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BravestOfTheLamps posted:Is there anything more demoralizing than googling a book and spotting "#1" and "trilogy"? "Cycle" "Series" "Sequence" "Saga" "Chronicle"  Seriously though why is everyone using cycle these days? Most of the stories aren't even cyclical!
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Feb 21, 2017 20:29
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Mandatory Assembly posted:What the heck? You're basically writing fan fiction about why people didn't enjoy Ninefox. They're totally right about goons not being able to pick up on even the most obvious things tho. (Ninefox Gambit : this thread :: Perry Bible Fellowship : GBS)
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Feb 21, 2017 20:30
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fritz posted:They're totally right about goons not being able to pick up on even the most obvious things tho. (Ninefox Gambit : this thread :: Perry Bible Fellowship : GBS) It's been a long time since I did the SAT logic section but I'm not sure how that analogy explains thats guy's weird post inferring that people didn't like Ninefox because they failed to grasp its totally deep connections to the Chinese Zodiac. Even if "goons" have failed to make "totally obvious" symbolic connections, that doesn't invalidate criticism. If the book doesn't work on a surface level then what value is the subtextual stuff?
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Feb 21, 2017 20:41
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I thought, judging from the Ninefox Gambit sample, that the armies in it had somehow weaponized arithmetic.
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Feb 21, 2017 20:56
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I enjoyed Ninefox Gambit and even if I hadn't I'd be willing to go along for the ride of a series about how quadratic reciprocity (or in this case, he{x/pt}archic) rules everything around me.
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Feb 21, 2017 21:02
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sat on my keys! posted:I enjoyed Ninefox Gambit and even if I hadn't I'd be willing to go along for the ride of a series about how quadratic reciprocity (or in this case, he{x/pt}archic) rules everything around me. Q.R.R.E.A.M.? I do like that idea, though. Judging by how well the book's doing I'll be diving back in pretty soon.
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Feb 21, 2017 21:04
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Mandatory Assembly posted:It's a loving great idea, but the book never really pays it off. I read the book less than six months ago and I'm having trouble recalling one example of exotic calendrical physics. I seem to recall there's at least one form of immortality that relies on the current calendrical system, and there was a bomb that created solid + active illusions of their starfighters that was using the rogue calendrical system. There's also an example of the chief strategist calculating that the opposing calendar relied on a feast day after one of their major victories to shore up their version of physics and taking advantage of that to launch a counter-offensive.
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Feb 21, 2017 21:11
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Strategic Tea posted:Seriously though why is everyone using cycle these days? Most of the stories aren't even cyclical! It's a term for collections of interrelated legends or mythological stories, like the Arthurian cycle.
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Feb 21, 2017 22:22
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^ANother thing to thank Donaldson for popularizing..?Mandatory Assembly posted:It's been a long time since I did the SAT logic section but I'm not sure how that analogy explains thats guy's weird post inferring that people didn't like Ninefox because they failed to grasp its totally deep connections to the Chinese Zodiac. You're doing the same thing here again - seeing something you don't condescend to agree with or even entertain as valid because you don't immediately and wholeheartedly agree, and then lashing out aggressively and with a pile of deflection and other ways to ignore the fact that you didn't actually read my post responding to specific things I saw others saying about the book.. I mean hell, you got so upset about another poster's pretty moderate and neutral response, that you basically began to type incoherently about "thats guy". I mean if you couldn't be bothered to spellcheck, I'm pretty sure you're not reading for comprehension here, either. 
coyo7e fucked around with this message at 22:28 on Feb 21, 2017 |
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Feb 21, 2017 22:24
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coyo7e posted:^ANother thing to thank Donaldson for popularizing..? What exactly is aggressive about any of my posts? If you're reading me as someone who is "upset" or "condescending" I would suggest that you're projecting, my friend. Edit: I just looked at your rap sheet. Sorry that I bothered responding to you, feel free to move on. Mandatory Assembly fucked around with this message at 22:50 on Feb 21, 2017 |
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Feb 21, 2017 22:47
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Mandatory Assembly posted:What exactly is aggressive about any of my posts? If you're reading me as someone who is "upset" or "condescending" I would suggest that you're projecting, my friend. It's coyo7e, don't waste your time.
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Feb 21, 2017 22:50
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Ornamented Death posted:It's coyo7e, don't waste your time. Yeah I read the last post he got probied for and realised that rather quickly.
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Feb 21, 2017 22:53
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Mandatory Assembly posted:What the heck? You're basically writing fan fiction about why people didn't enjoy Ninefox. Seriously? You don't remember the insane weapon turns every living thing into some weird cthulu-eqsue radiation weapon? Perhaps your memory is just bad? edit: Or, I don't know, how about the loving carrion gun which is literally key to the last sequence of the book where she eats the remains of her shadow to receive his memories?
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Feb 22, 2017 00:52
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Mandatory Assembly posted:Yeah I read the last post he got probied for and realised that rather quickly. 
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Feb 22, 2017 04:18
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coyo7e posted:Sticking to ad hominems all the way down while already trying to move onto a different subject.. It's almost as though you're not trying to have anything like a discussion.  Agreed, your recent terrible posting in this thread as judged by the contemporary reader is a much better reason to disregard you than your past terrible posting in other threads as judged by some chump of a mod.Ninefox Gambit is bad, so what. Of the many complaints one can make about it, I suppose the fact that it isn't really science fiction in any meaningful sense is the one that annoyed me the most.
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Feb 22, 2017 04:29
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Number Ten Cocks posted:Ninefox Gambit is bad, so what. Of the many complaints one can make about it, I suppose the fact that it isn't really science fiction in any meaningful sense is the one that annoyed me the most. No you see I think the book is great and anyone that disagrees is an uneducated troglodyte that doesn't deserve to know how to read, so I kindly invite you to visit the Land of Oz and petition the Wizard for a brain (is my literary reference too vague for you?). Haven't read the book, probably won't based on most of the feedback so far.
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Feb 22, 2017 04:42
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Number Ten Cocks posted:it isn't really science fiction in any meaningful sense How so? If you want to disqualify it on the calendrical stuff, you're going to have to disqualify great big swathes of the genre. (A couple things that come to mind immediately are 'Five Twelfths of Heaven' and, with a bit of a stinkeye, 'The Void Captain's Tale')
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Feb 22, 2017 05:02
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I didn't completely hate the Talons short story, but my god can we talk about how bad the "The Thing" story is? It's a shame because there was a cool central idea to it, but it's completely overshadowed by the two lead characters being secretly gay. Is this someones slash fiction?
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Feb 22, 2017 05:03
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Mandatory Assembly posted:Even if "goons" have failed to make "totally obvious" symbolic connections, that doesn't invalidate criticism. If the book doesn't work on a surface level then what value is the subtextual stuff? The point is that there's a lot of superficial readers in this thread who aren't really up for things that aren't spelled out. (I guess that's the kind of reader who make 'As you know, Bob' infodumps necessary....)
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Feb 22, 2017 05:05
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fritz posted:How so? If you want to disqualify it on the calendrical stuff, you're going to have to disqualify great big swathes of the genre. (A couple things that come to mind immediately are 'Five Twelfths of Heaven' and, with a bit of a stinkeye, 'The Void Captain's Tale') Correct, the book I didn't finish and the books I've never heard of are all not really science fiction.
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Feb 22, 2017 06:38
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Ninefox Gambit is a really neat book, its more fantasy in space than like hard sci-fi stuff. I was happier with it than a reasonable amount of other stuff that has been recommended in this thread. loving Goblin Emperor. I've tried to start that book a couple times and its just so. loving. boring.
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Feb 22, 2017 06:39
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Yea, sweet gently caress all happens in the book. It's basically a story about a kid who had a horrible poo poo life suddenly becoming king and having to learn not all people are bad. That's like, the entirety of it. It's a decent read, but you REALLY gotta be in the mood for an emotional story kind of book, instead of a general fantasy swords and sorcery kinda thing like you'd expect. It's sort of the exact opposite of ASOIF.
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Feb 22, 2017 07:52
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Grimson posted:Seriously? You don't remember the insane weapon turns every living thing into some weird cthulu-eqsue radiation weapon? Perhaps your memory is just bad? You're right that my memory isn't the best -- sorry about that. I do remember the insane weapon that turns every living thing into some weird cthulu-eqsue radiation weapon now that you mention it. That's pretty novel, I guess. You are right that the carrion gun and the reasons you might want to use, and who she can use it on is really inventive and, for me, that's the best part of Ninefox. The revelation towards the end of the book when Kel uses the carrion gun and eats Jedao's memories wasn't particularly jaw-dropping. As I remember it (and please correct me if I'm remembering badly) Jedao has become a sworn enemy of the whole calendrical system because one of his buddies was mortally wounded in combat and it took high command forever to send them an extraction. As heroic (or villainous) origin stories go, this one is a bit pat. I hope I'm not coming off too negatively, because I didn't hate Ninefox, I'm just surprised to see it regarded so highly and I'm enjoying hearing why some people (other than the newly ignore-listed Coyo7e) liked it so much more than I did.
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Feb 22, 2017 08:49
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I haven't read Ninefox Gambit, but I am 63% in on The Stars Are Legion and I have decided to invent a new phrase: Gorepunk That is probably already a thing, but it perfectly describes this book. It is pretty good so far.
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Feb 22, 2017 09:26
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That's pretty much her entire bibliography tbh. Not a bad thing, but it does mean I need to give caveats every time I recommend her.
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Feb 22, 2017 10:36
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Mandatory Assembly posted:Jedao has become a sworn enemy of the whole calendrical system because one of his buddies was mortally wounded in combat and it took high command forever to send them an extraction. As heroic (or villainous) origin stories go, this one is a bit pat. Also IIRC the threshold winnower doesn't do living things so much as portals. Doors, windows, archways, mouths, eye sockets...
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Feb 22, 2017 11:09
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Stupid_Sexy_Flander posted:Yea, sweet gently caress all happens in the book. It's basically a story about a kid who had a horrible poo poo life suddenly becoming king and having to learn not all people are bad. That's like, the entirety of it. It's the book equivalent of sitting down with a cup of tea and a large cat and doing nothing but sipping tea and petting cat for an hour. If you're not in the mood for that you will be bored out of your skull, and if you are it's really relaxing even if the most exciting that happens in that hour is that the cat rolls over. I found it made a great chaser after Traitor Baru. D-Pad posted:I haven't read Ninefox Gambit, but I am 63% in on The Stars Are Legion and I have decided to invent a new phrase: I tried God's War and bounced off it hard, but I've been meaning to pick up The Stars Are Legion; it sounds more to my taste.
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Feb 22, 2017 18:09
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Mandatory Assembly posted:You're right that my memory isn't the best -- sorry about that. I do remember the insane weapon that turns every living thing into some weird cthulu-eqsue radiation weapon now that you mention it. That's pretty novel, I guess. You are right that the carrion gun and the reasons you might want to use, and who she can use it on is really inventive and, for me, that's the best part of Ninefox. I also thought Jedao's "how to lose your mind in 10 days" story was a bit meh, but the fun number theory stuff was enough to keep me entertained for most of it. That and the rebel agent signing off "Yours in calendrical heresy" were the two big clunkers for me.
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Feb 22, 2017 18:11
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What, that's an awesome sign off. I wish I could write that all the time. (don't sign your posts) If it's not clear from my glowing blurb I loved Ninefox once it got going, and I'm really excited for Raven Stratagem! I love Yoon's aesthetic, the cold sharp animal/math imagery and the dry humor and the bursts of tremendous horror. Ghostweight is a dope short story.
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Feb 22, 2017 19:25
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Yours in posting heresy,
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Feb 22, 2017 19:26
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General Battuta posted:What, that's an awesome sign off. I wish I could write that all the time. (don't sign your posts) I really liked the aeshetic too, but something about ending a communique with that was too goofy for me. I'm really excited for book 2 as well! I didn't realize there was a short, thanks for letting me know.
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Feb 22, 2017 19:46
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He has a great collection called Conservation of Shadows.
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Feb 22, 2017 20:02
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e: nevermind
Take the plunge! Okay! fucked around with this message at 21:38 on Feb 22, 2017 |
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Feb 22, 2017 21:35
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Mandatory Assembly posted:You're right that my memory isn't the best -- sorry about that. I do remember the insane weapon that turns every living thing into some weird cthulu-eqsue radiation weapon now that you mention it. That's pretty novel, I guess. You are right that the carrion gun and the reasons you might want to use, and who she can use it on is really inventive and, for me, that's the best part of Ninefox. I mean, I guess if the revelation that the ghost general willingly locked himself into horrifying immortality via an act of mind-bending treachery at the off chance that it would one day allow him to destroy the hept-now-hexarchate doesn't do something for you, I don't know what to say. Plus there's the fact that he clearly spends most of the book using his built-up reputation to gently caress with Cheris to the point where she's receptive to his ideas. That's cool and awful.
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Feb 22, 2017 23:34
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What is the best way to start with Lord Dunsany? I've read a couple stories in various fantasy anthologies but no collection of his - is there a definitive one?
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Feb 23, 2017 17:01
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anilEhilated posted:What is the best way to start with Lord Dunsany? I've read a couple stories in various fantasy anthologies but no collection of his - is there a definitive one? You can't go wrong with the Penguin Classics collection of his work.
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Feb 23, 2017 17:22
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anilEhilated posted:What is the best way to start with Lord Dunsany? I've read a couple stories in various fantasy anthologies but no collection of his - is there a definitive one? Most of his stuff is available for free online. I don't think there's a single collection, a lot of his stuff is plays or novels and he put out a very large volume of work. You can't go wrong just grabbing everything in the Kindle Store at $0.00. I'd start with Idle Days on the Yann, then God's of Pegana. The King of Elfland's Daughter if you want a longer work but I think it's still under copyright.
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Feb 23, 2017 17:33
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I'm about halfway through Ken MacLeod's Corporation Wars: Dissidence and enjoying it a fair bit, I was a bit concerned going into it knowing only that MacLeod was huge on shoving politics into his novels. I thought this might mean lecturing and filibusters with no nuance or counterview, which is what a hell of a lot of writers of all political persuasions do. I was wrong. Essentially, the novel is about digital recordings of war criminals being brought back in a thousand years to fight a robot uprising happening on an extrasolar colony. The war from which these people hailed was between Accelerationists - who wanted to drive society through to a state most conducive to fundamental changes in the human condition - and the Reaction, who were a loose conglomeration of conservatives. Now, MacLeod certainly has a preference for the Accelerationists, with the one Reactionary character we've seen being a bit of a caricature in that he views everything through the lens of race. I find that a little unrealistic because there's a fair bit of evidence from psychology (lol psychology is the worst 'science', I know, I know) that while race can dictate how people behave with respect to others where they know nothing else about them, that stops pretty fast if the person in question learns some significant individuating factors, and in this case the character in question keeps up the race bullshit long after learning many individuating factors of his team. Nonetheless, I don't deny that such a person could exist, and it's not at all grating because MacLeod isn't just strawmaning those people he disagrees with and setting up an ideal opponent school, in the Acceleration, which embodies his views: several of the Accelerationists are narcissistic assholes who, despite using the rhetoric of laudable ideals, have no grasp of how their actions relate to the common man. Our central protagonist is an Accelerationist who isn't an ideologue who puts his own beliefs against everything else, and provides a sympathetic viewpoint. I have a suspicion not all is as it appears, though I won't set out any details unless other people have read it and want to talk about it. With most books where the authors want to explore their own political beliefs, the politics are an odious chore which I have to grit my teeth and bear in order to enjoy the other parts of the books, but in this case there's a diversity of viewpoints presented which, while the author might have some preference between, doesn't prefer it to an extreme which removes events from reality. There are also some themes about what it means to be human and what the value is on us maintaining our conventional human psychology and condition of existence, which I guess will probably come out more as things progress. Good stuff.
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Feb 24, 2017 05:33
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I just finished it last week. I disagree with the way you characterized the reaction, they're a weird mix of neo-confederates and neo-monarchists, not just 'conservative'. Kind of a spoiler for some end of book background: their ideology might not be rooted in racist philosophy but the Reaction background characters are all pretty clearly racist, with one sort of exception. Also, if you're halfway through the book i assume the rax character you are referring to is beauregard who is explicitly not a member of the Reaction movement, he's an narcissist and an opportunist who also happens to be a huge racist.
andrew smash fucked around with this message at 06:34 on Feb 24, 2017 |
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Feb 24, 2017 06:30
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andrew smash posted:I just finished it last week. I disagree with the way you characterized the reaction, they're neo-monarchists, not just 'conservative'. Also, if you're halfway through the book i assume the rax character you are referring to is beauregard who is explicitly not a member of the Reaction movement, he's an narcissist and an opportunist who also happens to be a huge racist. The substance of the Reaction has only briefly been described and a lot of constituents of the movement were thrown out; a monarchist type model was mentioned but I thought it just meant that they were fighting for conservation of the conventional power structure which to some people just seems like an aristocracy with different labels. I thought that guy was affiliated with the Reaction but I suppose he was just acting for the UK government. The dangers of commenting before finishing a book... Thanks for the clarification.
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Feb 24, 2017 06:35
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