What are you reading right now?

[Cyber Liberty]

I read the books years ago.

Same here, and the three movies were great and true to the books.  The stuff Amazon added were dreadful slop not worth watching!

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Same here, and the three movies were great and true to the books.  The stuff Amazon added were dreadful slop not worth watching!

   

PS - When can we get a woke character to paste in?

[Bigun]

Same here, and the three movies were great and true to the books.  The stuff Amazon added were dreadful slop not worth watching!

I find very little of the prime content to be watchable.

[Cyber Liberty]

I find very little of the prime content to be watchable.

Same here.  Man in the High Caste was the only thing I've ever watched, and it sucked!  Now, back to books, I'm about 2/3rds the way through Brilliant Creations by our own @ChemEngrMBA!

[Bigun]

Same here.  Man in the High Caste was the only thing I've ever watched, and it sucked!  Now, back to books, I'm about 2/3rds the way through Brilliant Creations by our own @ChemEngrMBA!

 

I bought and gave away several copies. It's that good.

[Cyber Liberty]

I bought and gave away several copies. It's that good.

 

[Bigun]

I just finished Nine Years Among the Indians by Herman Lehmann. (I am obsessed with Texas history.)

[roamer_1]

I tried to watch the Wheel of Time series on Prime but gave up after season one. Just not my cup of tea.

The homosexuality and lesbianism in the show is not present in the book - or perhaps barely present. One of the reasons I decided to pick up the book was a bit of kerfluffle with a friend over that issue - It is a point of dissent online - Fans of the book are hugely disappointed with the series - which is probably why the series didn't do very well.

It is sci-fi/fan... Tolkein-ish. Arthurian. If that ain't your bag, then so be it... But if it was the ancillary issues, the book is a way better ride.

[Bigun]

The homosexuality and lesbianism in the show is not present in the book - or perhaps barely present. One of the reasons I decided to pick up the book was a bit of kerfluffle with a friend over that issue - It is a point of dissent online - Fans of the book are hugely disappointed with the series - which is probably why the series didn't do very well.

It is sci-fi/fan... Tolkein-ish. Arthurian. If that ain't your bag, then so be it... But if it was the ancillary issues, the book is a way better ride.

I have no doubt that's true. Amazon seems to work their social values into every production.

[roamer_1]

I have no doubt that's true. Amazon seems to work their social values into every production.

That's right. 

[Cyber Liberty]

That's right. 

Just like Netflix.

[Bigun]

Just like Netflix.

Never bothered with that. And the ONLY reason I have a Prime account if for the convenience it provides me.

[Cyber Liberty]

Never bothered with that. And the ONLY reason I have a Prime account if for the convenience it provides me.

Ditto!

[roamer_1]

Just like Netflix.

I walked away from Netflix. Threw it down. No HULU either.  I'm a Youtube freak these days. I have Prime and Peacock  - One for the shipping, and the other because it came free with an instacart membership, which I need to deliver my food.

I still watch big media shows - Once my youtubes are done, I put on something to go to sleep by, that I really don't care about... Right now I am through about half of Law and Order, out of which I probably only watched a handful of the shows... The rest passed by while  I was sleeping. 

[Cyber Liberty]

I walked away from Netflix. Threw it down. No HULU either.  I'm a Youtube freak these days. I have Prime and Peacock  - One for the shipping, and the other because it came free with an instacart membership, which I need to deliver my food.

I still watch big media shows - Once my youtubes are done, I put on something to go to sleep by, that I really don't care about... Right now I am through about half of Law and Order, out of which I probably only watched a handful of the shows... The rest passed by while  I was sleeping. 

We dumped using Instacart when they started adding a surcharge with no benefit to neither us nor the shopper/driver.

[DB]

TBR...

[Cyber Liberty]

TBR...

Me too!

[Bigun]

TBR...

Top notch @DB

[roamer_1]

We dumped using Instacart when they started adding a surcharge with no benefit to neither us nor the shopper/driver.

Yeah, I know. I ain't in a position to dump it. That'd mean having my fam shop for me, and while Mamma would do that, the rest are too busy. and Mamma can't do it because she can't haul things, and I would have to get them out of the car here and pack it in the door, which I can't do...

So instacart does my main hauls and lands em right in my kitchen. Then I send mamma around for the odd bits here and there, which is more what she can do.

That's how it has to be for now. I am trying to figure out how to make it so Doro can shop for me - She'd save me a ton of money - But she'd have to have cards or money to go do it, and that is harder than it looks.

[Cyber Liberty]

Yeah, I know. I ain't in a position to dump it. That'd mean having my fam shop for me, and while Mamma would do that, the rest are too busy. and Mamma can't do it because she can't haul things, and I would have to get them out of the car here and pack it in the door, which I can't do...

So instacart does my main hauls and lands em right in my kitchen. Then I send mamma around for the odd bits here and there, which is more what she can do.

That's how it has to be for now. I am trying to figure out how to make it so Doro can shop for me - She'd save me a ton of money - But she'd have to have cards or money to go do it, and that is harder than it looks.

I'm more fortunate here, Walmart started delivering to my neighborhood.  Gonna place an order in the next few days.  They have the best prices on cat food.   

[roamer_1]

I'm more fortunate here, Walmart started delivering to my neighborhood.  Gonna place an order in the next few days.  They have the best prices on cat food.   

I'll have to look at that. I don't do much business with Wally world... About twice a year I get my paper products there, and otherwise nothing else since Chewy died -used to go there for dog food and treats, but no more.

Don't see how they could do delivery without taking an extra nick, maybe hidden in the pricing...

Kroger/Smith's doesn't do that - And they're the only ones up here to declare it so... but then, you have to go to instacart to get at Kroger/Smith's 

[Cyber Liberty]

I'll have to look at that. I don't do much business with Wally world... About twice a year I get my paper products there, and otherwise nothing else since Chewy died -used to go there for dog food and treats, but no more.

Don't see how they could do delivery without taking an extra nick, maybe hidden in the pricing...

Kroger/Smith's doesn't do that - And they're the only ones up here to declare it so... but then, you have to go to instacart to get at Kroger/Smith's 

If I pay an annual fee no delivery charge other than a tip for the driver, and we tip well!

[Ghost Bear]

Currently I'm reading "Immer, Zlaz: The Zelazny/Yoke Letters", a book collecting letters written by SF/F author Roger Zelazny to his life-long friend Carl Yoke, over the course of nearly 38 years. I can't say that I recommend it, unless you're a fan of Zelazny's writing. But, I am a fan, and I find it fascinating as the letters give a glimpse into the author's daily life, his thoughts on writing, and his interactions with the SF/F professionals and fandom of the 60s through the early 90s. Some fascinating tidbits in there.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

If I pay an annual fee no delivery charge other than a tip for the driver, and we tip well!

and the dime per gallon you save on a gas fillup at the pump will pay for the tips.

Plus you get Paramount+ for free to watch Landman.

[ChemEngrMBA]

Same here.  Man in the High Caste was the only thing I've ever watched, and it sucked!  Now, back to books, I'm about 2/3rds the way through Brilliant Creations by our own @ChemEngrMBA!

Bless you dear friend.  Please contact me with any questions.  XXX-XXX-XXXX
My retinologist instructed me to get prescription reading glasses in order to be able to read better.
I have glaucoma and macular degeneration.

[Cyber Liberty]

Bless you dear friend.  Please contact me with any questions.  XXX-XXX-XXXX
My retinologist instructed me to get prescription reading glasses in order to be able to read better.
I have glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Please do not post your phone number on a public thread!  Everybody in the world can see it....

You can use Private Messages for that!

[roamer_1]

If I pay an annual fee no delivery charge other than a tip for the driver, and we tip well!

I have a membership with instacart, so no fees other than the tip for me either... But the stores will jack prices to make a nick, so you have to watch it.

I get monster orders and tip big because of it. And that always always gets me 5 star players, and most of em know me by name by now. They snap me up quick when I place my order. 

[roamer_1]

and the dime per gallon you save on a gas fillup at the pump will pay for the tips.

Plus you get Paramount+ for free to watch Landman.

No... Yeah, nice spiffs, sure... but it is in no way cheaper than I could do shopping for myself.

[Polly Ticks]

@Polly Ticks

Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan SciFi/Fan

Well, that was epic, as predicted. I feel absolutely battered, like a journey of many days... What a gigantic tale. Monumental. Absolutely well worth it.

I have little to gripe about, other than Jordan's obvious fetish for women's styles in dressing, which put me off throughout... And several ways in which the story pushed at the borders of my suspension of disbelief. I can't really offer examples without spoiling things, and it is a fiction, so anything could be legit... And to be fair, I do believe most of that was by design to shock moral sensibilities, so fair game, I guess.

As to your particular remark, with full knowledge of the author change going in, I noticed very little difference in the style and weight of the story as I passed from one author to the other - Brandon Sanderson wrote the last three books, I do believe, and other than a distinct change in tempo,the story moved through the change of hands quite well, and coming from me, that is quite a compliment. There were however, some threads of the story that were left undone, though I suppose that is inevitable in a story of this scale.

All in all, a great tale. One of the best I have read.

@roamer_1
Oh, awesome!  Thanks for the callback.  I'm glad you enjoyed it.  I might have to take that plunge myself.

[roamer_1]

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin SciFi/Fan

Knowing my penchant for big stories, and following a discussion of Wheel of Time (which is the book I just finished), a friend recommended 'A Game of Thrones', promising the book as being much better than the series, and lauding the authorship as one of the best written stories he has ever read.

So off I go on another grand adventure. 

And from several chapters in, I can confirm the writing is most excellent!

Now, before y'all go off about it, I am aware that the end has not yet been written, and many await the next book, which may never arrive - I know that going in.  Still, the story telling is already magnificent.

[roamer_1]

Addendum:

BTW, I cannot access 'A Game of Thrones' electronic media through Kindle Unlimited - But it is available online through my local library. 

[mountaineer]

I just finished a book from the local library - "Collusion," by Newt Gingrich and Pete Earley, published in 2019. The book was so-so, but I found this description of Antifa interesting, considering it was written before the 2020 summer of fun and this past weekend's No King nonsense, but after they disrupted Trump's first inauguration.

In the book, the CIA director "Harris" is reporting that a murder in Kiev was orchestrated by the Kremlin but carried out by a European-based Antifa cell.

"Antifa?" Kim said. "Aren't they the good guys - the ones who protest against white supremacists? Hate Nazis. Why would they be shills for the Kremlin?"

"I can answer that," Mayberry said. "Radical Antifa members are predominantly far left and militant left. That's a wide swath. Self-described anarchists, socialists, and communists - lots of communists. There have been efforts in Congress to label Antifa as domestic terrorists buy they've failed because a majority of Antifa members are naive college kids recruited under the guise that their members fight racism, sexism, and Nazis. They use hashtags like#PunchANazi. The political left sees Antifa members as vigilante heroes, but the movement is deeply rooted in anticapitalism and socialist/communist/ teachings."

... "We have evidence that Moscow financially supports several Antifa organizers who are paid to stir up dissent," Harris said. "That's not information generally known by the gullible students whom they enlist for rallies ..."

If Newt's right about this, wouldn't this mean Antifa's funders - Soros, Hoffman, et al. - are colluding with Putin?

[Ghost Bear]

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin SciFi/Fan

Knowing my penchant for big stories, and following a discussion of Wheel of Time (which is the book I just finished), a friend recommended 'A Game of Thrones', promising the book as being much better than the series, and lauding the authorship as one of the best written stories he has ever read.

So off I go on another grand adventure. 

And from several chapters in, I can confirm the writing is most excellent!

Now, before y'all go off about it, I am aware that the end has not yet been written, and many await the next book, which may never arrive - I know that going in.  Still, the story telling is already magnificent.

I'll be curious to find out what you think after finishing the series. I've read the five books that have been finished, but I doubt that I will bother to read the next book in the series, if it is ever written. While it is true that the writing is excellent technically, I found the worldview that underpins the series to be very... distasteful. But I would like to know what you think of it once you finish reading.

[roamer_1]

I'll be curious to find out what you think after finishing the series. I've read the five books that have been finished, but I doubt that I will bother to read the next book in the series, if it is ever written. While it is true that the writing is excellent technically, I found the worldview that underpins the series to be very... distasteful. But I would like to know what you think of it once you finish reading.

Oh, I finished long ago... Then went over to HBO/Max and paid em a month to watch the series - to include the last season, which I had never watched, much for the reason you assert against the books.

Maybe it is because I watched the series first, I found the books refreshingly nearly free of the Homo/lez events - even much of the sex was muted by comparison. So I am interested to hear what you mean.

It certainly is a study in human avarice, power, and greed... But a book of its nature can't really avoid that. It is a Game of Thrones, after all. It is certainly violent - As a reasonable portrayal of lopping things off with swords would tend to be...

It is scattered with the Occult but that is hardly anything but expected in Sword & Sorcery (SciFiFan) as a genre- the 'sorcery' is always occult/satanic to include demonic beings (elvenkind, giants, tree nymphs, gnomes, etc).

In fact, I was a bit disappointed that the three-eyed crow shtick and the white-walkers were not better explained. I did find offense in the religion of the Lord of Light particularly, and to a lesser degree, the septens the seven... a fairly ham-handed assault on religion, and a thin veil covering that assault particularly upon the Christian religion... with the three-headed crow thing smelling faintly druidic.

Is that what you are pointing at?

[roamer_1]

BTW... The end of the Game of Thrones movie series was exactly as bad as everyone claimed. I am really sorry I went to watch it. Utterly disappointing. A poor, poor ending.

[Ghost Bear]

Oh, I finished long ago... Then went over to HBO/Max and paid em a month to watch the series - to include the last season, which I had never watched, much for the reason you assert against the books.

Maybe it is because I watched the series first, I found the books refreshingly nearly free of the Homo/lez events - even much of the sex was muted by comparison. So I am interested to hear what you mean.

It certainly is a study in human avarice, power, and greed... But a book of its nature can't really avoid that. It is a Game of Thrones, after all. It is certainly violent - As a reasonable portrayal of lopping things off with swords would tend to be...

It is scattered with the Occult but that is hardly anything but expected in Sword & Sorcery (SciFiFan) as a genre- the 'sorcery' is always occult/satanic to include demonic beings (elvenkind, giants, tree nymphs, gnomes, etc).

In fact, I was a bit disappointed that the three-eyed crow shtick and the white-walkers were not better explained. I did find offense in the religion of the Lord of Light particularly, and to a lesser degree, the septens the seven... a fairly ham-handed assault on religion, and a thin veil covering that assault particularly upon the Christian religion... with the three-headed crow thing smelling faintly druidic.

Is that what you are pointing at?

Sorry, I didn't realize that I was responding to a post from over a month ago, my bad.

No, all of what you mentioned is more or less to be expected in a standard modern fantasy. What I found really distasteful is the deliberate moral inversion present through the entire series. Morally "good" characters are invariably degraded, tortured, or killed (or often all of the above) usually through some mistake they themselves make, thereby implying that "good is stupid". Morally "gray" or "evil" characters torture, kill, and manipulate others, often openly, while rarely being punished or receiving any sort of karmic redress at all. When a morally gray or evil character does receive any bad outcome, it is usually only because they have been out-maneuvered by an even more reprehensible character, or sometimes through a seemingly fickle and capricious fate. I do realize that's a world-view that's all too common today, I just prefer not to read books that have it built into their narrative.

By the way, this world view is present in most of Martin's works, from what I can tell. I read his "Wild Cards" series as well (edited by Martin, although he is also a contributing author in the series) and realized it has the same world view. Although interestingly, it wasn't as noticeable in the early books in the series, but by book 20 or so I just gave up on it because there was no one to root for.