*What book are you reading? (part 2)
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heartbreaking book - just when you think the Americans can't do anything worse to the Native Americans, they do 
QueenOfGoths
Fuck you Dave!
An athology of short stories where the theme is alternate reality. The ones I've read so far have not been bad 
Just finished Benefits by Zoe Fairbairns
www.zoefairbairns.co.uk/novels.htm
Which I'd never have heard of but for Greebo, so thanks for that
Almost frighteningly prescient. One bit had me in stitches though - The first sentence at the top of page 139 (at least it's p139 in the copy I've got) is slightly unfortunately phrased.
www.zoefairbairns.co.uk/novels.htm
Which I'd never have heard of but for Greebo, so thanks for that
Almost frighteningly prescient. One bit had me in stitches though - The first sentence at the top of page 139 (at least it's p139 in the copy I've got) is slightly unfortunately phrased.
Told you so - I hope you're going to read something a bit more cheerful after this.
october_lost
It's not hip any more...
Floating worlds - Cecelia Holland. Feminist scifi, involves 'anarchists', double dealing and aggressive colonists. A bit too baggy for my liking.
I thought that was cheerful - at least the end was a bit upbeat in a way. And I loved the hindleys to thevrescue bit, never mind dealing with the renegades. If I ever met Zoe F, I'd have a minor issue about tower blocks, but other than that a mint book. Now back to wrestling with Thomas Bernhard.
weltweit
Well-Known Member
I just read Jeffrey Archer A Prison Diary Vol II Purgatory.
I found it in a charity shop, it was a large print version which was much easier to read!!
I expected a bit of a thriller but he was most matter of fact about his experiences, I did this, did that sort of thing, he never once mentioned how he "felt" about the experience.
Am now reading :
Louis Theroux The Call of the Weird
I found it in a charity shop, it was a large print version which was much easier to read!!
I expected a bit of a thriller but he was most matter of fact about his experiences, I did this, did that sort of thing, he never once mentioned how he "felt" about the experience.
Am now reading :
Louis Theroux The Call of the Weird
ringo
Macaroni cheese controller
The City & The City - China Mieville ........cheers DotCommunist, great recommendation
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I thought you might like it. China's greatest skill is building those irreal cities, often they re better than his actual human chararcters.
He's just left the SWP amongst others due to these badly handled rape scandals. Hopefully this means he will spend less time flogging papers and more time writing books.
He's just left the SWP amongst others due to these badly handled rape scandals. Hopefully this means he will spend less time flogging papers and more time writing books.
ringo
Macaroni cheese controller
Yes, so far I can't see why it won awards as a fantasy novel, seems all sci-fi and thriller from the first 100 pages, but doesn't really matter what people call it I suppose, it's just a great, interesting and original piece of writing. I was just reading about him when I realised the date given for him leaving the SWP was yesterday.
TruXta
tired
He was STILL a member? Oh man...
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
China came to prominence through 'Perdio Street Station' which blends technology and magic (thuamuturges) and was considered part of a british genre movement they called 'the New Weird'
Thing is Perdido Street Station and City& The City are fantasy- they are just fantasies that don't conform to tolkienesque paths. Perdido Street Station is quite literally an industrial revolution era fantasy and New Crobozun is an 'other London' from the other london tradition of fantasy like neverwhere (gaiman) and Borrovilles.
City & the City is a post-ussr city essentially, a fantasy set in the urban that China loves to write. It's dressed in the tropes of a detective novel. Borlu, the weary middle years man. Streetwise copper from the rank and file who just wants to catch his man etc
The difficulty award givers like the Hugo and its ilk have is that trad fantasy and trad sci fi is definable and slottable whereas the likes of China are not so easily defined with traditional genre labels.
Nothing new though, I mean where would one place Aldiss'Helliconia' cycle? Where would on place the dark horrors of Harlan Ellison? Can you really call stuff like Swiftly by adam roberts sci fi?
Enough to just enjoy the spec fic and let others worry about labels imo!
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Heres his original thoughts on the matter
http://www.leninology.com/2013/01/the-stakes.html
I think he wanted a lot to salvage but given the actions of the CC felt unable to continue in the party.
ANYWAY nuff swappie overspill...
TruXta
tired
Cheers, interesting read.
Orang Utan
They cannot crucify you if your hand is in a fist
What other writers were considered to be part of The New Weird?
TruXta
tired
Jeff Vandermeer is the only one I've read, unless you count M. John Harrison as well. Both worth your while.
Orang Utan
They cannot crucify you if your hand is in a fist
I was just recommended Harrison's recent book, Light, as it happens.
TruXta
tired
It's part of a trilogy - the last instalment was out not long ago, can't remember the name. The other book is called Nova Swing. Both are ace. Remind of Roadside Picnic/Stalker.
october_lost
It's not hip any more...
Coincidentally I am a third the way into The Scar. Really pleased with it.
My understanding is he is heavily indebted to Neil Gaiman.
My understanding is he is heavily indebted to Neil Gaiman.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I've got Nova Swing plus a half dozen of his shorts if you fancy the read, pm an email addy and all these epubs can be yours.
TruXta
tired
Yes and no I'd say. He's a lot more indebted to AD&D. And Mervyn Peake.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Put it the other way round imo, Gaimans a fantastic writer of comics but his actual books lack the depth of China's works. Theres a thanks bit in the preface to Un Lun Dun which was supposedly part inspired by Neverwhere though
Threshers_Flail
Well-Known Member
George Orwell - Collected Essays.
Can't believe he shot the elephant.
Can't believe he shot the elephant.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
If AD&D existed in a world where there was an industrial revolution maybe. He loves his bestiaries, ha admitted that much in interview but theres no adherence to the semi-racist mythos of elves, dwarves an 'high' men is there
Orang Utan
They cannot crucify you if your hand is in a fist
AD&D?
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