|
Heroes are almost always reactive, villains are almost always proactive. It's just the nature of the beast.
|
#
?
Jul 13, 2015 06:37
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 15, 2024 01:51 |
|
|
Yeah, a proactive hero is often even labeled a villain.
|
|
#
?
Jul 13, 2015 10:58
|
|
|
That's why revenge stories are fun.
|
|
#
?
Jul 13, 2015 12:03
|
|
|
Khizan posted:Heroes are almost always reactive, villains are almost always proactive. It's just the nature of the beast. I'd not have an issue if the steps the protagonist takes are ineffective or the investigation doesn't turn up much, but in TAS the protagonist (admittedly the whole book is a long nervous breakdown) and her team (not in the middle of a nervous breakdown) don't really mount an investigation or take any real follow-up steps to the villains actions. Even if some new evidence or information turns up it's mostly ignored/laid aside until the bad guy takes her to the office and tells her "look, that's our stupid plan, and that's how we will accomplish it, here are all the clues you ignored throughout the book".
|
|
#
?
Jul 13, 2015 13:15
|
|
|
Wait, the Laundry Files gets good again? I've tried to read the Jennifer Morgue at least half a dozen times and just can't manage it, which has been frustrating because I liked the Atrocity Archives a hell of a lot.
|
|
#
?
Jul 13, 2015 21:08
|
|
|
boneration posted:Wait, the Laundry Files gets good again? I've tried to read the Jennifer Morgue at least half a dozen times and just can't manage it, which has been frustrating because I liked the Atrocity Archives a hell of a lot. Jennifer Morgue is easily the weakest in the series.
|
|
#
?
Jul 13, 2015 21:30
|
|
|
boneration posted:Wait, the Laundry Files gets good again? I've tried to read the Jennifer Morgue at least half a dozen times and just can't manage it, which has been frustrating because I liked the Atrocity Archives a hell of a lot. Jennifer Morgue is so bad I stopped reading the series there and only continued on the next book because I got a copy for free. It is the absolute nadir of the series and I recommend anyone interested in reading the books skip it because it is awful. Annihilation Score unfortunately feels closer to JM than anything else published since then but even it isn't anywhere near as loving awful as JM was.
|
|
#
?
Jul 13, 2015 21:33
|
|
|
It's fun because I really disliked the first part of The Atrocity Archives and I loved The Jennifer Morgue (and everything after that). Different tastes, I guess?
|
|
#
?
Jul 13, 2015 22:14
|
|
|
Mendigo posted:It's fun because I really disliked the first part of The Atrocity Archives and I loved The Jennifer Morgue (and everything after that). Different tastes, I guess? I'm with you, bro. The first 100 pages of Atrocity Archives are the worst for me. Jennifer Morgue is really divisive. People hate it or love it. I felt the plot device was amazing, and I get giddy just reading about it.
|
|
#
?
Jul 13, 2015 23:22
|
|
|
I liked all the parts of Jennifer Morgue that didn't include Mo. I've never liked that character.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 01:45
|
|
|
I haven't read any of the laundry files, and you guys aren't really giving me a compelling reason to do so.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 02:04
|
|
|
The Fool posted:I haven't read any of the laundry files, and you guys aren't really giving me a compelling reason to do so. Stross is a skilled writer and he has a lot of creative ideas, but not all of his creative ideas are also good ideas. Personally I find his books to be hit-or-miss. At his best, when the stars align and he has a good idea AND good characters, he turns out really excellent stuff. But he doesn't always sink the 8-ball / stick the landing. I've read pretty much all his published fiction but for any given book there's about a 1/3rd chance it's amazing, 1/3rd chance it's good, and 1/3rd chances it's sub-standard. With the Laundry Files series he's kinda gotten sucked into writing more books than he originally intended because the lovecraft + spies theme has more legs than he thought it did when he wrote the first book. So there's even more quality variation than normal for him. Hieronymous Alloy fucked around with this message at 02:17 on Jul 14, 2015 |
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 02:09
|
|
|
My only familiarity with the Atrocity Archives is thru Audible.com basically giving it to me during a sale a while back. It's terrible and I just can't get into listening to it.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 02:37
|
|
|
Time to talk new releases of comics and stuff!!! The first issue of Rivers of London: Body Work is coming out on Wednesday. It's supposed to be set between books 4 and 5, but other than that I didnt read any previews. Still having trouble finding a place to buy it locally, so we'll see how that goes. I completely missed that fact that there was another Dresden Files comic being released all year--Downtown.It's set after White Night, and I also don't know if I can get this locally. 5 out of 6 issues have been published so far, and they're also for sale digitally. However, for some reason, only issues 2, 3 and 5 are available on Kindle (which seems hosed?) Also, they recently published the Dresden Files Omnibus: Volume 1. This is a collection of the comics Welcome to the Jungle, Storm Front, Fool Moon, and also Restoration of Faith (which I haven't read as a comic). If you haven't read the graphic novels, this may be a good purchase. Finally (and not comics related) they published a collection of the 3 Dresden Files bigfoot short stories a few weeks ago as Working For Bigfoot. I never read those short stories before, so I'll be reading the ebook.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 03:48
|
|
|
^^^ The Bigfoot stories are quite good. I had issues when reading Side Jobs, but these are quick, fun reads. In other news, I just finished Kill City Blues. Overall I like the Sandman Slim books, but his time as Lucifer was loving terrible. OptimusWang fucked around with this message at 04:28 on Jul 14, 2015 |
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 04:26
|
|
|
Slanderer posted:Time to talk new releases of comics and stuff!!! Any word on why the physical copy of Bigfoot is 1) $35 dollars and 2) Already out of stock? Was it some kind of crazy limited thing?
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 04:31
|
|
|
jivjov posted:Any word on why the physical copy of Bigfoot is 1) $35 dollars and 2) Already out of stock? Was it some kind of crazy limited thing? I don't think so, but it's weird to see it out of stock. You can still buy it directly from the publisher, though (who also still has signed copies in stock too): https://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/working_for_bigfoot
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 04:42
|
|
|
Slanderer posted:I don't think so, but it's weird to see it out of stock. You can still buy it directly from the publisher, though (who also still has signed copies in stock too): That site still has it listed as a pre-order...maybe that's why Amazon currently only has the Kindle version?
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 04:44
|
|
|
jivjov posted:That site still has it listed as a pre-order...maybe that's why Amazon currently only has the Kindle version? Actually, that might be the case---the only reviews on the Amazon page seem to be from people who ordered the Kindle version, so maybe the hardcover was delayed. EDIT: Actually, 2 reviews of the hardcover...so no clue
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 04:47
|
|
|
Hieronymous Alloy posted:Stross is a skilled writer and he has a lot of creative ideas, but not all of his creative ideas are also good ideas. Personally I find his books to be hit-or-miss. At his best, when the stars align and he has a good idea AND good characters, he turns out really excellent stuff. But he doesn't always sink the 8-ball / stick the landing. I've read pretty much all his published fiction but for any given book there's about a 1/3rd chance it's amazing, 1/3rd chance it's good, and 1/3rd chances it's sub-standard.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 05:23
|
|
|
I got a book called Half-Resurrection Blues today - it was reduced in the shop and I thought the cover looked interesting. How bad a decision have I made?
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 05:26
|
|
|
ConfusedUs posted:I'm with you, bro.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 05:53
|
|
|
g0del posted:The beginning of the Atrocity Archives are is probably where Stross is channeling the BOFH stories the most. I could see it being hard to get through if you haven't spent time as a sysadmin or helpdesk worker. I have done both, and that's why it's so painful. 
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 06:03
|
|
|
Wheat Loaf posted:I got a book called Half-Resurrection Blues today - it was reduced in the shop and I thought the cover looked interesting. How bad a decision have I made? I was looking at that too, but never got around to reading it either, unfortunately.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 15:34
|
|
|
The early parts of Atrocities Archives are some of the strongest moments of the Laundry FIles I think. The books are at their best when they're focused on Government Schlub Whose Job Happens To Be Oh poo poo Monster instead of Super Important People With Super Important Jobs Fighting Apocolypses Every Day.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 15:37
|
|
|
Slanderer posted:Time to talk new releases of comics and stuff!!! Are any of those Dresden stories available digitally? I can only find physical copies on Amazon, but I'm not sure if that's because I'm not searching well enough or if they just don't want to sell them to me. Edit: Same question for "Rivers of London: Body Work", I can only find it in hardcover.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 17:52
|
|
|
Apoffys posted:Are any of those Dresden stories available digitally? I can only find physical copies on Amazon, but I'm not sure if that's because I'm not searching well enough or if they just don't want to sell them to me. Bigfoot is: http://www.amazon.com/Working-Bigfoot-Jim-Butcher-ebook/dp/B00ZXPSA7C/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1436892770
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 17:53
|
|
|
ConfusedUs posted:Bigfoot is: "This title is not currently available for purchase" I guess they just don't want filthy foreigners like me buying it...
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 17:55
|
|
|
Apoffys posted:"This title is not currently available for purchase" Region locking continues to be dumb as gently caress.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2015 17:56
|
|
|
Apoffys posted:Are any of those Dresden stories available digitally? I can only find physical copies on Amazon, but I'm not sure if that's because I'm not searching well enough or if they just don't want to sell them to me. The original Dresden Files graphics novels are all available digitally (via Kindle, Comixology, and dark horse digital), and the Rivers of London stuff is supposed to be available via Comixology too.
|
|
#
?
Jul 15, 2015 06:00
|
|
|
jivjov posted:Any word on why the physical copy of Bigfoot is 1) $35 dollars and 2) Already out of stock? Was it some kind of crazy limited thing? 1) Limited edition (even for the trade as there will be a fraction of the number of those as Penguin would print) 2) SubPress fills direct orders before wholesale orders Or 2) There was a production error that pushed release of the physical book back a few weeks, so Amazon may have quit taking new orders until that's sorted out. Probably a little of both for 2.
|
|
#
?
Jul 15, 2015 14:48
|
|
|
Butcher is a masterful troll. Don't read if you don't want some potentially SERIOUS spoilers for Peace Talks: https://twitter.com/longshotauthor/status/621483946556162053 If it's not a troll, there's nothing to say it's Karrin Murphy. There's other Murphy's around.
|
|
#
?
Jul 16, 2015 18:32
|
|
|
Jim Butcher is an evil man who must be stopped.
|
|
#
?
Jul 16, 2015 18:41
|
|
|
Mortanis posted:Butcher is a masterful troll. It's gonna be either a flashback to Papa Murphy's funeral or the death of Mama Murphy. Probably the latter because if there is one person Butcher enjoys making GBS threads on more than Dresden it is Murphy.
|
|
#
?
Jul 16, 2015 18:43
|
|
|
Re listening to summer night, and noticed a minor plot hole. mid way through the book, Dresden has a temper tantrum and destroys the phone at his house. Towards the end, the gatekeeper drops him off at his house and he makes some phone calls.
|
|
#
?
Jul 16, 2015 18:59
|
|
|
Jim Butcher's got a sweepstakes for ARCs of his steampunk book, The Aeronaut's Windlass. http://apps.shelf-awareness.com/signup/179/221355
|
|
#
?
Jul 16, 2015 19:22
|
|
|
The Fool posted:Re listening to summer night, and noticed a minor plot hole. Considering that Dresden destroys all sorts of devices just by being around them it's not unlikely he has a second phone in storage or something..
|
|
#
?
Jul 16, 2015 19:27
|
|
|
The Fool posted:Re listening to summer night, and noticed a minor plot hole. Was this before or after he got a fairy cleaning service? Maybe they replaced it
|
|
#
?
Jul 16, 2015 19:53
|
|
|
mrking posted:Was this before or after he got a fairy cleaning service? Maybe they replaced it This is well before. It's not even a big deal, it just stood out on my second listen through. Edit: this is actually the book were he gets his housekeepers The Fool fucked around with this message at 23:34 on Jul 16, 2015 |
|
#
?
Jul 16, 2015 20:05
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 15, 2024 01:51 |
|
|
Mortanis posted:Butcher is a masterful troll. I'm not going to get my hopes up because butcher is a masterful troll. Still, Odin is hiring.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2015 03:47
|
|
