Random’s Comments (group member since Apr 30, 2009)

Random’s comments from the Beyond Reality group.

I'm game for another series discussion. I should even have time to start reading again once the current project here at work is finished (hopefully by the end of this month). :)

Agreed, the best one hands down for humor alone (though Memory is right after it for different reasons). I reread it right after I finished my reread of Komarr and I'm already considering reading it again. :)

I mentioned this a while back, but this is a good book to pay attention to the people Miles chooses to surround himself with. It not only gives more insight into his character, but I suspect in many ways we're also seeing the future of Barrayar.

I really like what she's been doing with Ivan. He's treated as such an idiot in the earlier books, though if you think about it, an idiot wouldn't be able to get through all of the training he has done. instead he has chosen to We get a glimpse of his potential and character in Mirror Dance and we get an even better view of it here.

If I haven't said it before, Ivan is my favorite secondary character in these books. :)

Count me as another female who passionately loves Monty Python.

"And Oliver has run himself over! What a great twit!"
"There's Nigel, he's shot Simon by mistake."

hehehehehehe

I also have to admit to liking The Three Stooges, though Monty Python is by far better.

I haven't read any of the mentioned authors, so I can't comment there.

Just finished this a few minutes ago. I guess I have to disagree with a lot of you. I really liked Zeke and Briar. It was too easy for me to identify with Zeke's motivations and I think Briar's mix of worn, tired, determination, and concern rang true to me on how someone in her situation might react. I could easily see my mother doing the same thing if Zeke had been one of her boys.

I listened to the audio book and think the readers did a great job portraying the qualities of the characters, especially Briar. The secondary characters were also an interesting lot.

I also have to admit it was fun imagining the streets and buildings of a city that was and never was, and one that I know so well here in modern times. :)


Korye, I've poked around on the authors web site. While there are 2 more books coming for this series, they are not about these characters, and may not even take place in the same area.

Started it yesterday and so far it has managed to grab my attention. Little else has over the last few months. :)

Jane wrote: "I enjoyed the book and the only thing I would change is more of Phoenix, I wish he had been introduced to the story earlier."

I have to agree. I would have loved to see Phoenix earlier in the book. He was a neat character and I really liked him. I have to admit a weakness towards cyberpunk type themes.

Interesting, personally I formed an emotional attachment to a few of the characters.
Masada of course. He was fascinating to me. Actually I found the Gueran society fascinating. :)
I was also very much drawn to Phoenix, Derik, Guildmaster Kent, and a few others.

Sandra wrote: "I finished it. Gave it two stars. My review is here
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36162"

Everyone has a right to their opinions, but I thought I'd toss out a couple of items that might clarify.

Jamisia is a sheltered naive kid (late teens if I remember right) who has had her home destroyed, everyone she knew killed, tossed out into a hostile universe on her own, and terrified that she's going crazy. Given her split personalities, she has never really learned coping and survival skills. I don't really think flighty is a fair description. Unstable - Oh yes, she is very unstable.

You can think of the Ainniq as a wormhole that has something hostile living in it that can sense our minds like an animal can smell its prey.

Computerized brain business: Cybernetic implants are such a staple in Science Fiction anymore, especially in the Cyberpunk subgenre, I guess its just an easy concept for me. Electronics interface directly with the brain and allow us to then interface directly with other computer systems and networks. In many ways its like having a mini computer in your head tied in with the brain.

As far as antagonists and protagonists, well it is meant to be blurry. Life is blurry. :)
There are no black and white hats in the story. Even Devlin had what he felt were noble intentions.


Oh, and before I wander off again, for those who skipped the little blurbs at the start of each chapter, go back and read them. They add a lot of history, background, and insight into the Gueran culture and are rather valuable IMO.

Kerry wrote: "Baen are wonderful, selling ebooks at a reasonable price, in multiple formats, without any DRM. With all of that, I'm sure you and your computer/reader will find they have a format you can read eas..."

Baen was an eager ebook supporter back in the early days and their enthusiasm hasn't appeared to wane. I've a lot of respect for the choices they have made.

Looks like the formats they offer are:
EBookWise/REB1100/Rocket
Mobi/Palm/Kindle
EPUB/Stanza Reader
Microsoft Reader
Sony Digital Reader
RTF
HTML

Sandi wrote: "I've read all her books except the latest trilogy. I'm waiting until it's done before I dig in."

Smart move. I'm having difficulties waiting for the 3rd book. :)

I first read this book over 10 years ago. Since then I've reread it perhaps every 1-2 years. One of my favorites.

I still remember it in detail though I'm hoping I'll be able to reread it for the discussion. Sadly life has interfered with my reading lately. Well interfered with everything really. :)

I've never listened to it so I couldn't say. One interesting feature of Audible is that you can listen to snippets of the books online. Its really helpful to identify a bad narrator. Poke around and you can get a better feel for things.

Stefan wrote: "The Recluce Saga would be my choice for our next group series read! We'll probably start taking nominations and set up polls for this in a month or so, because we'll be done with the Vorkosigan se..."

Wonderful, I'd love to do another group series read. Its been so much fun. :)

William wrote: "Stefan wrote: "Excellent, Jon! I scored 9 out of 10 (missed the Taura question)."

That's the one I got wrong as well. Looks like no-one has got 100% yet.

"

I missed the one asking which planet Cetaganda had occupied. I forgot to pay attention to which book was referenced. :)

Memory shows Miles at his very best. Not only is it one of my favorites of the series (I only rank A Civil Campaign higher), but it was also the first book in the series I read.

I bought it in a box of books from a garage sale many years ago, and read it one day in a fit of boredom without realizing until I had started that it was part of a series. I believe I read it in one sitting.

I have to give Bujold kudos. It grabbed me hard and other than a brief moment at the beginning, I was never lost.

The Miles books are always good fodder for quotes.
One of my favorites in this one..


"I’m at Lilly Durona’s. God, Miles. What a place. What a woman. She let me have a bath. She put my skin back on. She fixed my foot. She gave me a hypo of muscle-relaxant for my back. With her own hands, she performed medical services too intimate and disgusting to describe, but very badly needed, I assure you, and held my head while I screamed. Did I mention the bath? I love her, and I want to marry her."

All this was delivered with such dead-pan enthusiasm, Miles could not tell if Mark was joking. "What are you on?" he asked suspiciously.

"Pain killers. Lots and lots of pain killers. Oh, it’s wonderful!" He favored Miles with a weird broad grin. "But don’t worry, my head is perfectly clear. It’s just the bath. I was holding it together till she gave me the bath. It unmanned me."

Lol, I'm half way through my 6th. I hear Awakening is due out mid March. I am so doomed. :)

Ron wrote: "I must say though that playing "Dragon Age: Origin" is really killing my reading time... "

Hehehehe, you too? I think I misplaced the month of January, I can't seem to remember where all the time went. My husband has actually threatened to hide my gaming machine. He claims I'm addicted. :D

Ken wrote: "I already posted this but I am reading Anathem by Neal Stephenson and its AMAZING!!!"

I read this one last year. My first book by this author and I have to agree it blew me away. I recommend it to everyone who will listen to me. :)

Oh, I forgot to add. It's not Science Fiction, but I also loved the reader for Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys. Also, anything Neil reads himself is also quite good.

Stephan Rudniki is another one of those deep male voices I just adore. I believe he did Ursula K LeGuin's City of Illusions. There have been others but I can't remember them off hand.

I know what you mean about the narrator for Warbreaker. It didn't sit very well with me either. You might consider the version from Graphic Audio. I borrowed it from a friend and it was so much better. (Graphic audio books are more acted than straight read but there are still very few changes in the text and the quality is superb.)

I'm just pulling these from memory, I'm not at home and so don't have access to my library, but here are some that I remember as being very well done.

The Vorkosigan books by Lois McMaster Bujold. There are a few different readers depending on where you get the audio books. Blackstone Audio (which is what Audible has) has Grover Gardner and he's pretty good. The Reader's Chair (produced audio cassets) has the team of Michael Hanson and Carol Cowan which were even better. I have a thing for deep male voices and Michael Hanson's voice can give me the shivers. :)

Anathem by Neal Stephenson. One of my top books for last year. I also liked the reader for Snowcrash.

All of Terry Pratchet's Discworld series. There are two primary readers you can run across for this series, Nigel Planer and Stephen Briggs. Both do a great job. Stephen Briggs is the voice of Discworld in my mind anymore. Another series where my preferred format is audio.

I remember liking the reader for the Connie Willis books I read last year, The Doomsday Books and To Say Nothing of the Dog, but the details are somewhat vague.

The Commonwealth series by Peter F. Hamilton (Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained) also had an excellent reader.

That's all I can remember at the moment. I'll post more if I remember any others.