Autumnal Friday

[judd_sonofbert]

Reading: I am reading The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie and it is alright. There are a few too many unlikable characters but I think the wizard might just pull me through.

Wearing: Jeans and a green turtleneck sweater.

Planning: Heading to Jersey this weekend but not before some BW tonight.

Writing: I am struggling with an outline and some

Comments

[waiwode]

That's unfortunate. Minus "mopey guy" I like the unlikable characters. If it proves that I have steered you wrong, your have my most abject apologies.

Doug.

No apologies.

[judd_sonofbert]

No apologies are necessary. I am a hundred pages in and I'm enjoying it more than I am not and even if I hated it, book recommendations are good things.

Re: No apologies.

[drivingblind]

At about 100 pages I was in a similar space. Stick it through and let me know what you think at the far side.

Then again... I loved the torturer. So if you don't buy his story (and his rich, rich backstory)...

[gillan]

Reading: I'm on a bad fantasy binge. :) I'm reading the copy of Orcs you loaned which is okay. I'm trying to not judget from just two chapters but so far nothing is really happening and he's doing this thing where he's feeding me snippets of information without giving me enough to understand what's going on. Like, he just introduced this stuff that's maybe a gem or maybe a drug I have no idea because he didn't tell me and neither did the characters but I guess it's a big deal that they found it. I'm also reading The Blackhearts Omnibus which is a Warhammer Fantasy novel and isn't fantastic, but is enjoyable.

Wearing: My Astrobase Go! shirt, jeans, sneakers, white socks, black and white raven boxers.

Planning: Also going to New Jersey.

Writing: Nothin'. I have half a mind to write some orc fiction.

[drcpunk]

Reading: Alternating between Ian McDonald's River of Gods (sf, India in 2047) and other stuff. I finished Playing With Fire by Derek Landry in one day (YA sequel to Skullduggery Pleasant, and as delightful, not least because, unlike Rowling, Landry isn't repeating himself. Not flawless, but fun). I also started Dreadful Secrets of Candlewick Manor, and am pondering running a Monsters campaign with it.

Wearing: Dune t-shirt (I think for an old CCG?), jeans.

Planning: Job hunting. Going to Columbia Games Club. Maybe doing a review of Curriculum of Conspiracy.

Writing: Write up and analysis of the larp from last weekend. If I'm good, working on Presque Vu, the 4 hour larp which was my bright idea. The more I can do, the more other people can do.

[gillan]

I'm happy to hear Skullduggery Pleasant was good. I randomly picked it up in a bookstore and have been meaning to read it.

[drcpunk]

It's very good. It was a finalist for the Mythopoeic Award for Children's Literature, losing, predictably, to the Harry Potter series. (My pick would have been Nancy Springer's Dusssie, which had me laughing on the first page and crying on the last, but the right sort of tears, if you see what I mean).

And, while the people who voted did not necessarily think that Rowling is a better writer, Landry clearly owes a literary debt to her. That said, he's a better writer, with a much bouncier style. And, while I get the same sense that he's making up shit as he goes based on plot needs, same as with Rowling, I will forgive a lot for a plucky heroine who doesn't whine.

[drcpunk]

I have trouble with unlikeable characters too, as well as with some works of fantasy that are "different" because they revel in the muck. Now, this can be done very well -- check out China Mieville's King Rat. But, there are far too many works that are just plain unpleasant, with nothing new or interesting to say.

[bluegargantua]

The Blade Itself really picks up during the last quarter or so, but then sends you off to pick up book two.

Once you get into book two, a lot of those unlikeable characters come into their own.

later
Tom