Accept it for what it is. A fun satire of college culture. Some things in common with the rise and fall of dodo. Otherwise unrecognizable as a Neal StAccept it for what it is. A fun satire of college culture. Some things in common with the rise and fall of dodo. Otherwise unrecognizable as a Neal Stephenson book now. But I think he should have disowned quicksilver. ...more
Saw the author on span back in the day. An incredible story. The book has none of the drama or passion of his speech. Dry and stat heavy. He can do beSaw the author on span back in the day. An incredible story. The book has none of the drama or passion of his speech. Dry and stat heavy. He can do better. ...more
Sometimes I just want to read something batshit nuts.
But what strikes me is the optimism. Sci fi I has been mired in a depressing apocalyptic wank feSometimes I just want to read something batshit nuts.
But what strikes me is the optimism. Sci fi I has been mired in a depressing apocalyptic wank fest for years. There鈥檚 an alien death armada headed for earth. But we don鈥檛 need to fear. Because buckaroo has his intellect, his friends and a rockin guitar.
Not for everyone. The loooong stream of consciousness rants wear after a while. ...more
Fascinating bit of history. The author did her research, but drifts into minutia every time things get good. I understand that the accounting details Fascinating bit of history. The author did her research, but drifts into minutia every time things get good. I understand that the accounting details of the prize system were important, and could be interesting in it鈥檚 own right, but it鈥檚 not something you should interrupt a swashbuckling sea battle for. ...more
late in life to be discovering tin tin. got the series, and they are wonderful. mostly.
"in the land of the soviets" is the weakest.these were originallate in life to be discovering tin tin. got the series, and they are wonderful. mostly.
"in the land of the soviets" is the weakest.these were originally done as a weekly serial in a newspaper, and the story structure reflects that. not much plot, and a cliffhanger every other page or so. but the art is incredibly well developed. simpler, obviously the work of a much younger man. but still great.
of course these were written around 1930. the beginning of the communist terror that would eventually kill more than hitler. watching other reviewers upset over negative treatment of stalin is pathetic.
the congo is another matter. it's just racist. i know everyone was racist back then. but this is over the line. herge never bothered updating it, and i guess he wanted it forgotten. probably for the best. ...more
monitoring tiny 3rd world nations for troubles was an expensive and timing consuming operation. the CIA figured an easier way to spot impending conflimonitoring tiny 3rd world nations for troubles was an expensive and timing consuming operation. the CIA figured an easier way to spot impending conflicts. they'd simply go to local markets and monitor the cost of an AK-47. if the gun cost a few goats then there was nothing to worry about. if it suddenly spiked and went for a cow, there was war brewing.
much of this has been covered in depth elsewhere. still a fascinating book....more
the way he puts thought into the heads of the soviet officers makes me a little uncomfortable. i understand that he had access to the archives and manthe way he puts thought into the heads of the soviet officers makes me a little uncomfortable. i understand that he had access to the archives and many personal journals. but still awkward. ...more
raymond chandler wrote something to the effect of, whenever he was stuck for an idea he'd have a man walk into the room with a gun. a great way to getraymond chandler wrote something to the effect of, whenever he was stuck for an idea he'd have a man walk into the room with a gun. a great way to get out of corners and get the plot moving again.
whenever stuck larry correia has a cthulu crash through the ceiling with an h-bomb.
I鈥檓 a great fan of the John Carter mars books. A man wakes up on a strange planet. He grabs a loin cloth and aAt what point does kinky become tedious?
I鈥檓 a great fan of the John Carter mars books. A man wakes up on a strange planet. He grabs a loin cloth and a sword and goes about rescuing princesses. On one level these are well written tributes to Burroughs.
But then things on Gor get kinky and weird about book three.
really got tired of listening to the characters discuss the proper ways of disciplining slave girls. wanted to grab them and say "pick up your damn swords, go outside, and kill a fucking monster already."...more
graves decided to tell the story in the voice of belisarius' mincing eunuch slave. imagine having perez hilton reading the script to road warriogroan,
graves decided to tell the story in the voice of belisarius' mincing eunuch slave. imagine having perez hilton reading the script to road warrior and you'll have some understanding of why this book has been forgotten....more
well, the good news is that stuff actually happens. there is an end in sight.
sanderson fills jordans shoes for the most part. the physical combat seemwell, the good news is that stuff actually happens. there is an end in sight.
sanderson fills jordans shoes for the most part. the physical combat seems a little more alive. and he doesn't feel the need to give a detailed description of the dress every fifth string throwaway character is wearing. but he does have the same love of the whiney internal monologue. a character does something for maybe three pages, and then thinks about it for five pages after that, wondering mostly about how the other characters will react. and then you cut to five pages of internal monologue from one of the other characters wondering if what the first character did means they're still in love.
and the characters don't seem to talk to each other anymore. they engage in long pompous speeches sort of pointed in the direction of the others.
still, it's looking up. won't approach the next book with a sense of dread. ...more
at first it seems a simple retelling of her life story. already well covered in "infidel". i suppose it was necessary again to show how she came to that first it seems a simple retelling of her life story. already well covered in "infidel". i suppose it was necessary again to show how she came to the conclusions. and they are amazing conclusions. just the new perspective of breaking down the immigrants experience by money violence and sex makes everything so much clearer.
the atheist woman who richard dawkins calls a "hero" argues the case for pro enlightenment secular intellectuals to make a strategic alliance with christians to convert muslims. i am in a state of rapture thinking of the heads that will explode in mosques and universities all over the world because of this....more
there have been a series of hitler and the occult type documentaries on lately. all of which seem to circle around the SS sponsored tibetan expeditionthere have been a series of hitler and the occult type documentaries on lately. all of which seem to circle around the SS sponsored tibetan expedition. this put me in the mood for some sort of debunking book. the fact that it was int he barnes and noble bargain bin helped.
the author mostly ignores the art bell type stuff. but fails it telling the real story. climbing the himalayas, exotic cultures, yeti hunting and desperate dashes across guarded borders simply can't be as dull as he makes it seem....more
sometimes at the end of a job, i'm exhausted, but can't shut the mind off. a good fantasy novel sort of helps the brain decompress.
comes at the traditsometimes at the end of a job, i'm exhausted, but can't shut the mind off. a good fantasy novel sort of helps the brain decompress.
comes at the traditional formula with a few new ideas. some work, some don't. the system of magic has a logic too it. but i saw the great revelation coming 100 pages before the charaters. at the end i liked the book, but am not particularly motivated to buy the sequels.
decided to pick this up when i heard he'd been chosen to finish off the wheel of time franchise. wanted to understand why. the author shares with jordan an ability to drag a scene out waaaaayyyy longer than necessary. ...more
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