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Post by Prince Hal on Sept 1, 2016 12:22:08 GMT -5
I always thought Manly Wade Wellman would make a great name for a male porn star. It's even better than Phil Dick Right up there with onetime Red Sox pitcher Richard Pole. Two guesses what his nickname was. (Hint: It was neither Rick nor Rich.)
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Sept 1, 2016 14:31:36 GMT -5
I always thought Manly Wade Wellman would make a great name for a male porn star. It's even better than Phil Dick Right up there with onetime Red Sox pitcher Richard Pole. Two guesses what his nickname was. (Hint: It was neither Rick nor Rich.) Was it Pesky? heh heh Worst name for a pitcher- Pirate hurler Bob WalkBut I digress...
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Post by Prince Hal on Sept 1, 2016 15:00:13 GMT -5
Right up there with onetime Red Sox pitcher Richard Pole. Two guesses what his nickname was. (Hint: It was neither Rick nor Rich.) Was it Pesky? heh heh Worst name for a pitcher- Pirate hurler Bob WalkBut I digress... Nicely done!
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Post by Calamas on Sept 12, 2016 8:43:11 GMT -5
RECENTLY FINISHED:
Walking the Perfect Square by Reed Farrel Coleman
In the Afterwards of my edition (Busted Flush Press, 2008) the author states that while he had the basic story of Walking the Perfect Square for a while, he lacked the necessary skill to execute it until somewhere around 2001. Your mind automatically goes to the time shifts that the novel employs. That’s not the whole of it. The part of the story that takes place in 1998, in this case “the present,” is essentially a framing sequence with a few extra slices interspaced throughout. Any rough patches could easily be smoothed out with the first rewrite. It was the main story, which takes place in early 1978, that needed a deft touch.
Moe Prager, forced to leave the NYPD due to a freak accident, is antsy in premature retirement. Thanks to his biggest on-the-job success, the finding of a missing 7-year-old girl, he is invited to join the search for Patrick Maloney, a vanished college student. He has immediate reactions to many of those involved: dislike for the father of the missing man, attraction to the sister, and the feeling of being manipulated, in some cases by trusted friends and former colleagues. During the investigation Prager meets some unique and interesting people, and Coleman uses this opportunity to paint a vivid portrait of the New York City of 1978. The perfect backdrop, as it turns out, to bring into focus the life of Patrick Maloney. And to entice Moe Prager into becoming more entwined in the case than intended. Inevitably, it leads to some regrettable decisions.
Though Coleman may have had wait until he’d acquired the dexterity needed to write Walking the Perfect Square, that doesn’t mean those skills were yet completely refined. There are times when Prager’s musings get in the way of the scene. When the characters interacting is more interesting than the internal monologue, the reader tends to skip ahead. And then there’s a gaffe while winding down the book. After the first revelation is unveiled, Prager wastes the day lounging around with a girl. The experienced reader suspects the author needed time for something catastrophic to happen offstage. And even if that wasn’t the case, once you’ve started to reveal the solution--and have indicated that there are more reveals coming--the nature of the genre carries an expectation that you to get to them as soon as possible. Suspense cannot be allowed to turn into frustration.
But make no mistake, Coleman was absolutely right. Superior skills were needed. He had to resolve all the varied elements of the story in 1978, do so with interest and empathy and a sense of satisfaction--but with very little heart. The emotional impact had to be saved for the twenty-years-later epilogue, where the best of intentions gone wrong come home to roost.
Minor defects aside, it’s safe to say that Reed Farrel Coleman picked the right time to write Walking the Perfect Square.
To the Eagle’s Nest by Joseph DiMona
I’m not big on conspiracy novels. For example, decades ago I dropped Robert Ludlum shortly after his books doubled in size. Granted this was when his worldwide popularity soared but personally I felt the excessive, far-reaching conspiracies went one or two steps too far and diluted the eventual climax. Which brings me to Joseph DiMona. Deep-rooted conspiracies were always integral to his stories--but not overwhelmingly so. He was of the era of Fredrick Forsyth, Brian Forbes and Amos Aricha: thriller writers who emphasized intrigue and suspense as much as action. DiMona’s mastery of these elements in Last Man at Arlington left me with no hesitation about picking up his next, The Benedict Arnold Connection. And had I known of its existence in those pre-internet days, I would have purchased this novel upon release. So some thirty-five years later I finally get to read Assistant Attorney General George Williams’ final adventure.
While shooting an anti-Hitler movie on location in Germany, a group of American actors are kidnapped by a terrorist group. This takes place in 1980. Remembering this is crucial to the book’s enjoyment. The author states it early in a scene where an important participant makes preparations for coming events 36 years after his father was executed as a member of what the novel regularly refers to as the “July 20th Conspiracy.” In the 21st century the failed assignation of Hitler is referenced more commonly as Operation Valkyrie. The proximity of the novel’s present to its World War II past could be easily forgotten when reading the story so many years after its initial publication. To the Eagle’s Nest is a generational story, and as various opposing forces come into play, each can be traced back to Nazi Germany.
This is the best of the George Williams novels, mainly because DiMona lets the reader into the conspiracies as each group’s influence enters the story. There are still surprises but the groundwork is properly laid. DiMona also structures the book so that, as greater forces begin to make move and countermove, the hero is not reduced to a chess piece. Williams has an active role in the conclusion.
To the Eagle’s Nest reads like it was always intended to be DiMona’s last foray into the espionage novel, perhaps because he made a much better living co-writing biographies. But after all this time I can’t help but wishing he had left more novels like this for me to discover. It’s an entertaining example of the thriller novel of the time.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Sept 13, 2016 22:23:36 GMT -5
Best of Stanley Weinbaum
It's a real shame he died before the sci-fi boom of the 60s... it would have been really interesting to see where he went. Weinbaum's solar system was, of course, very colored by 30s beliefs, but it's super fun.. Martian Bird People that may have been the Egyptian Gods.. tiny rat people on Io that have nearly our level of civilization, Swamps on Venus, etc.
Most of the stories fall into two categories.. travelogue types that explore different planets, and the others with Dixon Wells (playboy loser extraordonaire) and the great scientist Van Manderplootz, who invents amazing stuff that Wells manages to use to break his own heart over and over again.
The plots are not great.. other than the two Martian stories, every other one starts with a down on his luck but essentially good man who is in a bad spot and ends up saving a girl who doesn't like him at first, but they fall in love through trauma and get married at the end.
Had he lived to see sci fi move out of short magazine stories and into novels and series, I could see him doing some truly amazing world building, but alas, it was not to be.
Still, these are a great time capusle and well worth reading for any classic sci fi fan.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Sept 13, 2016 22:35:54 GMT -5
Dan Spiegle: A Life In Comic Art by John Coates and Dan Spiegle. This is basically a book length, illustrated interview with Dan Spiegle. If you're familiar with Twomorrows books and magazines you know what to expect. I only became familiar with Spiegle when he started doing work for DC, I first noticed him in the Tales of Gotham City back-ups which were generally really great. And then his work with Mark Evanier on Blackhawk. The fact that he disliked and generally refused to do super-hero comics almost certainly has kept him from being as appreciated as he should be. If I had a complaint it would be that I'd like a bit more of a critique of his work and a bit more history, particularly of his work for Western...which is an area that definitely falls behind in historical perusal. Well worth the price...especially with the current sale.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Sept 13, 2016 22:39:09 GMT -5
Best of Stanley Weinbaum It's a real shame he died before the sci-fi boom of the 60s... it would have been really interesting to see where he went. Weinbaum's solar system was, of course, very colored by 30s beliefs, but it's super fun.. Martian Bird People that may have been the Egyptian Gods.. tiny rat people on Io that have nearly our level of civilization, Swamps on Venus, etc. Most of the stories fall into two categories.. travelogue types that explore different planets, and the others with Dixon Wells (playboy loser extraordonaire) and the great scientist Van Manderplootz, who invents amazing stuff that Wells manages to use to break his own heart over and over again. The plots are not great.. other than the two Martian stories, every other one starts with a down on his luck but essentially good man who is in a bad spot and ends up saving a girl who doesn't like him at first, but they fall in love through trauma and get married at the end. Had he lived to see sci fi move out of short magazine stories and into novels and series, I could see him doing some truly amazing world building, but alas, it was not to be. Still, these are a great time capusle and well worth reading for any classic sci fi fan. Weinbaum's A Martian Odyssey is a seminal work in science fiction. His aliens were truly alien which may have been a first. They simply did not think like humans.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Sept 14, 2016 9:10:33 GMT -5
I think my favorite Weinbaum alien is the loonies, who have giant heads (I picture them as just giant smiley faces with arms and legs), but who somehow had an advanced civilation at some point, despite being no smarter than dogs in the story. I'd LOVE to read their story.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Sept 17, 2016 5:21:42 GMT -5
sorry, double post
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Post by wildfire2099 on Sept 17, 2016 5:22:34 GMT -5
Well of Ascension Brandon Sanderson
After a reasonably promising first novel, this 2nd installment was a real disappointment. Instead of building the very interesting world that he started to create, we get a TON of action sequences (which were very cool, but just too many of them) and far too much emphasis on relationship drama that was totally too melodramatic.
Throw that on top of using the Empire Strikes Back method of ending on a low note, and I really can't see reading the next one. Too bad.. it had more potential that I gave it credit for.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Sept 18, 2016 18:03:51 GMT -5
All the Colors of Darkness c. 1963 Lloyd Biggle, Jr How is it that I've never ever heard of Jan Darzek before? He's right up there with Elijah Bailey is future gumshoes, (now that I know he exists). You wouldn't think an almost noir (it's a little too bright and happy for noir, but the other elements are all there) detective novel and a classic speculative fiction piece would be the same book, but here it is. It starts out with a look at how the would would change with Transporters.. moves into a detective novel, then finishes up with a fascinating and unique take on the Prime Directive... all before Star Trek. I wonder if Mr. Roddenberry ever read this? I'll definitely be tracking down at least the next Darzek novel.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Sept 19, 2016 12:15:52 GMT -5
Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell. The third in Cornwell's "Saxon Stories" finds Uhtred returning to the North, becoming a king-maker, being betrayed, and ultimately reluctantly becoming sworn to Alfred and becoming a king-saver. A really good book that continues a compelling series of historical novels.
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Post by Rob Allen on Sept 19, 2016 18:43:14 GMT -5
A new ebook release: Your Favorite Superhero Sucks by Noah Berlatsky www.amazon.com/Your-Favorite-Superhero-Sucks-Berlatsky-ebook/dp/B01K521R7M#nav-subnav"This 28K collection of essays, insults, and howls of tortured fury explains why Superman is wasting his time hitting criminals, why the first X-Men comic was gratingly awful, why a pole painted red, white, and blue has more expressive range than Chris Evans, and why Aquaman is not a badass. Wonder Woman, Black Panther, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil; each is sneered at in turn. Fun for all! Everyone loves superheroes. Superman, Batman, Captain America; they are good and friendly, and beat up bad guys while blowing things up. What could be wrong with that? This book is an exhaustive list of things that are wrong with that. If you have ever gone to a superhero film and said to yourself, "This is plotless ugly drivel," then this book is for you. If you read superhero comics and then wad them up and feed them to the dog and take them from the dog's rear end and jump upon them screaming, "You smug badly drawn violence-prone goons, take that and that!" then you should probably take deep breaths and hug a cat and then come back and buy this book. And if you love superheroes? You should buy this book anyway because you are wrong, and someone needs to elucidate your wrongness. So there." "Noah Berlatsky writes for Playboy, the Atlantic, the New Republic, and other venues. He edits the comics and culture website The Hooded Utilitarian. He is in favor of giant space kangaroos with extra lungs, which is why he wrote a book about the original Wonder Woman comics, in which such kangaroos feature prominently. You can find Noah's online writing about Wonder Woman, reviews, interviews, and more at the link below: www.hoodedutilitarian.com/2014/11/wonder-woman-bondage-and-feminism-links-page/ " From the first review at Amazon: "... lest you think Berlatsky is just a rabble-rouser, someone who acts like a jerk in order to get people angry for daring to espouse an unpopular opinion, the actual essays display quite a bit more nuance. He has the courage of his convictions, pointing out exactly why he feels that so many of these superhero stories (including those from comics, movies, and TV) are sub-par and what exactly makes them problematic, logically unsound, morally dubious, or just plain dumb."
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Post by wildfire2099 on Sept 19, 2016 20:39:07 GMT -5
I have to figure out which Cromwell book I left off on or re-read all one of these days.. that's a really good series.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Sept 29, 2016 11:52:44 GMT -5
Hey, That Robot Ate My Baby ed. Brian Panowich Decent collection of five SF short-stories. Nothing ground-breaking, but four of the five were at least quite enjoyable. The fifth, "This Protean Love" by Isaac Kirkman didn't work for me at all and I ended up not reading it. But the book is worth reading free if you have Amazon Prime and is probably worth the 99 cents for the e-pub.
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