Since the Borrowed Bookmeme is all about Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, I’d like us all to imagine that Majel Barrett, voice of the Computer on Star Trek, has just said, “Last time on The Electronic Replicant…” Then imagine that there were scenes of aliens making threats, scenes of Data, Beverly and Troi looking perplexed, some explosions, a clip of Worf and Riker each getting punched in the face, scenes of Jean Luc Picard grimly giving commands, many more explosions, and then the words, “And now, the conclusion.”

Hard SF or Space Opera?

Both have their merits. On one hand, I enjoy the way that Hard SF will present an idea and then explore it to its end, or at least ask what effects the idea may have on the future of humanity. On the other hand, it often lacks the space fleets and grandiose heroics which are the hallmarks of Space Opera. On the other, other hand, Space Opera overlaps with something that I call “Space Fantasy,” which is basically High Fantasy costumed in technology.

Collection (short stories by the same author) or Anthology (short stories by different authors)?

Each is like a box of chocolates. An anthology is like a sampler. You’ve got nutty, chewy, crunchy, plain, and what have you. You’ve also got a good chance of finding something that tastes like soap or maybe toothpaste. But the important thing is that you’ve got a variety of flavors and textures. A collection is like a box of truffles, or caramels, or bonbons, or what have you. If you happen to like that sort of candy, it’s great. On the other hand, if you get a box of soap nuggets, that’s not so great. Then again, if you already knew you didn’t like soap nuggets, why would you buy a box of them in the first place?

Hugo or Nebula?

Sure. They’re both good.

Golden Age SF or New Wave SF?

I find the Golden Age stuff fun to read.

Tidy ending or Cliffhanger?

Tidy ending. There’s nothing worse than drudging through a mediocre novel only to reach a cliffhanger.

Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading?

I do most of my reading in the afternoon on my lunch break.

Standalone or Series?

I’ve nothing against a good series as long as it’s a good series, and as long as the author doesn’t get bored halfway through and begin to mechanically churn out content because he’s under contract for five more books.

Urban fantasy or high fantasy?

To be honest, I’ve never heard of Urban Fantasy before. It’s apparently any sort of fantasy that takes place in an urban setting that is important to the story. Something like Perdido Street Station would fit this definition. Or possibly even the manga Big O with its City of Amnesia. However, I think I prefer High Fantasy’s boundless adventure over politics and intrigue in thieves’ dens.

New or used?

There’s nothing wrong with a gently used book. In fact, older editions often have a certain charm about themselves, whether it’s from the cheesy cover art, or the dated typefaces inside. (Futura? Really?)

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

My most favorite obscure SF book is The Ring of Charon, a story about a scientist who builds a black hole and awakens an ancient race of cybernetic aliens.

Top X favorite genre books read last year? (Where X is 5 or less)

Is it true that I’ve read less than five genre books this year? Apparently! Here they are, sorted by likelihood that I’d read them again:

1. Magic Kingdom For Sale– Sold!
2. Mona Lisa Overdrive
3. Snow Crash
4. Spook Country
5. Perdido Street Station

Top X favorite genre books of all time? (Where X is 5 or less)

Since I see that the next question is about series, I’ll change my usual answers just a bit.

• The Diamond Age or A Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer
• Neuromancer
• Ringworld
• Diaspora
• The Complete Robot (Asimov collection)

X favorite genre series? (Where X is 5 or less)

In randomized order, they are:

• Middle Earth (Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion)
• Night’s Dawn (Reality Dysfunction, Neutronium Alchemist, Naked God)
• Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
• Hyperion/Fall of Hyperion
• Greatwinter

Top X favorite genre short stories? (Where X is 5 or less)

Gosh, I’ve read so many that I can’t remember them all, much less their titles. Do you mind if I save this one for another time?

Phew, that was a long one!

Borrowed, without asking, from SF Signal.

I thought I’d jump on the meme bandwagon and start one of my own, mainly centered on genre fiction books. Well, actually, only on science fiction, fantasy and horror.
You know how this works: Copy the questions and give your own answers…

Since this one’s rather long, I’ve decided to present it in two parts, this being (obviously) the first.

Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror?

Science Fiction, then Fantasy, then Horror.

Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?

I like the form factor of hardcover and trade paperback. It’s much easier to hold open with one hand, so that I can read while I eat.

Heinlein or Asimov?

I honestly haven’t read much Heinlein, just The Cat Who Walks Through Walls and the short story “It’s Great To Be Back.” On the other hand, I’ve read lots of Asmov. He’s got robots, after all.

Amazon or Brick and Mortar?

Brick and Mortar. There’s no substitute for picking up a potential purchase and actually looking at it, looking through it, reading a few pages or more and then deciding that this is the book for you.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

I don’t really see that much difference between the two. In fact I’m occasionally not sure which I’m in until the cashier asks me for my customer loyalty card. I will say that I know of at least two beautiful (or at least interesting) old buildings that have been saved by Barnes & Noble moving into them, so that’s worth a few points right there.

Hitchhiker or Discworld?

I have read a couple of Discworld novels, but I have to say Hitchhiker all the way. I guess it’s that Sci-Fi vs. Fantasy question, or maybe it’s a question of silliness vs. satire.

Bookmark or Dogear?

I used to dogear, but not any more. I also used to use the flaps of the book jacket as placeholders, but that doesn’t work very well either. So now I’m a proud bookmark user.

Magazine: Asimov’s Science Fiction or Fantasy & Science Fiction?

I used to read both at different times. But I think I preferred Asimov’s since I seem to recall that it featured a bit more of the hard SF.

Alphabetize by author, alphabetize by title, or random?

Umm… they’re not exactly random… they’re vaguely grouped by category, theme, size and series. Yes, a little bit of alphabetization would probably be a good thing. I suppose I’d do author then title, just as the book shops do.

Keep, Throw Away or Sell?

Throw away? Throw away? Oh! The very idea! Usually, if I don’t want a book anymore, I’ll first put it on paperbackswap.com. Then, if there are no takers, I’ll eventually donate it (which, I’m afraid, probably amounts to the same as throwing it away.)

Year’s Best Science Fiction series (edited by Gardner Dozois) or Years Best SF series (edited by David G. Hartwell)?

I’ve got three of the former and one of the latter. I’m not that picky.

Keep dustjacket or toss it?

Keep. It makes the book more identifiable on the shelf, and the jacket notes are handy when you’ve forgotten what the book was about.

Read with dustjacket or remove it?

Remove. It’s annoying to have the book slipping and sliding around in the jacket while you’re trying to hold onto it.

Short story or novel?

As I’ve said in the past, I do enjoy a good anthology. If a story’s not to your liking, you can either skip it (perhaps even assuring yourself that you’ll come back to it later,) or you can slog through it, taking some comfort in the fact that it will at least be short. When I discover that I’m reading a bad novel, on the other hand, I usually feel compelled to grind my way on to the end, if only to try and redeem the investment that I’ve already made in the story. You never know— it could have a really great ending that makes up for the preceding 64 chapters.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

Neither. I read Harry Potter once to see what all the hoopla was over. It was like an In-N-Out burger— indeed tasty, but not something I’d wait in line for.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

I try to stop at chapter breaks as it’s easier to pick up again afterward, but sometimes it just can’t be helped.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

Oh, a dark and stormy night, for sure, with a sky the color of television tuned to a dead channel. (Though I suppose nowadays that could mean a solid bright blue rather than a weirdly luminous gray.)

Buy or Borrow?

Buy, I think. I haven’t borrowed a book in a long time. The last one had to have been for a book ring, which technically is a borrow (though a complicated one.) I’ve gotten many books through trades of one sort or another— paperbackswap, book boxes, book relay, etc. Not exactly buying— more of a bartering.

Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse?

Currently, it’s Recommendation, then Browse, then Book Reviews. I don’t like to read reviews because I don’t want to have any preconceived notions as to what I’ll be reading. I also don’t want to be haunted by any subtle spoilers. I’ve had mixed luck with recommendations, though the LibraryThing unsuggester seems pretty well spot-on.

Lewis or Tolkien?

Ooh, tough one. I really liked Through the Looking Glass— oh, wait, that was Lewis Carroll, not C.S. Lewis. Tolkien, then.