Vagabond Treehouse (2023) [Beware of Chicken 3 - December 4th] Showing 4,651-4,700 of 5,829

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I think, Audible will still work when app breaks, if you download to PC with Audible for Windows or whatever it's called, then transfer to device through iTunes... but you'll then need an app to go above 2x speed

[Choko]

Yeah... But Emily brought up a good point in the Dresden files - we might need to find another brand of reliable mp3/4 players eventually...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

the shame is most want you to go wireless these days... and wireless is potentially expensive, and easier to lose, I think...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Repost from Skin Game thread:

Tonari no Emily wrote: "how are the non-apple mp3/mp4 players? the newer generations have apps I'm pretty sure..."

I think the newer generations run on Android and support apps... dunno what the best option is, tho... and you have to get used to dealing with the files through the Windows Explorer file system... the nice thing about Apple products, is you can just sync audibooks through iTunes...

The problem (for me), in switching over, is that the iTunes file system clumps all audiobooks together by author, and doesn't always track the information needed to separate the book files up easily, outside of iTunes... so it's going to be a fair bit of work to switch over, I think, when the time inevitably comes...

[Choko]

I agree! And the wireless headphones have very short lived batteries - i just bought one, that said 30hrs battery, but it actually barely makes to 7-8... Completely misleading advertisement.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "I agree! And the wireless headphones have very short lived batteries - i just bought one, that said 30hrs battery, but it actually barely makes to 7-8... Completely misleading advertisement."

I love when products say the battery lasts 2 months... if you use it 30 minutes a day... I think Kindles say that...

[Tonari no Emily]

My wireless buds last quite a while... I haven't charged them in a few weeks. Although I do only tend to use them maybe 3 hours a day.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088LW4JKR/...

If you only use 1 bud at a time the other can charge in its case

[Nirkatze]

Timelord Iain wrote: "What are we going to do, Nirkatze?

I know you like ipods... and I like ipods... and it turns out Apple ended the ipod product line last year, when they cut support/production of the 7th generation..."

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that either.... the iPod I have is the last generation, so I've got a few years at least... when the time comes, I'm not sure if I'll buy an iPad mini or ditch the evil apple and see what other options there are...

I have a bluetooth shokz headset and am very happy with it... It usually lasts me a good day of ~10 hours listening, and I charge them at night--sometimes if I'm doing a heavy audio day I'll plug the in for a bit while I take a nap... they charge pretty quickly. The audio quality isn't spectacular (a little fuzzy), but it's bone induction, and lets me keep my ears clear of coverings or inserts. I also have a Bose headset that has really good battery and great sound quality--can go a few days of heavy use without need for recharge--but it's not as comfortable. Needs more padding on the top and around the ears.

I do love being able to leave my ipod plugged in in my living room and walk all over the house doing stuff.

@Emily--charging & using one pod at a time seems very smart...

[Choko]

I finally got back to reading Theirs Not to Reason Why #2 - An Officer's Duty ... I can't remember exactly why I left it for so long, but I am guessing because it's a Kindle book and didn't have sit-down time for it. However, lately I have been reading quite a few e-books, so I decided to get back into it. I forgot how much I like the premise of it. I am only in Ch. 5, but Ia just sat down her mothers and explained to them that they have to stop treating her like their little girl and treat her like The Prophet she is, so others start thinking of her that way, and I thought that this is probably the hardest sell... I am 50 years old, and my dad still doesn't take me seriously... I have an RN and a masters in Social Work, and when I try to help him with his health, he completely disregards me, but listens to random folks... Drives me up the wall!!!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "I finally got back to reading Theirs Not to Reason Why #2 - An Officer's Duty ... I can't remember exactly why I left it for so long, but I am guessing because it's a Kindle book and didn't have si..."

The future is enlightened :D

In all seriousness, I think alot of it comes down to the fact that Ia is an artificial Prophet... if this was her simple calling, she could let her moms be her moms, but she's trying to shape the future long after she's dead... and she only gets to see them a few times across the span of the series, once she starts enacting her plan, because of how much of it requires her to go to Earth and then all around the galaxy... so I accept it... we never really see the moms manage it, because they don't have to deal with Ia on a daily basis... they just promise to try...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I finished my readthrough last April/May, when we started... just took me a few weeks...

the first 2 books are all the military training and climbing the ranks, and the last 2 books, split into 3 books because the last one was getting super long, cover the forging of her crew to save the future, and how far they're willing to go in the face of a few setbacks... it's a really impressive series, in my opinion... one of the better uses of the ability to see the future in as a form of combat magic, ala Alex Verus...

[Choko]

I just got to her meeting M. Harper, a dude she can't see in her timestream.. He is her roommate and she finds him very cute. I am guessing he will be her love interest???

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "I just got to her meeting M. Harper, a dude she can't see in her timestream.. He is her roommate and she finds him very cute. I am guessing he will be her love interest???"

Yea... "the most dangerous thing to her plans"... (view spoiler)[not seeing his/their future is a defense mechanism to stop herself from being wistful of the life they could have, if destiny wasn't getting in the way... (hide spoiler)]

I think this all plays out really well as the series, progresses... I'm a bit effusive about my love for this series :D

It can basically do no wrong...

[Choko]

I loved it from the beginning, but you know how it goes with physical books sometimes - I mostly listen while driving, and you have to dedicate the time to the book when it is not audio... I don't know what got me on the Kindle kick right now, but I have some time and will use it for this series.

I am up to Ch. 10 and as always, love the training...

I still need to get to Alex Verus eventually... Not in the immediate future though...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I hear ya... sometimes I can read a whole ebook in a day... most of the time I can't anymore... back in the day, I was reading 7-10 ebooks a week...

[Nirkatze]

Hm... adding A Soldier's Duty to my tbr...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Had some fun over in Random Chatter, to celebrate 20,000 comments...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Sometimes I think, if I ever catch up on 2022 reviews, it'll be a miracle... I'm barely keeping up with 2023... just updated rest of March, and still 27 books behind for April (fair number of short stories)...

The incessant Captchas, to prove I'm not a robot, are what deter me...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I bought a spare iPod, because my current iPod has been having charging issues... and I think part of it might just be the charging cable, because the new cable that came with the new iPod is having an easier time charging my old iPod... waiting for case in the mail, before I start synchronizing the iPods and swapping back and forth so I always have a charge iPod...

[Tonari no Emily]

Choko wrote: "I finally got back to reading Theirs Not to Reason Why #2 - An Officer's Duty ... I can't remember exactly why I left it for so long, but I am guessing because it's a Kindle book and didn't have si..."

Oh I need to pick up the next one too but I have too many eye-reads to get through at the moment...

[Tonari no Emily]

Choko wrote: "I finally got back to reading Theirs Not to Reason Why #2 - An Officer's Duty ... I can't remember exactly why I left it for so long, but I am guessing because it's a Kindle book and didn't have si..."

Also my parents definitely think of me as their "little girl" still lol And I get "omg so cute" comments when I wear scrubs and I'm just like... "They're scrubs guys, I gotta wear these to work" 😂

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Tonari no Emily wrote: "Choko wrote: "I finally got back to reading Theirs Not to Reason Why #2 - An Officer's Duty ... I can't remember exactly why I left it for so long, but I am guessing because it's a Kindle book and ..."

I love this series so much I'm tempted to read it AGAIN, and catch up, surpass you guys... loaded it onto my iPod/Kindle app again, just in case I follow through...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Tonari no Emily wrote: "Choko wrote: "I finally got back to reading Theirs Not to Reason Why #2 - An Officer's Duty ... I can't remember exactly why I left it for so long, but I am guessing because it's a Kindle book and ..."

Something about this reminded me of this vid I saw last week :D

https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments...

[Tonari no Emily]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Tonari no Emily wrote: "Choko wrote: "I finally got back to reading Theirs Not to Reason Why #2 - An Officer's Duty ... I can't remember exactly why I left it for so long, but I am guessing because..."

OMG that's adorable :D That definitely made everyone's day. Also the control the tractor operator had was very impressive lol

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Timelord Iain wrote: "I bought a spare iPod, because my current iPod has been having charging issues... and I think part of it might just be the charging cable, because the new cable that came with the new iPod is havin..."

Apple sure is quick to try and get you to wipe your old ipod for sale/trade-in, right after using the bluetooth data transfer options to clone your original onto a new device... luckily it's also easy to opt-out and keep using both...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Back down the path I go, to visions & Basic Training, and the Birth of the Legend of Bloody Mary :D

I heard the Siren Song...

[Choko]

We just had another storm, several tornadoes included... Another 40000 people without electricity... And it continues storming... The Midwest is not for the week of heart... I know every area has its own banes of existence, but this is getting worse every year, and our natural protections keep getting destroyed by us, because it's the area's economy... Stone quarries are just eating away at the hills in our region and this, combined with the warming, is only making things worse... We all know it, just no one is willing to do anything about it... Just a small rant, I am sorry...

[Choko]

No way! You really are joining for the read!!! Yay!!!

[Choko]

You should add the series to the heading:))) Maybe more people will join:)

[Choko]

Just finished and yes, I loved it... That ending was something... (view spoiler)[ A whole lot of things had to work just right for her to get command of the new ship, which is tricky, particularly because she doesn't want to influence anyone mentally. I hated that she had to admit in front of everyone that her father is one of the Meddlers... Now too many people will distrust her, and the one she outed will most probably try to retaliate against her... But I guess she had to, in order to stay true to her cause and do things as regulation as possible... However, she really took a gamble crashing the Admiral's meeting and convincing them she would be the only one capable of using the new weapon somewhat safely...

I am so excited to see where this story goes and already downloaded the next book on my Kindle! (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Ia definitely knows how to make an entrance... in the initial 4 book plan for the series, that was basically the midpoint (the final book was split into 2 books during editing/writing)

[Choko]

So, I am reading Theirs Not to Reason Why #3 - Hellfire and I am in Ch. 3... I knew we would be seeing Harper again sooner or later:) What has me fascinated is her theory of Time and how there is no real paradox if you propel someone from the future into the past and they affect it, since it has already happened and is just part of the timeline already... It is kind of a mind-fuck when she is talking about this Immortal, who is going to be born 200 years in the future, but is a major historical figure, because she had been sent 15000 years in the past and is pretty much invincible... Very interesting!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

It's one of those things where an author introduces such an interesting character/idea, and then never really does anything with it... it's just a fact of the world :D

There's actually a prequel trilogy, I never read, set during the Salik War before the Salik were quarantined to their home galaxy... maybe she pops up there... but probably not... that's only like 300 years ago, I think?

There will definitely be some more timey-wimey hijinks before the end of the series :D

EDIT: Also... there's got to be an original timeline where the 15k thing hasn't happened yet, but that's just glossed over... in all future timelines, it's a closed loop, until such a time as something happens to prevent the 15k thing from ever happening...

Discussions like this always harken back to my days deciphering the plot of Final Fantasy VIII, which has a lot of time travel, time compression, and bodyswapping consciousnesses (the Sorceresses, and the MC and his friends into his dad & his dad's friends (spoiler))

[Choko]

Wow! I didn't realize Final Fantasy was that complex... Should I put it on my TBR?

[Tonari no Emily]

Getting a bit behind on my BRs now... But I was Having A Week, so I'm trying not to let it stress me. Reading shouldn't be stressful :D (unless its for plot reasons lol)

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

@Choko: that’s a final fantasy game, not book…

@Emily: agreed… ignoring Brs for awhile (for any reason), makes it all the more daunting to try and catch up… took Choko a month to catch up on most she missed in Early March…

[Choko]

Emily, Iain is right! Don't stress! I paced myself and I am catching up after missing almost 3 weeks... Reading should be only for the joy of it:) At least here with us. And the camaraderie of course:))))

[Choko]

Iain, Ooohhh, OK! I knew there was a game, but I thought maybe there are books as well... Shows you how much I know:)))

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

It's a shame we don't have time for more random discussions around here, and random standalone & short series BRs on a whim... I try not to be too sad tho :D

Personally, I seem to find myself at a bit of loose ends, when I don't have a ton of BRs to do... then I suddenly need to make reading decisions after every book...

As a result, I've started several things recently, and paused and read something else...

Chunk of Heartstrikers 5 (the Bob bit)... chapter 1 of Hell Bent... bit of Pendergast 20... and settled on Veronica Speedwell 7... if I zoom through all my side reads, I'll quickly have to come up with some new side reads, even tho it'll soon be time to read another Dark Hunter & In Death & Sun Eater...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "Iain, Ooohhh, OK! I knew there was a game, but I thought maybe there are books as well... Shows you how much I know:)))"

There probably are some books, somewhere... they've made a few animated movies over the years... but I don't know anything about them...

[Nirkatze]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Personally, I seem to find myself at a bit of loose ends, when I don't have a ton of BRs to do... then I suddenly need to make reading decisions after every book......"

THIS! Post book depression is real...

re: Final Fantasy--I'm pretty sure there has to be some manga and light novels out there... but the issue with anything labeled "Final Fantasy" is that there's no over-arching plot to any of it... only two of the games even have sequels, and there's really no relation in story from one game (or any of the side media) to another. They're only connected by similar gameplay and some key worldbuilding aspects...

Games are fun though. ^^

Do the "Theirs Not To Reason Why" books have no audio versions?

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Personally, I seem to find myself at a bit of loose ends, when I don't have a ton of BRs to do... then I suddenly need to make reading decisions after every book......"

THIS!..."

Yea... Theirs Not to Reason Why is an ebook series from a relatively small/indie author... they mostly write romance, and this one sci-fi series and it's prequel trilogy... it's why not everyone read it last year, I think... ebooks are a commitment, since I/you/we can listen to audiobooks in many more places...

[Choko]

You are talking about post book depression... I am going through in-book depression right now! I can't believe Robin Hobb is doing exactly what Nirkatze said she does - she is absolutely cruel to her characters and us the readers because of that. I am on Ship of Destiny, and exactly 2/3 of the way in, she just demolished me!!! I am so hurt and angry, but the book and series is so well written, I can't stop reading! I feel like I can't keep on, but I need to know what happens... Just absolutely torturous!!!

[Narilka]

Yeah that's Robin Hobb lol I want to reread the whole saga some day but just can't put myself through it yet :D

[Choko]

Narilka, right?!?! It gives meaning to the saying Sweet Torture...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

After a couple false starts (opening the ebook when I lay down for bed, soon, and falling asleep in 10 minutes, max)... I've finally made some progress on re-reading A Soldier's Duty...

As my third read-through, and second in 2 years, I really feel like I know the story at this point... I just love it so... one of the best / most satisfying uses of foresight I can think of in fiction... the foreshadowing isn't oppressive, and things can happen that throw wrenches in Ia's plans, that then need to be resolved...

[Choko]

I think so too... I think I might have some time tomorrow to read my third book in the series... I am half way through and she was given a second card blank to do whatever she decides with the experimental ship... I have been really enjoying it, when I have the sit/lay down time to devote to it... I am determined to read the series throughout though, but I tried to see if the author is working on a follow up, and it doesn't look like she has written anything in several years... I really hope she gets back to writing! Funnily enough, her PNR books were some of the first in the genre I read back in the day. They weren't something special or anything, but because they were my first of the type, they have a sentimental value to me:)))

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Read another 20%, and my favorite segment of book 1: Hell Week... really shows Ia's commitment to her cause... and sets up one of the biggest obstacles of the series, the Feyori...

[Choko]

The Feyori are such powerful and arrogant beings! I kind of think of them as I do of the Greek or Roman, and even Hindi pantheons - overpowered beings who spend their time playing with us lesser creatures, doing good or mischief as they feel like it, and looking at us like we look at our pets - short lived, in their power, and adorable at times:)))

Theirs Not To Question Why#3 - Hellfire ... Ch. 13... OMG!!! She had a dude on her ship not listen to her, (view spoiler)[ didn't stop firing during a battle, and killed with friendly fire another guy, who according to her visions and plans was supposed to be the great-great-grandfather to the Redeemer, someone very pivotal for the survival of the species and the galaxy as a whole, but even more importantly, essential to her plans!!!! All those prophecies she has been working on, planning with and purposefully distributing to everyone, all of them become obsolete without that dead soldier!!!!!!!! And now, another guy on her ship, who has a family and life of his own, decided, in order to help her, give his life and family and everything away, so one of Ia's faction Feyori could remake him into the dead soldier and her plans for the survival of the Galaxy could be renewed... How the hell do you agree to something like that?!?! I would have said yes only if I could still retain my memory, but no, all of it will be erased and everyone will think him dead... Ia sure wants a lot from everyone around her. I know she also gives everything of herself, but darn it, this is hard... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "The Feyori are such powerful and arrogant beings! I kind of think of them as I do of the Greek or Roman, and even Hindi pantheons - overpowered beings who spend their time playing with us lesser cr..."

That's one of the most drastic problems in the series... other than the actual finale, I think... shows how much she's already managed to forge her cherry-picked crew into an almost fanatical fighting force that believes in her cause... Ia's Damned (I'm not sure if that name's official yet)...

Also, even from the beginning of the series, with her comments on Hellfire & Damnation, she was foreshadowing (view spoiler)[the names of her ships (hide spoiler)]

I think book 3 has one of my favorite space battles of the series... (view spoiler)[the one where she uses the jump drive tech to explode a Salik Battlestation (hide spoiler)]