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I read Project Hail Mary, Stars and Bones, Kaiju Preservation Society, The Girl who could Move poo poo with her mind, and a 2021 sum-up non-fiction book about Watergate the robbery/investigation/hearings/presidential impeachment movement over the 10 days or so. Hail Mary was eh with a lot of "i don't loving care" and "this {made up technobabble crisis} scenario makes no sense", Stars and Bones was semi-unpredictable and enjoyable (although I am absolutely over reading more "relentless swarm enemies suddenly decide to not use 89% of their abilities anytime they are within face2face range of the main character, then instantly switching back into relentless murder-gods once the main character is out of face2face range" in scifi+fantasy stories). Kaiju Preservation Society felt like it was written and edited by two people who haven't had any real moments of adversity in over 30 years, poo poo With Her Mind was amusing and overall a love-letter to LA culture; and other than Richard Nixon, John Dean and Mark Felt aka "Deep Throat" came off the worse in the 2021 non-fiction Watergate sum-up book readthrough. neongrey posted:i would not characterize it as rape heavy but it is a setting where rape happens, and also the main character goes through a lot of awful trauma, most of which is not sexual in nature but is described in more detail because of that. there is a chapter in book 3 that is an extended torture sequence; included therein is rape but it's glossed over a lot more than the rest of everything else going on - you can skip to the end of the chapter and you won't miss anything you can't catch up on. neongrey posted:solid call, yeah. the books are really important to me and i dont think any of the stuff I mentioned is gratuitous (even the chapter I mentioned, but thats very much imo)-- i wouldnt call any of it reader or author service, but it's still super heavy about those topics. 1980's & 1990's fantasy fans, not known for their sensitivity or aversion to what-the-gently caress content, definitely called out those elements as gratuitious and guessed they written as reader/author-editor service. Other than that, SFLer's mostly commented that Elizabeth Moon's (fantasy) fiction tended to be unattributed Dungeons & Dragons adventure modules, complete with notRangers, notPaladins, notThiefs, notWizards, notClerics, etc. [source: the SFL Archives aka SF-LOVERS mailing list]
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May 14, 2022 17:19
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quantumfoam posted:1980's & 1990's fantasy fans, not known for their sensitivity or aversion to what-the-gently caress content, definitely called out those elements as gratuitious and guessed they written as reader/author-editor service. Other than that, SFLer's mostly commented that Elizabeth Moon's (fantasy) fiction tended to be unattributed Dungeons & Dragons adventure modules, complete with notRangers, notPaladins, notThiefs, notWizards, notClerics, etc. Paks is very clearly a 1st edition AD&D paladin. Down to getting the specific special abilities as she levels up.
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May 14, 2022 19:09
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The Wrinkle in Time Quartet by Madeleine L'Engle - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BD29DX7/ The Boat of a Million Years by Poul Anderson - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FFMFVSH/ The Darwath Series: The Time of the Dark, The Walls of Air, and The Armies of Daylight by Barbara Hambly - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0090WTL90/ The Magicians of Night (Sun-Cross #2) by Barbara Hambly - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TC150O/
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May 14, 2022 20:01
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quantumfoam posted:1980's & 1990's fantasy fans, not known for their sensitivity or aversion to what-the-gently caress content, definitely called out those elements as gratuitious and guessed they written as reader/author-editor service. Other than that, SFLer's mostly commented that Elizabeth Moon's (fantasy) fiction tended to be unattributed Dungeons & Dragons adventure modules, complete with notRangers, notPaladins, notThiefs, notWizards, notClerics, etc. Paksenarrion is explicitly a DnD-style paladin, iirc. a foolish pianist fucked around with this message at 21:52 on May 14, 2022 |
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May 14, 2022 21:49
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Okay so I've been trying to explain what I disliked about Kaiju Preservation Society and I guess it's that even the characters weren't buying the stupid meme poo poo believably. "YoU nAmEd tHeM EdWaRd AnD bElLa?!" except if youre my age and someone tells you they named a pair of observed breeding animals Edward and Bella your response kinda ranges from an eye roll to a chuckle depending on how you felt about Twilight. You're not just bowled over that a scientist named a couple of monsters after a couple from some dork poo poo from their childhood.
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May 14, 2022 21:58
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quantumfoam posted:1980's & 1990's fantasy fans, not known for their sensitivity or aversion to what-the-gently caress content, definitely called out those elements as gratuitious and guessed they written as reader/author-editor service. Other than that, SFLer's mostly commented that Elizabeth Moon's (fantasy) fiction tended to be unattributed Dungeons & Dragons adventure modules, complete with notRangers, notPaladins, notThiefs, notWizards, notClerics, etc. i love the contemporary thoughts, though I really wonder if that particular reaction comes from most exposure to that sort of material at the time being written by, uh, men who didn't take the topic very seriously, and this being quite different tonally. I'd be really interested to hear current thoughts from someone else who is also well read in that period - I can be a very generous reader so my take could be thoroughly wrong. otherwise, idk, she says she wasn't playing at the time and that the similarities come from anecdotes from friends who did. there's enough of a game of telephone on the details that I buy it though ultimately how, specifically, she came by the notions that clearly came straight from TSR is, you know, mostly just trivia
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May 14, 2022 22:44
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It must've been a pretty detailed anecdote, Paksenarrion literally gets her warhorse when she levels up to 4th I mean I've read many, many worse books but it's precisely scripted by the progression path of a 1st edition paladin. Maybe she didn't play but she was cribbing from the books somehow.
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May 14, 2022 23:32
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that sounds extremely silly to me honestly
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May 14, 2022 23:39
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I’m looking for a book like Imajica by Clive Barker. Maybe something in between Imajica and you know, “normal” fantasy. I’m only 60% of the way through Imajica but I want MORE. If you haven’t read Imajica, imagine it as one of the stories that gets called “too gross” on here. Weird, graphic sex, horrific violence, and a protagonist that thinks very highly of themselves. There is no such thing as too gross to me, or too sexy, or evil, or any other adjective.
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May 14, 2022 23:50
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Nigmaetcetera posted:I’m looking for a book like Imajica by Clive Barker. Maybe something in between Imajica and you know, “normal” fantasy. I’m only 60% of the way through Imajica but I want MORE. If you haven’t read Imajica, imagine it as one of the stories that gets called “too gross” on here. Weird, graphic sex, horrific violence, and a protagonist that thinks very highly of themselves. It’s not quite as extreme on any axis but I just finished Library at Mt Char after it was compared to Imajica and thought it was a pretty good story in that same kind of bucket.
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May 15, 2022 00:03
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mllaneza posted:Just... Don't let that direction be Ash: A Secret History, which is notably worse than the Paks books. Goddamn just paid full price for these in a whim. Based on comments on this thread and wanting some KU crap I’ve been reading Cassandra Kresnov series and it’s above average, with the second book having some really nice paragraphs. With stuff like this, as opposed to, say, Baru or Gideon, the good writing stands out, it’s only expected to move the plot along. Halfway through the third with the second a highlight.
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May 15, 2022 00:15
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Nigmaetcetera posted:I’m looking for a book like Imajica by Clive Barker. Maybe something in between Imajica and you know, “normal” fantasy Books of Blood. There also an early Landsdale collection I can’t find online at the moment. Remulak fucked around with this message at 00:20 on May 15, 2022 |
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May 15, 2022 00:16
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I loved Ash. The poo poo that happens in like the first 60 pages is not really representative of the rest of the series and it seems so unnecessary.
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May 15, 2022 00:24
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Shitstorm Trooper posted:Okay so I've been trying to explain what I disliked about Kaiju Preservation Society and I guess it's that even the characters weren't buying the stupid meme poo poo believably. "YoU nAmEd tHeM EdWaRd AnD bElLa?!" except if youre my age and someone tells you they named a pair of observed breeding animals Edward and Bella your response kinda ranges from an eye roll to a chuckle depending on how you felt about Twilight. You're not just bowled over that a scientist named a couple of monsters after a couple from some dork poo poo from their childhood.
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May 15, 2022 00:37
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Groke posted:Paks is very clearly a 1st edition AD&D paladin. Down to getting the specific special abilities as she levels up. And in the second book she visits a serial number filed off T1 Village of Homlett and ends up leading a party of adventurers to explore The Moathouse.
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May 15, 2022 01:29
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I didn't hate Paksenarrion but when it comes to blatant D&D, World of Prime is a lot better
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May 15, 2022 01:55
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Nigmaetcetera posted:I’m looking for a book like Imajica by Clive Barker. Maybe something in between Imajica and you know, “normal” fantasy. I’m only 60% of the way through Imajica but I want MORE. If you haven’t read Imajica, imagine it as one of the stories that gets called “too gross” on here. Weird, graphic sex, horrific violence, and a protagonist that thinks very highly of themselves. If you haven't already read them, the Bas-Lag novels by China Mieville have a similar lush grotesqueness to Imajica, although with less sexiness. Also check out The Iron Dragon's Daughter by Michael Swanwick. It has some really hosed up scenes (basically delving deep into the question of what happens to children who get spirited away by evil fairies) and really unique worldbuilding.
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May 15, 2022 02:04
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Sailor Viy posted:If you haven't already read them, the Bas-Lag novels by China Mieville have a similar lush grotesqueness to Imajica, although with less sexiness. It sounds like there's a lot about this that could be hosed up but also lol at the one line setup quote:The story follows Jane, a changeling girl who slaves at a dragon factory in the world of Faerie, building part-magical, part-cybernetic monsters that are used as jet fighters.
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May 15, 2022 02:17
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Sailor Viy posted:If you haven't already read them, the Bas-Lag novels by China Mieville have a similar lush grotesqueness to Imajica, although with less sexiness. Great book. Swanwick never has a stinker.
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May 15, 2022 02:48
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Paks is interesting because it’s taking a by the books paladin to places consistent with an internal code of ethics despite a bunch of dudes quoting the rules at her. It’s definitely D&D inspired but it’s much better than most stuff with that pedigree.
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May 15, 2022 03:35
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Just read a few chapters of the first Paks book on Baen's website and I'm not all that impressed. It's so flat. No emotional content to anything. It feels like a synopsis of itself, I dunno. Not my cup of tea.
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May 15, 2022 03:50
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sourdough posted:It sounds like there's a lot about this that could be hosed up but also lol at the one line setup One of the many ideas in it is that the organizational dysfunctions that prevail in large-scale social interactions hold even in Faerie, and hence the beautiful, slick fey who hold magical parties are just the high society of Faerie, and there's a vast underbelly of oppressed poors and shmucks. It's... depressing!
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May 15, 2022 05:50
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Nigmaetcetera posted:There is no such thing as too gross to me, or too sexy, or evil, or any other adjective. Have you tried Storm Constantine
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May 15, 2022 07:54
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Nigmaetcetera posted:I’m looking for a book like Imajica by Clive Barker. Maybe something in between Imajica and you know, “normal” fantasy. I’m only 60% of the way through Imajica but I want MORE. If you haven’t read Imajica, imagine it as one of the stories that gets called “too gross” on here. Weird, graphic sex, horrific violence, and a protagonist that thinks very highly of themselves.
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May 15, 2022 10:05
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Remulak posted:Great book. Swanwick never has a stinker. The only other Swanwick I've read was Stations of the Tide. After I finished that one I was kind of pissed because the plot made no sense and didn't resolve into anything. But I have to say that with a few years' distance, the images and ideas of the book have stayed with me very strongly, so it's gone up in my estimation.
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May 15, 2022 10:14
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Just finished A Memory Called Empire. Found it slow to begin with but it did eventually pull me in and I was pretty happy with how it concluded. Will move on to A Desolation Called Peace, though I might read something else first.
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May 15, 2022 11:49
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Sailor Viy posted:The only other Swanwick I've read was Stations of the Tide. After I finished that one I was kind of pissed because the plot made no sense and didn't resolve into anything. But I have to say that with a few years' distance, the images and ideas of the book have stayed with me very strongly, so it's gone up in my estimation. I got a free copy from Tor and it REALLY made no sense because it was a misprint that cut out the last fifty pages
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May 15, 2022 13:13
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Nigmaetcetera posted:I’m looking for a book like Imajica by Clive Barker. Maybe something in between Imajica and you know, “normal” fantasy. I’m only 60% of the way through Imajica but I want MORE. If you haven’t read Imajica, imagine it as one of the stories that gets called “too gross” on here. Weird, graphic sex, horrific violence, and a protagonist that thinks very highly of themselves.
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May 15, 2022 14:35
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Quillifer chapter 1 & 2: What a nice city full of thriving industry and people and things our protagonist loves! It's refreshing to read a modern fantasy book that doesn't begin with a tragedy. Quillifer chapter 3: hold my mead. MartingaleJack fucked around with this message at 22:42 on May 15, 2022 |
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May 15, 2022 15:04
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tiniestacorn posted:Have you tried Storm Constantine Now that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time… a long time.
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May 15, 2022 15:33
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Tiny Timbs posted:I loved Ash. The poo poo that happens in like the first 60 pages is not really representative of the rest of the series and it seems so unnecessary. Yeah, it's front-loaded with the bad stuff. It thins out considerably after the beginning so f the reader is prepared to skip a few pages her and there, the payoff is an amazing story.
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May 15, 2022 16:58
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Yeah Ash was such a bonkers book. And it being 1000 pages really helps to spend some time during the pandemic.
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May 15, 2022 17:34
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A trio of Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson Knife of Dreams (#11) - $4.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SEH2NG/ The Gathering Storm (#12) - $4.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003K15O3E/ Towers of Midnight (#13) - $4.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003P8Q5QC/ Two Brandon Sanderson Mistborn books Shadows of Self (#5) - $4.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R697CGS/ The Bands of Mourning (#6) - $4.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R697BC8/ Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QGJDSCK/
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May 15, 2022 18:31
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I'm nearly finished with Kagen the Damned and one question I Tweeted to Maberry was "Did the Witch King somehow log onto the Internet and read the Evil Overlord List?" If you haven't guessed yet, one thing I really kind of like is that the villain is smart in a practical, let's not make the obvious mistakes kind of way.
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May 16, 2022 00:48
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Everyone posted:I'm nearly finished with Kagen the Damned and one question I Tweeted to Maberry was "Did the Witch King somehow log onto the Internet and read the Evil Overlord List?" If you haven't guessed yet, one thing I really kind of like is that the villain is smart in a practical, let's not make the obvious mistakes kind of way. After seeing this mentioned in the thread a few times I gave it a try. Came away feeling it was distinctly average. Prose was standard fantasy writer level, the plot ticked along without ever really doing anything surprising (including a few too-predictable twists near the end) and nothing really stood out to wow me. One of the major downsides was that one of the side characters who we probably spend about 20 chapters on only really serves to introduce a dues ex machina and otherwise their plot wasn’t really engaging enough on it’s own to care about The repeated refrain of “Well actually the so called good empire was pretty lovely and immoral when it was founded so who can say that we are really bad, now please hold on while I impale this baby and summon an elder god” also seemed pretty immature and not really fleshed out. Not a waste of time but not going to earn a reread either.
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May 16, 2022 08:16
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Swanwick pro picks are The Best of Michael Swanwick is what it says on the tin, his picks for his best short stories. They're all at least good, with some of them being superlative. Dancing With Bears, which takes one of his best short stories about a dog and his man and turns it into a full-length heist novel.
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May 16, 2022 15:22
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Tau Zero by Poul Anderson - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FFLPVJ7/
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May 16, 2022 22:40
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Even on KU! Neat!
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May 17, 2022 00:28
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pradmer posted:Tau Zero by Poul Anderson - $1.99 I enjoyed this one, the characters aren’t great but the core concept (accelerating closer and closer to the speed of light, pushing time dilation to absurd levels) tickles the “space ship go FAST” center of my brain
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May 17, 2022 00:48
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What would folks recommend for creepy/scary sci-fi?
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