, I've liked scifi since I was a kid but haven't read any in ages. But after finding your channel, I've been going through your vids, and your knowledge and passion is an absolute JOY to watch. I'm inspired now to dive deeper into scifi and space opera!
Thankyou, and thanks for watching!
Good to have you back bro...hope everything is as well as they can be!
I have that edition of Ring World as well! I LOVE that cover! ❤
I learned of your channel from that video. But I watch sci-fi and fantasy booktube every day, so your channel was a good recommend for me. I'm interested in reading some older sci-fi, and I pretty much only know about the bigger authors. I already learned a few things from your video today. Lol
Sat drooling over some of those Hardbacks, we would go mad for them over here in UK. That tatty old Ringworld has seen some love.
The Visitors by Simak is also at the top of my pile of shame. I just bought it recently.
I’m a novice, and I look forward to learning.
I picked mutants up myself recently I’m a big silverberg fan hoping it’s got a good selection of stories in and hadn’t read any Larry Niven in years so picked up footfall, lucifers hammer , I liked mote in gods eye but it’s so long since I’ve read anything by him I hope enjoy them . Good to see you back mate🫡
I'd suggest hanging on to that A Talent For War simply for the cover art. The paperback version I've seen available most has that guy with the ridiculously over-detailed space helmet. My favorite of that series to read, though, is Seeker (4th book).
I agree with you about that depiction of the Puppeteers. I think the best depiction is found in Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials (not sure where my copy is).
I absolutely love book club editions 👍🏻.
A Talent for War is very good. I like his other stuff and read this after reading several of his singletons and the first 5 Hutch books and it shot to the top. Dream Park is like a theme park mixed with an ARG. Of course things go wrong and the characters have to survive and get out. It's a lot of fun. The sequels are good but I don't think they hold up as well
"A Talent for War" was a great find, I'm envious! If you sell any, will you let us know? I'd love to get the Greg Bears.
I just added a link to my Ebay in my UA-cam about/profile info section.
@@sciencefictionreadsGot 'em! Thank you so much for letting me know!
you're my intro to booktube . . . I'm excited to get reading
Happy to have introduced you! I was shocked and thrilled when I discovered it.
I am one of your new subscribers from that video. I am sorry it got too much for you, but glad it helped for a time. Looking forward to your content ❤️
The Immortals by James Gunn was adapted into a TV movie Starring Christopher George in 1969, as I recall. Pretty good, the following 1970 TV series was essentially The Fugitive, and was OK, but did not last.
You should do what's best for you.
Just started getting more into reading, recently finished the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy by Cixin Liu, blown away by that, currently working on book 2 of the Salvation Sequence, your channel seems like a great place to look for my next read!
I loved the first two Remembrance of Earths Past books but still haven’t gotten to the third. Thanks for watching!
Thanks!
I read my first Frederik Pohl a few months ago and it was just ok. I'm glad I borrowed it from the library. I don't know if I'll try any of his other books.
I did start 'Gateway' once and couldn't get interested but i need to give him a fair go. Usually, a 'best of" or short story collection is a good way to find out if they're an author for me or not.
Glad to see you back. Yes normality must set it. All the best for you.
Now about the books that we both like to talk.. what's your take on Jake mcdevitt behind your video ?
I like Mcdevitt. I’ve mostly only read his Academy series though. But I enjoy his archaeology and ancient long dead civilizations. His aliens are often a little too human for my liking though.
I’m thinking a collection of short stories might be good for me to start with.
I find thats the best way to be introduced to a new author. It doesn't sound like a bad way to get into a new genre either!
Out of curiosity, just how big is your library? Not sure I've ever seen another angle in the videos. I've come to a point of having to decide what will go in boxes and what will go on shelves. No more room, but it's not as if I could consider not buying any more books.
There’s a fourth shelf like the three behind me, another larger shelf for hardcovers and two wall mounted shelves. I’ve done a couple videos where I go through them in detail. And then theres boxes and boxes waiting for the day I have more space. I agree, not buying books isn’t an option😝
I’m drawn to Mythago Wood already.
Me too. I really need to get to that one!
It's OK. Your corner of internet just got a bit bigger.
Can you add a link to where you sell books? There are some I am interested in purchasing
I just added a link to my Ebay in my UA-cam about/profile info section.
how fast can you read a book of say, 250 pages? :o
I'm not a very fast reader. I average 25-35 pages an hour depending on the book. So a 250page book takes me anywhere from 2-4 days.
Seriously, well done with how far you have come already since the last video. I love the photo in the background. You and your partner are strong and your feelings are 100% valid.
Thankyou so much. Something that comes to mind that i read recently is the work of James H Schmitz. Specifically his 'Federations of the Hub' stories. A lot of those feature strong female characters. I actually made a video a few months ago on that Universe and its female characters 👍
🙌🤍🙌