I've finished: House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky
House of Open Wounds wasn't what I expected.
It's not a middle book in a trilogy, it has an ending. It's not about the mysterious Woods at the edge of Ilmar that were so promenant at the end of City of Last Chances.
It's about my favorite characters from that novel, Yasnic and his God. It's about the healers that are allowed to work their miracles at the periphery of the Pall war camp because they are useful. It dangles the promise of healing in return for pacifism at a humanity that can't stop fighting.
Like City of Last Chances, it's about the people stuck in the gears of the Palleseen Empire's ambitions. Not about kings and emperors.
Tchaikovsky has grown allot at a writer since the Shadow of the Apt series and has written a very compelling story that concentrates on engaging characters.
I couldn't put it down, I listened at every opportunity. It did sometimes feel repetitive and perhaps could have been shorter. But the ending clinched it all and most of it payed off brilliantly.
A friend of mine told me that the characters in this series remind him of Pratchett characters and that House of Open Wounds reminds him of Monstrous Regiment. Now that he has brought my attention to it, I can't unsee it.
Tchaikovsky isn't Pratchett and isn't trying to be Pratchett. He is not trying to be funny, but the social commentary, humanism and satire are reminiscent of Pratchett.
“I was in love with the book. In pure, ignorant defiance of the decree of the Iowa Writing School that controls almost all modern fiction, Galt tells without showing.”
—Ursula K. Le Guin discusses John Galt’s ANNALS OF THE PARISH
Every time I reread Going Postal I like it even better. This is indeed Pratchett at his finest.
As a conman is running for US president again, and the true faces of billionaires are exposed, Going Postal also becomes more and more relevant.
This time I listened to the new audio edition, narrated by Richard Coyle and it was very good.
I must admit that I had trouble with my previous attempts to listen to the new audio editions. I may be getting old and cranky, almost 50. But there was always at least one character I found it hard to listen to. Be it Nanny Ogg in the witches novels, or Vorbis in Small Gods. Nanny should always sound like she is smiling, and planning something, Vorbis has a calculating quiet evil soul, he will condemn you to death without showing emotion. He would not sound like he is planning something nefarious.
I think the actors hired to read the new editions are too good. Most of the Discworld novels have characters that are suited to more exaggerated acting. I think Going Postal is different because it is so well written, it works with more subtle acting and Coyle understands the essence of all the main characters.
I'm also having trouble with the footnote sound effects in the new audio editions. They break the flow; I end up forgetting what they refer too. It's kinda like the effect you get when entering a room and finding that you've forgotten why you went there.
Yet again the footnote sounds didn't bother me as much this time. Perhaps I'm getting used to them.
Luckily, I still own the older versions and can listen to the edition I prefer.
Be(com)ing Nigerian is an outrageously funny and acerbic guide to how to be a Nigerian; from how to attain the much-maligned, but heady rank of politician to achieving the status of the silver-tongued, private jet-flying religious leader.
Starting very soon over on https://www.twitch.tv/chilliteracy, Sam's going live to read you some short stories by Mark Twain! Head on over now to get settled
THE GREAT MIAMI NOVEL may well be this devastating blend of satire, magical realism, and local history—the story of a wannabe gangster and the imprisoned orca that fascinates him. Startling, distinctive, surreal. A MINUS
I've finished: The Sky is Your's by Chandler Klang Smith.
My first attempt to read The Sky is Yours ended with me throwing it in the Audible App's archive. It starts with a rich brat crashing on a garbage island and immediately taking advantage of a naïve girl. I wanted nothing to do with it.
I forgot about it and when I encountered the title again, I gave it a listen. When you continue reading, you understand that his is a satire about late stage capitalism and no one likes the rich brat.
As we follow the three main characters, the afore mentioned rich brat, a naïve girl raised alone by an insane mother with anti-technology beliefs and my favorite, Swani a rich well educated and over achieving girl. We learn more and more about the corrupt world they are inheriting.
This is a mix of stupidity, and smarts. Some parts are dumb on purpose and some are dumb for comedic effect. Some parts are smart and some downright poetic. Each of our protagonists will find a mentor that will help them grow, but they are not being cuddled and their paths are winding. Again, I was impressed with Swany's journey.
Swany is also overweight, I'm not saying it's never referred to as unattractive, but men are attracted to her both physically and intellectually.
The ending detracted a bit from my rating, as we step back from the interesting characters and take a more distant view of the aftermath.
A HILARIOUS, PROVOCATIVE, INCENDIARY satire of the most commodified things in modern life, from contrarianism to cancel culture to online “micro-content” to luxury ashrams, and ultimately to satire itself. B PLUS
A DEFT, SHARP FABLE that could not be more timely. In a world where everything is decided by vote, what does democracy mean? Clever riff on Borges and Jackson stands on its own merits as well. B PLUS
Today in Labor History January 17, 1536: Francois Rabelais was absolved of apostasy by Pope Paul III and allowed to resume his medical practice. Rabelais was a physician, writer, Catholic monk and Greek scholar. He published “Pantagruel” in 1532. He later incorporated it into his larger work, “Gargantua and Pantagruel,” which satirized the nobility, the church, the legal system, explorers, machismo and pretty much all that was sacred to the French ruling elite. Consequently, he was persecuted much of his life. His last will stated: “I have nothing. I owe a great deal. The rest I leave to the poor.”
One of my favorite passages: The FURREED Law-Cats are most terrible and dreadful monsters; they devour little children, and trample over marble stones. Pray tell me, noble topers, do they not deserve to have their snouts slit? The hair of their hides doesn’t grow outward, but inwards… They have claws so very strong, long, and sharp that nothing can get from ‘em what is once fast between their clutches... Among ‘em reigns the sixth essence; by the means of which they gripe all, devour all, burn all, draw all, hang all, quarter all, behead all, murder all, imprison all, waste all and ruin all, without the least notice of right and wrong; for among them vice is called virtue; wickedness, piety; treason, loyalty; robbery, justice. Plunder is their motto, and all this they do because they dare; their authority is sovereign and irrefragable.
“A child is a fire to be lit, not a vase to be filled” –Rabelais
#CfP für die #Tagung "Aggressive #Ästhetik – #ästhetische Aggression: Probleme des #Satirischen", die vom 26. bis 28. September 2024 auf Schloss Rauischholzhausen stattfinden wird.
These lines from #therestaurantattheendoftheuniverse by #douglasadams are a satire on the extent of selfishness and shortsightedness we as humans can be sometimes prone to, as seen all too commonly around us.
Today in Labor History November 7, 1918: Kurt Eisner led an uprising that overthrew the Wittelsbach dynasty in Bavaria, during the German Revolution. After the Kiel Mutiny a few days prior, uprising broke out throughout Germany. Within months, the Independent Social Democrats, who were heading the provisional government, were overthrown by the Bavarian Raterepublik, composed of Workers', Soldiers', and Farmers' Councils. Those fighting the socialists included anarchists and anti-authoritarian communists like Erich Mühsam, Gustav Landauer, Ernst Toller and Ret Marut (who became known as the novelist B. Traven after fleeing the counterrevolution and living in exile in Mexico).
Today in Labor History November 7, 1912: Ernest Riebe's "Mr. Block," IWW labor comic strip first appeared in print. Mr. Block was one of the best-loved features in the Wobbly press. Joe Hill wrote a song about "Mr. Block," who was a boss-loving, American Dream-believing, self-sabotaging knucklehead. Some call Riebe the first "underground" comic book artist.
Mr. Block (by Joe Hill)
Please give me your attention, I'll introduce to you
A man who is a credit to the ["Our] old Red White and Blue["]
His head is made of lumber and solid as a rock
He is a common worker and his name is Mr. Block
And Block [he] thinks he may be premier [President] some day
Chorus
Oh Mr. Block, you were born by mistake
You take the cake, you make me ache
[Go] tie a rock on your block and then jump in the lake
Kindly do that for Liberty's sake!
Yes, Mr. Block is lucky - he got a job, by gee!
The shark got seven dollars for job and fare and fee
They shipped him to a desert and dumped him with his truck
But when he tried to find his job he sure was out of luck
He shouted, "That's too raw! I'll fix them with the law!"
Block hiked back to the city but wasn't doing well
He said "I'll join the union, the great AF of L".
He got a job that morning, got fired by the night
He said, "I'll see Sam Gompers and he'll fix that foreman right!"
Sam Gompers said, "You see, you've got our sympathy."
Election day he shouted, "A Socialist for Mayor!"
The comrade got elected [and] he happy was for fair
But after the election he got an awful shock
[When] a great big socialistic bull did rap him on the block
And Comrade Block did sob, "I helped him get his job!"
Poor Block he died one evening, I'm very glad to state
He climbed the golden ladder up to the pearly gate
He said, "Oh Mister Peter, one thing I'd like to tell
I'd like to meet the Astorbilts and John D Rockerfell!"
Old Pete said, "Is that so? You'll meet them down below!"
Tune: It Looks to me Like a Big Time Tonight. from Al Grierson,
by Joe Hill, in 13th ed. of the Little Red Songbook
Gulliver’s Travels, by Jonathan Swift. You are an early 18th century ship’s surgeon who is repeatedly Washed Ashore on various never before seen islands, whose inhabitants find you Unaccountably Strange due to differences in Size and Temperament, but nevertheless teach you several Important Lessons about merry old England, particularly its Superior Personages. 4 out of 5 library cats 🐈 🐈 🐈 🐈. @bookstodon#bookstodon#books#novels#reading#travel#satire
Starting right soon, we have a selection of short stories from the magnificent #MarkTwain, read for you by Sam! Stop on in for some tall tales and some satire, with a seasoning of social commentary. https://www.twitch.tv/chilliteracy