Engineer27’s Comments (group member since Apr 29, 2018)

Engineer27’s comments from the Di & D Reading Group group.

The hardcover has material directly from Douglas Adams' original notes, which may not be in e-versions and almost certainly not in audio versions. They are worthwhile for fans of Adams and Doctor Who, particularly the cryptic, hand-written note at the bottom of one page -- "Mice?"

Goss seems very adept at emulating Adams' style of writing. Makes for a fun and easy read.
There are some great bits from K-9's POV that would never translate to the screen but shouldn't be missed.

Dale wrote: "The more I read, the more I am reminded of Robert Asprin https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rober...."

Gosh, I remember these. We used to eat them up.
Hayes work is less pun-driven, but just as lighthearted in style.

This was pretty short. The audiobook was only 7 hours.
Definitely a well spent 7 hours. The ridiculous premise and even more offbeat situations are held together by likeable characters and more than competent narration.

During each vignette, the tension ratchets up quickly but without completely losing the lightheartedness at the center.

I may check out this author's other series of works, which focuses on a band of NPCs that have to take over a quest when the party of player characters suffers a TPK (that's what the blurb says!).

OK. Finally finished.
Thought: The central theme of this book is whether you can act against your true nature? And, if you can't, should you take responsibility (or credit) for any of the outcomes?

Various characters find their own answers to this question, but the author does not seem to judge between them.

Other thought: The book was so sprawling and detailed, it didn't so much end as run out of story.

Nitsua60 wrote: "...plenty of unobtrusive details..."
I loved that the people at the wedding drink araq. And how high-quality araq really does turn cloudy white when you put regular water in it.
There were a few minor misses, though.

How often do I get a week's extension on anything?

I'll take it!

I'm just past the 1/2-way point.

Nico wrote: "Somewhat enjoying the book, currently just got through chapter 2. One thing stuck with me so far though--the Jinni was afraid to touch iron but not steel..."

I noticed that as well. I guess, go read the PHB on "Cold Iron".

Well, it's appropriate for "Digressions..."

OK, so this book is kind of a slow burn. I'm hoping that the multipage tangents about the rabbi and the ice cream maker are going to pay off at some point.

Really enjoying the Djinni's backstory, though. The back-and-forth-ing between that and the late 19th century is the kind of flipping that might have made the last book somewhat more interesting.

Up to chapter 3 and already getting into this work. Great stroke to give both protagonists insatiable curiosity. Although nominally fantasy, it takes on the typical POV of great science fiction, i.e. looking at humanity from an alien point of view.

I think this book might have been more effective if the technique of jumping back and forth in time (as the author did from the prologue into chapter 1) had been maintained. The early childhood stuff would have been less tedious, and it could have been dropped when the "action" picked up with GenCons, etc.

You're probably looking for _Playing at the World_. Much more compendious, 720 pages, bit of a slog for the casual reader. Not as focused on D&D or Gygax.

Jan wrote: "I have to say I stopped in the middle of it and was waiting for the discussion on di&d if it got any better in the second half.

If I'd want character depth I'd read some fiction where the characte..."

I find myself wanting to remove my copy of the Chainmail rules from its hermetically sealed envelope to really see what is in those rules.