Re-read Sourcery. Slightly less triffic than Mort, but still full of laughs. One bit demonstrates just how brilliant Pratchett was, as he calls Rincewind a sort of "two-legged miner's canary", then puts an asterisk after it. In the time it takes for your eyes to travel down to the footnote at the bottom of the page you've thought "wait, but canaries do have two ..." and the footnote says "alright, but you get the point".
I've always wondered whether Pratchett wrote footnotes organically as he was writing the first draft (or whichever draft had the footnoted line for the first time) or if he added them in as he was editing text written in a previous draft. I could really see it going either way...
I know it's pretty soon, but is there any word on whether his daughter is still planning to take on the legacy and keep writing Discworld?
In other news: I read The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer. It was pretty good in a trashy pulp kind of way. It reminded me a lot of the first Dresden Files novel in terms of pace, content, and quality. I assume it's Schaefer's first novel but the dude has somehow had 6 books come out in the last two years. I guess he wrote a lot and then sold a many-book contract? Anyway, it's nothing terribly new or unique. Secret wizards fighting ghosts, monsters, and demons all with their own secret existences in a modern-day world. Quick and readable, though, so I plan to give the second volume a go.
Finished Archivist Wasp. It was a fun book and surprisingly creative, especially for YA. All the elements have been done before: genetic supersoldiers, post apocalyptic cults run by evil sadists, girls going on spirit world adventures. Putting it all together and having it make sense is new, and impressive. I liked the heroine a lot. Things that aren't so great: some really on-the-nose dialogue and "People tell me I need conflict in my story so by God there will conflict" type arguments, plus some plot holes:
Why exactly does Foster decide to subject herself to three days of torture, again? And forget the healing gizmo - the ghost could just offer to slaughter the Catchkeep priest for Wasp.
Also, making teenagers fight to the death for no particular reason is getting tired.
The Fortune Of War, by Patrick O'Brian. A shade less fine than Desolation Island, and for the first time it felt as though the hand of the author was guiding the plot rather than the welcome sense of events and characters driving things onward, but still very good indeed.
John Scalzi, a best-selling author of science fiction, has signed a $3.4 million, 10-year deal with the publisher Tor Books that will cover his next 13 books.
Mr. Scalzi’s works include a series known as the “Old Man’s War” and the more recent “Redshirts,” a Hugo-award-winning sendup of the luckless lives of nonfeatured characters on shows like the original “Star Trek.” Three of his works are being developed for television, including “Redshirts” and “Lock In,” a science-inflected medical thriller that evokes Michael Crichton. Mr. Scalzi’s hyper-caffeinated Internet presence through his blog, Whatever, has made him an online celebrity as well.
Mr. Scalzi approached Tor Books, his longtime publisher, with proposals for 10 adult novels and three young adult novels over 10 years. Some of the books will extend the popular “Old Man’s War” series, building on an existing audience, and one will be a sequel to “Lock In.” Mr. Scalzi said he hoped books like “Lock In” could draw more readers toward science fiction, since many, he said, are still “gun-shy” about the genre.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden, the executive editor for Tor, said the decision was an easy one. While Mr. Scalzi has never had a “No. 1 best seller,” he said, “he backlists like crazy.”
“One of the reactions of people reading a John Scalzi novel is that people go out and buy all the other Scalzi novels,” Mr. Nielsen Hayden said.
He said Mr. Scalzi sells “a healthy five-figure number of his books every month,” and that he “hasn’t even begun to reach his full potential audience.”
Science fiction films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Star Wars” have been considered popular classics for decades, “but there’s a lot of work to be done,” Mr. Scalzi said, in bringing readers to the genre. He said the long-term contract would allow him to continue experimenting with different forms of publishing, including online serialization, a technique he has tried with some success.
Mr. Scalzi, who lives in Ohio, said he was still trying to come to grips with the size and scope of the deal. He said his wife, Kristine, had kept his ego from going supernova.
“My celebration, personally, has just been standing around,” exclaiming with profane expressions of delight, he said. “And my wife saying, ‘Yes, now go take out the trash.’ ”
John Scalzi, a best-selling author of science fiction, has signed a $3.4 million, 10-year deal with the publisher Tor Books that will cover his next 13 books.
Mr. Scalzi’s works include a series known as the “Old Man’s War” and the more recent “Redshirts,” a Hugo-award-winning sendup of the luckless lives of nonfeatured characters on shows like the original “Star Trek.” Three of his works are being developed for television, including “Redshirts” and “Lock In,” a science-inflected medical thriller that evokes Michael Crichton. Mr. Scalzi’s hyper-caffeinated Internet presence through his blog, Whatever, has made him an online celebrity as well.
Mr. Scalzi approached Tor Books, his longtime publisher, with proposals for 10 adult novels and three young adult novels over 10 years. Some of the books will extend the popular “Old Man’s War” series, building on an existing audience, and one will be a sequel to “Lock In.” Mr. Scalzi said he hoped books like “Lock In” could draw more readers toward science fiction, since many, he said, are still “gun-shy” about the genre.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden, the executive editor for Tor, said the decision was an easy one. While Mr. Scalzi has never had a “No. 1 best seller,” he said, “he backlists like crazy.”
“One of the reactions of people reading a John Scalzi novel is that people go out and buy all the other Scalzi novels,” Mr. Nielsen Hayden said.
He said Mr. Scalzi sells “a healthy five-figure number of his books every month,” and that he “hasn’t even begun to reach his full potential audience.”
Science fiction films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Star Wars” have been considered popular classics for decades, “but there’s a lot of work to be done,” Mr. Scalzi said, in bringing readers to the genre. He said the long-term contract would allow him to continue experimenting with different forms of publishing, including online serialization, a technique he has tried with some success.
Mr. Scalzi, who lives in Ohio, said he was still trying to come to grips with the size and scope of the deal. He said his wife, Kristine, had kept his ego from going supernova.
“My celebration, personally, has just been standing around,” exclaiming with profane expressions of delight, he said. “And my wife saying, ‘Yes, now go take out the trash.’ ”
I can't help but wonder if this is something of a response to what's happening with the Hugo awards.
Civics is not a consumer product that you can ignore because you don’t like the options presented.
My introduction to Tanith Lee's books came maybe fifteen years ago. I picked up Death's Master and Night's Master at a little used book store a few blocks away from my university campus, paying something like $1 per book. I'd raid that place regularly, looking for more to read. Most books that I picked up there have been rightfully forgotten, but Death's Master and Night's Master were good enough that I went back looking for more from the same author, and I still remember them as a fantastic head trip well over a decade later.
Civics is not a consumer product that you can ignore because you don’t like the options presented.
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SummaryJudgmentGrab the hottest iron you can find, stride in the Tower’s front doorRegistered Userregular
John Scalzi, a best-selling author of science fiction, has signed a $3.4 million, 10-year deal with the publisher Tor Books that will cover his next 13 books.
Mr. Scalzi’s works include a series known as the “Old Man’s War” and the more recent “Redshirts,” a Hugo-award-winning sendup of the luckless lives of nonfeatured characters on shows like the original “Star Trek.” Three of his works are being developed for television, including “Redshirts” and “Lock In,” a science-inflected medical thriller that evokes Michael Crichton. Mr. Scalzi’s hyper-caffeinated Internet presence through his blog, Whatever, has made him an online celebrity as well.
Mr. Scalzi approached Tor Books, his longtime publisher, with proposals for 10 adult novels and three young adult novels over 10 years. Some of the books will extend the popular “Old Man’s War” series, building on an existing audience, and one will be a sequel to “Lock In.” Mr. Scalzi said he hoped books like “Lock In” could draw more readers toward science fiction, since many, he said, are still “gun-shy” about the genre.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden, the executive editor for Tor, said the decision was an easy one. While Mr. Scalzi has never had a “No. 1 best seller,” he said, “he backlists like crazy.”
“One of the reactions of people reading a John Scalzi novel is that people go out and buy all the other Scalzi novels,” Mr. Nielsen Hayden said.
He said Mr. Scalzi sells “a healthy five-figure number of his books every month,” and that he “hasn’t even begun to reach his full potential audience.”
Science fiction films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Star Wars” have been considered popular classics for decades, “but there’s a lot of work to be done,” Mr. Scalzi said, in bringing readers to the genre. He said the long-term contract would allow him to continue experimenting with different forms of publishing, including online serialization, a technique he has tried with some success.
Mr. Scalzi, who lives in Ohio, said he was still trying to come to grips with the size and scope of the deal. He said his wife, Kristine, had kept his ego from going supernova.
“My celebration, personally, has just been standing around,” exclaiming with profane expressions of delight, he said. “And my wife saying, ‘Yes, now go take out the trash.’ ”
Do writers really get paid this (relative to other entertainers - obviously $3.4 million over 10 years is still a LOT of money) little?
Scalzi noted over at his blog that it works out to about $300k per book / $500k a year and there wasn't any mention of points or anything. For someone who routinely places on the NYT best seller list, I'm surprised all it costs to lock up an author like that is $500k a year.
Some days Blue wonders why anyone ever bothered making numbers so small; other days she supposes even infinity needs to start somewhere.
John Scalzi, a best-selling author of science fiction, has signed a $3.4 million, 10-year deal with the publisher Tor Books that will cover his next 13 books.
Mr. Scalzi’s works include a series known as the “Old Man’s War” and the more recent “Redshirts,” a Hugo-award-winning sendup of the luckless lives of nonfeatured characters on shows like the original “Star Trek.” Three of his works are being developed for television, including “Redshirts” and “Lock In,” a science-inflected medical thriller that evokes Michael Crichton. Mr. Scalzi’s hyper-caffeinated Internet presence through his blog, Whatever, has made him an online celebrity as well.
Mr. Scalzi approached Tor Books, his longtime publisher, with proposals for 10 adult novels and three young adult novels over 10 years. Some of the books will extend the popular “Old Man’s War” series, building on an existing audience, and one will be a sequel to “Lock In.” Mr. Scalzi said he hoped books like “Lock In” could draw more readers toward science fiction, since many, he said, are still “gun-shy” about the genre.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden, the executive editor for Tor, said the decision was an easy one. While Mr. Scalzi has never had a “No. 1 best seller,” he said, “he backlists like crazy.”
“One of the reactions of people reading a John Scalzi novel is that people go out and buy all the other Scalzi novels,” Mr. Nielsen Hayden said.
He said Mr. Scalzi sells “a healthy five-figure number of his books every month,” and that he “hasn’t even begun to reach his full potential audience.”
Science fiction films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Star Wars” have been considered popular classics for decades, “but there’s a lot of work to be done,” Mr. Scalzi said, in bringing readers to the genre. He said the long-term contract would allow him to continue experimenting with different forms of publishing, including online serialization, a technique he has tried with some success.
Mr. Scalzi, who lives in Ohio, said he was still trying to come to grips with the size and scope of the deal. He said his wife, Kristine, had kept his ego from going supernova.
“My celebration, personally, has just been standing around,” exclaiming with profane expressions of delight, he said. “And my wife saying, ‘Yes, now go take out the trash.’ ”
Do writers really get paid this (relative to other entertainers - obviously $3.4 million over 10 years is still a LOT of money) little?
Scalzi noted over at his blog that it works out to about $300k per book / $500k a year and there wasn't any mention of points or anything. For someone who routinely places on the NYT best seller list, I'm surprised all it costs to lock up an author like that is $500k a year.
Conversation in the room was just talking about a college coach making 2 million a year to not coach.
Then I read this, now I'm kind of depressed.
John Scalzi, a best-selling author of science fiction, has signed a $3.4 million, 10-year deal with the publisher Tor Books that will cover his next 13 books.
Mr. Scalzi’s works include a series known as the “Old Man’s War” and the more recent “Redshirts,” a Hugo-award-winning sendup of the luckless lives of nonfeatured characters on shows like the original “Star Trek.” Three of his works are being developed for television, including “Redshirts” and “Lock In,” a science-inflected medical thriller that evokes Michael Crichton. Mr. Scalzi’s hyper-caffeinated Internet presence through his blog, Whatever, has made him an online celebrity as well.
Mr. Scalzi approached Tor Books, his longtime publisher, with proposals for 10 adult novels and three young adult novels over 10 years. Some of the books will extend the popular “Old Man’s War” series, building on an existing audience, and one will be a sequel to “Lock In.” Mr. Scalzi said he hoped books like “Lock In” could draw more readers toward science fiction, since many, he said, are still “gun-shy” about the genre.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden, the executive editor for Tor, said the decision was an easy one. While Mr. Scalzi has never had a “No. 1 best seller,” he said, “he backlists like crazy.”
“One of the reactions of people reading a John Scalzi novel is that people go out and buy all the other Scalzi novels,” Mr. Nielsen Hayden said.
He said Mr. Scalzi sells “a healthy five-figure number of his books every month,” and that he “hasn’t even begun to reach his full potential audience.”
Science fiction films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Star Wars” have been considered popular classics for decades, “but there’s a lot of work to be done,” Mr. Scalzi said, in bringing readers to the genre. He said the long-term contract would allow him to continue experimenting with different forms of publishing, including online serialization, a technique he has tried with some success.
Mr. Scalzi, who lives in Ohio, said he was still trying to come to grips with the size and scope of the deal. He said his wife, Kristine, had kept his ego from going supernova.
“My celebration, personally, has just been standing around,” exclaiming with profane expressions of delight, he said. “And my wife saying, ‘Yes, now go take out the trash.’ ”
Do writers really get paid this (relative to other entertainers - obviously $3.4 million over 10 years is still a LOT of money) little?
Yes.
As for the deal, eh? I'm not much of a fan of the guy but whatever.
John Scalzi, a best-selling author of science fiction, has signed a $3.4 million, 10-year deal with the publisher Tor Books that will cover his next 13 books.
Mr. Scalzi’s works include a series known as the “Old Man’s War” and the more recent “Redshirts,” a Hugo-award-winning sendup of the luckless lives of nonfeatured characters on shows like the original “Star Trek.” Three of his works are being developed for television, including “Redshirts” and “Lock In,” a science-inflected medical thriller that evokes Michael Crichton. Mr. Scalzi’s hyper-caffeinated Internet presence through his blog, Whatever, has made him an online celebrity as well.
Mr. Scalzi approached Tor Books, his longtime publisher, with proposals for 10 adult novels and three young adult novels over 10 years. Some of the books will extend the popular “Old Man’s War” series, building on an existing audience, and one will be a sequel to “Lock In.” Mr. Scalzi said he hoped books like “Lock In” could draw more readers toward science fiction, since many, he said, are still “gun-shy” about the genre.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden, the executive editor for Tor, said the decision was an easy one. While Mr. Scalzi has never had a “No. 1 best seller,” he said, “he backlists like crazy.”
“One of the reactions of people reading a John Scalzi novel is that people go out and buy all the other Scalzi novels,” Mr. Nielsen Hayden said.
He said Mr. Scalzi sells “a healthy five-figure number of his books every month,” and that he “hasn’t even begun to reach his full potential audience.”
Science fiction films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Star Wars” have been considered popular classics for decades, “but there’s a lot of work to be done,” Mr. Scalzi said, in bringing readers to the genre. He said the long-term contract would allow him to continue experimenting with different forms of publishing, including online serialization, a technique he has tried with some success.
Mr. Scalzi, who lives in Ohio, said he was still trying to come to grips with the size and scope of the deal. He said his wife, Kristine, had kept his ego from going supernova.
“My celebration, personally, has just been standing around,” exclaiming with profane expressions of delight, he said. “And my wife saying, ‘Yes, now go take out the trash.’ ”
Do writers really get paid this (relative to other entertainers - obviously $3.4 million over 10 years is still a LOT of money) little?
Scalzi noted over at his blog that it works out to about $300k per book / $500k a year and there wasn't any mention of points or anything. For someone who routinely places on the NYT best seller list, I'm surprised all it costs to lock up an author like that is $500k a year.
Conversation in the room was just talking about a college coach making 2 million a year to not coach.
Then I read this, now I'm kind of depressed.
It's not like he is being paid not to write.
I wouldn't compare my success based on my salary versus an others. My success is that I and my wife are happy with our life.
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
John Scalzi, a best-selling author of science fiction, has signed a $3.4 million, 10-year deal with the publisher Tor Books that will cover his next 13 books.
Mr. Scalzi’s works include a series known as the “Old Man’s War” and the more recent “Redshirts,” a Hugo-award-winning sendup of the luckless lives of nonfeatured characters on shows like the original “Star Trek.” Three of his works are being developed for television, including “Redshirts” and “Lock In,” a science-inflected medical thriller that evokes Michael Crichton. Mr. Scalzi’s hyper-caffeinated Internet presence through his blog, Whatever, has made him an online celebrity as well.
Mr. Scalzi approached Tor Books, his longtime publisher, with proposals for 10 adult novels and three young adult novels over 10 years. Some of the books will extend the popular “Old Man’s War” series, building on an existing audience, and one will be a sequel to “Lock In.” Mr. Scalzi said he hoped books like “Lock In” could draw more readers toward science fiction, since many, he said, are still “gun-shy” about the genre.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden, the executive editor for Tor, said the decision was an easy one. While Mr. Scalzi has never had a “No. 1 best seller,” he said, “he backlists like crazy.”
“One of the reactions of people reading a John Scalzi novel is that people go out and buy all the other Scalzi novels,” Mr. Nielsen Hayden said.
He said Mr. Scalzi sells “a healthy five-figure number of his books every month,” and that he “hasn’t even begun to reach his full potential audience.”
Science fiction films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Star Wars” have been considered popular classics for decades, “but there’s a lot of work to be done,” Mr. Scalzi said, in bringing readers to the genre. He said the long-term contract would allow him to continue experimenting with different forms of publishing, including online serialization, a technique he has tried with some success.
Mr. Scalzi, who lives in Ohio, said he was still trying to come to grips with the size and scope of the deal. He said his wife, Kristine, had kept his ego from going supernova.
“My celebration, personally, has just been standing around,” exclaiming with profane expressions of delight, he said. “And my wife saying, ‘Yes, now go take out the trash.’ ”
Do writers really get paid this (relative to other entertainers - obviously $3.4 million over 10 years is still a LOT of money) little?
Scalzi noted over at his blog that it works out to about $300k per book / $500k a year and there wasn't any mention of points or anything. For someone who routinely places on the NYT best seller list, I'm surprised all it costs to lock up an author like that is $500k a year.
There are a few writers that get paid more, King comes to mind and I believe he gets points as well, but for most writers, their works are a secondary income. Even Scalzi talks about how his first few books supplemented his income, and didn't take it over. Heck, it even took King a while to gain traction, and he was at it since he was a kid.
There are still quite a few "popular" authors who can't do it as their sole source of income. Not many can write enough books fast enough with a consistent enough quality to really live off of it. For an author making 500k a year for 10 years that is pretty much living the dream right there that is about as good as it gets especially for a scifi author. There are precious few like JK rowling that hit it so big they shoot through the roof money wise.
I was in my local Half-Price Books on Monday looking for CDs and scavenging the RPG section for any 4e stuff I haven't yet bought when I saw that Neal Stephenson has a new book out called "SEVENEVES" (Seveneves?)
The store was running a 20% off deal for the holiday, and this brought it down to within a buck or two of Amazon's price. The store was also selling (for no additional price) "signed first editions", which I later determined is accomplished by sending the author a box full of printed single pages, which he signs and returns (presumably), then they get glued into printed books in the appropriate spot. I bought one of these, ultimately, but I digress.
I'm 150 pages in now, and I haven't been drawn to one of his books like this since Cryptonomicon. I couldn't get into the Baroque stuff, and wasn't really moved by Anathem, and I have yet to pick up a copy of Reamde, but I'm really excited about finishing this one.
How was Reamde, anyway?
Edit: SON OF A GOOSE, my copy is literally missing pages 153 to 184. What the hell.
There are still quite a few "popular" authors who can't do it as their sole source of income. Not many can write enough books fast enough with a consistent enough quality to really live off of it. For an author making 500k a year for 10 years that is pretty much living the dream right there that is about as good as it gets especially for a scifi author. There are precious few like JK rowling that hit it so big they shoot through the roof money wise.
JK didn't get that financial windfall until well into Potter, she sold Philosopher's Stone for a £2,500 advance.
Reamde is a serviceable techno-thriller but not anything special.
Though if you didn't like Anathem or the Baroque stuff I have no idea what to say to you. You are dead to me!
Alright, the Baroque stuff starts super duper slowly. I think there is a meta-reason for it but that doesn't make the early chapters any easier to slog through.
I love Anathem but having to context read the vocab bothers a bunch of people so I sorta get that as well.
I was in my local Half-Price Books on Monday looking for CDs and scavenging the RPG section for any 4e stuff I haven't yet bought when I saw that Neal Stephenson has a new book out called "SEVENEVES" (Seveneves?)
The store was running a 20% off deal for the holiday, and this brought it down to within a buck or two of Amazon's price. The store was also selling (for no additional price) "signed first editions", which I later determined is accomplished by sending the author a box full of printed single pages, which he signs and returns (presumably), then they get glued into printed books in the appropriate spot. I bought one of these, ultimately, but I digress.
I'm 150 pages in now, and I haven't been drawn to one of his books like this since Cryptonomicon. I couldn't get into the Baroque stuff, and wasn't really moved by Anathem, and I have yet to pick up a copy of Reamde, but I'm really excited about finishing this one.
How was Reamde, anyway?
Edit: SON OF A GOOSE, my copy is literally missing pages 153 to 184. What the hell.
Reamde is great, I'm another Stephenson fan that loves Cryptonomicon and Snow Crash / Diamond Age but didn't care at all for the Baroque Cycle books.
Reamde is a wonderful love letter to Richard Gariott and Ultima Online as well
Some days Blue wonders why anyone ever bothered making numbers so small; other days she supposes even infinity needs to start somewhere.
Reamde is a serviceable techno-thriller but not anything special.
Though if you didn't like Anathem or the Baroque stuff I have no idea what to say to you. You are dead to me!
Alright, the Baroque stuff starts super duper slowly. I think there is a meta-reason for it but that doesn't make the early chapters any easier to slog through.
I love Anathem but having to context read the vocab bothers a bunch of people so I sorta get that as well.
Never read Anathem but oh man did I love the Baroque.
Reamde really sort of stands out as not being amazing.
I found bits of Seveneves to be... Kinda not great from an over arching plot sort of way. It would have maybe worked better as a bunch of short stories, leaving it to the reader to fill in the bits that connect everything.
They moistly come out at night, moistly.
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knitdanIn ur baseKillin ur guysRegistered Userregular
I tend to enjoy the first 30-50% of any given Stephenson book. Sometimes that number creeps up to 80-90%. The problem is he writes just the shittiest endings.
“I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
Early Stephenson basically doesn't write endings. He hits the climax, gets everything moving in an obvious trajectory and then just walks away.
Anathem had a proper ending IMO and that's about it.
Baroque had this weird kinda epilogue stuck on that really felt out of place. REAMDE had like a one year later thing that was...there. Before that we're in the "Walk away" section of his career.
I've never been particularly bothered by this though. Cryptonomicon pretty much answers the questions I wanted answered and much more feels like it would be just besides the point.
Early Stephenson basically doesn't write endings. He hits the climax, gets everything moving in an obvious trajectory and then just walks away.
Anathem had a proper ending IMO and that's about it.
Baroque had this weird kinda epilogue stuck on that really felt out of place. REAMDE had like a one year later thing that was...there. Before that we're in the "Walk away" section of his career.
I've never been particularly bothered by this though. Cryptonomicon pretty much answers the questions I wanted answered and much more feels like it would be just besides the point.
Anathem is one tiny step away from Stephenson's usual "What's an ending? You don't need those, amiright? ....." style of writing. It's still pretty bad in that respect.
There are still quite a few "popular" authors who can't do it as their sole source of income. Not many can write enough books fast enough with a consistent enough quality to really live off of it. For an author making 500k a year for 10 years that is pretty much living the dream right there that is about as good as it gets especially for a scifi author. There are precious few like JK rowling that hit it so big they shoot through the roof money wise.
Early Stephenson basically doesn't write endings. He hits the climax, gets everything moving in an obvious trajectory and then just walks away.
Anathem had a proper ending IMO and that's about it.
Baroque had this weird kinda epilogue stuck on that really felt out of place. REAMDE had like a one year later thing that was...there. Before that we're in the "Walk away" section of his career.
I've never been particularly bothered by this though. Cryptonomicon pretty much answers the questions I wanted answered and much more feels like it would be just besides the point.
Anathem is one tiny step away from Stephenson's usual "What's an ending? You don't need those, amiright? ....." style of writing. It's still pretty bad in that respect.
Yeah, this I don't get. You understand where the world's and the Cousin's relationship to each other is going in general terms, you know the direction of the avout/secular, you know what happened to Raz and Ala's relationship as well as an idea of what the minor characters are all gonna end up doing. What more did you want? While what happens next is certainly interesting actually describing it would take up a book.
Also in his wikipedia search info-dumping thing.
To me this is part of his charm, in that he can usually make the subject matter relatable. Only Snow Crash was really rough there for me but I understand not liking that at least.
Did Diamond Age not end well? It's been a while, but I seem to recall being pretty satisfied with how it all wrapped up.
Diamond age is super abrupt. Like, the finale crisis is averted and then maybe half a page of "Some stuff happened so things aren't too terrible, oh and this one guy just walked off into the sea." It almost should have just gone "Happily ever after" except it wasn't all happy.
Early Stephenson basically doesn't write endings. He hits the climax, gets everything moving in an obvious trajectory and then just walks away.
Anathem had a proper ending IMO and that's about it.
Baroque had this weird kinda epilogue stuck on that really felt out of place. REAMDE had like a one year later thing that was...there. Before that we're in the "Walk away" section of his career.
I've never been particularly bothered by this though. Cryptonomicon pretty much answers the questions I wanted answered and much more feels like it would be just besides the point.
Anathem is one tiny step away from Stephenson's usual "What's an ending? You don't need those, amiright? ....." style of writing. It's still pretty bad in that respect.
Yeah, this I don't get. You understand where the world's and the Cousin's relationship to each other is going in general terms, you know the direction of the avout/secular, you know what happened to Raz and Ala's relationship as well as an idea of what the minor characters are all gonna end up doing. What more did you want? While what happens next is certainly interesting actually describing it would take up a book.
It's not about what happens next, it's that there's a not-very clear resolution and then it's straight to a like 3 pages "And peeps were cool" epilogue and it's like "Wait, wtf just happened?".
Better then, say, Snow Crash but still not much of an ending.
Also in his wikipedia search info-dumping thing.
To me this is part of his charm, in that he can usually make the subject matter relatable. Only Snow Crash was really rough there for me but I understand not liking that at least.
It's not the making things relatable that's the problem. It's the way the story abruptly stops so he can spends 10 pages basically rewriting a wikipedia article he read the night before for you.
sort of leaves 1/3 or so of the world's population about to more or less starve to death doesn't it?
No feedlines, no seed, basically no existing agriculture...
Sure, but from a narrative perspective a book isn't necessarily responsible for tying up world events. The Wind-Up Girl had a similar ending in that regard, but was a crackerjack resolution in terms of the character arcs and storylines.
I can find a few things to like in it; the person who is effectively the primary antagonist of the book was a lot of fun, until they went off of the deep end. It's interesting seeing a Chinese perspective on an alien invasion; it's a nice change up from the more typical perspective of the USA!USA!USA! As someone with only marginal knowledge of the Cultural Revolution, it was cool to see a Chinese perspective on it.
Where the book worked well, it was a character study, showing either the character of a person through decades and why they might undertake actions that most people would never consider. The book also did very well in telling the story of an alien race, rebuilding their society again and again. Lacking a solid knowledge of Chinese history, I suspect that ideas of the chaotic eras are resonant with people who do have more knowledge of Chinese history than I do.
But: I found a lot of the science to be silly. I didn't care for most of the characters. Whether due to the translator or the original work, the dialog was painful to read. A major scene near the end was groan worthy in being bad. Unless the sequel shows up on the Hugo ballot next year, I won't be reading it.
Thinking of my Hugo ballot for best novel, I'll be reading The Goblin Emperor and the Dark Between the Stars next. So far, Ancillary Sword is my #1 pick. I have Skin Game ahead of No Award, because I think that despite being on the slate it's better than No Award. However, I also refuse to put Skin Game ahead of anything put there honestly, so it'll probably be fourth on my ballot unless KJA blows me away and steals the fourth slot.
Civics is not a consumer product that you can ignore because you don’t like the options presented.
The problem with Stephenson's endings isn't that they don't wrap everything up, as far as narrative goes all the meaningful questions get answered, it's more a matter of pacing and momentum. If both Snow Crash and The Diamond Age were movies, they'd feel like they end abruptly in the middle of a scene. I didn't mind it so much in The Diamond Age, but Snow Crash definitely felt very weird.
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Oh and while we're on Stephenson
He should never ever write another sex scene.
Never ever.
“I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
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I've always wondered whether Pratchett wrote footnotes organically as he was writing the first draft (or whichever draft had the footnoted line for the first time) or if he added them in as he was editing text written in a previous draft. I could really see it going either way...
I know it's pretty soon, but is there any word on whether his daughter is still planning to take on the legacy and keep writing Discworld?
In other news: I read The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer. It was pretty good in a trashy pulp kind of way. It reminded me a lot of the first Dresden Files novel in terms of pace, content, and quality. I assume it's Schaefer's first novel but the dude has somehow had 6 books come out in the last two years. I guess he wrote a lot and then sold a many-book contract? Anyway, it's nothing terribly new or unique. Secret wizards fighting ghosts, monsters, and demons all with their own secret existences in a modern-day world. Quick and readable, though, so I plan to give the second volume a go.
Also, making teenagers fight to the death for no particular reason is getting tired.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
Mostly because it's one of the few stories where Maturin is really let off the leash, though
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
He's been pretty Bondstyle since like the 3rd book.
And will get even bondstyler in future books.
Dont fuck with suicidally depressed cocaine-psychotics with access to surgical equipments is I guess what I am saying.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/25/business/media/science-fiction-writer-signs-a-3-4-million-deal.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimesscience&_r=0
I can't help but wonder if this is something of a response to what's happening with the Hugo awards.
Uncanny Magazine!
The Mad Writers Union
Wasn't prepared for the:
ending.
http://www.tor.com/2015/05/26/tanith-lee-in-remembrance/
Uncanny Magazine!
The Mad Writers Union
My introduction to Tanith Lee's books came maybe fifteen years ago. I picked up Death's Master and Night's Master at a little used book store a few blocks away from my university campus, paying something like $1 per book. I'd raid that place regularly, looking for more to read. Most books that I picked up there have been rightfully forgotten, but Death's Master and Night's Master were good enough that I went back looking for more from the same author, and I still remember them as a fantastic head trip well over a decade later.
Do writers really get paid this (relative to other entertainers - obviously $3.4 million over 10 years is still a LOT of money) little?
Scalzi noted over at his blog that it works out to about $300k per book / $500k a year and there wasn't any mention of points or anything. For someone who routinely places on the NYT best seller list, I'm surprised all it costs to lock up an author like that is $500k a year.
Scalzi deserves it.
Conversation in the room was just talking about a college coach making 2 million a year to not coach.
Then I read this, now I'm kind of depressed.
Yes.
As for the deal, eh? I'm not much of a fan of the guy but whatever.
It's not like he is being paid not to write.
I wouldn't compare my success based on my salary versus an others. My success is that I and my wife are happy with our life.
There are a few writers that get paid more, King comes to mind and I believe he gets points as well, but for most writers, their works are a secondary income. Even Scalzi talks about how his first few books supplemented his income, and didn't take it over. Heck, it even took King a while to gain traction, and he was at it since he was a kid.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
The store was running a 20% off deal for the holiday, and this brought it down to within a buck or two of Amazon's price. The store was also selling (for no additional price) "signed first editions", which I later determined is accomplished by sending the author a box full of printed single pages, which he signs and returns (presumably), then they get glued into printed books in the appropriate spot. I bought one of these, ultimately, but I digress.
I'm 150 pages in now, and I haven't been drawn to one of his books like this since Cryptonomicon. I couldn't get into the Baroque stuff, and wasn't really moved by Anathem, and I have yet to pick up a copy of Reamde, but I'm really excited about finishing this one.
How was Reamde, anyway?
Edit: SON OF A GOOSE, my copy is literally missing pages 153 to 184. What the hell.
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JK didn't get that financial windfall until well into Potter, she sold Philosopher's Stone for a £2,500 advance.
Though if you didn't like Anathem or the Baroque stuff I have no idea what to say to you. You are dead to me!
I love Anathem but having to context read the vocab bothers a bunch of people so I sorta get that as well.
Reamde is great, I'm another Stephenson fan that loves Cryptonomicon and Snow Crash / Diamond Age but didn't care at all for the Baroque Cycle books.
Reamde is a wonderful love letter to Richard Gariott and Ultima Online as well
880 pages?! Crikey!
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Never read Anathem but oh man did I love the Baroque.
I found bits of Seveneves to be... Kinda not great from an over arching plot sort of way. It would have maybe worked better as a bunch of short stories, leaving it to the reader to fill in the bits that connect everything.
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
Anathem had a proper ending IMO and that's about it.
Baroque had this weird kinda epilogue stuck on that really felt out of place. REAMDE had like a one year later thing that was...there. Before that we're in the "Walk away" section of his career.
I've never been particularly bothered by this though. Cryptonomicon pretty much answers the questions I wanted answered and much more feels like it would be just besides the point.
Anathem is one tiny step away from Stephenson's usual "What's an ending? You don't need those, amiright? ....." style of writing. It's still pretty bad in that respect.
Also in his wikipedia search info-dumping thing.
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Yeah, not that many writers make Pratchett bucks.
Yeah, this I don't get. You understand where the world's and the Cousin's relationship to each other is going in general terms, you know the direction of the avout/secular, you know what happened to Raz and Ala's relationship as well as an idea of what the minor characters are all gonna end up doing. What more did you want? While what happens next is certainly interesting actually describing it would take up a book.
To me this is part of his charm, in that he can usually make the subject matter relatable. Only Snow Crash was really rough there for me but I understand not liking that at least.
Diamond age is super abrupt. Like, the finale crisis is averted and then maybe half a page of "Some stuff happened so things aren't too terrible, oh and this one guy just walked off into the sea." It almost should have just gone "Happily ever after" except it wasn't all happy.
It's not about what happens next, it's that there's a not-very clear resolution and then it's straight to a like 3 pages "And peeps were cool" epilogue and it's like "Wait, wtf just happened?".
Better then, say, Snow Crash but still not much of an ending.
It's not the making things relatable that's the problem. It's the way the story abruptly stops so he can spends 10 pages basically rewriting a wikipedia article he read the night before for you.
No feedlines, no seed, basically no existing agriculture...
Sure, but from a narrative perspective a book isn't necessarily responsible for tying up world events. The Wind-Up Girl had a similar ending in that regard, but was a crackerjack resolution in terms of the character arcs and storylines.
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Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
I finished the Three Body Problem.
I can find a few things to like in it; the person who is effectively the primary antagonist of the book was a lot of fun, until they went off of the deep end. It's interesting seeing a Chinese perspective on an alien invasion; it's a nice change up from the more typical perspective of the USA!USA!USA! As someone with only marginal knowledge of the Cultural Revolution, it was cool to see a Chinese perspective on it.
Where the book worked well, it was a character study, showing either the character of a person through decades and why they might undertake actions that most people would never consider. The book also did very well in telling the story of an alien race, rebuilding their society again and again. Lacking a solid knowledge of Chinese history, I suspect that ideas of the chaotic eras are resonant with people who do have more knowledge of Chinese history than I do.
But: I found a lot of the science to be silly. I didn't care for most of the characters. Whether due to the translator or the original work, the dialog was painful to read. A major scene near the end was groan worthy in being bad. Unless the sequel shows up on the Hugo ballot next year, I won't be reading it.
Thinking of my Hugo ballot for best novel, I'll be reading The Goblin Emperor and the Dark Between the Stars next. So far, Ancillary Sword is my #1 pick. I have Skin Game ahead of No Award, because I think that despite being on the slate it's better than No Award. However, I also refuse to put Skin Game ahead of anything put there honestly, so it'll probably be fourth on my ballot unless KJA blows me away and steals the fourth slot.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2015/05/28/john-scalzi-on-his-monster-book-deal-sci-fi-fandom-and-diversity-in-fiction/
He should never ever write another sex scene.
Never ever.
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
This was an incredibly meaty interview.
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