A Book Log
I've been thinking I'll probably pick these up, as soon as they hit the library shelves..
It sounds like you haven't read his SF yet; based on your comments here, I think there's a pretty high probability that you'll hate _Singularity Sky_ (I thought it had decnet moments, but was also pretty annoying through much of it). _Iron Sunrise_ is a better book, and less annoying, and there's a higher percentage chance that you may enjoy it. Just speculatin', is all...
Trent (trent.goulding@mho.com) (http://home.mho.com/trent.goulding/books/blcurrent.html) -- Thu Aug 11 11:37:47 2005
See, I never notice those sort of details if the story is grabbing enough, though I do agree with you that the start of the book is weak, as well as with the opening sentence.
Don't blame Charlie for the split; as you know Bob, the degree came down from on high for no more fat books and he was caught in it, with the first book already written and having to hastily be split in two. I didn't mind much myself, still haven't read the second volume.
I don't think you'll like either the two books Trent mentioned, nor Accellerando, which is incredibly bleeding edge yet already dated in places.
Martin Wisse (weasel@cloggie.org) (http://www.cloggie.org/books/) -- Fri Aug 12 15:05:32 2005
I still think I'll skip this one.
_Singularity Sky_ is emphatically not recommended. Not only do I think it was just a bad book, but it's bad in ways that I think will drive you up the wall. Haven't bothered with _Iron Sunrise_, nor will I unless someone buys it for me.
_Accelerando_ was decent enough, but it's a self-proclaimed singularity SF book, so for you, that's right out. (Although he's put it out for free, so you could download it if you were really curious.)
And this one, for me... Enh. Charlie writes to Make Money. And while there's nothing wrong with that, it can feel a little artificial and strained sometimes as he goes after some particular niche. This one was very evidently made to target the Amber Chronicles niche. Don't believe me? Go hunt up his blog article and he'll tell you flat out that he surveyed the market for a previously successful but now-vacant niche and wrote a book around it.
Also, Martin, I find the same "already dated" problem to pop up in his horror/SF stuff, as well. It's all about fifteen seconds ago by the time it's printed, and I just don't see that aging well. Acellerando at least has the excuse that it's a fix-up of nine short stories, some of which were written years ago.
Novak (john.novak@gmail.com) -- Tue Aug 16 12:41:59 2005
Novak: You like Amber way more than I do, but I thought this was rather better than Amber. It's got less mystical twaddle and more eclectic elements. You might not like it -- I think, on balance, you wouldn't -- but it's not as mercenary as he makes it sound.
Mike Kozlowski (web@klio.org) (http://www.klio.org/marks/) -- Thu Aug 18 21:27:09 2005
I love weasls
dude (http://yahoo,com) -- Wed May 31 10:43:30 2006