Agreed on pretty much all fronts. I thought the codas truly added to the story and the characters, and while the plot might technically have been resolved without them, the book as a whole wouldn't have felt as complete.
I'm still baffled by the blurb that said they'd never laughed harder at any book; it struck me as either dishonest or a sign of being very poorly-read. But it also seemed pretty clear that Scalzi wasn't trying to be that over-the-top funny (unless it was all about the in-jokes, which I freely admit to not getting, but I suspect even then, it's not on a par with Effinger's Zork Chronicles). This was much more about actually telling a story and (on top of that) what it means to tell a story. And it worked for me on that level.
The blurb was from Rothfuss, right? I can't imagine Pat being dishonest about something like this, but I agree with you. It was a fun book, but not the funniest thing I've ever read by far, and I don't know that Scalzi was trying for ultrafunniest book ever.
It's not just Rothfuss. Joe Hill calls it "...ruin-your-underwear funny..." and Melinda Snodgrass calls it "Laugh-out-loud funny..."
I don't think these folks are guilty of dishonesty; just hyperbole. I can't find the quote, but I seem to remember Wil Wheaton being similarly over-the-top about Fuzzy Nation last year.
It's been a very pro-Scalzi week here in the greater-Philly area. Scalzi did a reading/signing Thursday (I've got a signed copy of Redshirts now!), and JoCo was in town last night singing "Redshirt."
I read a tidbit from the Redshirts for a "Stories you love to have read to you" panel at Balticon a few weeks ago--it's great to read out loud--it got a very positive response.
My favorite scene--where the ex-ground force grunt explains about owing various sex acts to one another as a way of describing favors owed. "Just to be clear, no actual [sex act] will be forthcoming . . . "
Well, he has the first 4 chapters for kindle up there for free, so I downloaded them (being a fan of his writing, but not of all his books) and I have to say I was disappointed *in* the writing.
He said, she said, the word 'said' appearing every 10 words or so, it got to be like a bullet to the brain and interrupted my reading pleasure.
I usually like his writing (if not his content) but this struck me as "written too fast" with no effort to edit for style. Plus, the first 4 chapters gave no hint of the story to unfold as you outlined above ... and I think I might have bit the big book (paid money) if it had.
I'm still on the fence on this one.
And a question for you: eBook edition versus paper edition, which ones give *you* the best royalty return? I ask because as I now have options, I want to reward my special authors with a purchase that benefits them the most.
E-books definitely give a higher royalty than mass market paperbacks. I believe they're also higher than the hardcover royalties. (And, um, thank you :-) But please buy whatever format works best for you.)
Will Libromancer be out in kindle format? When I pre-ordered, it wasn't (as opposed to Scalzi's Redshirts, which was). If it is, I will cancel the hard copy and get the eBook (instantaneous gratification and all ... and it will be better for you to boot :) )
Metafiction as a category is so not my thing, but I could see that it was very well written and funny. I prefer more immersive and less tricky kinds of stories -- but that is about me, not about this type of book.
So I can't criticize it. I am tone deaf to its music.
That's some of what I was dealing with too, I think -- it's not my favorite kind of storytelling, but that's an issue of personal taste vs. a flaw of the book/author.
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I'm still baffled by the blurb that said they'd never laughed harder at any book; it struck me as either dishonest or a sign of being very poorly-read. But it also seemed pretty clear that Scalzi wasn't trying to be that over-the-top funny (unless it was all about the in-jokes, which I freely admit to not getting, but I suspect even then, it's not on a par with Effinger's Zork Chronicles). This was much more about actually telling a story and (on top of that) what it means to tell a story. And it worked for me on that level.
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The blurb was from Rothfuss, right? I can't imagine Pat being dishonest about something like this, but I agree with you. It was a fun book, but not the funniest thing I've ever read by far, and I don't know that Scalzi was trying for ultrafunniest book ever.
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I don't think these folks are guilty of dishonesty; just hyperbole. I can't find the quote, but I seem to remember Wil Wheaton being similarly over-the-top about Fuzzy Nation last year.
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It's been a very pro-Scalzi week here in the greater-Philly area. Scalzi did a reading/signing Thursday (I've got a signed copy of Redshirts now!), and JoCo was in town last night singing "Redshirt."
I read a tidbit from the Redshirts for a "Stories you love to have read to you" panel at Balticon a few weeks ago--it's great to read out loud--it got a very positive response.
My favorite scene--where the ex-ground force grunt explains about owing various sex acts to one another as a way of describing favors owed. "Just to be clear, no actual [sex act] will be forthcoming . . . "
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He said, she said, the word 'said' appearing every 10 words or so, it got to be like a bullet to the brain and interrupted my reading pleasure.
I usually like his writing (if not his content) but this struck me as "written too fast" with no effort to edit for style. Plus, the first 4 chapters gave no hint of the story to unfold as you outlined above ... and I think I might have bit the big book (paid money) if it had.
I'm still on the fence on this one.
And a question for you: eBook edition versus paper edition, which ones give *you* the best royalty return? I ask because as I now have options, I want to reward my special authors with a purchase that benefits them the most.
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Thank you!
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So I can't criticize it. I am tone deaf to its music.
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