I'm the sanest man. I clean my basement floor. I've even set up my chair and spend a lot of time in here. I tell you, there is no well in my basement.I'm the sanest man. I clean my basement floor. I've even set up my chair and spend a lot of time in here. I tell you, there is no well in my basement.
Sure, some man told me he was a prince of mars and a great leader of a rebellion and the only way to get back is through the well, but I don't believe him. Really. The universe let him discover a great brick wall.
I don't believe. I don't care who else might believe, like any sci-fi fan or even some fantastical author that might be dreaming me up, I don't believe, and that's fine and good.
So why do I insist on waiting in this damned cellar?
Aside:
This was a pretty cool armchair adventure that felt a little like Edgar Rice Burroughs, except much more concise. The worldbuilding was rather neat for such a short story.
Merged review:
I'm the sanest man. I clean my basement floor. I've even set up my chair and spend a lot of time in here. I tell you, there is no well in my basement.
Sure, some man told me he was a prince of mars and a great leader of a rebellion and the only way to get back is through the well, but I don't believe him. Really. The universe let him discover a great brick wall.
I don't believe. I don't care who else might believe, like any sci-fi fan or even some fantastical author that might be dreaming me up, I don't believe, and that's fine and good.
So why do I insist on waiting in this damned cellar?
Aside:
This was a pretty cool armchair adventure that felt a little like Edgar Rice Burroughs, except much more concise. The worldbuilding was rather neat for such a short story....more
This book is entertaining enough if all you're looking for is galactic civil war, hints of other-dimensional godlike invaders, and battle, battle, batThis book is entertaining enough if all you're looking for is galactic civil war, hints of other-dimensional godlike invaders, and battle, battle, battle.
I miss the philosophical moments and the slow character burn of the first novel, however. It's the nutritious part. The rest of this seems to be all condiments and hot sauce.
It's FINE if that's all you want. Indeed, some of the action is really good and the whole loyalty above all, the betrayals, the call for EMPIRE and the rage of discovery is all very emotional -- if you have been emotionally invested.
As it is, I did get invested in the first novel. The rest have merely coasted on the first.
And yet, there is some big-scope, big possibility world-destroying action laid down here. I think it would be enough for quite a few readers....more
I rather missed the philosophical and ethical depth of the first book. It's still continued, to one degree or another, but it takes a back seat to theI rather missed the philosophical and ethical depth of the first book. It's still continued, to one degree or another, but it takes a back seat to the action.
This isn't really that bad a thing for a huge space-opera war epic spanning so many worlds. War is everything, warriors, bigger than anything, and the unstoppable wave of death... is totally gratuitous.
Truly, the whole thing is over-the-top gratuitous bloodlust and the glory of war, war, war. And why? For it's own sake. The echoes of the ethics, the questions, the undercurrent from the first book feels like an ultimate counterpoint... and everything is totally overbalanced.
Honestly, it would turn my stomach if I didn't already know what I was getting myself into. After all, it IS Warhammer 40k.
On a side note, I really love the whole idea of the Warp and the complications of godhood. I could read all of these just for that.
I wonder if I have the stomach for all of these. The Emperor's Crusade is so ironic. Peace and enlightenment at the tip of a sword. *rolls eyes* ...more
It wasn't the focus on Arthor that I appreciated in this one. Merlin always stole the show and for the most part, so did all his companions.
In this caIt wasn't the focus on Arthor that I appreciated in this one. Merlin always stole the show and for the most part, so did all his companions.
In this case, I had a great deal of fun with Loki and dealing with Satan was something else, too.
The whole search for the Holy Grail was quite a bit more magical and female this time around and I have no complaints. Mommy dealing with the Fae was a real delight and pretty epic in its own right.
In retrospect, I think I had a bit more fun in this one than the previous two books. Definitely worth reading if you like Arthurian legends....more
To be honest, the third book in the Arthor cycle feels like a bit of a letdown. Of course, I'm comparing it more to the first and a bit to the second To be honest, the third book in the Arthor cycle feels like a bit of a letdown. Of course, I'm comparing it more to the first and a bit to the second books, both of which spanned great time and scope as well as getting deep into specifics. The first one blew me away. The second was all right because it gave us Arthor (Arthur) as a YA protagonist leading up to the Sword in Stone, giving us a trip through the realms of the World Tree, and some rather awesome storytelling.
This one was merely about the early days of proving himself to be King, discovering what kind of king he would like to be. There was some resolution with the setup in the second book, of course, but oddly enough, this was almost a minor part of the tale.
Now, if I just ignored the Arthor parts and read the book as something else, completely, I thought it was a great collection of druidic legends, a mix of many other mythologies, and a very Fae-ish kind of magical legend. And honestly, I didn't really see why it should have mixed with the Arthurian Legend at all, but there it is.
Was it still pretty fascinating? Yes. Was it imaginative? Yes. But I'm stuck comparing it to the first book which was on a much more epic scale. It's not all that fair to THIS book, especially when it COULD have gone much further and deeper into the whole Grail quest, instead, and ending in the glorious tragedy. Instead, Mordred is still an unborn child throughout books 2 and 3. We had whole GENERATIONS in the first book.
This one is good but NOT to the same level. And that's a shame, because I thought things were going to be much wilder than this....more
I think this is a much better Arthurian legend retelling than White's Once and Future King. It's better Unpopular opinion time. Well, maybe unpopular.
I think this is a much better Arthurian legend retelling than White's Once and Future King. It's better than Mort De Arthur. It's better than Mists. Hell, it's better than all the rest of the old Arthurian legends.
Why, under the great world tree, would I say this?
Because it captures my imagination in a way that all the other books could not. Not only is the core re-imagined and intertwined masterfully with a ton of well-researched old mythologies, but Attanasio is very, very creative. The core Arthurian legend continues in this book with a young Arthor (Arthur), Morgan Le Fae, Merlin, as well as the fae, multiple tribes with clashing religions, and monsters and demons living in the World Tree.
The sword in stone is first and foremost, as is the setup for Arthor's future tragedy, and I'm all excited. We have such great setup.
Best of all, this is written in the modern epic fantasy style, popular in the early days of Jordan and Goodkind, and it is easily on the same level.
I remember reading this back around 20 years ago and being blown away by the epic-level magic, the mixing of mythologies, and the beautiful core of thI remember reading this back around 20 years ago and being blown away by the epic-level magic, the mixing of mythologies, and the beautiful core of this retelling of the Arthurian legend.
On re-read, I'm no less blown away.
There's so much to love in this. We get the genealogies of angels and demons under a very creative worldbuilding banner, the genealogies of Arthur's ancestors and the world into which he was born, a LOT of the extremely interesting take on Merlin, the demon who lives backwards, and especially Arthur's (or rather, Arthor's) parents and their peaceful mix of the ancient Druidic magics and Christianity.
Every page in this book shows a love of ALL mythologies and the desire to include them all under a single banner, just like the High King did for all the savages. The mirroring is gorgeous.
I look at so many modern epic fantasies and it's hard not to think we've lost something by comparison. I'm not saying the focus on Christianity is the thing that's missing. I'm saying the RICHNESS of it and all the others is what's missing, interwoven in a truly archetypal and gorgeous plethora of storytelling. :)
Granted, I didn't truly fall into the magic of this book until around half-way through, the slow build really aided in my love for the rest.
The magic in this book, even by today's jaded consumption of magic... is still quite amazing. There are always limits, balances, and rules.
Getting very good now. Some very smart turns in plot and action. I'm so excited to see all this crazy plot. I was almost certain they wouldn't pull itGetting very good now. Some very smart turns in plot and action. I'm so excited to see all this crazy plot. I was almost certain they wouldn't pull it off.
So fun!
I'm VERY happy to have read this. Any murder mystery that involves gods, shadow monsters, time-loops has got my seal of approval. :)...more
I feel like the plot is really speeding up. Or perhaps that's just the time catching up. But either way, my heart's racing and I'm stressed out with tI feel like the plot is really speeding up. Or perhaps that's just the time catching up. But either way, my heart's racing and I'm stressed out with the story. The thriller aspect is excellent.
I can't believe they can get so many allies this time! It feels like we're nearing the end, but that can't be. Fascinating....more
I'm totally invested in this mystery. The gore is great, too, but at the core, the mystery is really superb.
Shadows, fantastic characters, groundhog dI'm totally invested in this mystery. The gore is great, too, but at the core, the mystery is really superb.
Shadows, fantastic characters, groundhog day-like story, and above all, a great story. I'm very excited. :)
The slow beginning at the start of the series is not a great example of the rest of the series, except in establishing character. The rest is wild. ...more
The volume is about as sweet as you can expect days after burying your childhood friend. There's a little maybe possiWow. Well. I didn't expect THAT.
The volume is about as sweet as you can expect days after burying your childhood friend. There's a little maybe possible romance brewing under the surface and people are trying to get their lives in order, maybe even go to the summer festival.
The shadow/ghost angle was also pretty damn good. I was thinking it might even be all within his head.
But then it gets REALLY DARK.
I love how gruesome it became. I'm super intrigued. It's a real mystery so far and it's even better with the slight differences each time he goes through the meat grinder. :)...more
The Bizarro world sequence was something of a hit and miss for me. Some cool aspects but it fell kinda short when the whole Superman Idealism dropped The Bizarro world sequence was something of a hit and miss for me. Some cool aspects but it fell kinda short when the whole Superman Idealism dropped the ball.
As for everything else, including the last trials of Superman, I was still rather impressed. It's that whole last will and testament thing. Very emotional.
Put together with the first volume, the whole story sequence was pretty great. Grant Morrison is a very strange dude, but he's also smart. It really shows on the page....more
Whenever I see the name Merlin in conjunction with some kind non-Camelot fantasy or SF, I cringe a little, knowing that I'm about to be given some kinWhenever I see the name Merlin in conjunction with some kind non-Camelot fantasy or SF, I cringe a little, knowing that I'm about to be given some kind of homage, be it good or bad.
And sometimes, we get stories like this, so mild and lost to distant future history that the name is almost meaningless. Sometimes, a new quest, far from being hokey, drives a man nearly mad ... but all for a very good reason.
Reynolds is pretty masterful here. In such a short story, he evokes an ancient, nearly meaningless war waged through time dilation, a weapon that could win -- or otherwise end it -- and we're treated to a couple of fascinating people in their own rights, carrying out the conclusions to their individual obsessions.
The worldbuilding is fascinating as hell. The storytelling tight. The multiple revelations and implications, truly staggering. I love how awesomely big it is.
This story just sparks my imagination like few SF really can. I love it....more
This was easily more harrowing an experience than any that I've read. I mean, sure, there are worse in documentaries and movies about *cries silently*
This was easily more harrowing an experience than any that I've read. I mean, sure, there are worse in documentaries and movies about the Holocaust, but for writing?
No. This started gentle, got me invested heavily, and then the true horror settled in. It was, of course, worse because it was real.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I burst into tears several times, and it wasn't always for just the people depicted as mice. I am horrified, yet again. So absolutely horrified. Again. And it's always worse because we hear of still more atrocities around the world at different times and I have to wonder if there's anything worth saving in mankind.
I know there is. But I have to wonder.
As for this particular graphic novel, it won the Pulitzer for very good reason.
It's also banned all over the place because certain people are still invested in burying the truth, either to keep a beloved scapegoat or to perpetuate prejudice. Either way, fuck them. Everyone ought to pick this up and read it. Don't forget your history. Don't forget everyone's shared history. Don't forget our shared humanity, or we will all be doomed to repeat the same fucking mistakes.
I'm finally getting around to the Grant Morrison run of Superman and I can absolutely say it was worth it. Smart, unusual, even rather quirky (as we cI'm finally getting around to the Grant Morrison run of Superman and I can absolutely say it was worth it. Smart, unusual, even rather quirky (as we can expect from Morrison), I can honestly say it's one of the most interesting volumes I've read.
The only issues that were a little too weird for me was with Olson, and Lex in his last interview stretched some credulity when it came to Clark flubbing so much, but it really underscore the possibility that everything was not as it seemed -- as in multiple layers.
I think my absolute favorite was Lois's b-day gift, however. Everything about that was pretty awesome....more
This was a very pleasant surprise. A lot of it wasn't that new because I've read and watched a few documentaries on First Lady Eleanor and just how muThis was a very pleasant surprise. A lot of it wasn't that new because I've read and watched a few documentaries on First Lady Eleanor and just how much she informed and shaped FDR's presidency, but there is something really comforting about a well-written account.
Frankly, she was something of a heroine. She was a genuinely good person who was willing and able to squarely face poverty and racism and meet the problem with courage and charm. I believe she was FDR's conscience, his heart. She pursued goals that made her extremely well-loved by almost everyone.
As far as I'm concerned, here are a few of the most important bits: She was a one-woman equal rights activist, an anti-poverty heroine, a tireless champion of anti-prejudice, an exposer of ignored atrocities, and, as I've said, a genuinely good person.
She used her native intelligence and vitality to give voice to so many problems in American society during a time where most were swept under the rug and kept mum in the media. Between the lynchings to gay rights to concentration camps overseas or right on American soil, women's rights, communist witch hunts, or the endlessly horrible effects of hidden poverty, she was always right there, shining a light on the problems.
She was a great person.
I appreciate her all the more today. We need someone just like her, with that much of a platform, with as much of a good heart. We need her more today than we've ever needed her.
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