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Claire North dedicated thread

#21 User is offline   Macros 

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Posted 16 August 2021 - 12:42 PM

I thought I had posted my thoughts on end of the day.
Might be in reading thread
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#22 User is offline   Aptorian 

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Posted 16 August 2021 - 01:13 PM

Could I propose a name change of the thread? Every time I see it I think it's an announcement that Claire North is dead.

Maybe just spell out dedicated/dedication.

... or is North secretly a highly successful undead writer?

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 16 August 2021 - 01:15 PM

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#23 User is offline   Salt-Man Z 

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Posted 16 August 2021 - 03:12 PM

Apt, I came here to post the exact same thing. :)

Tiste, have you read her SWEET HARMONY novella yet?

THE END OF THE DAY is the last of hers I've yet to read, and most of the reviews seem to have the same complaint you did. I'll probably like it better than 84K at least. :)

Oh, and looking at my collection, it looks like she also has a short story in the THE DJINN FALLS IN LOVE anthology.

This post has been edited by Salt-Man Z: 16 August 2021 - 03:14 PM

"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
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#24 User is offline   Macros 

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Posted 16 August 2021 - 05:31 PM

End of the day is somewhat aimless in its set up, but it does have an underlying thread and the main character is likeable
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#25 User is offline   Tiste Simeon 

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Posted 16 August 2021 - 06:59 PM

SMZ - Sweet Harmony is fantastic, I read the whole thing in one sitting.

I see she also has one called NOTES FROM THE BURNING LAND maybe not out yet? Anyone know anything about this?

William Abbey is so far quite a fascinating one, slightly more understated than the others in terms of any SFF elements. I'm enjoying it.
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#26 User is offline   Salt-Man Z 

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Posted 17 August 2021 - 06:04 PM

View PostTiste Simeon, on 16 August 2021 - 06:59 PM, said:

SMZ - Sweet Harmony is fantastic, I read the whole thing in one sitting.

I see she also has one called NOTES FROM THE BURNING LAND maybe not out yet? Anyone know anything about this?

William Abbey is so far quite a fascinating one, slightly more understated than the others in terms of any SFF elements. I'm enjoying it.

I found HARMONY pretty damn frightening in its plausibility. I recall feeling like I wanted more to the story, but also recognized that the premise probably couldn't carry much more than it already had.

I found the gimmick in WILLIAM ABBEY more gimmick-y than her other books, but the writing and humanity just as powerful (maybe more) than anything she's written. It's also the book that confirms that all of her stuff takes place in the same universe, which was cool.

And oh, yes, I got an email notification when NOTES FROM THE BURNING AGE was released. Looks like it's about a month old. Sounds like a fairly pedestrian setup--post-climate change holocaust, protagonist protects archaic books--but I'm sure North does something neat with it. I'll for sure grab it if it goes on sale, otherwise it might have to be a bday/Christmas gift to myself in a couple of months.
"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
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#27 User is offline   pat5150 

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Posted 17 August 2021 - 11:51 PM

I know it doesn't speak well of me, but scrolling down I read "Peter North dedicated thread."

I was like, "Those Malazan freaks!" :kallor:
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#28 User is offline   Tiste Simeon 

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Posted 10 September 2021 - 11:22 AM

THE PURSUIT OF WILLIAM ABBEY was probably my second or third favourite of all North's books (after Touch and more or less on a par with Harry August IMO) such a fantastic story and the character of Abbey was wonderful.

I also loved the tiny scene where the "all her books are set in one world" theory was confirmed. Excellent book.

I was going to celebrate having read all her books but I she has written another one so I'll have to get that one now...
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#29 User is offline   Tiste Simeon 

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Posted 04 January 2022 - 10:37 AM

View PostSalt-Man Z, on 31 December 2021 - 06:03 AM, said:

I started reading Claire North's NOTES FROM THE BURNING AGE the other night, and it is entirely different than what I was expecting. It's set in a kind of post-apocalyptic future where, when faced with catastrophic climate change (aka The Burning Age) humanity doubled down on its bad habits, and so nature spirits called kakuy basically rose up and destroyed civilization. A long time afterwards, humanity has rebuilt, but the old way of doing things is frowned on, stuff like fossil fuels, WMDs, refrigerants, genetic engineering, even social imbalance to some degree. No one wants to risk re-awakening the kakuy (or at least so says The Temple.) In a twist from what you might expect, our protagonist is actually working for revolutionaries who are trying to dig up/steal "heretical" documents from The Burning Age that contain info on forbidden tech and such (the old ways were better, the current way is unfair, et cetera, see the allegory to real-life current events, kids!) About a third of the way through (where I'm at) there's another twist that turns things entirely on its ear. Go read it for yourself, it's good.

The above from the Reading at the Moment thread...

I have started reading this too (dang it SMZ I had a nice little plan going and this above comment ruined it!) Seems quite idyllic in this post-apocalyptic future tbh.
A Haunting Poem
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#30 User is offline   Salt-Man Z 

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Posted 04 January 2022 - 05:50 PM

View PostTiste Simeon, on 04 January 2022 - 10:37 AM, said:

I have started reading this too (dang it SMZ I had a nice little plan going and this above comment ruined it!) Seems quite idyllic in this post-apocalyptic future tbh.

Haha, clearly you've only just started. :D

There have been some crazy turns in the story, and I can't believe I'm only just over halfway! (If my Kindle's % indicator is accurate, that is; I suppose there's a chance the back of the book is filled with interviews and excerpts and whatnot. But I will refrain from peeking and let myself be surprised when the end comes!)
"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
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#31 User is offline   Tiste Simeon 

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Posted 04 January 2022 - 09:53 PM

Yes I was 2 pages in when I thought I'd write that. About 30 seconds after writing it everything changed haha
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#32 User is offline   Tiste Simeon 

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Posted 09 January 2022 - 01:16 PM

Never thought I'd see the phrase "immortal bogie of freedom" in a Claire North book but here we are!

This story feels different to her others. Not a bad thing by any stretch, but the vibe is different. Can't really explain it much more then that...
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#33 User is offline   Salt-Man Z 

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Posted 10 January 2022 - 05:57 AM

I finished NOTES FROM THE BURNING AGE a couple nights ago. I liked it very much! It was quite the ride, "epic" doesn't really feel like the right word, but it feels like there was a lot more that happened in this book, plot-wise, than most of her others. My only real criticism would be that the denouement felt pretty abrupt, but then I'm not really sure what else she could have added.
"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
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#34 User is offline   Tiste Simeon 

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Posted 10 January 2022 - 11:35 PM

I'm about 33% through now. Currently agreeing with SMZ about it feeling somewhat more action packed than her other books.

Question SMZ
Spoiler

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#35 User is offline   Salt-Man Z 

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Posted 11 January 2022 - 04:32 PM

View PostTiste Simeon, on 10 January 2022 - 11:35 PM, said:

Do you think this book fits in the Claire North universe?

I wondered the same myself, briefly, but I don't see any evidence either way. I don't think there's anything ruling out any ouroborans or leapers or whatever still existing in the far future, and who knows maybe the Gameshouse is still out there manipulating global events? But there's nothing concrete in the text, and honestly I think the story is stronger for standing alone. (I think your spoiler theory is likely a stretch, but then I've forgotten most of the details from that book.)

This post has been edited by Salt-Man Z: 11 January 2022 - 04:32 PM

"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
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#36 User is offline   Tiste Simeon 

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Posted 18 January 2022 - 11:53 AM

About 50% through and
Spoiler

A Haunting Poem
I Scream
You Scream
We all Scream
For I Scream.
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#37 User is offline   Tiste Simeon 

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Posted 18 January 2022 - 11:54 AM

View PostSalt-Man Z, on 11 January 2022 - 04:32 PM, said:

View PostTiste Simeon, on 10 January 2022 - 11:35 PM, said:

Do you think this book fits in the Claire North universe?

I wondered the same myself, briefly, but I don't see any evidence either way. I don't think there's anything ruling out any ouroborans or leapers or whatever still existing in the far future, and who knows maybe the Gameshouse is still out there manipulating global events? But there's nothing concrete in the text, and honestly I think the story is stronger for standing alone. (I think your spoiler theory is likely a stretch, but then I've forgotten most of the details from that book.)

Fair enough it was a bit of a stretch as you say (especially as that disaster was neatly tied up in Harry August and to change that would be retconning for the sake of retconning...)
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#38 User is offline   Tiste Simeon 

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Posted 08 September 2022 - 11:43 AM

Have you seen Claire North has written a new book which looks to be the start of a series? It's called Ithaca and it seems it's about Penelope, the wife of Odysseus during the war of Troy.

Looks interesting and while it's not her usual thing (or at least from what I can tell) and while "retelling Troy" is almost a trope into itself because it's North I'd be willing to give it a go!
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#39 User is offline   Salt-Man Z 

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Posted 08 September 2022 - 03:40 PM

I got an email from BookBub saying that it had come out. (Meant to post here, but forgot!) I will likely wait until it goes on sale for Kindle (as I usually do.) Plenty of books I need to read in the meantime. :)
"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
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#40 User is offline   Tiste Simeon 

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Posted 08 September 2022 - 03:49 PM

Yeah same. I think if it was a "regular" North book it would shoot up my priority list, but I'm quite happy to wait for now (my current trp is huge).
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