[worry]

To a certain degree, the ethics are irrelevant. Artists can sample, reference, iterate, pay homage, recycle, copy, and yes even steal. To varying degrees of quality for sure, but also irrelevant. Bad art is still art. Personally I don't even necessarily draw a hard line between art and commerce, where I'm sure others might.

But the bottom line is this: People -- and only people - make art. Machines aren't people. Therefore machines don't make art. Nothing they generate is art.

[JPK]

I think Azath was right on one thing. We're piling on and derailing this topic.

[worry]

My post is the title of a great book I read since my previous post.

[Abyss]

JPK, on 09 December 2025 - 03:43 PM, said:

I think Azath was right on one thing. We're piling on and derailing this topic.

Agreed - there IS a thread for this elsesub. Azath, in a stunning act of reasonableness, even linked it.

worry, on 09 December 2025 - 04:15 PM, said:

My post is the title of a great book I read since my previous post.

Name the author. I dare you.

[worry]

Adding a couple things that I finished this month:

• The Last Unicorn -- Familiar with the movie, but this was the first time I've read the novel and I was blown away. The language is endlessly playful and expressive, the story and characters are wonderful, and the tone strike a perfect balance of tongue-in-cheek authorial cynicism veiling a deep romantic heart (not unlike The Princess Bride, and I'm sure I'm not the first to make that comparison). Genuinely one of the best written books I've ever read.
• Bone (The Complete Cartoon Epic in One Volume) -- I read the first half at the beginning of the year and then took a break. It's big, heavy, and my arms were getting tired! Finished the second half this month. Really great (if risky) idea -- having these three ultra-cartoony bozos enter an otherwise increasingly earnest fantasy epic -- and somehow have it work. But it did.

[Abyss]

worry, on 23 December 2025 - 05:24 PM, said:

...Bone (The Complete Cartoon Epic in One Volume) -- I read the first half at the beginning of the year and then took a break. It's big, heavy, and my arms were getting tired! Finished the second half this month. Really great (if risky) idea -- having these three ultra-cartoony bozos enter an otherwise increasingly earnest fantasy epic -- and somehow have it work. But it did.

Jeff Smith is a frikkin creative genius.

If you enjoyed BONE, worth tracking down the two TUKI GNs.

[worry]

Will look into those for sure!

[JPK]

worry, on 23 December 2025 - 05:24 PM, said:

Adding a couple things that I finished this month:The Last Unicorn -- Familiar with the movie, but this was the first time I've read the novel and I was blown away. The language is endlessly playful and expressive, the story and characters are wonderful, and the tone strike a perfect balance of tongue-in-cheek authorial cynicism veiling a deep romantic heart (not unlike The Princess Bride, and I'm sure I'm not the first to make that comparison). Genuinely one of the best written books I've ever read.

I agree, this book is gorgeous. I highly recommend reading the sort-of sequel novella Two Hearts as well
You can find that one in The Way Home, though I have a harder time recommending the second story in that one.

[pat5150]

It hasn't been a banner year, to be honest. At least where 2025 SFF titles are concerned. There are still a few stand-outs for me:

Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay, The Devils by Joe Abercrombie, and No Life Forsaken by Steven Erikson.

Two 2026 releases to keep an eye on would be Twelve Months by Jim Butcher and No Man's Land by Richard Morgan.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

[Tiste Simeon]

Well it's still 2025 and I have just finished No Life Forsaken and that has immediately been moved to the top of my book of the year list!

[Abyss]

Similarly can confirm i finished the remainder of THE THIRTEENTH PALADIN series within the 2025 calendar year, and the author does in fact stick the landing. Doesn't displace any other votes for bestests, but solid end. I'll do a proper post in the reading thread shortly.

[Briar King]

I finished 20 bks in 2025.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

worry, on 23 December 2025 - 05:24 PM, said:

Adding a couple things that I finished this month:

• The Last Unicorn -- Familiar with the movie, but this was the first time I've read the novel and I was blown away. The language is endlessly playful and expressive, the story and characters are wonderful, and the tone strike a perfect balance of tongue-in-cheek authorial cynicism veiling a deep romantic heart (not unlike The Princess Bride, and I'm sure I'm not the first to make that comparison). Genuinely one of the best written books I've ever read.

It's an all time favourite of mine I return to every few years - glad you enjoyed it! I would recommend A Fine and Private Place by Beagle as well - it's his first novel so not as polished, but you can see the humour and observational witticisms that became TLU in it.