FACT SF Reading Group

August 2003

August 5: Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb

We had 12 people for this book discussion at the home of the Brothers Siros. Seven people finished the book and the same seven were already familiar with Hobb's work. Although the beginning of a new fantasy trilogy, the book was also a continuation of characters and setting from Hobb's Farseer Trilogy. Most people had read the previous trilogy but those who hadn't felt it worked well as a stand alone and didn't feel left out of the story. One person liked it so well he went out and bought Hobb's other books and began recommending them to others. This new series was deemed lighter in tone then her previous and so, more enjoyable to return to the characters; one person compared it to meeting old friends. An adventure fantasy novel with intrigue and magic, Fool's Errand was a strong novel that most all enjoyed. One reader described hitting a "narration wall" in the book and couldn't scale it but another compared it to getting into a theme park ride that really took off. The discussion ranged from some feeling the plot was too predictable to speculation over the gender of the Fool -- not everyone felt the Fool was female while others were sure of it. All in all, Fool's Errand is a good start to another Hobb series and many readers were already plotting to obtain the next book. Afterwards we had dinner at the Green Mesquite, where the brisket is excellent.

August 19: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Thirteen at reading group for this book with 10 people starting the book and 7 finishing it. We had two new attendees (thank you, ArmadilloCon). One person submitted comments via email. The meeting was held at the home of Judy Strange and Jeff Hurst in North Austin. Sold as SF and marketed as a biblio-mystery, this book throughly amused and entertained some readers and confused others. Comparisons were made to the work of Gene Wolfe and Monty Python, which proves how much territory this book covered. Some of the group had read Jane Eyre, but those who hadn't didn't feel that got in the way of enjoying the book. But those who had felt they recognized many of the references tended to be more positive in their review than others. They enjoyed the hectic pace and clever connections. For some people the plot was too much at once, convoluted rather than intricate. Others likened it to watching Roman candles, describing it as a neat display with no plot. Another said it "zinged all over the place." Regardless of whether they liked the book as a whole, everyone liked the puns. Afterwards dinner was at Mongolian Grille on Research.

-- Judy Strange