So, of course, the next thing to break in this house had to be the internet.
This, even more than my acute lack of time, explains my near-complete absence hereabouts. To load a single page I have to hit the refresh button dozens of times. Sometimes it doesn't work at all, often for hours at a time. When it does work, it's as slow as if we were back in 1998, on a 56k modem.
I spend what little spare time I have reading, or watching some of the TV I brought (Terminator, mostly - still haven't quite finished that show). I've finished the lovely Litany of the Long Sun omnibus, and sadly couldn't go on immediately to read the next volume, Epiphany of the Long Sun, as I don't own that yet. Will have to wait for Christmas for that one... I'm reading an omnibus volume of the first three Vlad Taltos books by Steven Brust now - have finished the first two and am a couple of chapters into the third. I wasn't overly engaged by the first two, but it's getting more interesting now with the third. Vlad is about to acquire some more awareness, it seems, and Brust is getting around to drawing us deeper into the social politics of his society. If this is indicative of the way the series will be heading, I may stick around for the next volume. If it had continued like the first two books I probably wouldn't. I've realised that I read books either for character, or for atmosphere/worldbuilding. Either of these is enough to hold my interest, though of course a combination of both is best, but I don't really read for plot. Plot-focused readers would probably find a lot to enjoy in the first two Vlad Taltos books. But for me, the worldbuilding was too thin (basically, standard sword and sorcery type fantasy mixed with mafia tropes), and Vlad as a character wasn't sympathetic or interesting enough. But I think he's getting more depth now, and so is his world.
My busted shoulder is still busted. I should probably finally go and see a doctor about that.
On the plus side, our washing machine may be fixed soonish. And the weather has improved. Sadly, with my busted shoulder, taking photos is somewhat painful.
I spend what little spare time I have reading, or watching some of the TV I brought (Terminator, mostly - still haven't quite finished that show). I've finished the lovely Litany of the Long Sun omnibus, and sadly couldn't go on immediately to read the next volume, Epiphany of the Long Sun, as I don't own that yet. Will have to wait for Christmas for that one... I'm reading an omnibus volume of the first three Vlad Taltos books by Steven Brust now - have finished the first two and am a couple of chapters into the third. I wasn't overly engaged by the first two, but it's getting more interesting now with the third. Vlad is about to acquire some more awareness, it seems, and Brust is getting around to drawing us deeper into the social politics of his society. If this is indicative of the way the series will be heading, I may stick around for the next volume. If it had continued like the first two books I probably wouldn't. I've realised that I read books either for character, or for atmosphere/worldbuilding. Either of these is enough to hold my interest, though of course a combination of both is best, but I don't really read for plot. Plot-focused readers would probably find a lot to enjoy in the first two Vlad Taltos books. But for me, the worldbuilding was too thin (basically, standard sword and sorcery type fantasy mixed with mafia tropes), and Vlad as a character wasn't sympathetic or interesting enough. But I think he's getting more depth now, and so is his world.
My busted shoulder is still busted. I should probably finally go and see a doctor about that.
On the plus side, our washing machine may be fixed soonish. And the weather has improved. Sadly, with my busted shoulder, taking photos is somewhat painful.