books, etc.

[pellucid]

After vaguely intending to get my hands on these books, following chaila43's rec, and going so far as to endeavor to buy them, only to discover that the middle book is out of print and thus a bit difficult to find (though apparently you can get a copy from Kirstein herself!), I've finally remembered that my local library branch is quite excellent at sci fi

Comments

[emmiere]

I'm a bit jealous since my normally excellent library doesn't have any of the Steerwoman series, which means I'm stuck deciding exactly how much I really want the second. I'll be keeping an eye on it for when she releases the next one if nothing else. Thanks for the link in case I cave!

And hmm, Game of Thrones. I think how very casual and supportive the whole series is of rape might be a big turnoff for the series in either form. Likewise with shades of dark skin=savage/less civilized. There's a lot of interesting female characters I'd like to see and good political shenanigans, plus probably less overblown descriptions. Plenty to be squicked out about though.

I'm still excited to check it out just to see a big fantasy production on screen and because I ambivalently liked a lot of things about the series, but there's no telling whether the worst bits will be less cringe-worthy or not yet. Especially since I've only seen previews.

[pellucid]

It seems like surely the publisher ought to release them digitally or something. With initial publication, most of the cost of a book isn't in the physical production; it's wrapped up in the cost of getting the manuscript ready, paying the author and the publishers' staff, marketing, etc. But once a book is already on a publisher's list, then the only reason not to reprint it is if the cost of the paper and the ink and the typesetting isn't worth it. But it seems like it would cost them almost nothing to throw digital copies out there--though perhaps there's an aspect to the business model I'm missing (I admit I'm a little shaky on how ebooks are working from the publishers' perspectives). But yes, surely when (if?) she releases the next one, they'll bring all the earlier ones back into print

[emmiere]

I'm really hoping for another one so that I can start a campaign with my library to get them and have more awesome fantasy just around. Where anyone could pick it up! :)

My opinions on GoT are a bit muddled honestly, since it's something I HAVE liked and also, wished I could love more. It's definitely something I've gotten more critical about since say, seven or eight years ago when I first read it? Or probably even last year. (Which isn't to say that people who love it are awful, but perspectives can change.) Probably I am a bad person to give a recommendation either way, but yeah, I think there's a lot of things about it you're rightfully wary of based on Stuff You Loathe.

[annerbhp]

Oh! Thanks for the link to the female characters trope fest. Awesome stuff.

[pellucid]

Glad to be of service! :D

[pellucid]

As I just said to emmiere, from what I know of the books, I'm particularly attracted to the idea of epic worldbuilding, complex plottiness, and political shenanigans--all major points in the "pro" column. On the other hand, I have a pretty hair-trigger negative response to rape (especially when portrayed cavalierly) and to stories that don't love and respect their female characters (even when they're the antagonists, I want them loved and respected by the people who created them; really, this is how I feel about all characters, but it's so much more frequently a problem with women, I find), and I think I have a great deal less tolerance for both of those things than many people do. So from what I've heard about the books, those things might go to some degree in the "con" column?

I do think I'll check out an episode or two, at least. Maybe the pros will outweigh the cons, or perhaps I'm wrong about the cons altogether. :)

[pellucid]

I didn't feel like you'd been too aggressive, and so sorry if you felt like you were being shouted down from the other side. I really am interested in hearing from fans of the series about why they love the books, and so far my experience (especially with RL friends, more so than the flist) has been that most people I encounter (at least among those for whom this is on the radar screen at all) are big fans of the books and are really excited about the series. I want to be excited, too (except for my knee-jerk thing that makes me tend to want to go against the crowd when everyone gets too excited about something, but usually I give in to that and am glad I did

[pellucid]

I don't know that I have an opinion about fantasy, per se, and that's an interesting way to think of it. I've typically really loved the fantasy I've read, but I've not read very much, and most of it has been really classic stuff, skewed to the children's books end of things: Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Earthsea, etc. And I admit I have a bit of an instinctive "meh, dragons" thing when I hear about fantasy series, for instance, even though all of the above are among my favorite books

[pellucid]

Yeah, of all the crazy political things that are going on in multiple countries right now, Wisconsin really is toward the top of the list for craziness. Good luck!!!