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I’m currently reading A Cavern of Black Ice and this should have gotten famous instead of Martin’s poo poo. But it is extremely intent on being as edgie as humanly possible most of the time and though the characters are believable and the circumstances logical and the excess worldbuilding nowhere in evidence thank the gods, that one fact is really getting on my nerves. Whenever something bad is about to happen, do two things: 1. Don’t bother thinking anything good will happen because it won’t. 2. Make it twice as bad as what you’d initially imagined. This happens so reliably that I can’t unsee it, and the only thing that could remedy it is an authorial curveball that upends the pattern. Great book though, far better than most fantasy in terms of character, motivation, plotting, etc. Though I’m encountering some of the big tropes now and hoping it hangs together because I find them a bit disruptive from a book that I’d hoped might be telling another kind of story altogether. Male lead hooked up with the uncle, and they saved the female lead so now we have secretive/badass character with all the answers leading our characters on a marry journey while occasionally spouting exposition on details which have been left pleasantly misty up to now. Starting to feel like a profoundly traumatized adventuring party at this point lol.
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May 16, 2023 22:33
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BurningBeard posted:I’m currently reading A Cavern of Black Ice and this should have gotten famous instead of Martin’s poo poo. i finally started reading these last year, knocked em over very quickly for what is a dense, difficult setting (it's actually grim and dark, rather than 'grim-dark'). JV Jones posts a lot to her patreon but the fifth & final book, endlords, may never be finished or may take awhile. I'm not a subscriber but i do follow her on twitter.
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May 16, 2023 23:31
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ToxicFrog posted:But to me, what characterizes a Big Dumb Object story is a focus on people's interactions with, and reactions to, the Object. Conflict among the explorers may be a driving force of the plot (although it doesn't have to be, indeed there doesn't necessarily have to be any conflict at all), but what draws me to the genre is the confusion and wonder of exploring something huge and incomprehensible and alien, with neither the characters nor the reader knowing what they're looking at or what lies around the next corner but perhaps, by the end, starting to figure it out. You might really enjoy Steel Frame and Origin Complex by Andrew Skinner
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May 16, 2023 23:50
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Kesper North posted:You might really enjoy Steel Frame and Origin Complex by Andrew Skinner These books are great, but as someone who feels exactly the way Toxic does about wanting more BDO stories that are actually about investigating the BDO, these didn’t do that for me. I legit wanted the entire second book to take place in the environment it starts in though, and remain disappointed that we only get glimpses.
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May 16, 2023 23:58
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branedotorg posted:i finally started reading these last year, knocked em over very quickly for what is a dense, difficult setting (it's actually grim and dark, rather than 'grim-dark'). Yeah I picked up the series because I'd heard that she got back in the game and might finish. Not expecting it though. If nothing else, it's just good craft and I always appreciate that.
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May 17, 2023 00:54
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BurningBeard posted:I’m currently reading A Cavern of Black Ice and this should have gotten famous instead of Martin’s poo poo. gently caress yeah i love that book, it is indeed grim AF.
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May 17, 2023 00:58
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Kestral posted:These books are great, but as someone who feels exactly the way Toxic does about wanting more BDO stories that are actually about investigating the BDO, these didn’t do that for me. I legit wanted the entire second book to take place in the environment it starts in though, and remain disappointed that we only get glimpses. Yeah, that's fair. I didn't mind because the Old City was a whole new BDO to explore as far as I was concerned. Also Sigurd-Lem itself was such a scary enigma in the first book that I was pretty eager to find out more about it. Pretty sure the third book will be set back at the original BDO, at least!
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May 17, 2023 01:47
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Finished Pushing Ice. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot; while it's not quite what I'm looking for in a BDO story, it comes a drat sight closer than anything else I've read in at least the past decade. So thank you everyone who's recommended it ITT over the years.Kesper North posted:You might really enjoy Steel Frame and Origin Complex by Andrew Skinner I haven't read Origin Complex (yet; it's in the queue) but I did enjoy the poo poo out of Steel Frame, yes. Doesn't scratch the BDO itch, though. Might be due for a reread once I pick up OC later this year.
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May 17, 2023 01:51
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ToxicFrog posted:I haven't read Origin Complex (yet; it's in the queue) but I did enjoy the poo poo out of Steel Frame, yes. Doesn't scratch the BDO itch, though. Fair enough! I definitely recommend rereading Steel Frame before picking up OC. Steel Frame rewards close reading, and reading it closely raises certain questions that OC provides good answers for.
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May 17, 2023 01:55
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Seconded, I reread Steel Frame for Origin Complex despite almost never rereading books, and it paid off.
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May 17, 2023 02:11
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I should probably re-read it once I'm in a better mood for the unreliable narrator thing. In my first read I mainly just thought it was a cop-out that the protagonist kept passing out during the action scenes lol
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May 17, 2023 02:15
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Since newts didn't get slapped down... I also have a book on BookSirens, and it is also an urban fantasy. The protagonist isn't a hard-boiled detective or a cop, I remember someone was in the mood for something without that sort of lead. He is snarky, however. There's no romance other than one mentioned in the backstory and one vampire related bedroom scene. There is a lot of swearing. And violence. I'm keen to hear what folks think, and a review somewhere would be peachy if the cards fall that way. Thanks. Link: https://booksirens.com/book/YABWTSQ/BDS2N65
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May 17, 2023 02:44
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For the guys above who are particular about their bdos: what books do you recommend
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May 17, 2023 04:02
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zoux posted:For the guys above who are particular about their bdos: what books do you recommend Blindsight, all day everyday.
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May 17, 2023 07:53
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CaptainCrunch posted:Since newts didn't get slapped down... I downloaded this and will read soon! Good luck with your campaign. ETA: You might also want to post in the Urban Fantasy thread—they’re always looking for new books.
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May 17, 2023 16:42
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zoux posted:For the guys above who are particular about their bdos: what books do you recommend This is a genre that constantly produces good books which are inevitably followed by books which are basically unreadable. I don't know why.
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May 17, 2023 18:04
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Well yeah I know about all those, I was wondering what the hidden gems in the BDO genre are
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May 17, 2023 19:08
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Ship of Fools, The Stars Are Legion, and Solaris all kinda-sorta qualify as BDO books I think?
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May 17, 2023 19:40
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newts posted:I downloaded this and will read soon! Good luck with your campaign. ETA: You might also want to post in the Urban Fantasy thread—they’re always looking for new books. Why thank you. Yes, I will do that. I keep forgetting that thread exists.
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May 17, 2023 19:42
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It said there were a limited number of ARC copies, so i held off in favor of someone who might actually do you some good. But do comment again when it's possible to throw money at you about it?
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May 17, 2023 20:46
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Ceebees posted:It said there were a limited number of ARC copies, so i held off in favor of someone who might actually do you some good. But do comment again when it's possible to throw money at you about it? I can change that limit, so if you're of a mind, feel free. However since you mentioned it, the pre-orders are up. There are links (teeny tiny little icons) on the page below the author info, labeled as "social." I'm also going to shut the hell up so as to not make this thread all about me. Thank you for your patience.
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May 17, 2023 21:03
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MockingQuantum posted:Ship of Fools, The Stars Are Legion, and Solaris all kinda-sorta qualify as BDO books I think? *shaking you by the lapels* I READ THOSE ONES TOO Picked up Steel Frame after seeing a couple of posts saying it was good, it's been on my wishlist for awhile but I was afraid to pull the trigger, but it's grabbed me real quick. I'm not very far in and was really worried it was going to be more like Robot Jox but it seems like it's going to be more like whichever Gundam show had the most focus on trauma. e: evangelion! zoux fucked around with this message at 21:12 on May 17, 2023 |
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May 17, 2023 21:09
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Did you watch them tho?
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May 17, 2023 21:10
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zoux posted:*shaking you by the lapels* I READ THOSE ONES TOO lol I shouldn't have even tried, I may be the last person to offer BDO suggestions considering I thought Rama was an absolute snoozefest
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May 17, 2023 21:27
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Ship of Fools is more of a BEO, really.
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May 17, 2023 22:18
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No audio book for ship of fools, darn. Maybe stars are legion? Oh what's this? Aaand credit spent. Thanks, thread!
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May 18, 2023 00:47
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zoux posted:Well yeah I know about all those, I was wondering what the hidden gems in the BDO genre are I've always been fond of Tony Rothman's The World Is Round, even though it's very obviously a first (and only) novel by a physicist who had an idea for an unusual planetary system and built his book around it. Selachian fucked around with this message at 01:34 on May 18, 2023 |
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May 18, 2023 01:27
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zoux posted:Well yeah I know about all those, I was wondering what the hidden gems in the BDO genre are There's not that many books that fit the bill and aren't complete garbage tbh.
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May 18, 2023 01:35
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zoux posted:*shaking you by the lapels* I READ THOSE ONES TOO Really don't read this until you're done with the book: It's actually a zombie story, and boy oh boy, did that suck as a twist.
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May 18, 2023 01:39
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NmareBfly posted:No audio book for ship of fools, darn. Maybe stars are legion? Oh what's this? Fallopian Morass: band or album?
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May 18, 2023 01:42
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A serious issue to bring up with your gynecologist. Also somewhat accurate to the book, which is like "What if god was Cronenburg"
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May 18, 2023 02:00
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zoux posted:A serious issue to bring up with your gynecologist. Also somewhat accurate to the book, which is like "What if god was Cronenburg" most of her stuff has a strong organic/body horror element
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May 18, 2023 02:23
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zoux posted:Picked up Steel Frame after seeing a couple of posts saying it was good, it's been on my wishlist for awhile but I was afraid to pull the trigger, but it's grabbed me real quick. I'm not very far in and was really worried it was going to be more like Robot Jox but it seems like it's going to be more like whichever Gundam show had the most focus on trauma. Yeah, it's definitely not Robot Jox. The author is a cultural anthropologist who did his thesis on how liberation theologies developed as a defensive response to European subjugation, and you can see parts of that surface in these books. The principal themes involve finding solidarity and connection even in the most inhumane places, the rights of prisoners, the brutality of prisons and those that own them, and that giant robots in space are loving awesome.
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May 18, 2023 03:20
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I started Diaspora by Greg Egan and I have no idea if it's going to be any good but the first chapter detailing how the AI consciousness is seeded and grown and eventually comes to be sentient was really well done and feels like some serious thought was put into how one might do it and was quite prescient for '97 in light of where we are with things today. Just really liked it. Like even if the rest of the book blows I would recommend the first chapter on its own to friends which I don't think I've ever done before.
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May 18, 2023 03:31
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D-Pad posted:I started Diaspora by Greg Egan and I have no idea if it's going to be any good but the first chapter detailing how the AI consciousness is seeded and grown and eventually comes to be sentient was really well done and feels like some serious thought was put into how one might do it and was quite prescient for '97 in light of where we are with things today. Just really liked it. Like even if the rest of the book blows I would recommend the first chapter on its own to friends which I don't think I've ever done before. It's only getting started, Diaspora has a lot of ideas
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May 18, 2023 07:50
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I tried recommending the chapter to the Cognitive Science majors I've met but they were too busy gaming to get into it.
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May 18, 2023 08:44
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Shame he's dead tho
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May 18, 2023 09:22
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Aware posted:Shame he's dead tho Is this a meme? Greg Egan isn't dead. (Greg Bear is dead, though, he died last December.)
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May 18, 2023 10:09
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Jedit posted:Is this a meme? Greg Egan isn't dead. This is the origin of the meme also Egan got a false death notice a few months ago
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May 18, 2023 10:10
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https://twitter.com/gregeganSF/status/1623681582501593089
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May 18, 2023 12:11
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