What have you been reading?

[Voros]

Gary Valentine! Writer of the immortal "(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear," and, as Voros should know better, bassist for Blondie. Count the strings!

View attachment 18178​

Whoops, thanks man, in his intro he mentions playing guitar for Iggy so I made that mistake. He wrote a bio of his musical life under the Gary Valentine name New York Rocker: My Life In The Blank Generation With Blondie, Iggy Pop and Others 1974-1981 that I want to read too.

His recent bio on Colin Wilson was a bit disappointing as I found it rambled and repeated itself which is unusual for Lachman who is usually very readable and concise in his previous bios. It may be because I don't find Wilson's ideas very interesting, I prefer Wilson's fiction to his credulous writing on the occult and Lachman only touches on the fiction in passing. He was a good friend of Wilson and I think isn't his usual critical self.

His latest book is The Return of Holy Russia, which I've also just started, quite good so far.

 

[Dumarest]

Voros, have you read New York Rocker: My Life in The Blank Generation?

​

Edit: Never mind, you typed your post while I was typing mine.

 

[Voros]

 

[Dumarest]

Ironically you post a video with his replacement, Nigel Harrison, on bass! Here's the man himself performing it:

Sounds a bit like Richard Hell/Television.

 

[Kilted Rob]

Research for my Film Writing class.

 

[Dumarest]

Research for my Film Writing class.

Pretty sure I have that on a shelf in my living room.

Two of my favorite actors are Humphrey Bogart and Robert Mitchum, so noir movies make up a large portion of my movie collection.

 

[Voros]

Ironically you post a video with his replacement, Nigel Harrison, on bass! Here's the man himself performing it:

Sounds a bit like Richard Hell/Television.

I think I was hypnotized by Debby's short skirt.

This is good stuff.

 

[Saphry]

Reading The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. I find it interesting that feelings will attract little spirits that hover or crawl around you in that world. Definitely hard to keep a psychological advantage against your opponent.

I've also read Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah. What started out as a little girl alien visiting Earth to find five miracles turned out to be a bit of a murder mystery. Quite a heartwarming story, that one.

 

[Dumarest]

Happened upon this nifty little hardcover omnibus of 4 novellas from 1997 set during the Next Generation era but featuring mostly original characters aboard a sister ship of the Enterprise. I have no expectations but it's nicely bound and the typeface and hardcover remind me of the genre fiction I used to get out of the school library. It looks and feels very similar to those old Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books, for instance. Anyway, the price was right since it was a library sale and even if it turns out to suck then (1) I supported a library and (2) maybe there will be some ripoffable scenario ideas. I like the little Galaxy-class starship logo, although it is a little off that they use the original series movies typeface rather than the Next Generation typeface for the title.

​

Whatever "Poster and Minipedia!" it originally came with are sadly long gone.

​

 

[Doc Sammy]

Been reading The Embrace by Aphrodite Jones.

Also been re-reading the old I Spy books from the 90's. Loved those when I was a little kid

 

[Dumarest]

...Aphrodite Jones.

Well, now I have a name for my next Ninjas & Superspies PC...

​

 

[Giganotosaurus]

I Spy books from the 90's

Oh man there's a blast from the past! I remember spending literal hours going through those. I Spy Treasure Hunt was by far my favorite. I also remember that there was another similar series, but instead of using miniatures and blocks and such it had pictures that used common household items placed in such a way that they looked like furniture. Like a well placed oven mitt looked like a comfy arm chair.

 

[Voros]

Finally got my hands on a legit copy of this collection of horror stories by the great Lisa Tuttle because of Valancourt's Paperbacks from Hell reissue series.

 

[Teyrnon]

Finally got my hands on a legit copy of this collection of horror stories by the great Lisa Tuttle because of Valancourt's Paperbacks from Hell reissue series.

View attachment 18412

That's interesting. It looks like a bunch of stuff highlighted by Paperbacks From Hell has been reissued. That's wonderful because the majority of the works Hendrix mentioned in his book were long out of print and nigh impossible to find.

 

[Séadna]

I just finished the programming classic SICP. I'm not a programmer so I found it pretty hard, but I really learned a lot from it about how programs fundamentally work (you write your own interpretor and compiler at the end). I'd recommend it if you are into programming.

 

[Dumarest]

In addition to Star Trek stuff, I'm about to start this book.

​

I hope it's as interesting as it sounded.

 

[carpocratian]

Just finished "Paperbacks from Hell" by Grady Hendrix.

 

[Endless Flight]

I’m about halfway through this. Ted is mostly known for producing the Doobie Brothers through the 70s (“Listen to the Music”, “What a Fool Believes” among their hits) and Van Halen during the David Lee Roth era (“Jump”, “You Really Got Me” among their hits). He also was a singer and guitarist in the late 60s group Harpers Bizarre. Great stuff so far.

 

[Voros]

Just finished "Paperbacks from Hell" by Grady Hendrix.


View attachment 18580

One writer they discuss there who I consider a real find is Ken Greenhall, it is like Bunuel wrote an 80s horror novel, remarkable stuff and unlike so much 80s horror concisely and finely written.

 

[Dammit Victor]

Someone turned me onto DMR Books and their Swords of Steel anthologies: pulp sword & sorcery written by actual heavy metal musicians. I don't want to say they're bad, but the first two stories were really bad and I had to put the book down (for a long while) and I'm still working up the nerve to take it up again.

So I've been reading Thongor and the Wizard of Lemuria by Lin Carter, which I was warned against-- "save it for after you've read everything else"-- but which I am finding entirely to my tastes. When our barbarian hero escapes from the dungeon, he discovers that the local lord's dinosaurs are too well guarded... so he steals the dude's spring-powered twin prop airship. This is my jam.

 

[urbwar]

After finishing the first six issues of The Alternate, I started reading Freaks & Gods, a small press comic about three very strange protagonists going to different universes (similar to Marvel's Exiles) and dealing with threats to those worlds. The villains are usually characters who have fallen into the public domain (and a few pd heroes show up as well). I've finished the first 3 issues, and took a break to flip through a few single issues of other comics, but I'll be going back to it today. I also realized that I just don't read as much as I used to. I need to make more time on my days off to do that. I'd read when I could on the bus, but having to wear a mask causes my glasses to fog up, and the anti-fogger I bought isn't working all that well (so I end up not reading the 10 minutes each way like I used to)

Anyway, here's the covers for the issues that are out:

 

[Dumarest]

Wasn't sure if this should be a "listening" post or a "reading" post so did both!

Reading Riot on Sunset Strip

​

while listening to Love, the Leaves, the Byrds, the Doors, Buffalo Springfield, and so on.











For my money the greatest pop music scene of all time.

 

[Dumarest]

After finishing the first six issues of The Alternate, I started reading Freaks & Gods, a small press comic about three very strange protagonists going to different universes (similar to Marvel's Exiles) and dealing with threats to those worlds. The villains are usually characters who have fallen into the public domain (and a few pd heroes show up as well). I've finished the first 3 issues, and took a break to flip through a few single issues of other comics, but I'll be going back to it today. I also realized that I just don't read as much as I used to. I need to make more time on my days off to do that. I'd read when I could on the bus, but having to wear a mask causes my glasses to fog up, and the anti-fogger I bought isn't working all that well (so I end up not reading the 10 minutes each way like I used to)

Anyway, here's the covers for the issues that are out:

Love the cover art: are the interiors by the same artist?

 

[urbwar]

Love the cover art: are the interiors by the same artist?

I believe so (I didn't read who the artist was). The interior art is pretty good.

I put off reading the 4th issue, as I'm reading Superman: War of the Worlds. It's one of their Elseworlds line, where the Martians attack in 1938, and a young Superman reveals himself as he tries to stop them. This is early Superman, so no heat vision, cold breath, etc. Just super strong, super leaping and invulnerable to all but a bursting shell, etc. It's pretty interesting so far

 

[AsenRG]

"Basic notions of Chinese Culture", vol.1 of 5 (though I should be done with it until tomorrow).

 

[Dumarest]

This arrived today. Art by Alex Toth, Ramona Fradon, and Kurt Schaffenberger, and good, fun, kid-friendly stories an adult can also enjoy. For those not in the know, these comics were considered in-continuity with concurrent issues of Batman, Superman, Justice League of America, etc., and weren't bound by the Saturday morning cartoon format and were able to use heroes and villains the TV show didn't or couldn't. The wonderful Global Guardians got their start here as well. I have all the single issues of the original comic books, but I wanted a collection I can read without damaging them, plus this includes some odds and ends I don't have. I just hope they follow through and collect the 2nd half of the series in a Volume Two.

​

 

[Tom B]

Re-reading Niven's Ringworld books. It's frustrating...for such an incredible setting, I wish he'd told more interesting stories. I enjoyed the original because of the setting, but the second book is an incredible slog to get through. That's why I never made it any further.

Also re-reading (well, listening, this time) to the Paksenarrion books by Elizabeth Moon. This series I always enjoy...both parts of it.

 

[Dumarest]

I just hope they follow through and collect the 2nd half of the series in a Volume Two.

View attachment 18807​

Just pre-ordered Volume Two! Here's the "art not final" solicitation art:

​

 

[Luca]

Read the 4th volume of Monstress, I really like the world building and the art:



Also reading a big chunk of the works of Magnus (Roberto Raviola, one of the greatest italian comic book artist) which are being reissued in a single collection:



Most of these are masterpieces.

 

[Voros]

Any Raviola available in English?

 

[Luca]

Any Raviola available in English?

The Fellowship of the Gallows #1 – Ben Slabak

benslabak.com

No clue about how easy it is to find, but "The Fellowship of the Gallows" is a classic by Magnus ("La Compagnia della Forca" is the original italian title).

 

[Voros]

The BFI Classics series is very good and this one on The Terminator by Sean French maintains its high standard.



P.S. The actual cover is in colour not sure why I can only find this B&W image online.

 

[Dumarest]

Still working my way through the stack of Star Trek: The Next Generation novels, some of which have been surprisingly good. I'm midway through #9 (A Call to Darkness) at the moment. I might start a thread with very brief reviews and 1-to-4 Star ratings (and my criteria for how I judge them) just for fun. You might be surprised how many of the first nine get 3 or 4 stars.

​

Since I'm always reading three or so books at the same time, I took this out of the van where my son left it. I bought it for him at his request at a YMCA fundraiser sometime last year but doubted he was ready to read it at his age (of course I was right, he just likes fighter planes), so I'm going to read it now.

​

 

[Simlasa]

I started reading one of the Warcraft fiction books... Well of Eternity, first book in a trilogy. I was in a mood to revisit that setting but not through the video games.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the writing is pretty bad so far... it hasn't hit me in my Sword of Shannara spot yet, so I haven't tossed it across the room, but it is long... and like I said, first of a trilogy.

 

[The Butcher]

I started reading one of the Warcraft fiction books... Well of Eternity, first book in a trilogy. I was in a mood to revisit that setting but not through the video games.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the writing is pretty bad so far... it hasn't hit me in my Sword of Shannara spot yet, so I haven't tossed it across the room, but it is long... and like I said, first of a trilogy.

Warcraft canon, or "lore" has long been a guilty pleasure of mine. I ued to keep track of it via games (i.e. WoW) and never had the courage to look into actual fiction. The cringe-worthy movie more or less killed it for me.

 

[Simlasa]

Warcraft canon, or "lore" has long been a guilty pleasure of mine. I ued to keep track of it via games (i.e. WoW) and never had the courage to look into actual fiction. The cringe-worthy movie more or less killed it for me.

I avoided watching the movie, but I do enjoy the setting, generally... and have been slowly working on my DIY version of it. So I wanted to grok the lore better...

 

[The Butcher]

my DIY version of it

I hear you! I've always toyed with the idea of running a "new school fantasy" game, using D&D5 or SotDL or maybe even Savage Worlds, influenced at least in part by WoW.

 

[AsenRG]

I hear you! I've always toyed with the idea of running a "new school fantasy" game, using D&D5 or SotDL or maybe even Savage Worlds, influenced at least in part by WoW.

I've played in the Warcraft setting back in the 3.5 era.

 

[Séadna]

Well as part of a project that has taken me about five weeks I had to read >50 pop science books on quantum mechanics to determine which to recommend and proscribe in a course and I thought people here on the pub might find it useful. The criterion were minimal made up nonsense that seems to be just invented for these books (particles popping in and out of nowhere, particles being in multiple places at the same time) and also doesn't include the authors sneaking in their own pet theories as if they were established ideas (that either have no evidence or explicit counter-evidence).

This eliminated >95% of the books. Of the remainder I looked for those that gave the facts in as succinct and well written a way as possible.

That left at joint first place Terry Rudolph's book for high schoolers "Q is for Quantum" and Jeffrey and Tanya Bub's Graphic novel "Totally Random". Only these books stick to language as everyday as possible (important when the subject is so remote from normal experience), don't include made up nonsense and most importantly actually discuss the major strange parts of the theory.

Rudolph's book presents things from a sort of computational point of view which some people may not like.

In second place is Hans von Baeyer's book "QBism". Although ostensibly the book is about a more modern look at quantum theory, the differences between this view and the older common view are in minutiae that the book doesn't really enter into. I only put it second since it wastes some time on polemics, but the science is solid. I will say the top review of the book on Amazon is from a moron who clearly didn't read the book as he essentially makes up what von Baeyer says in the book.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com: Q is for Quantum: 9780999063507: Rudolph, Terry: Books

Amazon.com: Q is for Quantum: 9780999063507: Rudolph, Terry: Books

www.amazon.com

QBism: The Future of Quantum Physics: von Baeyer, Hans Christian, Baeyer, Lili von: 9780674504646: Amazon.com: Books

Buy QBism: The Future of Quantum Physics on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders

www.amazon.com

 

[Voros]

Man popular science writing is a mess.

What polemic does Baeyer enage in?

And yeah, Amazon reviews are the worse.