The Sword and Laser discussion
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What Else Are You Reading?
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What else are you reading - July 2021
Ruth wrote: "Ok, I’m hearing loud and clear that I need to bump the Parasol Protectorate books up my TBR... are the audiobook versions good?"I am not an audiobook fan so have no direct experience. People on the Parasol Protectorate Facebook page generally say that they like them. Try your library perhaps? "Soulless" is the first.
Finished up the other Vinge book, Marooned in Realtime. The exploration of SFnal concepts is great. People from various eras of Earth's history over a two century period were able to use "bobbles" to move forward while in stasis. Problem is, the bobbles go for a preset amount of time and can't be burst once generated. So if you get the time wrong, you can be in for a looooong time. The book starts some 50 million years in the future, when various groups have agreed to rendezvous. They're meeting some other groups coming out for the first time. Along the way, the rest of humanity has disappeared. So right away we've got bombastically big concepts in play.
Welp, from there the framing. Someone gets stranded while the rest of the group jumps forward. It amounts to a murder, so the "plot" is about finding the murderer. Well, it's really an excuse for worldbuilding. As rationales for data dumps it's not bad. The story moves along adequately. It's just really transparent.
This is supposedly a sequel to "The Peace War" but besides the concept of the bobbles there is little similarity. A few characters show up, not really acting like themselves from the first book. And, this book doesn't really have an end. Some people like the unresolvable mystery. I don't.
Anyway, good read, I like the big concepts. That's Vinge's trademark and he did deliver. This book was award city as well. I found it decent enough, but nothing great.
John (Taloni) wrote: "Finished up the other Vinge book, Marooned in Realtime. The exploration of SFnal concepts is great. People from various eras of Earth's history over a two century period were able to use "bobbles" ..."I loved that book.
Ruth wrote: "Ok, I’m hearing loud and clear that I need to bump the Parasol Protectorate books up my TBR... are the audiobook versions good?"They are great, Moira Quirk is amazing. My only downside was having no clue how the characters' names were spelled. :)
^ "Featherstonehaugh" was my favorite. Even better, it's actually pronounced "Fanshaw!" Ah, Brits...
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Ruth wrote: "Ok, I’m hearing loud and clear that I need to bump the Parasol Protectorate books up my TBR... are the audiobook versions good?"They are great, Moira Quirk is amazing. My only downsi..."
Thanks, I think I’ll check out Soulless soon. I have ended up with Audible credits to burn!
I ended up lemming Consider Phlebas (view spoiler) and traded my audible credit back in for Fugitive Telemetry.
John (Taloni) wrote: "^ "Featherstonehaugh" was my favorite. Even better, it's actually pronounced "Fanshaw!" Ah, Brits..."A village near where I lived was called Quernmore.... pronounce Quorma ..
Iain wrote: "John (Taloni) wrote: "^ "Featherstonehaugh" was my favorite. Even better, it's actually pronounced "Fanshaw!" Ah, Brits..."A village near where I lived was called Quernmore.... pronounce Quorma .."
Massachusetts is the same way.
Leominster is pronounced “lemon-stir”. Worcester is pronounced “wooster” like rooster. Peabody is “PEEbiddy”.
Seeing as I'm from Mass, yep. "Gloucester" (Gloster) always gets me as well.
Trike wrote: "Iain wrote: "John (Taloni) wrote: "^ "Featherstonehaugh" was my favorite. Even better, it's actually pronounced "Fanshaw!" Ah, Brits..."A village near where I lived was called Quernmore.... prono..."
The Leominster, Worcester and Gloucester in England are all pronounced the same as the Massachusetts versions (although Leominster often gets mangled into something not far off 'Lempster') My personal favourite place name pronunciation is the English town of Loughborough. Pronounced - approximately - 'luff-bruh' although sometimes jokingly referred to as 'Loogaburrooga'.
It’s spelt Throat-Warbler Mangrove but it’s pronounced Luxury-Yatched.
Trike wrote: "It’s spelt Throat-Warbler Mangrove but it’s pronounced Luxury-Yatched."*Captain America* “I understood that reference!”
Ruth wrote: "The Leominster, Worcester and Gloucester in England are all pronounced the same as the Massachusetts versions "There is also Mousehole in Cornwall (pronounced Kernow ;-) ) which you'd think would be quite clearly Mouse-Hole, but is actually Mowzl.
Also in Cornwall is Launceston, which you might think is pronounced Lawn-Seston but as anyone from the west country will tell you is pronounced L AA Ns'n.
I grew up in the mid-Atlantic but raised by New England'ers and all summers and holidays in CT, MA, and NH. So I speak the language. It's funny to see people down here in VA try to say Gloucester, as that is a road near me.I'm trying to read Consider Phlebas but it's a struggle. I'm also reading a book by a coworker, Crazy Foolish Robots. It's got a Bobiverse vibe and I'm enjoying it.
terpkristin wrote: "I'm also reading a book by a coworker, Crazy Foolish Robots. It's got a Bobiverse vibe and I'm enjoying it."And me with a hole in my TBR. I see she's thoughtfully placed it in KU for easy access. Page reads a-comin' her way!
Everyone raving about Soulless got me to bump it up to the top of my TBR and so far you’re all absolutely correct. It is awesomely delightful. I chose the audiobook and I’m loving it.
Glad to see new Gail Carriger fans. Small warning about the second book (not really a spoiler but...) (view spoiler)
Mod
Tassie's 2nd biggest city is called Launceston.
We pronounce it Lon-Sess-T'n. or using the aussie tradition of shortening words, we just call it Lonny.
A lot of Aussies from the mainland, wrongly, pronounce it Lawn-Seston. We just laugh at them 😉
I recall watching some national news broadcast once where the announcer referred to the Massachusetts towns of Stuffton and Foxboruff.
John (Taloni) wrote: "I recall watching some national news broadcast once where the announcer referred to the Massachusetts towns of Stuffton and Foxboruff."Dayton used to have a nice-but-dingbat young reporter who was terrible at names. Which is fine, but these were famous people and she was a *reporter*. She called Picabo Street “puh-cah-bō” when everyone knows it’s pronounced “peek-a-boo”. She mangled Michael Crichton’s name as “critch-tin”, like the first part rhymes with itch. I can’t even convey what she did to Schwarzenegger.
I know I’ve related this before but it always amuses me in The Thomas Crown Affair when Pierce Brosnan says “Lima, Ohio” like the city in Peru (lee-mah) when Ohioans pronounce it “lime-uh”.
Tassie Dave wrote: "William wrote: "Also in Cornwall is Launceston, which you might think is pronounced Lawn-Seston but as anyone from the west country will tell you is pronounced L AA Ns'n."Tassie's 2nd biggest cit..."
Or in Jaws when Richard Dreyfus pronounces Brisbane as “briss-bane”, when Aussies call it “brizzb’n”.
I just stumbled across this.Americans Try To Pronounce Massachusetts Towns
https://youtu.be/AckzNzbF5E4
“I don’t even know what sounds letters make any more.” 😂
The girl at the end with Worcester — that actually happened with my cousin when we tried to meet for dinner. She called me saying, “I can’t find Woosta on the map.” Yeah, it’s Mass, ya gotta throw in some random extra letters.
Now back to actual books... Just finished CP which I have discus at length elsewhere.
Dashed through What Abigail Did That Summer which was a delightful pallet cleanser after several darker books.
Now onto the The Book of Koli
I finished a couple Science-Fiction/Fantasy books:
Prince of Chaos by Roger Zelazny
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dawn by Octavia E. Butler.
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I read the first book of the new Becky Chambers series - A Psalm for the Wild-Built. I hope we get more from the monk and the robot! So life-affirming and delightful, as I've grown to expect.
Currently reading She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan one of my most anticipated books this year!
Recently finished Silver in the Wood and the sequel, Drowned Country. Short, ethereal stories that focus on the mysterious and dark side of magic in the woods. Creative and interesting.Also finished The Lost Future of Pepperharrow from the library, which I was really looking forward to since I loved The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. Unfortunately, the sequel focused on all the characters I didn't particularly care about, and I felt the plot didn't hold together well in places. Still fun, but Watchmaker will be the one I buy to keep.
I finished The Future Is Faster Than You Think: How Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives for my non-fiction book club. It was a bit frothy and optimistic about upcoming technology, but did raise some interesting points.Next up, Mexican Gothic, which I need to read so I can listen to the next book club episode of The Incomparable podcast. They do a nice job of covering the major award nominated SFF novels each year.
I’ve been re-reading Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and after that I’ll move on to a re-read of the sequel, Wayward Son, in readiness for the just-released third book in the trilogy, Any Way the Wind Blows (my copy should be arriving today so I need to get a move on!)
Ruth wrote: "I’ve been re-reading Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and after that I’ll move on to a re-read of the sequel, Wayward Son, in readiness for the just-relea..."Wow, someone is a fan of 80’s rock music.
John (Nevets) wrote: "Ruth wrote: "I’ve been re-reading Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and after that I’ll move on to a re-read of the sequel, Wayward Son, in readiness for t..."Wow, someone is a fan of 80’s rock music.
Mid-70s I think you’ll find...
Ruth wrote: "I’ve been re-reading Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and after that I’ll move on to a re-read of the sequel, Wayward Son, in readiness for the just-relea..."Just finished Any Way the Wind Blows. Greatly enjoyed it.
Ruth wrote: "I’ve been re-reading Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and after that I’ll move on to a re-read of the sequel, Wayward Son, in readiness for the just-relea..."Is it really a trilogy, though? The third book should’ve been called Peace When You Are Done.
John (Nevets) wrote: "Wow, someone is a fan of 80’s rock music."70s, but yeah.
I was just thinking how readers don’t seem to notice things like that. For instance, look at the titles of the Invincible collections:
Invincible, Vol. 1: Family Matters
Invincible, Vol. 2: Eight Is Enough
Invincible, Vol. 3: Perfect Strangers
Invincible, Vol. 4: Head of the Class
Invincible, Vol. 5: The Facts of Life
Invincible, Vol. 6: A Different World
Invincible, Vol. 7: Three's Company
Invincible, Vol. 2: Eight Is Enough
Invincible, Vol. 9: Out of This World
Invincible, Vol. 10: Who's the Boss?
Invincible, Vol. 11: Happy Days
Invincible, Vol. 12: Still Standing
Invincible, Vol. 13: Growing Pains
…and yet I’ve never seen anyone mention it.
On the comics site I hangout on it is well known, and I believe I read/ heard an interview with Robert Kirkman where the interviewer asked him about it. But you would think as mainsteam as the series has gotten that more people would be mentioning it. And in my head I just always think of Kansas as 80's radio along with Boston, Foreigner, and Journey, despite when the songs came out. Probably has something to do with being born in '77. Queen can go either way in my head, but still mostly think of them as a 70's band, despite the '85 live aid show being so prominent in my mind.
And to take this totally off topic. I just realized despite them being very active during the 80's, I think of Aerosmith as a 70's and 90's band, and not an 80's one. I guess it's just the connotation and not the denotation I have in my head.
Trike wrote: "Ruth wrote: "I’ve been re-reading Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and after that I’ll move on to a re-read of the sequel, Wayward Son, in readiness for t..."You’re right, the third book should have been called Peace When You Are Done. No idea why she switched from Kansas to Queen for the third book title. Perhaps all will become clear when I actually read it...
Heck, I'm surprised no one commented that the fifth episode of Loki was titled "Journey Into Mystery." Seeing as that was the name of the comic where Thor debuted umpteen years ago.
Trike wrote: "I really liked Mexican Gothic."I really liked her more recent book, but my wife compared Mexican Gothic to a Scooby Doo episode, so I am cautiously optimistic.
John (Taloni) wrote: "Heck, I'm surprised no one commented that the fifth episode of Loki was titled "Journey Into Mystery." Seeing as that was the name of the comic where Thor debuted umpteen years ago."I did see a number of people mention that, like on Fatman Beyond with Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin, but I don’t think I did here. WandaVision’s episode titles were all TV-related, too. “Don’t Touch That Dial” and “Previously On”, etc.
I’m trying to think of another book series that references pop culture in general with its titles but I’m coming up blank. The only other one that comes to mind is David Weber’s Safehold series, which are all from classic Christian hymns. (I think most of them come from one song.) I emailed Weber about that and his assistant replied that I was the only one who’d noticed. Too much time in Catholic school and Bible study, I guess.
Jack L. Chalker’s Four Lords of the Diamond uses monsters paired with common sayings that all hint at the big mystery.
Lilith: A Snake in the Grass
Cerberus: A Wolf in the Fold
Charon: A Dragon at the Gate
Medusa: A Tiger by the Tail
Other than those I can’t think of any others, but there must be some. I’ll wager some millennial author will eventually do a series based on someone like Back Street Boys. In which case I won’t catch it.
Trike wrote: "For instance, look at the titles of the Invincible collections: …and yet I’ve never seen anyone mention it."
I've seen it mentioned, although I am in a comic group that is currently reading the whole series, plus tie-ins.
Not quite the same thing, but the titles of Michael Moorcock's Colonel Pyatt novels:Byzantium Endures The Laughter of Carthage
Jerusalem Commands The Vengeance Of Rome
Louie wrote: "Trike wrote: "For instance, look at the titles of the Invincible collections: …and yet I’ve never seen anyone mention it."
I've seen it mentioned, although I am in a comic group that is currentl..."
You hang with cooler people than I do.
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The Sword and Laser
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I haven't listened to the Parasol Protectorate on audio but Gail's Finishing School and Custard Protocol books are excellent. Moira Quirk, who read Gideon the Ninth, reads those two series. I believe someone else reads the Parasol Protectorate though.
My ADHD has been hitting me hard. It took me over a month to finish reading Project Hail Mary. I really enjoyed it even if my brain had trouble focusing.
Going off genre for my next read Horrorstör which I picked up at the book store the other day. It looked a bit quirky.