[Aptorian]

Just read a book called There is no Antimemetics division by Sam Hughes under the pseudonym QTNM.

You know how you sometimes come across a book that immediately catches your eye and you have to read it? That was this book to me. Saw it this morning, downloaded it and read it in two sittings.

Quote

An antimeme is an idea with self-censoring properties; an idea which, by its intrinsic nature, discourages or prevents people from spreading it.

Antimemes are real. Think of any piece of information which you wouldn't share with anybody, like passwords, taboos and dirty secrets. Or any piece of information which would be difficult to share even if you tried: complex equations, very boring passages of text, large blocks of random numbers, and dreams...

But anomalous antimemes are another matter entirely. How do you contain something you can't record or remember? How do you fight a war against an enemy with effortless, perfect camouflage, when you can never even know that you're at war?

Welcome to the Antimemetics Division.

No, this is not your first day.

It's based on that SCP internet fad where people were writing fictional entries for classified alien or mystical objects or phenomenons. It's basically the plot of the Control video game that came out two years ago only more insane. Think Laundry Files having a full on Case Nightmare Oh Fuck meltdown in 220 pages.

The story gets a biiit up it's own ass towards the end but man do I love this concept. Hope he writes more stories in this setting.

[Macros]

Reading The End of the Day by North now. Enjoying it more than the Gameshouse, Charlie is a likeable character

[Tiste Simeon]

Macros, on 26 January 2021 - 10:37 PM, said:

Reading The End of the Day by North now. Enjoying it more than the Gameshouse, Charlie is a likeable character

That's one of the two North books I haven't yet read.

I really liked the Gameshouse novellas

[Macros]

I dunno, loved the concept, just felt the third one was rushed, it felt inconsequential compared to the first two, even though the stakes were so much higher.

Finished the end of the day
That was...... different. I really don't know how I feel about this book, on one hand I loved it, the concept and central character is excellent. There are some wonderful chapters. The ending, upon reflection, is spot on. But there is the underlying feeling that humanity is shit. Not to the level of 84k, it certainly isn't bleak, the underlying message is Live, actually Live, your life. But the micro message in the between chapters is that regardless of the progress we have made, humanity is still shit, with shitty lake doing and saying shitty things and justifying them with shitty reasons

[Maark Abbott]

Aptorian, on 26 January 2021 - 07:21 PM, said:

An antimeme

Abscond from monke?

[Aptorian]

What?

[amphibian]

There's a running joke about returning to being monkeys that's often expressed through memes.

So Maark is asking if he should stop with those specific ones with an anti meme.

[Aptorian]

What?

[QuickTidal]

Finished VALOR (should be VALOUR....and yes I'm annoyed that even the Canadian copy from Orbit of this book spells it the American way...blecch) and it was more table setting. I still enjoyed it, but I can tell the pieces are moving into position in this one. And I do have on major complaint in that it takes some of the characters AGES to figure out some big plot points and that was irritating

Spoiler

(I'm looking at you Veradis with your blind adherence to something in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary)

...but overall I still really enjoyed this one and will be reading the following two volumes (where I hear the real shit starts hitting the fan).

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 27 January 2021 - 04:48 PM

[Macros]

Legend Reread.


What? don't judge me!

[champ]

Macros, on 27 January 2021 - 08:42 PM, said:

Legend Reread.


What? don't judge me!

I just did a mini Gemmell reread, Legend, King Beyond the Gate, White Wolf and The Swords of Night and Day, I enjoy the way those books connect and are some of my favourite of his.

[QuickTidal]

Finally back into SHIPS OF MERIOR by Janny Wurts to continue my first time read of this series, and I forgot how lyrical her prose can be and how it subtly sucks you in. Coincidentally I found books 3, 4, and 5 at "reasonable" (3 was only $12, but 4 and 5 were both over $20 each) prices through amazon and Book Depository. So now I have the whole series (in the same cover style) and don't have to worry about how out of print they seem to be. Anyways, enjoying being back in this world.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Macros, on 27 January 2021 - 08:42 PM, said:

Legend Reread.


What? don't judge me!

Never judge that!

The other half has got my copy of Winter Warriors to try currently! He wanted new things to try, and I considered Legend but WW was my first Gemmell so thought I'd give him that instead.

[polishgenius]

I've been rereading Hal Duncan's Book of All Hours for the first time in a while. It's so good. Book of the New Sun-esque in how much re-reading reveals new stuff every time, though not like New Sun in any other aspect.



Also last week I read Deacon King Kong, by James McBride. Rare non-SFF for me, imagine The Wire recast as a slapstic comedy in New York and you're not really close but it gets the point across. Very good.

[Macros]

finished Legend yesterday.

still awesome.

Starting Traitors of Rome by Simon Scarrow, to get up to speed with the Eagle series
#

[Cyphon]

Finished Cibola Burns earbook on Abyss' reco to keep going. I do feel a bit like there's a formula to these plots so you can see the plot points coming. BUT... fuuckkk that ending is a clusterfuck.

Either Nemesis Games or something self helpy, think we know what will win out.

Oh yeah and still going on TCG. Half way through. Will be late starting next month's book.

[Aptorian]

Read The Expert System's Brother and The Expert System's Champion by Adrian Tchaikovsky. They're short books, one is 170 pages the other 130.

Brother wasn't particularly interesting. The setting is an alien planet where colonists have regressed to a hunter gatherer society guided by broken AI. The story is predictable and not particularly creative in what it does with the building blocks of the narrative. It lacks oomph.

Second book, Champion, is better. It builds on book ones setting of the stage and introduces some interesting developments, mixing folklore and religion together with a broken culture. And it gets thoroughly weird with new alien species introduced and some very disturbing background about what happened to some of the original colonists.

Also read a short flash fiction collection called Nevertheless She Persisted published by Tor. It's short 3-6 page stories based upon the key sentences: She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless she persisted.

There's some cool little story fragments in there and some boring trite ones.

Think I'll read Erikson's Rejoice: A Knife to the Heart next.

[Aptorian]

Okay. A couple of chapters into Rejoice and I'm delighted that Erikson's wit and humor translates to other genres.

The premise of this book is fun.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Just finished Bernard Cornwell's War Lord. I've always enjoyed the books but felt the couple preceding this last novel were starting to feel a bit weaker and repetitive. It's great to see the series end on a high.

Also inspired me to finally start reading A Brief History of the Anglo Saxons by Geoffrey Hindley. Had it for a while and not got round to it.

In further news, mentioned giving Mr Not a Blacksmith my copy of Winter Warriors above. He wanted a couple of ideas to try so I also lent him the first Dresden, Storm Front.

He took Fool Moon home with him this weekend. Methinks another has fallen to Dresdencrack...

[Macros]

I needs must get up to speed with Uthred soon.

Glad it's ending on a high!