|
Franchescanado posted:This one talks about how much Disney's amusement parks have hosed up Florida, yeah? Some of it, yeah. There's also parts discussing other ways Disney influences culture, though -- like how 101 Dalmatians makes people rush out to get Dalmatian puppies for their kids, and then abandon them when they discover that real Dalmatians require quite a bit of work to train properly.
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2021 00:23
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 4, 2024 09:51 |
|
|
Franchescanado posted:Thank you! I have another history of a particular area in the panhandle of Texas called Trails through Archer, by Jack Loftin, an amateur historian in Archer City that I know. He's aided my colleagues in the area in the past, geez going on 60+ years now? in doing our research. I can't actually recommend the cowboy stories in it yet because I'm embarrassed to admit I've only read the chapter on my field and one on the mystery of the white buffalo robe (a lot of the book deals with the bison hunting of that time). He's a great story teller though, and has his own museum set up in the old jail house built back in the first oil boom and opened around 1912 or something. Gorgeous building. Interesting connection to the other books you mentioned: Jack owns the ranch next door to Larry McMurtry, who owns a bookstore in the old down district with like 6 storefronts filled with books by subject matter. its definitely worth a stop if you are ever driving from Dallas to Lubbock or Wichita Falls for whatever reason, and you are likely to see Larry in the DQ.
|
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2021 02:37
|
|
|
Selachian posted:Some of it, yeah. There's also parts discussing other ways Disney influences culture, though -- like how 101 Dalmatians makes people rush out to get Dalmatian puppies for their kids, and then abandon them when they discover that real Dalmatians require quite a bit of work to train properly. Lol this seems like kind of a cheap shot to take at disney. But gently caress em. I'll check it out. My mom was reading some Hiaasen early in quarantine and it had her howling. Franchescanado posted:DisneyWar by James B. Stewart is the big one that I know of. I'll check this one out for sure. Thanks.
|
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2021 16:41
|
|
|
Carly Gay Dead Son posted:Good books about the cultural influence and inner workings of Disney over the years? The Pirates and the Mouse: Disney's War Against The Underground by Bob Levin is about the time a group of cartoonists in the 70s starting making unauthorized parody cartoons of Disney characters to try and provoke a lawsuit that lasted for 10 years and went to the supreme court.
|
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2021 20:53
|
|
|
I’m looking for a book I read a long time ago. It’s about a big door that was found deep underground that ends up being a door to hell
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2021 04:26
|
|
|
North American Lake Monsters story The Crevasse? E: or a somewhat misremembered Twilight Eyes by Dean Koontz? E2: but you're probably looking for this thread https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2704537 regulargonzalez fucked around with this message at 05:50 on Jan 16, 2021 |
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2021 05:47
|
|
|
Ive just binged through Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time/Ruin Sci-fi books and massively enjoyed them. Has anyone here read any of his other stuff and possibly recommend any that hits the same notes or on par quality-wise? Or similar works of science fiction/fantasy?
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2021 12:23
|
|
|
Monglo posted:Ive just binged through Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time/Ruin Sci-fi books and massively enjoyed them. That’s one of my favourites so oh boy here we go: Pushing Ice by Alistair Reynolds Seveneves by Neal Stephenson Dragon’s Egg Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson Rendezvous With Rama Anathem by Neal Stephenson Semiosis The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley Some of those are similar in that they deal with the science history motifs (anathem, Years of Rice and Salt), others are like the generation ship sections (Aurora, The Stars Are Legion), and a couple deal with the alien psychology and relations part of Children of Time (Semiosis, Dragon’s Egg). The rest are just sweet, depressing hard SF. I hope that’s got some new stuff for you at least. 
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2021 15:15
|
|
|
Most obvious comp has to be A Deepness in the Sky, right down to the spiders, no?
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2021 20:22
|
|
|
buffalo all day posted:Most obvious comp has to be A Deepness in the Sky, right down to the spiders, no? Thanks, I couldn’t remember the title of that one! But yeah, that’s a really great recommendation.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2021 14:27
|
|
|
tuyop posted:That’s one of my favourites so oh boy here we go: Thanks! Ive finished Rendezvous with Rama, now onto the others
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2021 15:20
|
|
|
Seveneves is the only bad book in group. But it’s truly deeply awful.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2021 07:43
|
|
|
Looking for a good/fun cheesy fantasy/SciFi series to read. I have just had a baby so I'm up at weird times and will read to get back to sleep so preferably something not super serious or involved and good in shorter chunks. For reference I've been enjoying the Raymond E Feist stuff but feel like changing it up screaden fucked around with this message at 12:43 on Jan 18, 2021 |
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2021 12:38
|
|
|
screaden posted:Looking for a good/fun cheesy fantasy/SciFi series to read. I have just had a baby so I'm up at weird times and will read to get back to sleep so preferably something not super serious or involved and good in shorter chunks. I have enjoyed all of the books by Alistair Reynolds. If you like cheesy but fun try Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2021 14:23
|
|
|
Captain Monkey posted:Seveneves is the only bad book in group. But it’s truly deeply awful. Yeah Neal Stephenson often has trouble with his third acts. But I really loved the first two in that one, I thought he nailed the sense of impending doom really well. But I think I can see where the criticism comes from, yeah.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2021 14:52
|
|
|
screaden posted:Looking for a good/fun cheesy fantasy/SciFi series to read. I have just had a baby so I'm up at weird times and will read to get back to sleep so preferably something not super serious or involved and good in shorter chunks. Simon Morden's Petrovitch series, Scalzi's Old Man's War series (although I haven't read the last couple) or The Android's Dream
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2021 19:14
|
|
|
funkybottoms posted:Scalzi's Old Man's War series (although I haven't read the last couple)
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2021 19:40
|
|
|
tuyop posted:Yeah Neal Stephenson often has trouble with his third acts. But I really loved the first two in that one, I thought he nailed the sense of impending doom really well. I won’t continue the derail, but the book just didn’t really connect with me for some reason and I have a few friends who felt the same way.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2021 06:16
|
|
|
Looking for hard sci-fi which deals with humans living in weird environments (like Niven's Integral Trees or Steven Baxter's Raft) and/or aliens adapted to conditions unlike anything on earth, or based on unconventional forms of matter (e.g. Robert Forward's Dragon Egg and Starquake, which feature life forms made of super-compressed matter on a neutron star, or Flatland and other takes on two-dimensional life). Especially if there's overlap with the sort of thing I mentioned in my earlier post-- in-universe encyclopedia entries or other documents detailing how these creatures and worlds work, or in-universe "survival guides" for humans in crazy environments. I tried to start on Greg Egan's Orthogonal and Dichronauts (alternate worlds where space and time work differently) but found them too confusing even after reading the associated explanations. Also many thanks to everyone who replied to my earlier post! I really enjoyed the Lambshead Guide, War with the Newts, and Dictionary of the Khazars. Major Refutation sounds interesting, too, but I haven't managed to get a copy yet. SerialKilldeer fucked around with this message at 23:21 on Jan 20, 2021 |
|
#
?
Jan 20, 2021 23:19
|
|
|
SerialKilldeer posted:Looking for hard sci-fi which deals with humans living in weird environments (like Niven's Integral Trees or Steven Baxter's Raft) and/or aliens adapted to conditions unlike anything on earth, or based on unconventional forms of matter (e.g. Robert Forward's Dragon Egg and Starquake, which feature life forms made of super-compressed matter on a neutron star, or Flatland and other takes on two-dimensional life). Especially if there's overlap with the sort of thing I mentioned in my earlier post-- in-universe encyclopedia entries or other documents detailing how these creatures and worlds work, or in-universe "survival guides" for humans in crazy environments. Hal Clement's Mission of Gravity is the obvious answer. I also used to love A. K. Dewdney's The Planiverse, which is a slightly-more-realistic-than-Flatland take on a two-dimensional world. You might also like Christopher Priest's The Inverted World, although I wouldn't exactly call it hard SF.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2021 01:18
|
|
|
SerialKilldeer posted:Looking for hard sci-fi which deals with humans living in weird environments (like Niven's Integral Trees or Steven Baxter's Raft) and/or aliens adapted to conditions unlike anything on earth, or based on unconventional forms of matter (e.g. Robert Forward's Dragon Egg and Starquake, which feature life forms made of super-compressed matter on a neutron star, or Flatland and other takes on two-dimensional life). Especially if there's overlap with the sort of thing I mentioned in my earlier post-- in-universe encyclopedia entries or other documents detailing how these creatures and worlds work, or in-universe "survival guides" for humans in crazy environments. Did you check out The Three-Body Problem yet?
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2021 03:28
|
|
|
Could someone recommend a post-apocalyptic book? I haven't read the genre in a long time and thought I'd see whats up. I really liked the first 2 books from Justin Cronin. The 3rd not do much. The series did have fantasy elements which is ok, but not necessarily needed.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 18:28
|
|
|
I’m looking for novels with very competent protagonists who can do no wrong. Some examples: Jack Reacher The Kingkiller Chronicles Travis McGee Sherlock Holmes Fletch I’m not sure if Jack Reacher is considered well-written, but all of the similar “ex-military badass” books that I’ve tried have been absolutely terrible, so I’ll make clear that I’m looking for competent writers.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 20:31
|
|
|
Dial M for MURDER posted:Could someone recommend a post-apocalyptic book? I haven't read the genre in a long time and thought I'd see whats up. I really liked the first 2 books from Justin Cronin. The 3rd not do much. The series did have fantasy elements which is ok, but not necessarily needed. Earth Abides and Alas, Babylon are two of the foundational books if you haven't read those, but they are very much grounded in reality. This is the Way the World Ends and A Canticle for Lebowitz are two classics that mix in some fantastic elements, and The Apocalypse Reader, Wastelands, and The End of the World are really good anthologies.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 20:41
|
|
|
ahobday posted:I’m looking for novels with very competent protagonists who can do no wrong. Some examples: Dan Brown's Robert Langdon books (Angels and Demons, Da Vinci Code, etc)? funkybottoms posted:Earth Abides and Alas, Babylon are two of the foundational books if you haven't read those, but they are very much grounded in reality. This is the Way the World Ends and A Canticle for Lebowitz are two classics that mix in some fantastic elements, and The Apocalypse Reader, Wastelands, and The End of the World are really good anthologies. I'll throw in a vote for Alas, Babylon as well. I haven't read it in a while but I've been meaning to reread it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 20:55
|
|
|
ahobday posted:I’m looking for novels with very competent protagonists who can do no wrong. Some examples: In addition to the ones others have named, I'd say The Martian fits this bill. Any of the Jack Ryan/John Clark novels by Tom Clancy are centered on protagonists who are competent within the world of the novel and who can do no wrong within the world of the novel. As far as being competently written, I thought the Martian was okay, but I have only heard bad things about the author's novels after that one so maybe look at samples before buying. From Tom Clancy's novels, I think the earlier ones are competently written, but much like the Dune series at a certain point it just gets worse over time, so bail once you get bored. For me anything before Sum of all Fears is probably ok, anything after it gets increasingly lazy. I still really like Clear and Present Danger. Your mileage may vary. I have not read any of the books ghostwritten in his name, so I can't help you there, but I have heard they are in the same wheelhouse. If you feel like stretching your definitions a little, many works of detective fiction have something close to what you're looking at. The detective is usually good at his or her job, and often the most moral person in his or her world. Raymond Chandler, author of detective fiction posted:down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. He is the hero; he is everything. He must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor—by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world. So, depending on how you feel about non-Sherlock detective fiction, Chandler could be good too. Noir protagonists usually can (and do) do wrong, but the writing is more than competent.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 21:35
|
|
|
ahobday posted:I’m looking for novels with very competent protagonists who can do no wrong. Some examples: John Rain series by Barry Eisler, especially the first few set in Tokyo.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 21:53
|
|
|
ahobday posted:I’m looking for novels with very competent protagonists who can do no wrong. Some examples: I usually recommend Greg Rucka's Atticus Kodiak books to people who like Reacher. You might also want to check out Robert B. Parker's Spenser books. Spenser is a lot like McGee in that he usually tries to avoid fights but can more than hold his own when he gets into one.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 21:53
|
|
|
Thanks all. To be clear “does no wrong” was an ambiguous way of saying “does everything well”. I’m very happy with characters who have loose morals. More suggestions always welcome - I’ll check these out.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 22:04
|
|
|
ahobday posted:I’m looking for novels with very competent protagonists who can do no wrong. I've never read them, but the description kinda makes me think "Bond". Anyone know if those are any good? I'm certain they are problematic as hell, I just mean as far as the writing.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 22:10
|
|
|
Magnetic North posted:I've never read them, but the description kinda makes me think "Bond". Anyone know if those are any good? I'm certain they are problematic as hell, I just mean as far as the writing. Rampant sexism aside, I think the Bond books are very well written.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 00:24
|
|
|
Dial M for MURDER posted:Could someone recommend a post-apocalyptic book? I haven't read the genre in a long time and thought I'd see whats up. I really liked the first 2 books from Justin Cronin. The 3rd not do much. The series did have fantasy elements which is ok, but not necessarily needed. How about 'Radiant Terminus' by Antonine Volodine
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 00:31
|
|
|
ahobday posted:I’m looking for novels with very competent protagonists who can do no wrong Dial M for MURDER posted:Could someone recommend a post-apocalyptic book? I haven't read the genre in a long time and thought I'd see whats up. I really liked the first 2 books from Justin Cronin. The 3rd not do much. The series did have fantasy elements which is ok, but not necessarily needed.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 00:50
|
|
|
Magnetic North posted:I've never read them, but the description kinda makes me think "Bond". Anyone know if those are any good? I'm certain they are problematic as hell, I just mean as far as the writing. There's a Let's Read James Bond thread that started in this very forum, if you want to dip in and see for yourself.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 01:09
|
|
|
AngusPodgorny posted:Cormac McCarthy's The Road is the greatest post-apocalyptic book I'm aware of. Its good. Also Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 16:52
|
|
|
Dial M for MURDER posted:Could someone recommend a post-apocalyptic book? I haven't read the genre in a long time and thought I'd see whats up. I really liked the first 2 books from Justin Cronin. The 3rd not do much. The series did have fantasy elements which is ok, but not necessarily needed. I'm about halfway through Blackfish City and it's pretty good so far, which is about a floating city in the Artic Ocean after the climate apocalypse and crumbling of most or all nation-states. Magnetic North posted:I've never read them, but the description kinda makes me think "Bond". Anyone know if those are any good? I'm certain they are problematic as hell, I just mean as far as the writing. They're well written, although the book Bond is pretty different than the movie Bond. A lot of stuff is the same but also Bond fucks up way more, sometimes because he accidently gets too drunk or is over-confident, but he also occasionally doubts his abilities or his self-worth. He's not the unflappable killing-machine of the movies.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 20:53
|
|
|
Human Tornada posted:They're well written, although the book Bond is pretty different than the movie Bond. A lot of stuff is the same but also Bond fucks up way more, sometimes because he accidently gets too drunk or is over-confident, but he also occasionally doubts his abilities or his self-worth. He's not the unflappable killing-machine of the movies. This reminds me of a section of Chuck Jone's autobiography where he compares Daffy Duck to James Bond. Both screw up constantly in their endeavors, suffering consequences, etc. The only difference in his mind was that James Bond would be eventually successful.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 22:51
|
|
|
Human Tornada posted:They're well written, although the book Bond is pretty different than the movie Bond. A lot of stuff is the same but also Bond fucks up way more In Casino Royale he's pretty much completely incompetent, to an astonishing degree.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 23:25
|
|
|
Dial M for MURDER posted:Could someone recommend a post-apocalyptic book? I haven't read the genre in a long time and thought I'd see whats up. I really liked the first 2 books from Justin Cronin. The 3rd not do much. The series did have fantasy elements which is ok, but not necessarily needed. Yikes, I almost missed a chance to recommend Riddley Walker. So: Riddley Walker is a great post-apocalyptic book.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 23:35
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 4, 2024 09:51 |
|
|
ahobday posted:Thanks all. To be clear “does no wrong” was an ambiguous way of saying “does everything well”. I’m very happy with characters who have loose morals. More suggestions always welcome - I’ll check these out. You may like the Stark novels. They vary wildly in quality but The Hunter(first novel, they made the move Payback based on it) is very good and the main character is basically smarter/tougher than everyone. There's a million of them and most of them can be read in a couple sittings so they are pretty fun. Sarern posted:In addition to the ones others have named, I'd say The Martian fits this bill. In the Martian he does LOTS wrong.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 23:47
|
|
