Holy fuck is this scary. And I’ve read a lot about this topic before. This is still terrifying.
Third Perpetual Book Thread
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Holy fuck is this scary. And I’ve read a lot about this topic before. This is still terrifying.
I listened to it. I think I found it through the recommended page in Libby. I was out of ideas and audible credits at the time.
I don't know why I finished it. I clocked out multiple times during the listen and kept asking myself "what's the point?"
In praise of failure : four lessons in humility by Costică Brădățan, 2023.
I just finished this quirky little book (273 p) and am left with more than a few things to think about - birth, death, humility, human frailty, hubris, genocide, madness, disease, senility, poverty and wealth to name a few.
He uses the lives of Simone Wiel, Seneca, Mahatma Gandhi, Emile Cioran, Yukio Mashima and Osamu Dazai to tell how failure rendered their lives as hapless and meaningful, and how failure transcends egotism and ignorance. Considering the failures of Stalin and Hitler, the damage done in the Indian independence and partitioning, the scale of failure from the very large to the embodiment of failing in the lives of those listed above. Brădățan is a very good writer, he uses his prose clearly and weaves a narrative which is very engaging.
Borrowed from my county library.
I finished Nuclear War: A Scenario.
Two thoughts:
1) That was a page turner of a book. Truly a very, VERY good read.
2) That was the most terrifying thing I've read in years. It all tracks, from the numbers to the timing to the dysfunction to the confusion to the dying. If anything, I think it underestimates some things. Thank god I've never been in a position to know for sure.
It did teach me about Göbekli Tepe, a place in modern day Turkey that reset our concept on when 'civilization' started. Fascinating stuff.
But yeah, fucking terrifying.
Up next? I have no idea. Something more cheerful.
Two thoughts:
1) That was a page turner of a book. Truly a very, VERY good read.
2) That was the most terrifying thing I've read in years. It all tracks, from the numbers to the timing to the dysfunction to the confusion to the dying. If anything, I think it underestimates some things. Thank god I've never been in a position to know for sure.
It did teach me about Göbekli Tepe, a place in modern day Turkey that reset our concept on when 'civilization' started. Fascinating stuff.
But yeah, fucking terrifying.
Up next? I have no idea. Something more cheerful.
I think I prefer my nuclear war horror fiction in the form of eldritch horrors, cultists, and the walking of Azathoth.
Canticle for Liebowitz had a nice post-nuclear mutant thread through it too.
Looking up A Boy and His Dog on Wikipedia tells me that it was based on a Harlan Ellison story arc "Vic and Blood."
Looking up A Boy and His Dog on Wikipedia tells me that it was based on a Harlan Ellison story arc "Vic and Blood."
The next book? The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, by Becky Chambers. I'll probably end up picking up the full series if I like it. So many accolades for this one, and the 'dust jacket quotes' are just set to entice me.
But FIRST! I'm reading the first volume (at least) of Saga. The massive (1300 page) graphic novel. I have the compendium and wanted to at least start it. May read a volume (of which there are LOTS in this thing) in between other works. It is also VERY good, but I'll take any more thoughts on it to the Comics thread.
But FIRST! I'm reading the first volume (at least) of Saga. The massive (1300 page) graphic novel. I have the compendium and wanted to at least start it. May read a volume (of which there are LOTS in this thing) in between other works. It is also VERY good, but I'll take any more thoughts on it to the Comics thread.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is the high point of the series. The other 3 novels are alright, I finished them, but The Long Way is the only one I have read multiple times. The pacing and story points were simply more interesting than the later books to me. The later books just got even more… Soap Opera-y than the first book and it was just eh.
My big complaint about the series is that Chambers never really makes it back to the Wayfarer-- she gets you attached to a bunch of characters in the first book and then mostly never comes back to them. The series is more of a collection of loosely-connected stories in the same universe than it is an actual four-part book series.
The first book is definitely the high point of the series, although I don't regret spending the time on the other three. It's all Becky Chambers' writing (with more of an emphasis on characterization and world-building than on driving the overall plot forward); if that works for you in the first book, it's worth giving the rest a try.
The first book is definitely the high point of the series, although I don't regret spending the time on the other three. It's all Becky Chambers' writing (with more of an emphasis on characterization and world-building than on driving the overall plot forward); if that works for you in the first book, it's worth giving the rest a try.
Wait, Rebecca Roanhorse's crazy-and-cool Mesoamerican influenced epic fantasy has a third book coming out (the finale) on freaking Tuesday?!?!
Shut the front fuckin' door!
Mirrored Heavens (bookshop.org) - book 3 of Between Earth and Sky.
Well, have to go pick that up! That might bump Miss Chambers back a book, in fact - I'm still reading through Saga, all 1300 pages of it.
Shut the front fuckin' door!
Mirrored Heavens (bookshop.org) - book 3 of Between Earth and Sky.
Well, have to go pick that up! That might bump Miss Chambers back a book, in fact - I'm still reading through Saga, all 1300 pages of it.
I’m always a sucker for pulpy nuke fantasy books. There was the Ken Follet book “Never” that I enjoyed, and for some reason I’m also thinking of a book I read in the 1980s, only read once, but lemme google it…”the 40 minute war” I think.
I’m currently reading the latest Stephen King - his books these days are like cotton candy, quickly gone and forgotten but I still love them and every time I wonder if it’s the last one. But, I still think of “the mist”, or “the long walk”, or “Salem’s lot”, or even “it”. Hell, I still think of ”the tommyknockers” a bit even though I didn’t much care for it and only read it the once.
Also slow-reading thru Werner Herzog’s latest memoir. He’s quirky, but I happened to be in Bavaria recently so I thought would be appropriate reading…but the reading stretching out because Steve King cut in line!
I’m currently reading the latest Stephen King - his books these days are like cotton candy, quickly gone and forgotten but I still love them and every time I wonder if it’s the last one. But, I still think of “the mist”, or “the long walk”, or “Salem’s lot”, or even “it”. Hell, I still think of ”the tommyknockers” a bit even though I didn’t much care for it and only read it the once.
Also slow-reading thru Werner Herzog’s latest memoir. He’s quirky, but I happened to be in Bavaria recently so I thought would be appropriate reading…but the reading stretching out because Steve King cut in line!
I finished "The Three Body Problem" last week. It reminded me of a lot of Golden-Age SF. Focus is on a Scientific concept, but don't expect much in the way of character development. I'll eventually get to the rest of the series.
I started Lyorn a few days ago and I'm enjoying it. However, I feel like I need to read some summaries of the previous novels to remember what happened before. It doesn't help that the Jhereg series jumps around the story line (for example, the last novel focuses on the main character getting married. The couple divorced back in book 3.)
I started Lyorn a few days ago and I'm enjoying it. However, I feel like I need to read some summaries of the previous novels to remember what happened before. It doesn't help that the Jhereg series jumps around the story line (for example, the last novel focuses on the main character getting married. The couple divorced back in book 3.)
I will honestly never understand the appeal of 3-Body Problem. I read the first book, started the second, stopped, and asked myself why I wanted to read ultimately depressing and convoluted prose featuring characters that I not only feel no empathy towards but for the most part actively despise.
I donated them.
Just weren’t for me at all, I guess.
I donated them.
Just weren’t for me at all, I guess.
I hate read all three. The guy has a more negative outlook on life than Peter Watts.
I liked all of the Chambers books well enough, they’re more slice of life then the usual high action sci-fi but I did find her thoughtfulness on social topics in that sort of setting very engaging.
Loved the Monk and Robot pair of novellas as much as Long Way… though.
Loved the Monk and Robot pair of novellas as much as Long Way… though.
I had the sudden thought to re-read A Wizard of Earthsea recently. Unlike so many of the other older works I’ve taken a look at, this one remains an absolute timeless wonder. The prose is so damn good, and it has that perfect balance of mystery and depth that so many books wish to.
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Weird, the local county library has LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsea in Juvenile lit. I reserved it so no one will know I'm reading kid-lit.
The first three books were written for teenagers. Much later I found the fourth book, read it, and my reaction was very much "this is not a book for kids."Weird, the local county library has LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsea in Juvenile lit. I reserved it so no one will know I'm reading kid-lit.
I read the Rule of Names as a kid, but the Earthsea series never grabbed me. I think that was the time I was going through The Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Redwall series, I was kind of burnt out on medieval fantasy. I am kind of tempted to get the illustrated collection, but have already busted my budget for the quarter.
Speaking of medieval I am doing a reread of The Culture books and just finished Inversion.
I watched three episodes of "The Expanse" S01. We had lunch with some pals, one of whom said, read the books, they are much better.
So, I got "Leviathan Awakes" from the library (on a wait list for a week!) and dove in yesterday and he is sooo right. I was up late turning those pages.
Only problem is the characters in my head are from the TV series, not that bad really.
So, I got "Leviathan Awakes" from the library (on a wait list for a week!) and dove in yesterday and he is sooo right. I was up late turning those pages.
Only problem is the characters in my head are from the TV series, not that bad really.
Wrapped up books 4 and 5 of the Craft Sequence series over the last few weeks. Book 5 (Four Roads Cross) was probably my least favorite of the series so I am going to give it a pause before picking up the 6th (and final?) book. Part of it may just be I felt there were less new ideas in the series as it progresses and part of it leaned a bit heavy into the faith/gods parts of the story for me. Still overally enjoyed it though.
I tore through Kameron Hurley's The Light Brigade after that which was a quick, easy read. Nothing too revolutionary and a bit convuluted timeline-wise but it had some fun moments and an interesting premise. Hard to say it's a full recommendation but I liked it well enough.
Next up is Annalee Newitz's Terraformers. Reviews seem very mixed for this but I read a positive recommendation here I believe so I am very curious.
I tore through Kameron Hurley's The Light Brigade after that which was a quick, easy read. Nothing too revolutionary and a bit convuluted timeline-wise but it had some fun moments and an interesting premise. Hard to say it's a full recommendation but I liked it well enough.
Next up is Annalee Newitz's Terraformers. Reviews seem very mixed for this but I read a positive recommendation here I believe so I am very curious.
The actor who played Amos resides in my head whenever I read the books.
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The next after the Craft Sequence is a more linear narrative now that those 6 books have painted the scene of the major players & conflicts of the world. We're 2 books into theThe Craft Wars now.
Im now on book 3 of Earthsea. I'm quite comfortable saying that no other author of that time period I've read so far has come even close to the depth and quality of prose on offer here, much less the commentary on human nature - and how things differ in such a world where magic is real (but in that wonderful mysterious way that so many modern authors abjure). Just gorgeous work. I think the only gut punch / prickles of awe authors I've read recently along those lines have been some of the very best modern Hugo works - but our literature today tends towards a more conversational tone and structure that doesn't quite capture the mmm... fable style that Le Guin (and other earlier authors like JRR) manage.
The retrospective afterwords written in a couple of the books are interesting, especially after book 2. She muses on ideas of gender representation and themes of power and how things have both changed and not changed since she wrote the book, and how maybe she might approach certain bits differently - or not.
I may need to put fantasy aside for a bit after this to avoid making constant mental comparisons.
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I recently finished The Humans by Matt Haig. It's from the point of view of an extraterrestrial intelligence that inhabits a human body, originally intended to assassinate a few humans to stymy technological progress. But he ends up empathizing with the humans and finds himself unable to fulfill the mission. It is pretty entertaining to watch him learn how to interact with humans, but gets a little more poignant towards the end. I found it an interesting take on the idea, and pretty enjoyable.
For those of you reading nuclear fiction, ever read The 2020 Commission Report on the North Korean Nuclear Attacks Against the United States? Probably a touch lighter than Nuclear War: A Scenario. That one looks interesting too though.
For those of you reading nuclear fiction, ever read The 2020 Commission Report on the North Korean Nuclear Attacks Against the United States? Probably a touch lighter than Nuclear War: A Scenario. That one looks interesting too though.
Those are two very, VERY different things.
One is a story, and makes no claims as to being otherwise.
The other is an extraordinarily well written, eminently readable, and impeccably researched report that uses an exercise to provide context and examples.
I should also point out that one of those books is housed in the fiction section, and the other is not.
As to your suggestion? I glanced at the plot summary. No, I have had enough nightmares about the Orange Menace without adding someone else‘s horror fantasy to them, thank you.
Hiya, there is some sort of "The Solstice Day FREE eBook Event", for June 19th and the 20th. , link shared (via a subscriber fan email list ) by author Luke Mitchell.
URL that I was shared.. I have no skin in this link but, in the spirit of things I'd share what I was shared in case some author or group of authors had some kind of contest in the background:
Clean URL stripped of what ever the campaign was:
https://sffbookblast.com/event/
Neat thing is, at least for Amazon, you don't really need to rely 100% on the links on the list.. i.e. back and forth kind of thing. Just grab one from the list, preferably in either fantasy (swords , wizards etc) or science fiction ( pew pew ) and then scroll down to the picks/suggested area and you should see some $0.00 priced kindle books (usually in the same genre). Before finding about the list, I had encountered it this morning not realizing why there were a bunch of free books (I thought it was some sort of odd algorithm burp).
If you're lucky you'll find a free 'collection of a series' in one item. Other times it's just a single story/perhaps an intro to a series an author is hoping people will find interesting. Other times it might be a book a few books in a series.. which is great for those fans of that series.. but maybe a 'store till you see if the first book / library or purchase / interests you etc' or what ever.
Anyway I hope you get some stuff you'll at some point find enjoying : ), benevolent wishes to your day and summer. Happy readings.
URL that I was shared.. I have no skin in this link but, in the spirit of things I'd share what I was shared in case some author or group of authors had some kind of contest in the background:
Clean URL stripped of what ever the campaign was:
https://sffbookblast.com/event/
Neat thing is, at least for Amazon, you don't really need to rely 100% on the links on the list.. i.e. back and forth kind of thing. Just grab one from the list, preferably in either fantasy (swords , wizards etc) or science fiction ( pew pew ) and then scroll down to the picks/suggested area and you should see some $0.00 priced kindle books (usually in the same genre). Before finding about the list, I had encountered it this morning not realizing why there were a bunch of free books (I thought it was some sort of odd algorithm burp).
If you're lucky you'll find a free 'collection of a series' in one item. Other times it's just a single story/perhaps an intro to a series an author is hoping people will find interesting. Other times it might be a book a few books in a series.. which is great for those fans of that series.. but maybe a 'store till you see if the first book / library or purchase / interests you etc' or what ever.
Anyway I hope you get some stuff you'll at some point find enjoying : ), benevolent wishes to your day and summer. Happy readings.
I wonder if you have read this one, Jeff3F: Alas Babylon, by Pat Frank, the pen name of Harry Hart Frank, or so Amazon tells me. I think it was published in 1959 and might have been the first in the genre. It was amazingly exotic when I read it as a teenager. The technology has moved on a bit since 1959, of course, as have the politics, but I think still reads well today. Recommended.
Speaking of apocalypses, I'm about halfway through Adrian Tchaikovsky's new book Service Model. So far very entertaining, and a very different take on the robot apocalypse.
I just finished it for the second time. I feel fairly certain that any nuclear detonation ends up like the computer in War Games, with everything launching once anything launches. It's a freakish thought that at all times human civilization is 90 minutes away from its effective destruction.
What really hammered it home for me? Those exercises that occurred where they ran a whole slew of people through a massive array of different scenarios involving a wide variety of nuclear weapons, strategic to tactical. And every single time, regardless of how it started? Who, what, how, using what weapons, circumstances and reasons, players and diplomacy? Every single time, the scenario players found themselves in the middle of civilization ending Armageddon. Every. Single. Time.
Here's the YouTube version of Dan Carlin's interview with Jacobsen on a recent(ish) Hardcore History Addendum. It was what initially pointed me toward the book.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKY2heVWoU
I'm finally starting to make my way through Mirrored Heavens, by Roanhorse. Initial impressions at just shy of the 1/4 of the way through mark? I don't like it as much as the first two, but it's starting to ramp up.
I have wrapped up Mirrored Heavens.
It ties up a lot of loose ends, and we have a myriad of endings, both bad and good. I enjoyed this romp through a pre-Columbian inspired high fantasy, and you know what? I finished the last chapter with a smile on my face. Job done.
Up next? A graphic novel or two, then FINALLY back to Becky Chambers.
It ties up a lot of loose ends, and we have a myriad of endings, both bad and good. I enjoyed this romp through a pre-Columbian inspired high fantasy, and you know what? I finished the last chapter with a smile on my face. Job done.
Up next? A graphic novel or two, then FINALLY back to Becky Chambers.
I started reading a book on the history of the Black Douglases but I'm bouncing hard off of it. Too many dates, not enough about the people.
I switched to "The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet." I like how quirky everyone is.
I switched to "The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet." I like how quirky everyone is.