aka The Genre That Day Stood Still
In the roundup today: Craig R., L. Jagi Lamplighter Wright, Sanford Begley, George R.R. Martin, Sarah A. Hoyt, Brad K. Horner, Lis Carey, Patrick May, William Reichard, Fred Kiesche and mysterious others. (Title credit belongs to File 770 contributing editors of the day Daniel Dern and Glenn Hauman.)
Craig R. on Boston Progressive
“’Just this one teensy, tiny little change…’” – June 4
One of the great divides in SF/F right now is between groups of readers that want to claim SF and Fantasy as purely descriptive entertainment, the epitome of escape literature, just living in shared authorial moments of the storyteller entertaining us at the fair, or in the tavern, with no other motive express, implied or accepted. You pays your pennies on the drumhead for the entertainment and that’s all you want to see and hear.
On the other side of the table or those who say that all stories have some ulterior external dimension, some subtext, some “message.” There is no choice, there is always subtext, whether the author means for inclusion or not. It is inevitable.
In the Interests Of Full Disclosure, I will tell you that I belong in the second camp: not from any skill at analysis, nor any training in critical literature theory, just cause it seems like the way things are.
From my viewpoint, the very act of reaching for the ability to entertain, or the ability to make any kind of contact with the intended audience requires an assumption of commonality of fundamental background points.
L. Jagi Lamplighter Wright interview for Superversive SF
“Interview with Hugo Nominee: Arlan Andrews, Sr.!” – June 4
1) All the Sad Puppies selections came from a list of stories that fans felt were their favorites from 2014. What about your story do you think brought it to the attention of whomever suggested it?
Presumably, because they liked the setting, the characters, and the story of my novella, “Flow.” “Flow” was the sequel to 2013’s “Thaw,” (the cover for which won the Analog Reader’s Award for Best Cover of 2013). The whole series of stories takes place after the next Ice Age (a politically incorrect supposition in itself), and the protagonist, Rist, is himself quite politically incorrect, though dark-skinned; he is a diminutive, sexist smartass (as are most males in the primitive society in which he was raised) and his mouth gets him literally into deep shit. The story, actually a vignette, ends in a (literal) cliff-hanger that will be followed by “Fall,” where Rist descends into yet another kind of society existing some 30,000 years from now. It will likely be called non-PC as well, though I have to remind people that authors are not necessarily the same as their characters.
Alex on Ada’s Technical Books and Cafe
“Madeline Ashby: Fiction Writer and Futurist” – June 4
One particularly poignant statement we both picked up on was made in the context of the controversy surrounding the 2015 Hugo Awards. Madeline [Ashby] said that we all have a tendency to “presume people think like (we) do, but generally, they don’t.” Though perhaps a bit of an obvious statement, I think it is equally powerful. Whether positively or negatively, humans must regularly navigate the disparity between our processes of thinking. Imbuing your actions with a recognition of difference may be a way to bridge gaps between people approaching a conflict in different ways, or at least a way to mitigate frustration when questionable (or outright despicable) decisions are made.
Alanaburke.com
“Local editor earns prestigious science fiction/fantasy award nomination – Ottawaherald.com” – June 4
“I was quite stunned and surprised [when I first heard] frankly due to the fact that I’ve just been executing this for concerning 6 years and I’ve just got four anthologies under my belt,” Schmidt said. “I’m relatively new, so to me it seemed earlier in my job compared to I would certainly have actually expected for something adore that to happen. I was thrilled and humbled at the exact same time that people believe I’m great enough to receive a nomination due to the fact that it is a fairly prestigious award. There was a great deal of excitement and happiness mixed in there as well.”
That happiness will certainly travel along with Schmidt to Spokane, Washington, where the awards will certainly be presented Aug. 22 at the 73rd Globe Science Fiction Convention. The Hugo Awards, named after pioneering science fiction magazine “Incredible Stories” founder Hugo Gernsback, are provided annually for the very best science fiction and fantasy functions of the previous year, according to a news release.
Sanford Begley on The Otherwhere Gazette
“The Puppies need to thank these recruiters”
The Sad Puppies really do need to thank some people who are not of their number. I’ve been watching this fiasco as someone who is in sympathy with the SP movement without being one myself. The truth for the rank and file SP members is basically that they were informed that they could vote on the Hugos and actually get books they liked on the ballot. From the point of view of the rank and file Puppies this was information on how-to and some recommendations they could follow, but were not required to. Most of the rank and file used some of the suggestions and substituted others as they saw fit. Admittedly this did cause those who did not have enough recommendations in their own reading to use the list as a source for filling out the rest of the nominations. After all, they knew a bit about Brad Torgerson and Larry Correia and could rely on them to suggest good books. Which they could then read in the voter packet and vote upon.
[This author needs to correct a tendency to misspell everybody’s name – “Brad Torgerson,” “Teresa Nielson Hayden,” “Patrick Hayden Nielson,” “Betsy Wolheim,” “N.K. Jemison.” I leave aside one other that was clearly intentional, but always remember, intentional misspellings are meaningless when true errors abound.]
George R.R. Martin on Not A Blog
“Catching Up” – June 4
— Conquest was cool. The KC fen throw a great con. And I was heartened by all the people who came up to thank me for my posts about the Hugos. Even in the nation’s heartland, it seems, there is considerable fannish anger about the Sad and Rabid Puppies pooping on our awards,
— Yes, Puppygate has continued, though I’ve been too busy to post about it. The Sad Puppies continue to be clueless, moving their goalposts almost daily. The Rabid Puppies continue to be venomous. Lots of other people are reading the Hugo nominees and reviewing the finalists. That’s what I am doing myself, though I am way behind in my reading,
Sarah A. Hoyt
“The Condescension of the Elites” – June 4
In fact, if one wades into the Sad Puppy mess (here, wear galoshes. You’ll need it) the side that says things like “You’re not true fans” or “your tastes are just low” or “your writing is bad” or “Our opinion of what is good IS the maker of what is good” or “you’ll never work in this town again” or “for daring talk against us, you’ll never win a Hugo” is not the Puppy supporters.
This is because the “power” at least if understood as traditional publishing power, in this field is NOT from puppy supporters. The people opposing the puppies (not their lickspittles running around blogs shouting the crumbs that fall from their masters’ tables) are powers in the field: well established editors with power of the purse; writers who get publicity campaigns and push and huge advances; critics who have for years been reviewing the “well regarded” stuff and establishing a taste that is Marxism with a mix of glitterati, or in other words, positional good leftism.
You’d think that people who have been extensively indoctrinated in Marxism would understand the difference between “establishment power” and “economic power” and the revolutionaries who come in saying “But you’ve been going wrong by alienating the reading public; we don’t give a hot damn what your political opinions are, but you need to tell stories people want to read, and if you don’t people should be able to participate in the intervention to make you see why your print runs keep falling.”
I.e. they would understand that they are in fact on the side that is being condescending by virtue of having all the power in the field, including power of the purse.
Brad K. Horner
“Flight of the Kikayon: A Sci-Fi Novelette by Kary English” – June 4
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a crisp and gloriously clear adventure story of a woman trying to escape her abusive husband with the help of her clone. I was touched. It really had heart.
Of course, the planet where she eventually wound up, swiss family robinson style, had one hell of a fascinating sea monster in it, so that’s a huge plus.
The story made me think about love and children, but not exclusively, and not oppressively. It was warming, not frantic, and I really enjoyed the ride. Crisp and gloriously clear sums it up very nicely, from writing, to imagery, to themes. Nothing was out of place and it felt inevitable. Which is very strange, considering that she wound up stranded and losing everything. Who am I to argue about the vagaries of fate or authorship?
I read this in preparation for the Campbell nomination of 2015, and I’m proud to say I read it, regardless. It shines.
Lis Carey on Lis Carey’s Library
“The Sci Phi Show, presented by Jason Rennie” – June 3
The Sci Phi Show discusses major philosophers and schools of philosophy illuminated in science fiction, fairly broadly defined. In the sample episode, it’s Nietzsche and the movie The Dark Knight. It’s an intelligent, thoughtful discussion, with good production values, accompanied by odd, distracting sound effects. There’s also opening and closing theme music that tries hard to give me a headache.
Patrick May
“2015 Hugo Award Novella Category” – June 4
[Each nominee is analyzed, then this conclusion — ]
My Hugo ballot for this category is:
- Flow
- Big Boys Don’t Cry
- The Plural of Helen of Troy
- No Award
- One Bright Start to Guide Them
- Pale Realms of Shade
Aside from the first two, the entries in this category are disappointing. There were far better novellas published in 2014 in Analog and Asimov’s alone. “Big Boys Don’t Cry”, while not as good as “Flow”, is certainly no worse than some nominees and winners in the past. I’m leaving “The Plural of Helen of Troy” slightly above No Award solely because Wright plays with (and occasionally loses to) some classic science fiction concepts. Overall it’s not really Hugo worthy, though.
William Reichard
“Apres Hugo” – June 4
After a lively day of schussing down the slippery slopes of unwinnable arguments, you’re pleasantly stupefied. Now you just want to relax and kick back, are we right?
That’s why when you get back to the toasty comfort of your own ideological hearth, you should reach for Hubik.
Hubik has everything a tired mind craves: a refreshing illusion of efficacy, a promise of persistent meaning, and a soothing anesthetic effect that will help you drift off to an untroubled sleep. Just spray a little around your armchair, and presto! The perfect ending to another day of lovely mountain sport.…
https://twitter.com/ShiftlessBum/status/606575118580482048
https://twitter.com/FredKiesche/status/606530903175778306
Discover more from File 770
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
Influxus: I’ve seen comments where it’s written Sock-Juice and now I can’t get that image out of my head.
Why is it always the Juice? What do puppies have against the Juice? Why are they trying to destroy the Juice?
@rogue coffeebot That’s fascinating! So Lem was closely involved in the translation?
@rogue coffeebot Clicking around now. Missing John Leonard.
@rogue coffeebot Thanks a lot–there goes my night!
“A few weeks ago someone asked about Stanislaw Lem’s “A Perfect Vacuum”. … I too looked long and hard for it until I found it in the MITSFS’s library. It came out in hardback in 1979. … The book is a collection of reviews of imaginary books. It starts, of course, with a quite unflattering review of itself. And, as is also natural, most of the books are about reality distortion.”
Lis Carey
I’m no expert on canine psychology but I entirely agree that those puppies brought joy to the heart. The sheer amount of happiness wafting its way via the web is due to their irresistible happiness, and I particular liked the ones who may look a little older, oh, all right, a lot older, than your everyday puppy. They were true to themselves, secure in their puppyhood, and all round champions!
>>There is no Pope of the Hugos, as has been pointed out many times, in many places, by many people.
>>This. A thousand times this. I wish it wasn’t true, because I so want to be Pope of the Hugos.>>
Oh, there’s already a Hugo Pope:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w-jZPlVIgE
Maybe he could present a few awards for the Puppy Hugos. They’d like it, I’m sure!
If you want to know who we are,
We are Puppies of Sasquan:
In many a blog and bar —
With many a screen and fan –
We figure in black and white
Our tales by John C Wright
And stand against Making Light!
If you think we are worked by strings,
Like a Teddy Beale marionette,
You don’t understand these things:
It is simply Puppetiquette!
Perhaps you suppose this throngfan
Can’t keep it up all day longfan?
If that’s your idea, you’re wrongfan!
Camestros
>>{Is their an agreed pronunciation for SJW? I’m getting tired of thinking ES-JAY-DOUBLE-YOU in my head. I’m saying sejwoo.}>>
I say “S’Jew,” because it makes the rants sound even more objectionable.
And allows for constructions like “SJWdaism” and “SJW-baiting” and such.
Lis:
>> What color is the sky on your planet? >>
Sky color!
>> None of the dogs in the pictures I looked at there looked even remotely “humiliated.” Happy dogs.>>
They sure didn’t look happy to me. But, well, to each their own, and as long as I don’t have to participate. There are many, many, many dogs who endure worse than that.
It occurs to me that we may be talking about different puppies.
Stevie, at least, appears to be referencing the ones at Scalzi’s blog, a set of pictures that include my dog too. I like those, that’s a great bunch of pics. [I did include one that was very much not a happy puppy, but I think it’s a legitimate exception.]
I was responding to Brian Z’s link to pictures from a Japanese dog show where there’s a craze for shaving dogs into cubes. The best I can say for those dogs is that they look patient. And weary. And perhaps baffled.
But not happy.
Hey, I got a comment stuck in moderation.
Is it because I said “Jew”?
And now that one’s in moderation too. So yeah, I guess “J-w” is one of the flagged words…
@ Rev Bob: “I would say that the smart move is to quietly cancel SP4, but the smart move would have been either not to start SP1 in the first place,”
I agree. And after this year, unless someone is a Puppy (or else completely ignorant of everything that’s happened in 2015), who’s going to -want- to be on a Puppy slate?
Sure, sure, you get all the fun of seeing your work turned into a political football AND associated with a widespread expectation of low quality. But is all that fun and kudos really worth being mistaken for someone who hates dinosaurs?
Kurt
Thank you for being civil in pointing out my mistake. You are quite correct; I made an assumption when I could have, instead, tested my assumption before I knew whether it was justified.
I must admit that the shaved dogs seem pretty scary to me; I comfort myself with the reflection that, even if they do rise up and take revenge for the iniquities heaped on them, they are not going to do so to me. Brutalist architecture has its critics, but it’s useful when it comes to building stuff which is very difficult to be stormed…
>> Brutalist architecture has its critics, but it’s useful when it comes to building stuff which is very difficult to be stormed…>>
You know, when that sentence started, I thought “brutalist architecture” was a reference to the cubed dogs.
Okay, I enjoy a fair bit of MilSF, but having now read “Combat Unit” and “The Last Command”, I will say that I find the Bolo stories considered the “Best” a bit tedious — so it’s no wonder that pale Puppy imitations seem extra-tedious.
“In The Queue”, a non-Bolo Laumer story which was nominated for both the Hugo and the Nebula, was a bit more interesting — but suffice it to say I won’t be seeking out any collections of his short stories.
Interestingly, I will probably read Laumer’s Nebula-nominated novel A Plague of Demons — which is about a man fighting the Big Bad Evil Corporation and trying to save the rainforest. Publication date? 1965.
Suuuuurrrre. There was no “message fiction” before “the SJWs took over SF” a few years ago.
@Kurt Busiek
Oh, yes! I didn’t even go look at Brian’s Japanese dog show link, only the Scalzi link, and that’s what I thought you were referring to. Sorry!
Kurt Busiek: You know, when that sentence started, I thought “brutalist architecture” was a reference to the cubed dogs.
I’m with you; I feel really sorry for those dogs, and I’m rather wishing that the Japanese version of the SPCA would prosecute those dog owners for abuse.
JJ —
Hard to object to that while not objecting to how poodles routinely get trimmed over here. Or tail- and ear-docking.
But the trimming of the fur doesn’t actually harm them, though it may worry or scare them. The being trained to sit still and show off the canine topiary is probably not much fun either.
It strikes me as stupid, treating an animal like a toy rather than a pet. But as I said in the moderated post, there are a lot of dogs that get treated a lot worse.
Still. Not for me.
It’s not message fiction if it is supported by the purity of revealed logic. Aristotle!
Holy crapola. I just bopped over and read The Last Command, and it stomps “Turncoat” and “Big Boys Don’t Cry” into the ground.
Pale imitations, indeed.
redheadedfemme: Holy crapola. I just bopped over and read The Last Command, and it stomps “Turncoat” and “Big Boys Don’t Cry” into the ground. Pale imitations, indeed.
For full comparision purposes, here is Combat Unit, another one of what Eric Flint considers to be the best Bolo stories (“A Relic of War” is the third, but I don’t think it’s available online).
JJ: “I’m rather wishing that the Japanese version of the SPCA would prosecute those dog owners for abuse”
Steady on.
Kurt Busiek: “But the trimming of the fur doesn’t actually harm them, though it may worry or scare them. The being trained to sit still and show off the canine topiary is probably not much fun either.”
These are show dogs, so they do this showing off thing all the time. Unless you’re going to argue dog shows and show grooming is abuse, I think you’re getting a bit carried away.
Worried scared dogs don’t perform well or win shows. Sitting still is not a burden either. Dogs are trained to do all kinds of things and good trainers reward, not punish. You can’t force a dog to do any of this kind of thing. And they don’t actually care if they look ridiculous. Animals don’t think that way.
Our great John Scalzi, virtuous man,
When he to rule fandom began,
Resolved to try
A plan whereby
More Hugos might be readied.
So he decreed, in blog succinct,
That all who at the Puppies winked
(Unless with his approval linked),
Should forthwith be beheaded,
Beheaded, beheaded,
Should forthwith be beheaded.
And I expect you’ll all agree
That he was right to so decree.
And I am right,
And you are right,
And all is right as right can be!
This stem decree, you’ll understand,
Caused great dismay in Puppy land!
And young and old
And shy and bold
Turned equally demented.
The Pup that drew a Hayden eye,
Or caused an SJW sigh,
Was thereupon condemned to die —
He usually objected,
Objected, objected,
He usually objected.
And you’ll allow, as I expect,
That he was right to so object.
And I am right,
And you are right,
And everything is quite correct!
And so they straight let out on bail
Correia from Alinsky’s jail,
Whose head was next
On Flint’s pretext
Condemned to be mown off,
And made him Headpup, for we said,
“Who’s next to be decapited
Cannot cut off a trupup’s head
Until he’s cut his own off,
His own off, his own off,
Until he’s cut his own off.”
And we are right, I think you’ll say,
To argue in this kind of way;
And I am right,
And you are right,
And all is right — too-loo-ral-lay!
And then for a moment I thought I heard the voice of Great Aristotle himself, but alas ’twas as a wind that has passed through the willows.
Those were some sad Japanese puppies, alright. Since Correia started Sad Puppies as a pupdada surrealist anti-art campaign, perhaps we might be find closure with pup-cubism.
I’ve read all these threads and participated quite a bit more than I normally tend to join in internet kerfuffles. I’m not that much more than a concerned bystander but have been attacked a number of times, and I have also regretted a couple of times I’ve let myself sink into knee-jerk defensiveness. The final straw personally was my mounting the soapbox the other day for the sole purpose of enlightening you good folks with the (undoubtedly fascinating) news that one of the other bloggers in the conversation had deleted one of my comments. I thank Meredith and Mike Glyer for calmly noting that this was a fairly dumb move in the grand scheme of things.
We’ve all read most of the stories now. Most of us agreed that most of it is not for everybody, and some felt that some even fails to meet commonly accepted criteria for basic good writing. But the fact remains that a bunch of fans thought a bunch of this stuff was important enough to nominate, and many really enjoyed reading it. A conversation about the merits of books and stories should be a conversation. We’ve started to see a bit more civil cross-pollination in the blogs, and it would be good to have more. For example, Jeffro has been popping in to File 770 for a good discussion here. He is a great fan writer. I’m not particularly interested in demanding he defend or repudiate the tactic of putting up a slate on a blog, since that has been discussed to death. I would be interested in more of his thoughts on the suitability of the works he is slated with for a Hugo, and what he makes of the criticisms going ’round here.
>> These are show dogs, so they do this showing off thing all the time. Unless you’re going to argue dog shows and show grooming is abuse, I think you’re getting a bit carried away.>>
I don’t care much for dog shows either, but I haven’t said anything about abuse.
>> Worried scared dogs don’t perform well or win shows.>>
I wouldn’t think they clip them as part of the show; surely that happens beforehand.
>> Sitting still is not a burden either. >>
Not really fun, though.
I understand they’re trained to do this, but I have more taste for training in practical things than show things. The cubed dogs make me annoyed at their owners.
So it’s probably a good thing I don’t go to dog hows in Japan or seek out news about them.
Ok, it’s dawn here in England, and I have spent most of the night reading the comments here, the stories they have linked to, and admiring happy puppies at Scalzi’s place. I really should get some sleep, since my daughter is due to arrive.
Otherwise she will harass me, and since she’s a doctor, and I’m not, it’s a tad difficult to deal with her in medic mode, particularly when she starts going on about what sleep deprivation does to the human body, in general, and me in particular, because cell repair and immune response needs sleep. So, at the risk of sounding like a particular poster, I will say goodnight. Or, to be more precise, good morning…
>> But the fact remains that a bunch of fans thought a bunch of this stuff was important enough to nominate, and many really enjoyed reading it. >>
For values of “a bunch” and “many” that could be pretty small, for all we know.
Did the people who nominated them read the stories? Some did, surely. Did they think them important enough to nominate, or were they motivated by sticking it to the mythical cabal? Some of each? How much? Who knows?
Did many really enjoy reading them? The ones that placed well in ANALOG’s end-of-year roundup, presumably, because that wasn’t gamed. The others? Who knows? If so, a lot of them don’t seem to have much interest in talking about what they liked about them or why.
>> For example, Jeffro has been popping in to File 770 for a good discussion here. He is a great fan writer. I’m not particularly interested in demanding he defend or repudiate the tactic of putting up a slate on a blog, since that has been discussed to death. I would be interested in more of his thoughts on the suitability of the works he is slated with for a Hugo, and what he makes of the criticisms going ’round here.>>
I think he should probably do what he likes doing, rather than feel a need to review stuff just because he was slated alongside it, or review blog comments about stories he may not have read.
Lis Carey —
Oh, no question they look to be happy.
They also look exceedingly silly.
On the other hand, the ones in the dog show
made of Styrofoamwith the square and globular cuts look like they need a something more.A little color?
Maybe the addition of some pink KoolAide?
I have really enjoyed seeing the accidental birth of a new John Scalzi myth: that he has being shaving dogs into cubes for his website. 🙂
Brian Z – But the fact remains that a bunch of fans thought a bunch of this stuff was important enough to nominate, and many really enjoyed reading it. A conversation about the merits of books and stories should be a conversation
Man I’d love to see why they loved it so much. I’ve made it through all of the slated novelettes, novellas and novels and some of this stuff isn’t just bad, it feels unfinished or really unpolished. I haven’t really seen a single person stand up for the Anderson books. Even a schlocky action testosterone explosion fest might’ve been fun to read through even if I wouldn’t think it was award worthy, this was just painful at times.
@Camestros Felapton
No-one expects the Scalzish incubition!
I haven’t really seen a single person stand up for the Anderson books.
Back when the ballot was first announced I think I saw Sarah Hoyt say she was pleased to see Anderson finally get a nomination, but if I’m correct she didn’t say she was glad it was for this particular book. You see that kind of “nod to a body of work” in the Oscars sometimes, right? Does it have a place in the Hugos? Could it, if fans wanted it to?
I have really enjoyed seeing the accidental birth of a new John Scalzi myth: that he has being shaving dogs into cubes for his website.
… and then tapes bacon to them!
@Brian Z
Most of us agree that everyone knows that bacon holds the pixels together.
>> Could it, if fans wanted it to? >>
You seem to be really invested in selling the idea that “the fans” have made their desires known, and thus they should just be accepted and discussed as if it’s a normal ballot.
But if the fans, as a collective group, wanted these results, they could have gotten there without a slate. The widespread reaction to the works seems to be that “the fans” aren’t much impressed with the nominated material, but that’s certainly open to interpretation, as is anything subjective.
I hope you’re as active with this “why can’t we all get along and discuss everything politely” over at the Puppy sites, too. From this vantage point, it seems like you’re repetitively badgering the community that got attacked to sit down and have tea with the attackers, when the attackers are still raging and waving around their pitchforks and torches.
Sure, it’s a good thing to talk about good science fiction. Why anyone needs to try to do that with people who are insulting them left and right, though, I don’t know. I’m really enjoying THE FIRST FIFTEEN LIVES OF HARRY AUGUST (I put it aside for a few days because new Stephen King novel), but I don’t see much point in trying to talk to Sarah Hoyt or Brad Torgersen about it.
@Kurt Busiek
It’s hard to have a conversation with people who just want to scream at you about how Marx and Saul Alinsky conspired with John Scalzi to steal the Hugos from hard-working purveyors of the rugged, manly prose our grandfathers abandoned for something more interesting as soon as they realized that they could.
I have finished hacking my way through the puppy nominees, thank Ghu.
As I said about most of the puppy entries — there’s no there, there.
When the puppies can produce short stories better than “A Rose For Ecclesiastes” or “Nightfall” and when they can write something like MY type of MiLSF, i.e. Gordon Dickson’s “Tactics of Mistake,” or even an enjoyable potboiler like “The Hunt for Red October,” or a disaster tale like “Dies the Fire” — THEN I might trying reading their scribblings again. Given the current state of their art I consider this outcome highly unlikely.
Something else — merely competent prose is not Hugo Award worthy. If there’s ever a next time for those of you who have some grasp on the basics, I remind you that you must bring your A game.
As of right now, I found nothing of theirs that was worth the paper it was printed on. So, I am voting accordingly.
JJ : Interestingly, I will probably read Laumer’s Nebula-nominated novel A Plague of Demons — which is about a man fighting the Big Bad Evil Corporation and trying to save the rainforest. Publication date? 1965.
Wot? No it’s not.
It’s about a fhcreuhzna plobet irefhf nyvra vainfvba bs qrivy qbtf…
Really? I thought it was about rguvpf va Uhtb abzvangvbaf…
Argh — “I might try” not “I might trying” (yes, the Puppy-drek WAS trying). I think I am too sleepy to be posting.
Good night, all!
CPaca: Wot? No it’s not.
Has someone been up to funny business? Here’s the summary of Laumer’s “A Plague of Demons” from Amazon:
When John Bravais was sent on a secret mission to observe a war in North Africa he found out more than it was safe for him to know—even after he had secretly been surgically transformed so that he was as strong as a Bolo tank, and nearly as tough: Wolf-like aliens, invisible to the ordinary eye, were harvesting the brains of the fallen fighters! Bravais might have become the Ultimate Warrior, but still he was only one man against A Plague of Demons.
and here’s the summary (which I read) from Google Books:
Meet Zesty Tastee, flamboyant gay playboy and heir to the Tastee Corporationfortune. That’s what the world knows of him, but Zesty is also Magpie, thecorporate saboteur who fights against his father’s corrupt business practices.Zesty’s evil tycoon dad is out to destroy an entire rainforest, and he’s joinedup with a mysterious sect of ninjas to help keep ‘Magpie’ from interfering.Prince Ander is the sect agent on the case and Zesty has love at first sight forthis dreamy ninja master. Zesty can’t understand why anyone as noble as Princewould ever work with his father. His mission is to find out the secret of therain forest, and win Prince’s heart in the process!
Now I can’t stop laughing. I should have known something was up.
Brian Z.: I’m not that much more than a concerned bystander but have been attacked a number of times (and I’m going to completely ignore the fact that my own posts were directly responsible for this)
“No-one expects the Scalzish incubition!”
ooooowwwwwww
@ Brian Z
But the fact remains that a bunch of fans thought a bunch of this stuff was important enough to nominate, and many really enjoyed reading it.
Cite? Because I have literally not seen anyone go “this is why I loved this piece and why I nominated it.” Because that is literally NOT what happened. The Rabid Puppies were the winning slate. Their slate was composed, in toto, by Vox Day who told his people to literally nominate exactly as he had written.
I’ve heard a lot of “we nominated these things because reasons and SJWs and quality work” — from the leaders. Not the rank and file who did the nominations. No specifics, either. No reasons why that work was good enough, beloved enough, or hell even bestselling enough to merit the award. Link it if you have.
Zesty Tastee is, apparently, the lead character in a yaoi manga titled ZESTY!
The exclamation point is part of the title.
Kurt Busiek: Zesty Tastee is, apparently, the lead character in a yaoi manga titled ZESTY! The exclamation point is part of the title.
Well, thank you (I think), Kurt, for making me one of today’s 10,000. I had no idea what “yaoi” meant until I Googled it. Now I do.
And I’ve just Googled “today’s 10,000,” which I’d seen several times without knowing what it meant.
I have learned my new thing for the day.
@Will –
I don’t know much about the relationship between Lem and Michael Kandel, unfortunately. I do know that whatever he touched of Lem’s in translation just seemed to turn to gold in English (and suddenly I’m struck with an urge to read Fiasco again). And then I go and google a little too much and discover that Liverpool University publishes a collection of letters between Lem and Kandel…which I didn’t realize existed, and now I must find a way to read a copy…
I won’t apologize for sending you down the rabbit hole though – Lem is one of the few authors I visit again and again and again over the years. 😀
@Kurt –
Congratulations! You’re one of today’s 10,000!