[QuickTidal]

Not to derail the thread, but though I've heard decent things about McGuire's books, her involvement in this whole debacle (one amongst quite a few well-known authors who showed their asses; but certainly the most vocal), has forever soured me on ever patronizing her work. Sad, because at the very least the fae series sounds interesting. Accidentally or not mobilizing your twitter fanbase, who then attack a comedian and his family over imagined future possible slights is...one of the more terrible things I've witnessed the internet birth.

Edit to add: The reason I also don't read Charlie Stross also comes from this debacle, because he started it... based around, yet again a weird and "didn't actually happen" notion he'd crafted in his head and spouted off about being a "worry".

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 20 January 2020 - 06:01 PM

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 20 January 2020 - 05:52 PM, said:

Not to derail the thread, but though I've heard decent things about McGuire's books, her involvement in this whole debacle (...

Interesting.

It does seem from the 5min i just googled that she was 'wrong' but also that there was a LOT of behind the scenes crap going on there that had nothing to do with her.

That said, she called foul because she thought he was a comedian who makes fat jokes. If he isn't, he could have chimed in with 'i have never actually made a fat joke'. He didn't.


(It appears his self-stated overweight 17-yr old daughter did that... which is a whole other issue i suppose).


I've followed McGuire on twitter for a few months now and generally agree with her positions, and do not think she's any kind of hate-monger. Also, she's frikkin funny without insulting anyone except those who deserve it, like, say, Nazis. I've seen her deliberately not name someone to ensure her legion of followers do not lash out, so we might say she learned something.


I draw the line at flat out 'isms (Orson Scott Card) but i don't renounce people or their books because they do one stupid thing on the internet. No critique intended of anyone who does otherwise QT, that's your choice and i respect that, i would just rather not miss out on great books because someone otherwise 'good' stepped in it once 5+ years ago and i don't think i'm endorsing that behavior by doing so.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 20 January 2020 - 06:22 PM, said:

That said, she called foul because she thought he was a comedian who makes fat jokes. If he isn't, he could have chimed in with 'i have never actually made a fat joke'. He didn't.

The funny thing is that she literally had ZERO evidence that he would do any such thing because it simply didn't exist. I can't find any instance of him making fat jokes at all. And funnily enough any incidents of him hosting awards shows are generally him being quite circumspect and honourable, including the Eisners. It would have taken her a hot minute to find that (videos included) before going on a multi-tweet tirade...and I REALLY don't think it's on him to chime in anything to her about her own imagine slights.

As someone said in that thread, imagine the self-importance you'd need to assign yourself to be like "In this room full of SFF fans and creators, the host might single ME out for my own personal issues that hit MY nerve!"...and then to go on and say that you are yourself a comedian who would be a better choice. It all smacks of such hubris, and all based around things she imagined him saying that he never said.

Basically, Neil Gaiman (who wrote a post about this too) asked him to host on behalf of the Hugos and he accepted, and was doing so pro-bono because he's a huge SFF nerd. Then a bunch of people shit their pants because a decidedly milquetoast version of Ricky Gervais might not cater to their individual foibles and triggers.

Abyss, on 20 January 2020 - 06:22 PM, said:

(It appears his self-stated overweight 17-yr old daughter did that... which is a whole other issue i suppose).

Honestly, his daughter was super nice about it...but if I were his kid I'd be pissed off with the multi-tweet Caps Lock rage invective that had been levelled at my parent for shit he didn't do, and likely wasn't even dreaming of doing. And if my wife had to LEAVE a social media platform because the tweets someone made at us made her platform untenable...yeah...not cool.

Should I hold her responsible for making a mistake on the internet 5 years ago? Maybe not, but my eyeball time is my eyeball time...shrug...and I'll spend it as I see fit. This also means that I will never have any idea what you all are talking about with regards to the Laundry files because I won't read Stross either...but he's done more than one thing to earn being an author I won't read.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 20 January 2020 - 07:22 PM, said:

Abyss, on 20 January 2020 - 06:22 PM, said:

That said, she called foul because she thought he was a comedian who makes fat jokes. If he isn't, he could have chimed in with 'i have never actually made a fat joke'. He didn't.

The funny thing is that she literally had ZERO evidence that he would do any such thing because it simply didn't exist. I can't find any instance of him making fat jokes at all.

Oh, i'm pretty sure she just read her followers' righteous outcries and went w that.
My brief google suggests he has made some fairly offside jokes, even Gaiman acknowledged it, but nothing on the level of what was being lamented. I agree w you his conduct generally, didn't merit the garbage thrown.

...

Quote

Should I hold her responsible for making a mistake on the internet 5 years ago? Maybe not, but my eyeball time is my eyeball time...shrug...and I'll spend it as I see fit.

I don't argue that point. I don't think your life (or anyone else's) is made less for you not reading any one author. It's an interesting discussion tho'.

Quote

This also means that I will never have any idea what you all are talking about with regards to the Laundry files because I won't read Stross either...but he's done more than one thing to earn being an author I won't read.

Ok, i'll bite, what did Stross do?

[Macros]

Starting dies the fire as a home read, based on the forum reco.

No pressure on QT and chance

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 20 January 2020 - 07:46 PM, said:

Ok, i'll bite, what did Stross do?

Sure. I'll send it in PM so as not to derail the thread further.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 20 January 2020 - 08:32 PM

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 20 January 2020 - 08:20 PM, said:

Starting dies the fire as a home read, based on the forum reco.

No pressure on QT and chance

IIRC I think I've only ever recommended one book you read that you didn't like... so my track record ain't bad.

EDIT: Enjoy though. Hope you dig it.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 20 January 2020 - 08:35 PM

[Chance]

Macros, on 20 January 2020 - 08:20 PM, said:

Starting dies the fire as a home read, based on the forum reco.

No pressure on QT and chance

Think book I is pretty bulletproof if you like the concept.

Currently on A meeting at Corvallis the third book and its also pretty stellar while I think the second book is slightly hurt by the story structure being a bit of a mess.

Still soon 3/15 down

[Macros]

That sounds accurate enough to be fair QT, wonder what book it was that I didn't like

[Macros]

Did you ever try any of the Eagle books by Scarrow?

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 20 January 2020 - 09:06 PM, said:

That sounds accurate enough to be fair QT, wonder what book it was that I didn't like

That Brian Lee Dufree fantasy...forget the name.

Macros, on 20 January 2020 - 09:07 PM, said:

Did you ever try any of the Eagle books by Scarrow?

Yep, I think I’m only on book 2 so far but they are a fantastic lot of fun. Probably the best recco you’ve made to me.

[Macros]

Oh the Forgetting Moon, yah that was definitely it, didn't like it at all!

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 21 January 2020 - 08:23 AM, said:

Oh the Forgetting Moon, yah that was definitely it, didn't like it at all!

I recall liking it, but never sought out the next volume...so it can't have been that good. I think I liked a lot of the concepts in it, but perhaps the execution was off?

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 21 January 2020 - 01:58 PM, said:

Macros, on 21 January 2020 - 08:23 AM, said:

Oh the Forgetting Moon, yah that was definitely it, didn't like it at all!

I recall liking it, but never sought out the next volume...so it can't have been that good. I think I liked a lot of the concepts in it, but perhaps the execution was off?

S'funny because i remember you absolutely LOVING that first book. It sits in my ETRP as a result or your reco tho i haven't read it yet. I believe the second was just released recently.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 21 January 2020 - 03:01 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 21 January 2020 - 01:58 PM, said:

Macros, on 21 January 2020 - 08:23 AM, said:

Oh the Forgetting Moon, yah that was definitely it, didn't like it at all!

I recall liking it, but never sought out the next volume...so it can't have been that good. I think I liked a lot of the concepts in it, but perhaps the execution was off?

S'funny because i remember you absolutely LOVING that first book. It sits in my ETRP as a result or your reco tho i haven't read it yet. I believe the second was just released recently.

Yeah, I think that was probably true...but having never sought out the sequel, perhaps my opinion of it shifted upon longer reflection. It has some REALLY badass concepts in it...but I think the execution was more like a video game and hindsight made me rethink the series?

Who knows. I'm such a changeable creature!

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 21 January 2020 - 03:20 PM, said:

Abyss, on 21 January 2020 - 03:01 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 21 January 2020 - 01:58 PM, said:

Macros, on 21 January 2020 - 08:23 AM, said:

Oh the Forgetting Moon, yah that was definitely it, didn't like it at all!

I recall liking it, but never sought out the next volume...so it can't have been that good. I think I liked a lot of the concepts in it, but perhaps the execution was off?

S'funny because i remember you absolutely LOVING that first book. It sits in my ETRP as a result or your reco tho i haven't read it yet. I believe the second was just released recently.

Yeah, I think that was probably true...but having never sought out the sequel, perhaps my opinion of it shifted upon longer reflection. It has some REALLY badass concepts in it...but I think the execution was more like a video game and hindsight made me rethink the series?

Who knows. I'm such a changeable creature!

YOU OWE ME $2.99CDN (+tx)!!!!

[Andorion]

Today I finished Cage of Souls
Dying earth science fiction fused with prison fiction. Tchaikovsky has written something quite original here and I loved it

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Finished The Last Wish and unsure if I'll carry on with the series.

90% of it is great and really enjoyable.... but it's rare these days I read something where the portrayal of women irritates me and this really falls solidly into that territory. It's the only negative but it's enough of one that I'm in two minds as to whether to pick up the next one. Geralt and Dandillion are fun and Yennefer is great when she turns up, if undercut by some of the aforementioned nonsense.

[Aptorian]

Yennnefer is one of the most hateable characters I've read in years. He should go with Trish!

[Macros]

Finished Dies the Fire on the plane this morning.

Hmmm. A mixed bag, the setting and characters are good, the protector and his cronies a bit muwahahahaha archetype villain, but I guess this is what Stirling was aiming for.

The whole time I was thinking, how obscenely fortunate the main protagonists were in their new friends etc, that being openly acknowledged in novel works well enough for me.

My main problem is with the author.

He's not as smart as he thinks, and needs to stop with the pretentious faux history. Yes we get it's you're an amatuer historian, but Hodge podging history from all over into the casts speeches doesn't work, and a lot of it is hot garbage history. But hey maybe that was the point, with myth building happening as it is perhaps this misrepped history is a knowing wink at it all., And some of the prose is awkward in places, using ten dollar words when less will do. And just flat out wrong wording some sentences. Nit picking I guess but hey yo that's me.
Specifically when he referred to the dumb sheep drowning itself, he described it as being intent on self immolation. None of it's referenced escapades remotely involved immolation, stop trying to sound smart, when you do it wrong, you sound dumb.

Have bought number 2, I did enjoy the book I was really just nit picking out minor annoyances

This post has been edited by Macros: 22 January 2020 - 09:04 AM