Just finished The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag. He's the same dude who did Tales from the Loop. The art in it is amazing and quite haunting at times. It explores an alternate reality 1997 in the aftermath of an American civil war fought with mind controlled drones. Society is failing and people are retreating into virtual reality sometimes to the point of wasting away. The story follows a girl and her robot as they make their way across California headed toward the coast.
Definitely recommend reading this one in print as it is very art forward. Nearly a graphic novel.
Silmarillion all the way, baby. Reminds me of the good old days reading all the begats in the Old Testament.
^This is the Word of our Lord, Eru. The audiobook is great. It's tough sledding for a bit, but then it opens up. Truly brings out the Long Defeat. Totally prefer it to LotR.
I don't think I could possibly choose between the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and the Silmarillion. They're all perfectly brilliant at being the kind of thing they are. They fit together, they're of a piece, but they're all very different from one another.
Nick Harkaway (Nicholas Cornwall, John le Carre’s son), has finally written an interstitial novel in his father’s Smiley series. It’s called Karla’s Choice and takes place
after the death of Leamas
, seeking to explain the deepened rivalry at the time between George and Karla.
Harkaway’s books are wild, fantastical, ADHD squirrel-chasing tomes with lots of sarcasm, humor, sweeping ideas and other such extrovert features. I recommend them but they can be exhausting to read. So his adopting the style of his father should be very interesting. Looking forward to it!
(He also tidied up and completed Silverlake, his father’s last novel, so he has put his hand in before, to good effect. That one is also very interesting.)
Nick Harkaway (Nicholas Cornwall, John le Carre’s son), has finally written an interstitial novel in his father’s Smiley series. It’s called Karla’s Choice and takes place
Spoiler:after the death of Leamas
, seeking to explain the deepened rivalry at the time between George and Karla.
Harkaway’s books are wild, fantastical, ADHD squirrel-chasing tomes with lots of sarcasm, humor, sweeping ideas and other such extrovert features. I recommend them but they can be exhausting to read. So his adopting the style of his father should be very interesting. Looking forward to it!
(He also tidied up and completed Silverlake, his father’s last novel, so he has put his hand in before, to good effect. That one is also very interesting.)
I’d be interested in the timelines and whether Valerie Eustace (le Carre’s editor and wife who was apparently a lot more involved in the novels that was admitted) had any input. My grandfather was a huge Le Carre fan and I have read most of his copies but haven’t tried Harkaway at all.
Suvanto wrote:Same, could not find it in me to care enough about Shards of the Earth to start the second book. Absolutely loved Dogs of War though. Cage of Souls was good too. Alien Clay sounds interesting enough.
Just in case you didn't know, Dogs of War has a sequel, Bear Head.
I know, I tried listening to it and I just couldn't get over how like Trump the main baddie was. Just couldn't make my self listen to more of his drivel. Doubt it would've be easier had I read it.
According to the article I saw, it was written after his mother's death, as he was "mourning the loss of both his parents" during the process of writing.
I don't think I could possibly choose between the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and the Silmarillion. They're all perfectly brilliant at being the kind of thing they are. They fit together, they're of a piece, but they're all very different from one another.
They're all of the same general timeline, but I wouldn't say they are of a piece. Tolkien created whole swaths of the ME universe before he wrote The Hobbit, and The Hobbit was a standalone story, originally (which is why "the Necromancer" is called that instead of the Shadow or Sauron.) The Lord of the Rings was Tolkien's attempt to tie the two universes together (Silmarillion and The Hobbit), and that explains why the tone is so different from book to book.
Also, The Hobbit is literally a children's story, since he wrote it for his four young children.
The other thing with Tolkien is that he revised constantly over the decades.
There’s no single, definitive version of Middle Earth underlying the books, just the way it was at that time. And that filtered through the style of whatever he was writing.
Polostan by Stephenson was a surprise. No mention of a co author, but for a Stephenson book it was surprisingly narrow in scope. Sure the plot covers decades and different people but through a single protagonist's view point. It says book 1 of a series, i can't wait for the others
I found it largely uncaptivating and quite sparse on the usual Stephenson wit, with surprisingly poor characters from a guy who usually really ropes me in to caring about them. I mean, it's Stephenson, so of course I'll buy the next if there is a next, but I was disappointed.
I found it largely uncaptivating and quite sparse on the usual Stephenson wit, with surprisingly poor characters from a guy who usually really ropes me in to caring about them. I mean, it's Stephenson, so of course I'll buy the next if there is a next, but I was disappointed.
Ditto but also felt that sparseness was intentional... Not my favorite by far but still excited for another look into this style of world building he's experimenting with
Polostan by Stephenson was a surprise. No mention of a co author, but for a Stephenson book it was surprisingly narrow in scope. Sure the plot covers decades and different people but through a single protagonist's view point. It says book 1 of a series, i can't wait for the others
Have the Stephenson fans weighed in here on recommended books? I'd like to see what all the fuss is about.
ranalin wrote:Polostan by Stephenson was a surprise. No mention of a co author, but for a Stephenson book it was surprisingly narrow in scope. Sure the plot covers decades and different people but through a single protagonist's view point. It says book 1 of a series, i can't wait for the others
Have the Stephenson fans weighed in here on recommended books? I'd like to see what all the fuss is about.
For me my favorite is Snow Crash which is an advancement on the cyberpunk scene. There's others that are good but not quite as good as Snow Crash
The recommendations vary dramatically based on your level of enjoyment of various geeky subjects, but I'd say Cryptonomicon is his overall best. Please understand that you have just asked a question that starts blood feuds.
I feel like the Snow Crash vs. Cryptonomicon thing is almost like Alien and Aliens. They're both amazing, but practically different genres in most ways. That said, Snow Crash is way better.
I haven't read Snow Crash in 20+ years, and my opinion on Stephenson has soured in latter years. I wonder if returning to it now, particularly with the distaste of it having become a foundational text for tech-bro-assholery, will hit the same.
Similar for me - I also have very fond memories of Diamond Age, but I feel like if I went back to it some bits would read very differently.
Hey, so my new book is up for preorder. It's called Extraction, it comes out on December 3rd, and it's a fantasy heist about a pair of thieves trying to steal bull semen.
Hey, so my new book is up for preorder. It's called Extraction, it comes out on December 3rd, and it's a fantasy heist about a pair of thieves trying to steal bull semen.
I recommend this book. Even if the author is kind of a tool.
I'm just mad it's not called "Hot Jizz".
Nick Harkaway's "Karla's Choice" is a great addition to the George Smiley canon, and I wholeheartedly endorse it. Like his father's work, it's a slow burn but the crescendo is worth it. 
Moocean's Emission
Moocean's Emission
I mean, it's good, but... I both love and hate it at the same time.
DudleySmith wrote:Moocean's Emission
I mean, it's good, but... I both love and hate it at the same time.
I regard that as a completely optimal reaction
Good to see the wet/sticky bandits are getting work again
I just wish the boys from 72 Hours could get a sequel. I have a soft spot for those lovable losers. That said, the new stuff looks great!
(Also, I'm probably the only person on the planet who asked for a 72 Hours sequel.)
Once my current series is finished (I've planned for nine books, so... it's gonna be a minute), I'm planning on rewriting and rereleasing 72 Hours, and hopefully writing the two other books I had planned. I've learned a LOT since I released that book, and I'd like to apply some of those lessons to my first baby.
Awesome! I hope I live to see the end of that series. I ain't gettin' any younger, y'know!
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