Readalong - Novels of the Change 3.1

Cover art by: Jonathan Barkat; Photoshop credit: Stephen Fischer

     

We are now halfway through the final novel in the Nantucket series, which is the third novel in our Novels of the Change reread/ readalong.  In this post we will be discussing chapters 1-14 of On the Oceans of Eternity.  If you missed it here’s a the post with the description of the readalong project.

   

 So far On the Oceans of Eternity has been less fighting and more about the exploration and rebuilding that I enjoy.  Alice Hong and her evil Dark Sisterhood are now experimenting with germ warfare, which I find fascinating and horrifying all at the same time.  Swindapa and Marian are still the best couple with the most adorable family.  I found the descriptions of historically famous cities mesmerizing.  I still find myself wishing we could know more about how things are developing on the island of Nantucket.  But there are so many story lines and different characters that we can’t see everything.  I still find myself getting occasionally confused trying to follow the different storylines, but I find them interesting enough that I don’t mind.

Discussion Question: (If you are reading along and want to join the discussion feel free to answer these questions, or pose your own questions, in the comments.)

Now that we are almost done with the Nantucket series how are you hoping things are going to end? 

** Join us  next week for a discussion of chapters 14-end of On the Oceans of Eternity, and remember to find out when the next discussion will be posted and for more regular updates on BookGirlR’s reading progress follow us on twitter @bookgirlr **

Readalong - Novels of the Change 2.1

Cover art by: Johnathan Barkat Photoshop Credit: Stephen Fischer

     After a bit of a break we have finally finished Against the Tide of Years.  In this post we will be discussing the entire book, as opposed to half like we did with Island in the Sea of Time which means we are now 2/15 of the way through our Novels of the Change reread/ readalong (although there is a new novel coming out in September 2016 which will change our goal to 16; here’s the link to the new book on Amazon) If you missed the previous discussions you can find them here (1.1) and here (1.2); and the description of the project here.   

    I did not enjoy Against the Tide of Years as much as I loved Island in the Sea of Time.  Part of what I loved about Island in the Sea of Time was the description of how the Islanders adapted to being in the past.  Against the Tide of Years starts 8 years later and by now the Islanders have pretty much figured out how to survive and are exploring their world.  I did feel that this second novel in the series spreads itself way too thin.  There are multiple story lines going on.  Many groups of people are doing different things.  It did get a bit confusing at times.  I also feel that this novel was all about war, war and more war.  We did not get to see into the characters lives nearly as much as we did in Island in the Sea of Time.  It’s still interesting, seeing the characters developing their fledgling nation.

Marian and Swindapa’s family is adorable.  They are by far my favorite characters.  Alice Hong is the most evil character in the entire novel.  Seriously, she frightens me.  I’m still greatly enjoying the historical aspect of these novels.  Reading about historical events and wondering what changes will occur because of the Islanders, and Walkers, influence is fascinating.

Discussion Questions: (If you are reading along and want to join the discussion feel free to answer these questions, or pose your own questions, in the comments.)

BookGirlR revealed her favorite (and the scariest) characters .  Who are your favorite characters from this novel and why?

What was your favorite part of Against the Tide of Years?  Why?

As we move ahead into the final novel of the Nantucket series what are you hoping to see happen? 

** Join us Saturday  7/23 for a discussion of chapters 1-14 of On the Oceans of Eternity, and remember for more regular updates on BookGirlR’s reading progress follow us on twitter @bookgirlr **

Readalong - Novels of the Change 1.1

Cover art by: Jonathan Barkat; Photoshop credit: Stephen Fischer

Well, it's the end of week 1 of our Novels of the Change reread/ readalong (If you missed the original announcement this is what we will be doing: Introduction to Readalong.  This is our first discussion post; we will be discussing chapters 1-15 of Island in the Sea of Time.

     I love visiting historical places.  I like the feel of a place that has been steeped in time.  The opening pages of Island in the Sea of Time, when the island of Nantucket is described, gave me that same feeling.    "The collapse of the whaling industry during the Civil War era had frozen Nantucket in time, down to the huge American elms along Main Street and the cobblestone alleys"..."a place where Longfellow and  Whittier would have felt at home and Melville would have taken a few minutes to notice the differences" (9 & 10), the description really gave me a feel for the feeling of history that must permeate the island.  I feel that this is probably the perfect setting for an island that is thrown back in time, way far back in time to 1250BC. because they have the museums, and antique shops,  and the old, well-insulated houses.

     It would be scary to be suddenly relocated to another time.  I know that probably sounds like an understatement, but I rewrote that sentence several times and that's the only way it sounds right.  Simply put, it would be scary.  I would be scared! I empathize with the people in the novel who turn to the church to tell them what to do.  I would be looking for someone to give me direction too.  Part of what is so scary is the overwhelming sense of responsibility.  They are more advanced than all the other people that they are coming in contact with.  How far is too far?  How much is too much?  Should they share technology?  Should they avoid contact with the natives and try not to disrupt how things develop?  All the moral issues of time travel come into play the minute they step foot off of the island of Nantucket. 

     After Walker's group of dissenters steals their ships and leaves the island all of those decisions are taken away from the group left on Nantucket.  Now they have to prepare to defend themselves against an inevitable attack from their own people.  So far I have found the encounter with the Jaguar People to be the most brutal part of Island in the Sea of Time.  I was on the edge of my seat and had to read it fast.  There was cannibalism, murder, rape, bestiality... It made me feel a little sick it was all so brutal.  At the end of chapter 15 we are left with the knowledge that a deadly disease has been introduced into the native population.  What result that will have we aren't sure, but it won't be good.

    One thing that has always impressed me with S.M. Stirling's novels are his strong female characters.  The scientist who discovers that they have been thrown back in time during The Event is a woman, Doreen Rosenthal.  Captain Marian Alston of the Coast Guard ship Eagle, which was thrown back in time with the island of Nantucket is an awesome strong character and I love the fact that she is a lesbian and her relationship with Swindapa  of the Earth Folk, who is also a wonderful strong character.  All of the later novels in The Novels of the Change are also full of strong, well represented female characters.  Thank you Mr. Stirling, I truly appreciate the accurate representation of women in your novels. 

Discussion Questions: (If you are reading along and want to join the discussion feel free to answer these questions, or pose your own questions in the comments)

Since this is our first discussion post if you are planning to read along with BookGirlR please introduce yourself in the comments and tell us if this is your first time reading The Novels of the Change or if you are rereading.

BookGirlR thinks the island of Nantucket is a pretty good place to be if you have to be thrown back in time.  Do you agree?  Disagree?  Why?  Can you think of another place that would be as good or better?

Would you be scared to be thrown back in time?  What would your greatest struggle be?

*** I found that the reading progressed much faster than I had thought it would.  I had assumed that I would be reading about half of a novel per week (because I am also still reading my other novels for review), but I actually read about two-thirds of Island in the Sea of Time this week.  Maybe it's because I'm rereading the novels, having read them before I am able to read them a bit faster this time?  Or maybe it's because I had some insomnia problems this week and spent some extra time reading in bed in the middle of the night.  Whatever the reason, we will be discussing chapters 16-end next Sunday.***

Readalong - Introduction - Novels of the Change

     Have you ever read a series that just sticks with you and makes you want to read it over and over and over again?  Is there a series that you can't stop thinking about, even when you are finished and reading other things?  For me that series is the Novels of the Change by S. M. Stirling.  I picked up a copy of Dies the Fire in my favorite used book store (TheBook Centre) about 7 years ago.  I've been hooked on the whole series ever since. 

     With the newest novel in this series coming out in less than a month (The Desert and the Blade, check it out here)  I have been wanting to reread the entire series.  So, BookGirl's BookNook is going to be doing a reread of the Novels of the Change.  I will be starting with the Nantucket Series and then moving on to the longer Emberverse Series.  I will be working these discussions in around my other posts, and still be posting other reviews in between, so with a couple of discussion posts per book you can probably expect  3 or 4 discussions of the Novels of the Change per month.

Here is the lengthy list of novels in the series, listed (in my opinion) in proper reading order:

Nantucket Series:

Island in the Sea of Time

Against the Tide of Years

On the Oceans of Eternity

The Emberverse Series:

Dies the Fire

The Protector's War

A Meeting at Corvallis

The Sunrise Lands

The Scourge of God

The Sword of the Lady

The High King of Montival

The Tears of the Sun

Lord of Mountains

The Given Sacrifice

The Golden Princess

The Desert and the Blade
Prince of Outcasts*

     That's 15 novels (*edit 7/17 due to the new novel coming out in September we are now reading 16 novels).  If you don't want to miss any of the discussions be sure to follow BookGirl's BookNook.  If you want to read along, so you can participate in discussion, and would like to be updated on my reading progress more often follow me on Twitter (@bookgirlr) where I'll be posting my progress.

Happy Reading!