Recently an interaction with a person went very wrong. The initial fault was mine, but the situation got worse because both of us took insult from the other persons’ actions and proceeded to ‘up the ante’.
It is important to be the person that ignores the insult and maintains their manners. For as was said in Shibumi:
...in the long run, the "minor" virtues are the only ones that matter. Politeness is more reliable than the moist virtues of compassion, charity, and sincerity; just as fair play is more important than the abstraction ofjustice. The major virtues tend to disintegrate under the pressures of convenient rationalization. But good form is good form, and it stands immutable in the storm of circumstance.
-- Trevanian: Shibumi
The more I look at that quote however, the less I like it. Because there is a higher calling than just manners, and it is this:
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. --Matthew 7:12
There. That is something to strive for, and while we are at it here is another:
Be the change that you wish to see in the world. --Mahatma Gandhi
You cannot help but feel the strength of these ideas. A final one, for those looking to tie in a bigger picture:
God is love.-- 1 John 4:8
Start from this.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
The Summer Queen (8.5/10)
Joan D. Vinge
Science Fiction
The Summer Queen is the kind of book I really enjoy reading. It begins in small parts of complex and original world, and slowly expands the readers understanding of that world until the final framework is laid clear.
This book is the final book in the so called “Snow Queen” sequence. I had read the Snow Queen many years ago, and I will now be looking for a copy of World’s End, the second in this series. Reading the first two books may or may not have increased the power of the final novel, as I quite enjoy working out was has gone before just from the asides in the story.
The first third of the book is somewhat stop-start as the author is trying to cover important events that occur over a span of years, but as the pace slows the quality of the story increases, and I found myself glued to the book for the final third enjoying myself immensely.
The book has strong characters, and is an excellent space opera in a similar tone to Walter Jon Williams at his best. Extremely good read…
Quality 4/5
Readibility 4.5/5
Science Fiction
The Summer Queen is the kind of book I really enjoy reading. It begins in small parts of complex and original world, and slowly expands the readers understanding of that world until the final framework is laid clear.
This book is the final book in the so called “Snow Queen” sequence. I had read the Snow Queen many years ago, and I will now be looking for a copy of World’s End, the second in this series. Reading the first two books may or may not have increased the power of the final novel, as I quite enjoy working out was has gone before just from the asides in the story.
The first third of the book is somewhat stop-start as the author is trying to cover important events that occur over a span of years, but as the pace slows the quality of the story increases, and I found myself glued to the book for the final third enjoying myself immensely.
The book has strong characters, and is an excellent space opera in a similar tone to Walter Jon Williams at his best. Extremely good read…
Quality 4/5
Readibility 4.5/5
Thursday, September 27, 2007
RSS
Well, my previous attempts to get RSS aggregation across the multiple networks I live on was a failure, but a combination of changed proxy settings and a new version of SharpReader seems to have things working.
It works far too well. Getting automatic updates from people such as Neil Gaiman, Daniel Keys Moran, William Gibson, RealLivePreacher, Stephen Fry, David Brin, Warren Ellis, Scott Adams and others is just wonderful...
Much quicker than old-style web surfing as well...
It works far too well. Getting automatic updates from people such as Neil Gaiman, Daniel Keys Moran, William Gibson, RealLivePreacher, Stephen Fry, David Brin, Warren Ellis, Scott Adams and others is just wonderful...
Much quicker than old-style web surfing as well...
Monday, September 24, 2007
Robert Jordan Dead
Damm, I always thought he would make it.
I met him in 1993(?) in Perth during the National SF Con, and when I talked to him he told me that the first part of the Wheel of time story that had come to him was the finale. He explained that he had a very clear idea of what would happen at the end, and that this vision had never wavered.
The finish to this story will be the one part he will not get to write.
I am sure Memory of Light will be written eventually, indeed I know that he basically was writing it days before he died. It will not be the same, of that I am also certain...
Rest in Peace...
I met him in 1993(?) in Perth during the National SF Con, and when I talked to him he told me that the first part of the Wheel of time story that had come to him was the finale. He explained that he had a very clear idea of what would happen at the end, and that this vision had never wavered.
The finish to this story will be the one part he will not get to write.
I am sure Memory of Light will be written eventually, indeed I know that he basically was writing it days before he died. It will not be the same, of that I am also certain...
Rest in Peace...
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (7.5/10)
J.K. Rowling
Fantasy
I found the final Harry P novel a difficult one to read. The story seemed to have moved away from Hogwarts (and quiddich, etc.), and this left it without its core. In addition to this I felt that the time that Harry, Hermione and Ron spent in the wilderness was boring and caused the book to lose momentum. I recognize that this may have been an intentional device by the author to make the reader feel some of the suffering that Harry felt, but frankly I think there are better ways to work with your readers.
I also felt that once again J.K.R. was making it up as she went along and that story elements from past novels where being used in ways they had not been originally intended.
I was however pleased with the resolution of the Snape storyline, the plot has always benfited from Snape, with his ambivalent morality, and the final reveal was a good one. I do feel that more hints about this could have been left earlier in the books.
The finale was very good, and certainly worthy of the series, I was not surprised by the resurrection theme, as Harry was clearly going to die, and I felt that the author had no intentions of letting that bring down the whole series.
Would have liked a bit more dialogue between Harry and Ginny towards the end as well, that seemed to finish with words left unsaid…
Ultimately I believe that the great writers have a very good idea of where they are going when they begin their stories and I felt that JKR was staying only a book ahead of the readers in her plot planning. Tough? perhaps, but it was a constant concern with me from about book 3 of this series.
Readability (4/5) – Lost points for the boring bit in the middle, but the rest was easy to read.
Quality (3.5/5) – She made it up as she went along (with the probable exception of the Snape storyline).
Fantasy
I found the final Harry P novel a difficult one to read. The story seemed to have moved away from Hogwarts (and quiddich, etc.), and this left it without its core. In addition to this I felt that the time that Harry, Hermione and Ron spent in the wilderness was boring and caused the book to lose momentum. I recognize that this may have been an intentional device by the author to make the reader feel some of the suffering that Harry felt, but frankly I think there are better ways to work with your readers.
I also felt that once again J.K.R. was making it up as she went along and that story elements from past novels where being used in ways they had not been originally intended.
I was however pleased with the resolution of the Snape storyline, the plot has always benfited from Snape, with his ambivalent morality, and the final reveal was a good one. I do feel that more hints about this could have been left earlier in the books.
The finale was very good, and certainly worthy of the series, I was not surprised by the resurrection theme, as Harry was clearly going to die, and I felt that the author had no intentions of letting that bring down the whole series.
Would have liked a bit more dialogue between Harry and Ginny towards the end as well, that seemed to finish with words left unsaid…
Ultimately I believe that the great writers have a very good idea of where they are going when they begin their stories and I felt that JKR was staying only a book ahead of the readers in her plot planning. Tough? perhaps, but it was a constant concern with me from about book 3 of this series.
Readability (4/5) – Lost points for the boring bit in the middle, but the rest was easy to read.
Quality (3.5/5) – She made it up as she went along (with the probable exception of the Snape storyline).
Yes, yes...
Back again after another long layoff...
I am currently reading the Summer Queen by Joan D. Vinge. Damm! it is good!
This will drive me to find the dificult-to-find "World's End" I fear...
Perhaps Bookfinder will know.
I am currently reading the Summer Queen by Joan D. Vinge. Damm! it is good!
This will drive me to find the dificult-to-find "World's End" I fear...
Perhaps Bookfinder will know.
Little Heroes (6.5/10)
Norman Spinrad
Science Fiction
The future of sex and drugs and rock & roll is the topic of discussion here. Despite a typically gritty and powerful effort from Mr. Spinrad it became somewhat repetitive toward the middle of the book and the final scene was dissapoiting. It is also somewhat dated by references to modems, rather than an internet, but the quality of the writing allowed that point to slide by in my opinion.
The book seemed to be somewhat limited in scope as well, with the whole world of the characters somewhat obsessed with sex and drugs and rock & roll.
Readability (4/5)
Quality (2.5/5)
Science Fiction
The future of sex and drugs and rock & roll is the topic of discussion here. Despite a typically gritty and powerful effort from Mr. Spinrad it became somewhat repetitive toward the middle of the book and the final scene was dissapoiting. It is also somewhat dated by references to modems, rather than an internet, but the quality of the writing allowed that point to slide by in my opinion.
The book seemed to be somewhat limited in scope as well, with the whole world of the characters somewhat obsessed with sex and drugs and rock & roll.
Readability (4/5)
Quality (2.5/5)
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