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There is no such thing as a moral or immoral [book] thread

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    HobnailHobnail Registered User regular
    Anybody read this 'The Alchemists of Kush' by Minister Faust? Pretty deadly thus far, I have such a weird self loathing bias against Canadian literature I don't know whats the matter with me

    Broke as fuck in the style of the times. Gratitude is all that can return on your generosity.

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    tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    never heard of it but that's a hell of a pseudonym

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    JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    tynic wrote: »
    I started reading Why Fish Don't Exist on a friends recommendation, and I don't think I've ever done such a u-turn on my opinion of someone's writing as the first five pages of this book. The intro was great, intriguing, I was immediately hooked.
    .... and then they opened the book proper with some rambling speculative pop-sci that I guess was supposed to ground the subject within the science and obsessions of the era, but instead dragged the prose down into a Sci-Am blog style* that bored me to heck.
    I'll have to struggle through though, I promised my friend.

    * no offense to Sci-Am blogs, I've written my share, but it's not where i go to for great feats of literature.

    Oh, no. I've been meaning to read that but I've also been sort of spooked by the premise.

    Can I at least still keep saying there's no such thing as fish in a grand and expansive manner without actually reading the book?

    Full disclosure: probably going to keep on doing that if I am ever allowed to get drunk in public again.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
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    tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    you can
    and I will report back when I've read it to completion, maybe it was just a rocky start and things get better later.

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    Grey GhostGrey Ghost Registered User regular
    If fish don't exist then who have I been married to all these years??

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    knitdanknitdan In ur base Killin ur guysRegistered User regular
    Trey Anastasino

    “I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
    -Indiana Solo, runner of blades
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    NaphtaliNaphtali Hazy + Flow SeaRegistered User regular
    Grey Ghost wrote: »
    If fish don't exist then who have I been married to all these years??

    birds

    but they're also not real

    Steam | Nintendo ID: Naphtali | Wish List
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    PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    After reading Service I'm also prejudiced against Canadian literature

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    tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    I did my IB extended essay on Robertson Davies and when I was 8 my favourite book was There's a Seal in my Sleeping Bag, so I am cautiously pro-Canadian literature? But I haven't read much.

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    RoyceSraphimRoyceSraphim Registered User regular
    I would like to pour one out for poor Ivan Vorpatril for all the abuse he gets for being athletic, handsome, and of noble birth.

    His book might be my favorite.

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    StraightziStraightzi Here we may reign secure, and in my choice, To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered User regular
    I recently finished Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings. It was a complete impulse buy at the book store, it just had a nice cover with some quotes from other authors I respect on it and I felt obligated to spend a lot of money at the bookstore anyways if I was going to be so rude as to go to it in the first place.

    It's the story of a young girl who goes on a search to try to figure out where her father and brothers disappeared to some years ago. It has a sort of gothic fairy tale thing going on, and it takes place in a town in the Australian bush. In between every "main plot" chapter there is a chapter of a story that someone told, all of which are Angela Carter-esque local reimaginings of classic fairy tales - Red Riding Hood with a trickster dingo, a Pied Piper with an invasive species, that sort of thing.

    Anyways, it was pretty good. I think it had some tone shifting issues, where the fairy tale chapters and the main story felt just a bit too similar in texture, but I overall liked it. There is also a quality of like... I know close to nothing about Australia, and I have no idea if there is a folkloric resonance to some of these stories that I'm completely missing out on. I tried to do some quick searches while I was reading, but looking up that sort of stuff without exact names is generally futile.

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    Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    tynic wrote: »
    I started reading Why Fish Don't Exist on a friends recommendation, and I don't think I've ever done such a u-turn on my opinion of someone's writing as the first five pages of this book. The intro was great, intriguing, I was immediately hooked.
    .... and then they opened the book proper with some rambling speculative pop-sci that I guess was supposed to ground the subject within the science and obsessions of the era, but instead dragged the prose down into a Sci-Am blog style* that bored me to heck.
    I'll have to struggle through though, I promised my friend.

    * no offense to Sci-Am blogs, I've written my share, but it's not where i go to for great feats of literature.

    I listened to an interview with the author of this book and was like, nope pretty quickly despite it being featured on a podcast I very much enjoy typically

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
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    webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    edited September 2020
    I would like to pour one out for poor Ivan Vorpatril for all the abuse he gets for being athletic, handsome, and of noble birth.

    His book might be my favorite.

    The epilogue in his book is great.

    I love how many different genres the vorkosigan saga explores, while remaining nominally sci-fi.

    A Civil Campaign is also a hoot.

    webguy20 on
    Steam ID: Webguy20
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    tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    tynic wrote: »
    I started reading Why Fish Don't Exist on a friends recommendation, and I don't think I've ever done such a u-turn on my opinion of someone's writing as the first five pages of this book. The intro was great, intriguing, I was immediately hooked.
    .... and then they opened the book proper with some rambling speculative pop-sci that I guess was supposed to ground the subject within the science and obsessions of the era, but instead dragged the prose down into a Sci-Am blog style* that bored me to heck.
    I'll have to struggle through though, I promised my friend.

    * no offense to Sci-Am blogs, I've written my share, but it's not where i go to for great feats of literature.

    I listened to an interview with the author of this book and was like, nope pretty quickly despite it being featured on a podcast I very much enjoy typically

    I've now been more intrigued by every conversation I've had about this book than anything in the book itself

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    JacobkoshJacobkosh Gamble a stamp. I can show you how to be a real man!Moderator mod
    I would like to pour one out for poor Ivan Vorpatril for all the abuse he gets for being athletic, handsome, and of noble birth.

    His book might be my favorite.

    I love that book so much, I love Ivan so much, and I love how smoothly and organically Bujold pivots a series that began as very 80s military sci-fi with people taking Data Rods to the Big Mainframe into a 21st-century world where our heroine google stalks her date and it feels totally natural and like it's always been this way

    I also love that Bujold goes out of her way in multiple places to mention that her heroine is mega-stacked

    this book really has it all

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    webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    Jacobkosh wrote: »
    I would like to pour one out for poor Ivan Vorpatril for all the abuse he gets for being athletic, handsome, and of noble birth.

    His book might be my favorite.

    I love that book so much, I love Ivan so much, and I love how smoothly and organically Bujold pivots a series that began as very 80s military sci-fi with people taking Data Rods to the Big Mainframe into a 21st-century world where our heroine google stalks her date and it feels totally natural and like it's always been this way

    I also love that Bujold goes out of her way in multiple places to mention that her heroine is mega-stacked

    this book really has it all

    I had a friend in high school who fit the heroines description spot on. One of the few fictional characters that I can actually put a face to.

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    JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    So in the Captain Vorpatril's Alliance film adaptation, which of the Hemsworth brothers would play Ivan?

    Trick question, they are all completely interchangeable as far as this role is concerned.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
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    M-VickersM-Vickers Registered User regular
    Just ordered Gideon the Ninth.

    I treated myself to the hardback edition, rather than on Kindle, as it’s a while since I bought a physical book.

    I hope you haven’t steered me wrong, people !

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    webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    Jedoc wrote: »
    So in the Captain Vorpatril's Alliance film adaptation, which of the Hemsworth brothers would play Ivan?

    Trick question, they are all completely interchangeable as far as this role is concerned.

    I could see Channing Tatum do a good Ivan.

    Steam ID: Webguy20
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    AstharielAsthariel The Book Eater Registered User regular
    In case someone missed it, Joe Abercrombie's newest book, Trouble with Peace, sequel to A Little Hatred, is out now.

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    DouglasDangerDouglasDanger PennsylvaniaRegistered User regular
    Asthariel wrote: »
    In case someone missed it, Joe Abercrombie's newest book, Trouble with Peace, sequel to A Little Hatred, is out now.

    I don't think I could cope well with an Abercrombie book in 2020

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    RoyceSraphimRoyceSraphim Registered User regular
    Part of me pictures Miles and Ivan as played by Kevin and Dwayne respectively, and Ivan explaining exactly how many times hes been kidnapped because of miles.

    Wait I take that back, his book he was kidnapped because of his own actions.

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    Grey GhostGrey Ghost Registered User regular
    Who are Kevin and Dwayne

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    David_TDavid_T A fashion yes-man is no good to me. Copenhagen, DenmarkRegistered User regular
    I'm guessing Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson, and now I'm wondering why there hasn't been a remake of Twins starring those two. I wouldn't personally be interested, but it just feels like the perfect Hollywood movie.

    euj90n71sojo.png
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    V1mV1m Registered User regular
    Part of me pictures Miles and Ivan as played by Kevin and Dwayne respectively, and Ivan explaining exactly how many times hes been kidnapped because of miles.

    Wait I take that back, his book he was kidnapped because of his own actions.

    It's nice to see him gaining some agency.

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    RoyceSraphimRoyceSraphim Registered User regular
    V1m wrote: »
    Part of me pictures Miles and Ivan as played by Kevin and Dwayne respectively, and Ivan explaining exactly how many times hes been kidnapped because of miles.

    Wait I take that back, his book he was kidnapped because of his own actions.

    It's nice to see him gaining some agency.

    Seeing them light the shrine for his father and the poor bastard in the tunnel provided.....I dunno what it provided, but it felt good.

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    A Dabble Of TheloniusA Dabble Of Thelonius It has been a doozy of a dayRegistered User regular
    Asthariel wrote: »
    In case someone missed it, Joe Abercrombie's newest book, Trouble with Peace, sequel to A Little Hatred, is out now.

    I don't think I could cope well with an Abercrombie book in 2020

    That is very understandable. It is very Abercrombieish, not a lot of joy to be had.

    vm8gvf5p7gqi.jpg
    Steam - Talon Valdez :Blizz - Talonious#1860 : Xbox Live & LoL - Talonious Monk @TaloniousMonk Hail Satan
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    UnbrokenEvaUnbrokenEva HIGH ON THE WIRE BUT I WON'T TRIP ITRegistered User regular
    edited September 2020
    Huh, Terry Goodkind died and I was worried for a moment so I double checked which one he was... oh the batshit fascist, nevermind.

    The world may never get a "heroic fantasy protagonist butchers a literal anti-war protest" or a "libertarian jesus carves a statue so perfect it defeats communism", but I'll find a way to keep going.

    UnbrokenEva on
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    JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    I try not to be glad when people are dead except in extreme circumstances, but I guess the fact that he won't be writing any more books is a silver lining to a sad event. He was the saddest of all puppies, and now he's gone.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
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    RoyceSraphimRoyceSraphim Registered User regular
    Fearghaill wrote: »
    Huh, Terry Goodkind died and I was worried for a moment so I double checked which one he was... oh the batshit fascist, nevermind.

    The world may never get a "heroic fantasy protagonist butchers a literal anti-war protest" or a "libertarian jesus carves a statue so perfect it defeats communism", but I'll find a way to keep going.

    Oh, that one

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    CoinageCoinage Heaviside LayerRegistered User regular
    Woah, Terry Goodkind was a lot older than I vaguely assumed. He was only born 4 years after Terry Brooks!

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    DouglasDangerDouglasDanger PennsylvaniaRegistered User regular
    I'm reading Dune Messiah, after figuring out I did finish Dune

    I'm a quarter of the way into it and it's very odd

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    HobnailHobnail Registered User regular
    In the spirit of good taste I have decided to not make a joke about Terry Goodkinds erstwhile cadaverous appearance

    Broke as fuck in the style of the times. Gratitude is all that can return on your generosity.

    https://www.paypal.me/hobnailtaylor
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    TaminTamin Registered User regular
    Honor Harrington, updates and thoughts:
    a) Started Field of Dishonor last night. I am quite fond of the use of the prologue to re-visit the battle at Hancock.
    b) I am oddly pleased with Weber's focus on continuity and consequence in this series. It doesn't feel unusual, exactly; but somehow the specifics seem atypical.
    c) Weber has used some Britishisms in the past - lying doggo, at least - so it stuck out just now when he described a building, "roughly the size of a soccer field." Makes me curious about his internal process: did he want to use football, but figured the American audience would get the wrong impression? Did he jump to 'soccer' because he's American?
    d) I'm not unhappy about it, but the use of "Mike" for "Michelle" feels extremely odd. Is that a British thing or a Weber thing?
    e) Pleased that there seems to be good representation for POC. The names aren't, really, but 1) I chalk that up to the Space British thing, and 2) I'll happily defer if that's Actually A Problem. On the other hand, I can't recall any specific LGBT characters or implications thus far.

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    3cl1ps33cl1ps3 I will build a labyrinth to house the cheese Registered User regular
    Harrow the Ninth
    someone tell me when it drops this weird alternate timeline shit where Gideon wasn't cavalier because this kind of sucks

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    webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    3clipse wrote: »
    Harrow the Ninth
    someone tell me when it drops this weird alternate timeline shit where Gideon wasn't cavalier because this kind of sucks
    It's interspersed throughout the entire book, but shit starts happening at about 75% of the way through.

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    DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    Technically a spoiler but really just a sort of funny comment that makes way more sense in retrospect:
    Shortly after the soup course.

    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
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    3cl1ps33cl1ps3 I will build a labyrinth to house the cheese Registered User regular
    webguy20 wrote: »
    3clipse wrote: »
    Harrow the Ninth
    someone tell me when it drops this weird alternate timeline shit where Gideon wasn't cavalier because this kind of sucks
    It's interspersed throughout the entire book, but shit starts happening at about 75% of the way through.

    Oh good, I was honestly worried it would be the whole time.

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    webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    3clipse wrote: »
    webguy20 wrote: »
    3clipse wrote: »
    Harrow the Ninth
    someone tell me when it drops this weird alternate timeline shit where Gideon wasn't cavalier because this kind of sucks
    It's interspersed throughout the entire book, but shit starts happening at about 75% of the way through.

    Oh good, I was honestly worried it would be the whole time.

    I personally think everything ties together nicely in the end. I'm interested to see your thoughts once you've finished the book.

    Steam ID: Webguy20
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    DrezDrez Registered User regular
    I still don’t understand why Frodo and Sam didn’t just take an Uber to Mordor. Seems like a huge plot hole.

    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
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