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...woah. TIL that an urban fantasy author came out as trans last month, and she'll be keeping her author name for now: http://www.craigschaeferbooks.com/blog "All that’s changed, and I cannot emphasize this enough, is that I’ve altered my outer life to match my inner one. I have always been the same person, inside, where it counts. Every book of mine that you’ve ever read was written by Heather Schaefer, they just had a pen name on the cover. (Or to put it in a much cooler way, you know how Batman is the real person, and Bruce Wayne is the mask? It’s like that. With less punching and more hugs.)"
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Apr 11, 2022 19:32
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Revanche Cycle is v good.
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Apr 11, 2022 19:35
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StrixNebulosa posted:...woah. TIL that an urban fantasy author came out as trans last month, and she'll be keeping her author name for now: http://www.craigschaeferbooks.com/blog I read a couple of her books and they were cool, much like this news. I should bump her up my reading list again.
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Apr 11, 2022 19:39
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The Greydon Saunders of Monte Cristo Greydon Saunders, but a clone wearing a hoodie for the hip 90s Greydon Saunder, winner of a Golden Globe for the makeup used to make Greydon Saunders look like Bruce Willis Greydon Saunders of Zur-en-arrh Planet of the Greydons, about a topsy-turvey world where libertarian is slave to Saunders The Usual Greydons The Sixth Greydon, it turns out this gag was dead the whole time
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Apr 11, 2022 19:40
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grassy gnoll posted:The Greydon Saunders of Monte Cristo The Author Graydon Saunders
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Apr 11, 2022 19:41
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StrixNebulosa posted:Oh this is neat - John M Ford's final work got published a few days ago. It should be noted that Aspects is incomplete, as Ford died abruptly before finishing it. That said, Ford is an astonishingly good writer whose works faded into obscurity because of a dispute over his estate, so even an incomplete Ford book may be worth reading. His other stuff certainly is.
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Apr 11, 2022 19:54
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I am Graydon Saunders and so is my wife.
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Apr 11, 2022 19:55
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Kestral posted:It should be noted that Aspects is incomplete, as Ford died abruptly before finishing it. That said, Ford is an astonishingly good writer whose works faded into obscurity because of a dispute over his estate, so even an incomplete Ford book may be worth reading. His other stuff certainly is. Some of his blog comments are good work, let alone the stuff that got published.
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Apr 11, 2022 19:57
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Eason the Fifth posted:Any recommendations for independent fantasy authors? I've got an itch to explore some self-published stuff just because it has the potential to be something different and weird that might not make it past publishing houses, but a lot of self-published stuff frankly sucks. I'd like to find a few good authors and support them but there's also a sea of crap to wade through, so just kinda looking for some direction here. I'm always happy to recommend Jenna Moran's books, starting with Fable of the Swan.
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Apr 11, 2022 19:58
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Rand Brittain posted:I'm always happy to recommend Jenna Moran's books, starting with Fable of the Swan.
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Apr 11, 2022 20:00
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grassy gnoll posted:Greydon Saunders of Zur-en-arrh
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Apr 11, 2022 20:01
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This reminds me that I've not read any Schaefer. She seems to have an imperial poo poo-ton of books; what would be something good and representative to try?
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Apr 11, 2022 20:19
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I’m overdue for a reread of The Last Unicorn. Partly because I think I want my next tattoo to be Molly and the unicorn, but partly because it always just makes me feel better about everything. (And if anyone has any recommendations for books featuring unicorns where the author isn’t crowing at their own cleverness by making unicorns evil/poisonous/otherwise nasty creatures, I’ll gladly take them. Right now I’ve got Last Unicorn, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and In Calabria as my trifecta of “unicorns done the way I like them” books if that helps.)
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Apr 11, 2022 20:33
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Eason the Fifth posted:Any recommendations for independent fantasy authors? I've got an itch to explore some self-published stuff just because it has the potential to be something different and weird that might not make it past publishing houses, but a lot of self-published stuff frankly sucks. I'd like to find a few good authors and support them but there's also a sea of crap to wade through, so just kinda looking for some direction here. Zachary Pike? Starting with Orconomics. It’s basically a comedy series. Evan Winter started out self published with the Rage of Dragons, but then got picked up by a traditional publisher I think. Neither are really that different that I couldn’t imagine them being picked up by a regular publisher (obviously in the case of the latter).
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Apr 11, 2022 20:36
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StrixNebulosa posted:...woah. TIL that an urban fantasy author came out as trans last month, and she'll be keeping her author name for now: http://www.craigschaeferbooks.com/blog Looking forward to the grace and empathy with which the SFF community handles this
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Apr 11, 2022 21:08
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Dune (#1) by Frank Herbert - $4.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B7NPRY8/ The Martian by Andy Weir - $4.50 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EMXBDMA/ A Deadly Education (Scholomance #1) by Naomi Novik - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083RZC8KQ/ Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y5L7H71/ The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Illustrated Edition by Douglas Adams - $4.00 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XUBC2C/ Storm Front (Dresden Files #1) by Jim Butcher - $1.50 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WH7PLS/ Royal Assassin (Farseer Trilogy #2) by Robin Hobb - $4.00 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FBFMFW/ Assassin's Quest (Farseer Trilogy #3) by Robin Hobb - $4.50 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FBFMFM/
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Apr 11, 2022 22:44
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pradmer posted:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Illustrated Edition by Douglas Adams - $4.00  Amazon prizing is loving wild.
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Apr 11, 2022 23:43
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General Battuta posted:Looking forward to the grace and empathy with which the SFF community handles this Her dog already owned the poo poo out of her by stealing her spot in the bed in the middle of the night, not sure it can get any worse than that.
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Apr 11, 2022 23:53
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Kestral posted:It should be noted that Aspects is incomplete, as Ford died abruptly before finishing it. That said, Ford is an astonishingly good writer whose works faded into obscurity because of a dispute over his estate, so even an incomplete Ford book may be worth reading. His other stuff certainly is. I don't think the name rings any bells for me. What's the book to check out?
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Apr 12, 2022 00:02
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Rand Brittain posted:I'm always happy to recommend Jenna Moran's books, starting with Fable of the Swan. Thirding Jenna Moran as an underrated indie author, definitely worth your time. genericnick posted:I don't think the name rings any bells for me. What's the book to check out? The Dragon Waiting is probably the one to go for since it's actually in print again; the rest of his bibliography will be returning fairly soon. If you're in to alt-history that also posits the existence and influence of magic, it's probably going to be up your alley. The Amazon summary is pretty decent: quote:The Wars of the Roses have put Edward IV on the throne of England, Lorenzo de' Medici's court shines brilliantly, and Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza plots in Milan. But this is a changed world, and medieval Europe is dominated by the threat from the Byzantine Empire. Sforza, the Vampire Duke, marshals his forces for his long-planned attack on Florence, and Byzantium is on the march. A mercenary, the exiled heir to the Byzantine throne, a young woman physician forced to flee Florence, and a Welsh wizard, the nephew of Owain Gly Dwr, seem to have no common goals but together they wage an intrigue-filled campaign against the might of Byzantium, striving to secure the English throne for Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and make him Richard III. ... but I'll add that this is also an alternate history in which the very real Roman emperor Julian the Apostate manages to not get killed in the Battle of Samarra and instead becomes the emperor who prevents Christianity from becoming the state religion. It gets considerably weirder from there. 90s Cringe Rock posted:Some of his blog comments are good work, let alone the stuff that got published. Well now I'm curious!
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Apr 12, 2022 00:22
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Kestral posted:
He was active on Making Light (the Nielsen-Haydens' blog), which I think is still up. (Also in the Steve Jackson Games Pyramid forums, back when it was behind the paywall, but those posts are lost forever.) Not sure where else.
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Apr 12, 2022 00:27
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Groke posted:This reminds me that I've not read any Schaefer. She seems to have an imperial poo poo-ton of books; what would be something good and representative to try? She pumped out like 5 books a year for a while. Start with the first Daniel Faust book, the Long Way Down.
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Apr 12, 2022 00:55
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She mostly took the last year or so off to get her head in order and not suffer from burnout, but has a new Faust novel coming out soon regardless. I'm still not convinced she's not 3 AIs stacked up in a trenchcoat. Currently her first book is free on Kindle I believe. It's also on KU. Title is The Long Way Down.
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Apr 12, 2022 00:57
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StrixNebulosa posted:Today I found and bought Caleb Carr's "The Legend of Broken" from a used bookstore - it is wild to me to find a one-volume fantasy epic from an author who sold a best-seller (the Alienist) and yet I've heard nothing about this? Has anyone read this book? Glad you mentioned this, I’ve started it and it’s good so far! I think I’m missing all the footnotes due to audiobook of they are there, but haven’t felt the lack yet. I gotta say the cover really does it no favors though.
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Apr 12, 2022 02:23
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pradmer posted:Royal Assassin (Farseer Trilogy #2) by Robin Hobb - $4.00 I really enjoyed the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb way back in the day. Really should have the first book of that series, though. Fitz goes through a lot. I think I might have preferred the Liveship Traders trilogy set in the same world more. CW for sexual assault in the latter trilogy, tho. DACK FAYDEN posted:But doctor, I am Graydon Saunders. One of the things I like about Saunders is that he answers a lot of questions about the world of his books through a google group. Which then reveals that he's got a decent answer for most questions you have about that world so long as they're not plot points to future entries into the series.
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Apr 12, 2022 02:27
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saunders/sanderson collab
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Apr 12, 2022 03:31
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Braydon Saunderson
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Apr 12, 2022 03:47
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Colonel Saunderson
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Apr 12, 2022 04:13
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genericnick posted:I don't think the name rings any bells for me. What's the book to check out? I always enjoyed his The Last Hot Time, which is one of the best "fantasy '30s gangsters" novels I've seen. He's also known for writing two of the best original Star Trek novels -- The Final Reflection, an interesting look at Klingon culture that was sadly retconned away by TNG, and How Much for Just the Planet?, which accomplishes the minor miracle of being a Trek comedy that's actually funny.
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Apr 12, 2022 04:36
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The tragedy is I can get through a Sanderson book but no longer want to, and I really want to get through a Saunders book but can’t. They both write like different kinds of robots.
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Apr 12, 2022 04:52
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Selachian posted:How Much for Just the Planet?, which accomplishes the minor miracle of being a Trek comedy that's actually funny. It is a musical comedy in text form that somehow works. drat near black magic.
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Apr 12, 2022 04:57
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Eason the Fifth posted:Any recommendations for independent fantasy authors? I've got an itch to explore some self-published stuff just because it has the potential to be something different and weird that might not make it past publishing houses, but a lot of self-published stuff frankly sucks. I'd like to find a few good authors and support them but there's also a sea of crap to wade through, so just kinda looking for some direction here. I'll throw out Tony Harmsworth for inspection. In addition to his SF novels he founded the Loch Ness Monster Visitor Centre and is one of the world's foremost experts on Nessie. All of his books are available from his website on Kindle, some also on Kobo, and there's a link to get Moonscape for free so the price is right.
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Apr 12, 2022 10:20
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Non Krampus Mentis posted:I’m overdue for a reread of The Last Unicorn. Partly because I think I want my next tattoo to be Molly and the unicorn, but partly because it always just makes me feel better about everything. If you’re good with younger fiction: the anthology A Glory of Unicorns compiled by Bruce Coville is near and dear to my heart.
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Apr 12, 2022 10:58
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Neuromancer is $1.99 on Amazon https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000O76ON6 edit: oh, so is Count Zero https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PDYVZM see I have this entire wishlist named "things I want that I own in physical form" because gently caress owning books...
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Apr 12, 2022 13:06
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Which was the Gibson novel that involved blackmail via deepfake, iirc of the main character? I've been trying to remember for like two years, usually whenever the topic of deepfakes come up.
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Apr 12, 2022 13:42
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habeasdorkus posted:Which was the Gibson novel that involved blackmail via deepfake, iirc of the main character? I've been trying to remember for like two years, usually whenever the topic of deepfakes come up.
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Apr 12, 2022 15:59
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https://twitter.com/Pierce_Brown/status/1513594380942073861 Imagine writing dystopic YA and then putting out an NFT
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Apr 12, 2022 16:14
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Nexus of loving Torment
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Apr 12, 2022 16:17
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habeasdorkus posted:Which was the Gibson novel that involved blackmail via deepfake, iirc of the main character? I've been trying to remember for like two years, usually whenever the topic of deepfakes come up. I think you might be thinking of Mona Lisa Overdrive where a prostitute named Mona receives plastic surgery so she can be an exact double of Angie Mitchell so the latter can be kidnapped, replaced, and, I think, experimented on because of the biosofts her father implanted in her brain when she was a child (she's the girl from Count Zero). The only other ones that I can remember being somewhat close to that are in Virtual Light where the protagonist Berry loses his security job because of a fake emergency call, but that's more like swatting than a deepfake. And BlankSystemDaemon mentioned Idoru but Rei is not a deepfake but a Japanese virtual idol (hence the title: idoru is idol spoken with a Japanese accent).
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Apr 12, 2022 17:16
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Hmm, I think I was misremembering Virtual Light.
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Apr 12, 2022 17:38
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