The Incomparable

00:00:00 ◼   ► the incomparable number 346 April 2017 [TS]

00:00:07 ◼   ► welcome back everybody to the [TS]

00:00:13 ◼   ► incomparable this week we're going to [TS]

00:00:15 ◼   ► talk about books the book club back in [TS]

00:00:17 ◼   ► session and I have three fun people here [TS]

00:00:19 ◼   ► to talk about the works of NK jemisin [TS]

00:00:22 ◼   ► who I first discovered when her debut [TS]

00:00:25 ◼   ► novel one hundred thousand kingdoms was [TS]

00:00:27 ◼   ► nominated for the nebula award and hugo [TS]

00:00:29 ◼   ► award in 2010 she's written a bunch of [TS]

00:00:32 ◼   ► books since including some fantastic [TS]

00:00:34 ◼   ► books like hugo winner the fifth season [TS]

00:00:38 ◼   ► which we talked about in that in 2016 [TS]

00:00:40 ◼   ► when it was nominated for Hugo and [TS]

00:00:42 ◼   ► nebula joining me to talk about NK [TS]

00:00:44 ◼   ► jemisin specifically the fifth season [TS]

00:00:46 ◼   ► and the its sequel the opolis gate but [TS]

00:00:48 ◼   ► also more generally about her other [TS]

00:00:50 ◼   ► books are these wonderful people Erika [TS]

00:00:52 ◼   ► ensign is here hello hello happy to be [TS]

00:00:55 ◼   ► here I this I sense a quivering in the [TS]

00:00:58 ◼   ► earth that comes from the southeast it [TS]

00:01:00 ◼   ► must be the colossal lava powers of [TS]

00:01:02 ◼   ► Helene Sims hello hello how's everybody [TS]

00:01:05 ◼   ► doing I'm so excited to talk about my [TS]

00:01:07 ◼   ► favorite author I'm excited to see your [TS]

00:01:09 ◼   ► love of powers yeah just don't burn us [TS]

00:01:11 ◼   ► with your lava but the lan i will try [TS]

00:01:13 ◼   ► we'll see what happens and it's book [TS]

00:01:15 ◼   ► club it wouldn't be book club without [TS]

00:01:17 ◼   ► him other than all those episodes we do [TS]

00:01:18 ◼   ► without him it's got McNulty hi Scott hi [TS]

00:01:21 ◼   ► I only read the finest books so whatever [TS]

00:01:24 ◼   ► book if you see a book club that I'm not [TS]

00:01:26 ◼   ► on you know that book is not very good [TS]

00:01:28 ◼   ► take that meal Gaiman yeah and Stephen [TS]

00:01:30 ◼   ► me and Stephen yeah those those people [TS]

00:01:33 ◼   ► they're not going anywhere mmm their [TS]

00:01:36 ◼   ► failures wash up I say Scott Scott says [TS]

00:01:39 ◼   ► anyway no I think he means they're not [TS]

00:01:41 ◼   ► going anywhere cuz they're staying at [TS]

00:01:43 ◼   ► the top of the charts yeah it can also [TS]

00:01:44 ◼   ► be nice one well done well done so so NK [TS]

00:01:50 ◼   ► jemisin uh she is like I assume all of [TS]

00:01:55 ◼   ► us first heard about her wet with the [TS]

00:01:57 ◼   ► hundred thousand kingdoms in 2010 that [TS]

00:01:59 ◼   ► was the one that said that when your [TS]

00:02:00 ◼   ► first novel nominated as nebulae where [TS]

00:02:02 ◼   ► note was it later was it earlier it was [TS]

00:02:04 ◼   ► what fifth season was the first item yep [TS]

00:02:06 ◼   ► really mm-hmm Wow all right well Scott [TS]

00:02:11 ◼   ► and I read the hundred thousand kingdoms [TS]

00:02:12 ◼   ► in 2010 so there [TS]

00:02:13 ◼   ► take that we were when we knew her back [TS]

00:02:16 ◼   ► when she was just a debut novelist just [TS]

00:02:19 ◼   ► what she was an award with nominated [TS]

00:02:22 ◼   ► novelist yeah now she she is um if you [TS]

00:02:26 ◼   ► haven't heard of her stuff yet I mean [TS]

00:02:28 ◼   ► good lord you need to read this is this [TS]

00:02:30 ◼   ► is basically what this whole episode is [TS]

00:02:31 ◼   ► going to be which is you need to read [TS]

00:02:33 ◼   ► the novels of NK jemisin because every [TS]

00:02:35 ◼   ► time I read one of her novels aye aye [TS]

00:02:37 ◼   ► aye sit sit upright and I go oh my god [TS]

00:02:41 ◼   ► she is really great at writing novels [TS]

00:02:43 ◼   ► like busy really good and then I like I [TS]

00:02:46 ◼   ► go a while between novels and I'm like [TS]

00:02:48 ◼   ► oh yeah and king gemini should get to [TS]

00:02:49 ◼   ► that and then I finally get to one of [TS]

00:02:51 ◼   ► her books and I read it and I think why [TS]

00:02:52 ◼   ► have I not read all of her books because [TS]

00:02:54 ◼   ► she's so great like every time I am [TS]

00:02:56 ◼   ► reminded how good a writer she is and [TS]

00:02:58 ◼   ► then quite honestly the next book or two [TS]

00:03:00 ◼   ► I read after I read one of her books I'm [TS]

00:03:02 ◼   ► a little disappointed cuz almost without [TS]

00:03:04 ◼   ► fail that next writer is never as good a [TS]

00:03:07 ◼   ► writer as she is she is she is one of I [TS]

00:03:09 ◼   ► think one of the best in the business [TS]

00:03:11 ◼   ► right now in writing science fiction [TS]

00:03:13 ◼   ► fantasy novels you know I feel like I [TS]

00:03:15 ◼   ► completely agree with you but I feel [TS]

00:03:17 ◼   ► like her writing is is so good and I [TS]

00:03:21 ◼   ► don't want to say dense because dense [TS]

00:03:23 ◼   ► sounds negative but whatever the [TS]

00:03:24 ◼   ► positive version of dense is is it makes [TS]

00:03:28 ◼   ► it so that so that reading her books is [TS]

00:03:30 ◼   ► not it's not like a smooth and easy [TS]

00:03:35 ◼   ► fluffy sort of a read I'm not saying [TS]

00:03:38 ◼   ► it's difficult I'm certainly not [TS]

00:03:39 ◼   ► difficult but it takes a lot more sort [TS]

00:03:41 ◼   ► of brain power she doesn't read like [TS]

00:03:42 ◼   ► quick quick read books right she's yeah [TS]

00:03:45 ◼   ► you have to concentrate to really to [TS]

00:03:47 ◼   ► catch all of the amazing things that she [TS]

00:03:49 ◼   ► is doing with language and with [TS]

00:03:50 ◼   ► character with setting world building [TS]

00:03:52 ◼   ► and all that kind of stuff so i think i [TS]

00:03:54 ◼   ► have spread her books out quite a bit in [TS]

00:03:57 ◼   ► part just because i need more time to [TS]

00:04:00 ◼   ► chew on all of that stuff and it feels [TS]

00:04:03 ◼   ► like it's it's like exercise like when [TS]

00:04:05 ◼   ► i'm doing it it's like yeah this feels [TS]

00:04:07 ◼   ► really great and afterwards i'm so happy [TS]

00:04:09 ◼   ► to have done it but beforehand like I [TS]

00:04:12 ◼   ► never actually you know I'm not terribly [TS]

00:04:14 ◼   ► looking forward to exercise most of the [TS]

00:04:16 ◼   ► time so so that's sort of I think about [TS]

00:04:18 ◼   ► her books as you know an even better [TS]

00:04:22 ◼   ► version of exercise from [TS]

00:04:24 ◼   ► let's go side I do not feel that way [TS]

00:04:26 ◼   ► while I'm exercising although she feel [TS]

00:04:28 ◼   ► the way after I of it okay i will say [TS]

00:04:31 ◼   ► that but I do as I'm reading that's why [TS]

00:04:33 ◼   ► NK jemisin is not like exercise for me [TS]

00:04:36 ◼   ► because I enjoy it as I'm doing it [TS]

00:04:38 ◼   ► although much like Jason I don't like [TS]

00:04:42 ◼   ► devour her books one by one there's [TS]

00:04:44 ◼   ► actually I think there's one book of [TS]

00:04:46 ◼   ► hers I have not read yet and it's it's [TS]

00:04:49 ◼   ► sitting next to me actually but I just [TS]

00:04:50 ◼   ► haven't read it I was all going to read [TS]

00:04:53 ◼   ► it but then the new ian MacDonald book [TS]

00:04:54 ◼   ► came out so I had to read that first but [TS]

00:04:57 ◼   ► had to you it has 14 priority some moral [TS]

00:04:59 ◼   ► imperative he is one of my favorite [TS]

00:05:02 ◼   ► authors NK jemisin also one of my [TS]

00:05:05 ◼   ► favorite authors but I think he nudges [TS]

00:05:07 ◼   ► her out but they both share the thing [TS]

00:05:09 ◼   ► they share in common is that they write [TS]

00:05:12 ◼   ► complex layered stories and they they [TS]

00:05:15 ◼   ► get so much worldbuilding I think out of [TS]

00:05:18 ◼   ► a small amount of writing so you know I [TS]

00:05:23 ◼   ► just Marvel as I'm reading both of them [TS]

00:05:24 ◼   ► about how much they get with such [TS]

00:05:27 ◼   ► economy of language and they do it so [TS]

00:05:30 ◼   ► well and you know Jason you and I were [TS]

00:05:32 ◼   ► talking about John Scalzi and about how [TS]

00:05:35 ◼   ► you know he's he's a good writer nothing [TS]

00:05:37 ◼   ► against John Scalzi he's an entertaining [TS]

00:05:39 ◼   ► writer he writes books that are quick to [TS]

00:05:41 ◼   ► read they always have fun as I'm reading [TS]

00:05:43 ◼   ► them but after i am done with him I've [TS]

00:05:46 ◼   ► never had that moment where I think that [TS]

00:05:48 ◼   ► was a really great book but every time [TS]

00:05:51 ◼   ► i've read an NK jemisin book I I think [TS]

00:05:54 ◼   ► that was a really great book I felt that [TS]

00:05:57 ◼   ► way about scalzi after the first in the [TS]

00:05:59 ◼   ► old man's war series i was like this was [TS]

00:06:01 ◼   ► a really great book but with MK jemison [TS]

00:06:04 ◼   ► i did so I I hadn't heard of her until [TS]

00:06:08 ◼   ► we did the Hugo nominated novels last [TS]

00:06:11 ◼   ► year and I read the fifth season and I [TS]

00:06:14 ◼   ► kept gushing about it got my husband to [TS]

00:06:16 ◼   ► read it and then as soon as the obelisk [TS]

00:06:19 ◼   ► gate came out we both blew through it [TS]

00:06:21 ◼   ► and in the kind of the interim between [TS]

00:06:24 ◼   ► but when I read the fifth season when [TS]

00:06:27 ◼   ► the obelisk 8 came out i read the [TS]

00:06:31 ◼   ► hundred thousand kingdoms like just one [TS]

00:06:33 ◼   ► after another so I'm like eric has [TS]

00:06:35 ◼   ► experience of it being kind of like [TS]

00:06:37 ◼   ► exercise where it's like [TS]

00:06:38 ◼   ► rewarding kind of as you're doing and [TS]

00:06:40 ◼   ► after you've done it I was like no I [TS]

00:06:41 ◼   ► need more from her and so I just kept [TS]

00:06:44 ◼   ► reading it and at this point I've read [TS]

00:06:45 ◼   ► the fifth season three times obelisk 8i [TS]

00:06:49 ◼   ► think twice in in between reading other [TS]

00:06:53 ◼   ► things too I just I love them she's such [TS]

00:06:56 ◼   ► a you know we were talking about economy [TS]

00:06:59 ◼   ► of language but she's also it's just [TS]

00:07:01 ◼   ► this beautiful poetic writing and I [TS]

00:07:04 ◼   ► don't have to work to understand what's [TS]

00:07:06 ◼   ► getting and going on in her novels like [TS]

00:07:08 ◼   ► I do like I'm reading nine fox gambit [TS]

00:07:11 ◼   ► right now and I'm like five percent [TS]

00:07:13 ◼   ► through it and it is so hard I have no [TS]

00:07:16 ◼   ► idea what's going on this universe is so [TS]

00:07:19 ◼   ► very different from from what I'm used [TS]

00:07:21 ◼   ► to in so like that work I have to do of [TS]

00:07:24 ◼   ► getting into things and I don't have to [TS]

00:07:27 ◼   ► do with her books as much she's I feel [TS]

00:07:29 ◼   ► like she's got a gentler ramp up an [TS]

00:07:32 ◼   ► introduction into these universes than [TS]

00:07:34 ◼   ► other science fiction and fantasy novels [TS]

00:07:36 ◼   ► I have but they are dense like there [TS]

00:07:38 ◼   ► there's a lot to them they're complex [TS]

00:07:40 ◼   ► but I don't have to work like I do with [TS]

00:07:42 ◼   ► other science fiction and fantasy books [TS]

00:07:44 ◼   ► one of the things I reach about NK [TS]

00:07:46 ◼   ► Jefferson is your you bring up nine fox [TS]

00:07:50 ◼   ► gambit which I read which I thought was [TS]

00:07:52 ◼   ► fantastic one thing it does not do is [TS]

00:07:53 ◼   ► that kind of moment where there's an [TS]

00:07:55 ◼   ► info dump or as you know Bob that [TS]

00:07:57 ◼   ► explains the rules of the language are [TS]

00:08:00 ◼   ► of the world I should say so ropes to [TS]

00:08:02 ◼   ► the book you have very you have almost [TS]

00:08:04 ◼   ► no idea what's going on which I like and [TS]

00:08:07 ◼   ► I really liked that book spoil alert for [TS]

00:08:08 ◼   ► the nebula nominated podcast that we do [TS]

00:08:11 ◼   ► but she also in as particularly the [TS]

00:08:14 ◼   ► fifth season and the obligate I feel [TS]

00:08:16 ◼   ► like she throws us into this world the [TS]

00:08:18 ◼   ► story is happening she doesn't take a [TS]

00:08:21 ◼   ► lot of time to tell us okay there were [TS]

00:08:23 ◼   ► people who can you know control the [TS]

00:08:25 ◼   ► earth with their their brains and these [TS]

00:08:28 ◼   ► by the way these obelisks were from a [TS]

00:08:30 ◼   ► past civilization and they do stuff and [TS]

00:08:33 ◼   ► you just kind of have you learned it as [TS]

00:08:35 ◼   ► it's happening which I like yeah it is I [TS]

00:08:38 ◼   ► think about this a lot when I'm reading [TS]

00:08:40 ◼   ► science fiction books because obviously [TS]

00:08:42 ◼   ► if you're not setting it in a world that [TS]

00:08:44 ◼   ► we know you have to establish the world [TS]

00:08:46 ◼   ► and it is hard to do that in a way that [TS]

00:08:50 ◼   ► doesn't come across as [TS]

00:08:51 ◼   ► as you know Bob or completely baffling [TS]

00:08:54 ◼   ► that is a hard line to walk because as a [TS]

00:08:56 ◼   ► writer these are right you know these [TS]

00:08:58 ◼   ► writers have to very carefully like [TS]

00:09:01 ◼   ► structure the stories so that [TS]

00:09:03 ◼   ► information is given to you so that you [TS]

00:09:06 ◼   ► can figure it out and if you're too far [TS]

00:09:08 ◼   ► in one level it says you know Bob and [TS]

00:09:10 ◼   ► you're too far the other direction and [TS]

00:09:11 ◼   ► it's like you know nfm or I mean there [TS]

00:09:15 ◼   ► are a few other examples that I can [TS]

00:09:16 ◼   ► think of where a lot of people say oh I [TS]

00:09:18 ◼   ► just didn't even understand what was [TS]

00:09:19 ◼   ► going on like what a lien said about [TS]

00:09:21 ◼   ► nine Fox gambit right and and so if you [TS]

00:09:23 ◼   ► can if you can nail that it is a there's [TS]

00:09:25 ◼   ► a really great a bit of work and it's [TS]

00:09:27 ◼   ► not like NK Jameson's work is in the [TS]

00:09:31 ◼   ► regular world right like she sets up [TS]

00:09:33 ◼   ► these very specific sequences of events [TS]

00:09:37 ◼   ► and you're like I don't know where this [TS]

00:09:39 ◼   ► is and what's the setting and is this [TS]

00:09:40 ◼   ► even earth the answer is it's not and [TS]

00:09:42 ◼   ► how we're probably not and yes and you [TS]

00:09:46 ◼   ► have to or is it who knows but you have [TS]

00:09:48 ◼   ► to figure figure it out but she does [TS]

00:09:50 ◼   ► pull you along I know some people get [TS]

00:09:52 ◼   ► frustrated when you don't give [TS]

00:09:54 ◼   ► everything to all the information to [TS]

00:09:56 ◼   ► them up front right there like Idol I [TS]

00:09:57 ◼   ► don't understand I see that on TV shows [TS]

00:09:59 ◼   ► to where people are like but we don't [TS]

00:10:01 ◼   ► even know why that's the way it is it's [TS]

00:10:03 ◼   ► like yeah that's the point is it's a [TS]

00:10:05 ◼   ► mystery but you know she does it in a [TS]

00:10:08 ◼   ► way that isn't frustrating it's just [TS]

00:10:09 ◼   ► like you're learning it's very artful I [TS]

00:10:11 ◼   ► i I'm really impressed because these are [TS]

00:10:13 ◼   ► super weird worlds that she's created [TS]

00:10:16 ◼   ► the hundred thousand kingdoms at [TS]

00:10:18 ◼   ► inheritance trilogy a very strange world [TS]

00:10:21 ◼   ► that she's built but you figure it out [TS]

00:10:23 ◼   ► as you go and likewise with the the [TS]

00:10:25 ◼   ► fifth season universe it's it's you [TS]

00:10:27 ◼   ► figure it out especially since in the [TS]

00:10:29 ◼   ► fifth season it's a it's sort of [TS]

00:10:31 ◼   ► happening at three different times at [TS]

00:10:33 ◼   ► once there are three different points of [TS]

00:10:36 ◼   ► view that are going on and so you're [TS]

00:10:39 ◼   ► learning about the world in like in [TS]

00:10:40 ◼   ► these different places in different [TS]

00:10:42 ◼   ► times so you're getting kind of a vaster [TS]

00:10:44 ◼   ► picture of it than you would if you were [TS]

00:10:46 ◼   ► learning through the eyes of like just a [TS]

00:10:48 ◼   ► single character living through their [TS]

00:10:50 ◼   ► life in one in one place alright you [TS]

00:10:52 ◼   ► know one journey so it's but I [TS]

00:10:54 ◼   ► appreciate that we are going to spoil [TS]

00:10:56 ◼   ► some of these books now so if you're [TS]

00:10:58 ◼   ► completely a completely spoiler averse [TS]

00:11:01 ◼   ► and yet listening to this episode I [TS]

00:11:02 ◼   ► would say you might want to go read [TS]

00:11:04 ◼   ► especially [TS]

00:11:05 ◼   ► you should read the very least fifth [TS]

00:11:08 ◼   ► season and then and then come back [TS]

00:11:10 ◼   ► because I'm about to say something that [TS]

00:11:12 ◼   ► is kind of a spoiler but to Erica's [TS]

00:11:14 ◼   ► point about the time frames one of the [TS]

00:11:16 ◼   ► things I really love about the fifth [TS]

00:11:18 ◼   ► season is that you're seeing a story [TS]

00:11:21 ◼   ► told in three different the three [TS]

00:11:23 ◼   ► different stories and it's unclear I [TS]

00:11:27 ◼   ► mean it's clear that they must be in [TS]

00:11:28 ◼   ► different time zones because one of the [TS]

00:11:30 ◼   ► time zones is sort of the end of the [TS]

00:11:31 ◼   ► world and the other two don't seem to [TS]

00:11:34 ◼   ► reflect that but it's unclear exactly [TS]

00:11:36 ◼   ► what you're seeing and then as it [TS]

00:11:39 ◼   ► becomes clearer you start to wonder if [TS]

00:11:42 ◼   ► the same character is if it's the same [TS]

00:11:45 ◼   ► character in all three time zones and if [TS]

00:11:47 ◼   ► that what you're really seeing is this [TS]

00:11:49 ◼   ► woman's life told out of sequence but I [TS]

00:11:52 ◼   ► feel like you can Intuit that this is [TS]

00:11:54 ◼   ► one of those artful things you can [TS]

00:11:56 ◼   ► Intuit that fairly early but you're not [TS]

00:11:58 ◼   ► giving confirmation of it until quite [TS]

00:11:59 ◼   ► late and I think that's kind of [TS]

00:12:01 ◼   ► brilliant that you don't know you know [TS]

00:12:04 ◼   ► whether you think you know what you [TS]

00:12:06 ◼   ► think is true is actually true until you [TS]

00:12:08 ◼   ► get fairly close to the end and when [TS]

00:12:10 ◼   ► it's revealed that it really is three [TS]

00:12:12 ◼   ► very different phases of this one [TS]

00:12:13 ◼   ► woman's life which is it's four [TS]

00:12:15 ◼   ► different names even which i think is a [TS]

00:12:16 ◼   ► tricky thing I didn't pick up on that [TS]

00:12:19 ◼   ► until um so I listened the last time I [TS]

00:12:23 ◼   ► read um was actually I finished it this [TS]

00:12:26 ◼   ► morning so uh but I listened to it and I [TS]

00:12:29 ◼   ► was just kind of puttering around the [TS]

00:12:32 ◼   ► house and it came to that that first [TS]

00:12:34 ◼   ► reveal about um cyan and desmaya being [TS]

00:12:39 ◼   ► the same person and I remember reading [TS]

00:12:41 ◼   ► that for the first time on and then you [TS]

00:12:44 ◼   ► know and Justin was kind of standing [TS]

00:12:46 ◼   ► beside me when that happened and we [TS]

00:12:48 ◼   ► looked at each other we were like that [TS]

00:12:49 ◼   ► was really a cool moment for us the [TS]

00:12:52 ◼   ► second reveal wasn't as much like by [TS]

00:12:55 ◼   ► that point I was like oh yeah this is [TS]

00:12:56 ◼   ► you know this is her even later on but [TS]

00:12:59 ◼   ► she does such a great job of switching [TS]

00:13:02 ◼   ► between first-person and third-person [TS]

00:13:04 ◼   ► and telling these stories and then they [TS]

00:13:07 ◼   ► converge and they make sense and it's [TS]

00:13:10 ◼   ► just beautiful it's just it's art I just [TS]

00:13:14 ◼   ► I can't call it anything else I just [TS]

00:13:15 ◼   ► thought it was so artful and so [TS]

00:13:17 ◼   ► delightful I have to say it is it is [TS]

00:13:20 ◼   ► I mentioned this on the nebula episode [TS]

00:13:21 ◼   ► last year it is gutsy of her to start a [TS]

00:13:23 ◼   ► book with the death of a child with a [TS]

00:13:25 ◼   ► murder of a child because that that is [TS]

00:13:27 ◼   ► what happens at the beginning of the [TS]

00:13:28 ◼   ► book and that's that's like the author [TS]

00:13:31 ◼   ► just throwing down like well are you [TS]

00:13:33 ◼   ► going to come with with me or not on [TS]

00:13:34 ◼   ► this story because it starts out so [TS]

00:13:36 ◼   ► brutally but it really does inform sort [TS]

00:13:40 ◼   ► of like the journey of the character and [TS]

00:13:42 ◼   ► sort of retro actively why you know you [TS]

00:13:44 ◼   ► discover things about her later that she [TS]

00:13:46 ◼   ► did earlier that make you I mean that [TS]

00:13:50 ◼   ► it's almost like a holographic [TS]

00:13:51 ◼   ► storytelling right because things that [TS]

00:13:53 ◼   ► you're seeing because of the way she's [TS]

00:13:54 ◼   ► chosen the time sequences you are you [TS]

00:13:58 ◼   ► are judging her based on something that [TS]

00:14:00 ◼   ► happened here and then later in the book [TS]

00:14:02 ◼   ► you realize oh that's because of this [TS]

00:14:04 ◼   ► thing that happened earlier once you [TS]

00:14:06 ◼   ► realize that all three timelines are are [TS]

00:14:08 ◼   ► actually her at different phases in her [TS]

00:14:10 ◼   ► life it so this is a I mean there's a [TS]

00:14:12 ◼   ► recent one the award right it is is [TS]

00:14:15 ◼   ► pretty a pretty spectacular bit of work [TS]

00:14:17 ◼   ► I should explain by the way for those [TS]

00:14:19 ◼   ► who are still with us but don't know [TS]

00:14:20 ◼   ► what back we're talking about a little [TS]

00:14:23 ◼   ► bit about this this is a world that is [TS]

00:14:24 ◼   ► set sort of a a series of apocalypses [TS]

00:14:27 ◼   ► the idea here is that every now and then [TS]

00:14:29 ◼   ► the fifth season comes along which is a [TS]

00:14:30 ◼   ► season of destruction and there are it's [TS]

00:14:33 ◼   ► a weird world where they're like gems [TS]

00:14:35 ◼   ► floating in the sky and there's there's [TS]

00:14:37 ◼   ► old technology that it still exists from [TS]

00:14:39 ◼   ► previous apocalypses and there's no moon [TS]

00:14:42 ◼   ► there's no moon which is hinted at a [TS]

00:14:45 ◼   ► couple of points and I kept thinking to [TS]

00:14:46 ◼   ► myself hmm I think this is something [TS]

00:14:49 ◼   ► about the moon not expecting the last [TS]

00:14:51 ◼   ► line of the of the first book of the [TS]

00:14:53 ◼   ► fifth season to be the payoff of like [TS]

00:14:56 ◼   ► that there's the this is all about the [TS]

00:14:58 ◼   ► fact that there's no moon what does that [TS]

00:14:59 ◼   ► mean but but as was mentioned earlier [TS]

00:15:03 ◼   ► there is this whole earth power thing [TS]

00:15:06 ◼   ► where its people with lava powers or [TS]

00:15:08 ◼   ► earthquake powers and they can still [TS]

00:15:09 ◼   ► earthquakes and they can create [TS]

00:15:10 ◼   ► earthquakes and the most powerful of [TS]

00:15:12 ◼   ► these origins or rogas depending on [TS]

00:15:15 ◼   ► whether you're slandering them or not is [TS]

00:15:17 ◼   ► they can they can cause the world to end [TS]

00:15:20 ◼   ► basically because that's what happens in [TS]

00:15:22 ◼   ► the prologue of the fifth season is that [TS]

00:15:24 ◼   ► somebody destroys the world who we then [TS]

00:15:26 ◼   ► meet later and discover quite what led [TS]

00:15:29 ◼   ► him to that moment of [TS]

00:15:31 ◼   ► during a large part of the world asunder [TS]

00:15:33 ◼   ► and it's all III don't mean I've used [TS]

00:15:37 ◼   ► this with people to explain what this [TS]

00:15:38 ◼   ► book is like is and I don't mean it to [TS]

00:15:41 ◼   ► be flippin I'm not trying to joke here [TS]

00:15:43 ◼   ► I'm not trying to run down the book it [TS]

00:15:45 ◼   ► is a very serious carefully constructed [TS]

00:15:48 ◼   ► book that on another level strikes me as [TS]

00:15:50 ◼   ► being like one of the best x-men stories [TS]

00:15:53 ◼   ► ever told because these horrid jeans are [TS]

00:15:56 ◼   ► like kind of their kind of mutants and [TS]

00:15:58 ◼   ► there and they're treated badly but they [TS]

00:16:00 ◼   ► have powers and the question is like [TS]

00:16:02 ◼   ► this there's a social structure that's [TS]

00:16:04 ◼   ► meant to give give them you know the the [TS]

00:16:06 ◼   ► society is supposed to control them [TS]

00:16:07 ◼   ► completely but do they rise up against [TS]

00:16:10 ◼   ► it but you know there but they're [TS]

00:16:11 ◼   ► dangerous and they can hurt people and [TS]

00:16:13 ◼   ► it is that kind of a story but you would [TS]

00:16:15 ◼   ► never think that just you know on first [TS]

00:16:18 ◼   ► glance because of the way that the story [TS]

00:16:19 ◼   ► is told but I did appreciate that that [TS]

00:16:22 ◼   ► you know like every now and then I read [TS]

00:16:24 ◼   ► a book and I'm like oh this is kind of [TS]

00:16:25 ◼   ► like the x-men in a you know it maybe I [TS]

00:16:28 ◼   ► read a lot of comics but like the rook [TS]

00:16:30 ◼   ► actually me um the rook feels like the [TS]

00:16:32 ◼   ► x-men 2 it's the same thing where it's [TS]

00:16:34 ◼   ► like these wack the group of people with [TS]

00:16:36 ◼   ► wacky powers but here it's the [TS]

00:16:37 ◼   ► oppression that gets to me the fact that [TS]

00:16:39 ◼   ► these these incredibly powerful people [TS]

00:16:40 ◼   ► are treated very badly even though [TS]

00:16:43 ◼   ► they're so powerful by people who fear [TS]

00:16:46 ◼   ► them and that that definitely gave me [TS]

00:16:47 ◼   ► that vibe and it's one of the things I [TS]

00:16:49 ◼   ► love about these books is that the the [TS]

00:16:51 ◼   ► origins are really really badly treated [TS]

00:16:54 ◼   ► and it's like everybody's afraid of them [TS]

00:16:57 ◼   ► for good reason but everybody's afraid [TS]

00:16:59 ◼   ► of them yeah they're brought to like [TS]

00:17:00 ◼   ► basically voluntary slavery there the [TS]

00:17:04 ◼   ► guardians are sort of their jailers but [TS]

00:17:07 ◼   ► it's not a typical jail because you know [TS]

00:17:10 ◼   ► they live in dormitories and they go to [TS]

00:17:11 ◼   ► classes and stuff like that they're just [TS]

00:17:13 ◼   ► sort of brainwashed into into thinking [TS]

00:17:16 ◼   ► that they are cursed and terrible people [TS]

00:17:19 ◼   ► because of these powers that they have [TS]

00:17:20 ◼   ► and anything bad that happens in the [TS]

00:17:22 ◼   ► world is probably going to be their [TS]

00:17:24 ◼   ► fault so they need to be watched at all [TS]

00:17:25 ◼   ► times unless they have lots and lots of [TS]

00:17:27 ◼   ► rings and are very powerful apparently [TS]

00:17:29 ◼   ► except not really as I learn later or [TS]

00:17:32 ◼   ► you could you could say imagine sorry [TS]

00:17:34 ◼   ► for this Scott but imagine if if in [TS]

00:17:36 ◼   ► harry potter instead of yay I get to go [TS]

00:17:39 ◼   ► to school and then do a magic job it's [TS]

00:17:40 ◼   ► like you will go to this school and then [TS]

00:17:42 ◼   ► you will do this job but the muggles [TS]

00:17:44 ◼   ► we'll be in charge of you all the time [TS]

00:17:45 ◼   ► it's that same idea you find out that [TS]

00:17:47 ◼   ► you're a very special person but the bad [TS]

00:17:50 ◼   ► news is you are going to be treated [TS]

00:17:51 ◼   ► horribly and have no choice in your life [TS]

00:17:53 ◼   ► because you because you are special and [TS]

00:17:55 ◼   ► that that's the ugly that's not what [TS]

00:17:57 ◼   ► happens in Harry Potter but it is what [TS]

00:17:59 ◼   ► happens in the x-men so that's why I'm [TS]

00:18:01 ◼   ► sticking with my x-men Theory here yeah [TS]

00:18:03 ◼   ► so the the fifth season tells the story [TS]

00:18:06 ◼   ► of this one character in the three time [TS]

00:18:07 ◼   ► frames and we meet a lot of interesting [TS]

00:18:09 ◼   ► characters along the way especially [TS]

00:18:10 ◼   ► alabaster who is named satirically by [TS]

00:18:14 ◼   ► people as alabaster because he is the [TS]

00:18:16 ◼   ► darkest skin that anybody's seen one of [TS]

00:18:18 ◼   ► the things that I think is the case in [TS]

00:18:20 ◼   ► the in these books is that it's very [TS]

00:18:23 ◼   ► clear there there are that a lot of the [TS]

00:18:26 ◼   ► people there are a lot of different skin [TS]

00:18:27 ◼   ► tones in the books and she does make a [TS]

00:18:28 ◼   ► point it's not it doesn't come across as [TS]

00:18:29 ◼   ► anything other than matter of fact but [TS]

00:18:32 ◼   ► you do kind of notice and she does a lot [TS]

00:18:33 ◼   ► of inversions to where I believe in both [TS]

00:18:35 ◼   ► of her novel series she talks about [TS]

00:18:37 ◼   ► people with light skin as being like [TS]

00:18:38 ◼   ► from I think of a hundred thousand [TS]

00:18:40 ◼   ► kingdoms the light skinned people are [TS]

00:18:42 ◼   ► from like the equator and and and the [TS]

00:18:44 ◼   ► darker skinned people are at the poles [TS]

00:18:46 ◼   ► and she just is a lot of playing around [TS]

00:18:48 ◼   ► with issues of race and things like that [TS]

00:18:50 ◼   ► but alabaster is is the darkest skin [TS]

00:18:53 ◼   ► that anybody's ever seen and so that of [TS]

00:18:55 ◼   ► course the column alabaster and he's a [TS]

00:18:57 ◼   ► fascinating character who you think is [TS]

00:18:58 ◼   ► you've never you're never gonna see him [TS]

00:19:00 ◼   ► again after what happens in the first [TS]

00:19:01 ◼   ► book but no he's a character in the [TS]

00:19:03 ◼   ► whole second book too mm-hmm quite an [TS]

00:19:06 ◼   ► important character too I mean he's sort [TS]

00:19:08 ◼   ► of the part of the found family that [TS]

00:19:10 ◼   ► that she sort of create creates around [TS]

00:19:13 ◼   ► her or maybe draws to herself right the [TS]

00:19:16 ◼   ► main character whose name at that time [TS]

00:19:18 ◼   ► is Essen right yes okay I get mixed up [TS]

00:19:22 ◼   ► because she had three different names in [TS]

00:19:24 ◼   ► the first book so it's that's the one [TS]

00:19:26 ◼   ► that sort of carries over into the [TS]

00:19:27 ◼   ► second book the obolus gate is funny [TS]

00:19:30 ◼   ► because it's um it's a it's what happens [TS]

00:19:33 ◼   ► after the world ends because alabaster [TS]

00:19:36 ◼   ► has basically destroyed the main city [TS]

00:19:37 ◼   ► and and and created this it's going to [TS]

00:19:40 ◼   ► be sort of unlivable conditions in this [TS]

00:19:42 ◼   ► world for so long that perhaps nobody [TS]

00:19:44 ◼   ► will survive it and so where do you go [TS]

00:19:47 ◼   ► from there and the answer is that there [TS]

00:19:49 ◼   ► there are other other forces at play [TS]

00:19:52 ◼   ► here there are these you know basically [TS]

00:19:54 ◼   ► like rock people [TS]

00:19:57 ◼   ► who who live in donators they have the [TS]

00:20:00 ◼   ► stone eaters who live in the ground and [TS]

00:20:02 ◼   ► and you get the sense that there is this [TS]

00:20:04 ◼   ► this this battle happening on a much [TS]

00:20:06 ◼   ► higher level what happened to the moon [TS]

00:20:08 ◼   ► why are these gems floating in the air [TS]

00:20:12 ◼   ► and turns out that they are machines [TS]

00:20:15 ◼   ► that can be kind of like tuned by the [TS]

00:20:17 ◼   ► powers of the origins and we spend a lot [TS]

00:20:19 ◼   ► of time in obelisk aid inside a like a [TS]

00:20:23 ◼   ► geode where they're in this like [TS]

00:20:24 ◼   ► underground city where where alabaster [TS]

00:20:28 ◼   ► is there but he's dying and and [TS]

00:20:31 ◼   ► literally turning to stone right and [TS]

00:20:34 ◼   ► being eaten by a stone eater yeah yeah [TS]

00:20:37 ◼   ► you not at all creepy or is it creepy or [TS]

00:20:41 ◼   ► is it sort of beautiful I don't know [TS]

00:20:43 ◼   ► creepy I'm firmly auntie creepy all [TS]

00:20:48 ◼   ► right why not both are Mary our main [TS]

00:20:49 ◼   ► character with her many names um essen [TS]

00:20:52 ◼   ► in in obligate her her status as a [TS]

00:20:57 ◼   ► mother as really comes to the fore in [TS]

00:20:59 ◼   ► the second book which is that we saw her [TS]

00:21:01 ◼   ► her son killed at the beginning of the [TS]

00:21:04 ◼   ► first book and and and what happens is [TS]

00:21:06 ◼   ► her husband takes her their daughter and [TS]

00:21:09 ◼   ► leaves and so she's she she discovers [TS]

00:21:12 ◼   ► her son is dead and her daughter is gone [TS]

00:21:13 ◼   ► and her husband killed the son but kept [TS]

00:21:16 ◼   ► the daughter and in obligate we finally [TS]

00:21:19 ◼   ► get to see what happens with her husband [TS]

00:21:22 ◼   ► and daughter and that's told so instead [TS]

00:21:25 ◼   ► of having the parallel stories of the [TS]

00:21:26 ◼   ► her three timelines we get the parallel [TS]

00:21:28 ◼   ► stories of mother and daughter and the [TS]

00:21:30 ◼   ► fact that that like mother like daughter [TS]

00:21:31 ◼   ► she has a she has a some power that that [TS]

00:21:36 ◼   ► is perhaps potentially quite important [TS]

00:21:39 ◼   ► to what happens to this to the world and [TS]

00:21:42 ◼   ► whether the whether the world can can [TS]

00:21:44 ◼   ► survive or not but I like that I like [TS]

00:21:45 ◼   ► that we finally got I kind of wrote that [TS]

00:21:48 ◼   ► off as something we wouldn't see very [TS]

00:21:49 ◼   ► much of and instead an obolus gate it's [TS]

00:21:51 ◼   ► like she just put it aside and said [TS]

00:21:53 ◼   ► we'll get back to the father and the [TS]

00:21:54 ◼   ► daughter I'm gonna get there but but [TS]

00:21:56 ◼   ► you're gonna have to wait until book too [TS]

00:21:57 ◼   ► it's kind of like in in the first book [TS]

00:21:59 ◼   ► you have as you are saying the idea of [TS]

00:22:02 ◼   ► the oppressed origenes and that whole [TS]

00:22:05 ◼   ► idea sort of on a societal level its [TS]

00:22:08 ◼   ► writ large and [TS]

00:22:09 ◼   ► then we focus in on that very same thing [TS]

00:22:12 ◼   ► in a second book because we watch the [TS]

00:22:14 ◼   ► journey with with her daughter NASA and [TS]

00:22:17 ◼   ► the father Geeta I believe is his name [TS]

00:22:19 ◼   ► and you know he is so very very filled [TS]

00:22:23 ◼   ► with these prejudices that he's been [TS]

00:22:25 ◼   ► brought up with that he killed his own [TS]

00:22:27 ◼   ► son at the beginning of the at the [TS]

00:22:28 ◼   ► beginning of the first book and he you [TS]

00:22:30 ◼   ► know rescues his daughter who was the [TS]

00:22:32 ◼   ► good child because he at first doesn't [TS]

00:22:34 ◼   ► know that she has powers and then you [TS]

00:22:36 ◼   ► get to watch the evolution of that [TS]

00:22:39 ◼   ► father-daughter relationship which is I [TS]

00:22:41 ◼   ► mean she's such a daddy's girl at the [TS]

00:22:42 ◼   ► beginning of the book and she's hiding [TS]

00:22:45 ◼   ► her power from him because she loves him [TS]

00:22:47 ◼   ► so much and then you get to see the [TS]

00:22:48 ◼   ► evolution of that that relationship as [TS]

00:22:51 ◼   ► she can't hide it anymore and and how he [TS]

00:22:54 ◼   ► really has some some you know sort of [TS]

00:22:57 ◼   ► friesian going on in his head when he's [TS]

00:22:59 ◼   ► trying to keep these two thoughts in his [TS]

00:23:01 ◼   ► head that this is the girl he loves so [TS]

00:23:02 ◼   ► much and yet she's got these terrible [TS]

00:23:04 ◼   ► powers so she must be evil and and that [TS]

00:23:06 ◼   ► ends up driving a big part of the plot [TS]

00:23:07 ◼   ► towards the end the book clean after [TS]

00:23:09 ◼   ► reading the first book how did Avila [TS]

00:23:12 ◼   ► skate hit you right because obviously [TS]

00:23:14 ◼   ► fifth season really you loved it and it [TS]

00:23:17 ◼   ► jumped out it I did so what was your [TS]

00:23:19 ◼   ► reaction to the sequel it's that's a [TS]

00:23:20 ◼   ► hard act to follow right it's a really [TS]

00:23:23 ◼   ► hard act to follow I liked it quite a [TS]

00:23:26 ◼   ► bit i wish that I'd had more time so [TS]

00:23:28 ◼   ► that i could have reread it again and [TS]

00:23:30 ◼   ► because what i found is that i remember [TS]

00:23:32 ◼   ► a lot more I felt like the first book [TS]

00:23:35 ◼   ► had a lot more memorable moments in it [TS]

00:23:36 ◼   ► then the second book does in the second [TS]

00:23:39 ◼   ► book it's been oh gosh since it came out [TS]

00:23:42 ◼   ► so that's what close to six months ago [TS]

00:23:43 ◼   ► since I've read that and so I I'm [TS]

00:23:46 ◼   ► finding that like I've got little [TS]

00:23:47 ◼   ► flashes of things that happen like more [TS]

00:23:50 ◼   ► with the obelisks more of the [TS]

00:23:52 ◼   ► father-daughter story and I remember the [TS]

00:23:55 ◼   ► end kind of well but other than that [TS]

00:23:58 ◼   ► it's kind of it's kind of a blur so I [TS]

00:24:01 ◼   ► wouldn't say that it falls into I've [TS]

00:24:03 ◼   ► heard a lot of people you know that the [TS]

00:24:05 ◼   ► stereotypical track trap of a second [TS]

00:24:07 ◼   ► novel like it so it's just bridging the [TS]

00:24:09 ◼   ► story and I felt like it did that some [TS]

00:24:11 ◼   ► but I do feel like it's got a lot of [TS]

00:24:13 ◼   ► good solid ground on its own and because [TS]

00:24:16 ◼   ► there are some second books that I just [TS]

00:24:18 ◼   ► don't remember at all [TS]

00:24:20 ◼   ► and so I enjoyed it quite a bit but and [TS]

00:24:24 ◼   ► a lot of that I think is just [TS]

00:24:25 ◼   ► appreciation for jemison as a writer and [TS]

00:24:28 ◼   ► going back and having those moments [TS]

00:24:29 ◼   ► where I read a sentence as a writer and [TS]

00:24:31 ◼   ► editor and I'm like wow that was pretty [TS]

00:24:35 ◼   ► i'm going to read that again and so [TS]

00:24:37 ◼   ► maybe if she weren't such a lyrical [TS]

00:24:41 ◼   ► writer i wouldn't it also wouldn't have [TS]

00:24:44 ◼   ► stuck with me as much as it has but i [TS]

00:24:45 ◼   ► think i think it's really solid [TS]

00:24:47 ◼   ► especially you know for for a second [TS]

00:24:49 ◼   ► book yeah the third book is coming out [TS]

00:24:51 ◼   ► this summer so people can look for it I [TS]

00:24:54 ◼   ► the one of the one of the things that I [TS]

00:24:57 ◼   ► really like about this these books when [TS]

00:24:58 ◼   ► I think about it is I think about the [TS]

00:25:02 ◼   ► the I keep mentioning them these gems in [TS]

00:25:05 ◼   ► the sky these things that are floating [TS]

00:25:07 ◼   ► in the sky which in the first book [TS]

00:25:09 ◼   ► initially seems just like colorful world [TS]

00:25:12 ◼   ► building of like imagery like oh this is [TS]

00:25:16 ◼   ► a magical place where people can create [TS]

00:25:18 ◼   ► earthquakes and there were gyms floating [TS]

00:25:20 ◼   ► in the sky and it turns out that it's [TS]

00:25:22 ◼   ► way more complicated than that and [TS]

00:25:25 ◼   ► there's a gem that's down in the mud and [TS]

00:25:27 ◼   ► they try to lift it up and it ends up [TS]

00:25:30 ◼   ► you know causing a disaster and all of [TS]

00:25:33 ◼   ► these things that happen and then the [TS]

00:25:35 ◼   ► moon is that great thread right where [TS]

00:25:37 ◼   ► where I feel like there should be [TS]

00:25:39 ◼   ► something in the sky but it's not there [TS]

00:25:41 ◼   ► and and in the end that's the question [TS]

00:25:43 ◼   ► in the second book you realize that [TS]

00:25:45 ◼   ► where the series is going with its fun [TS]

00:25:47 ◼   ► with its its climax is it's all about [TS]

00:25:50 ◼   ► the moon it's about how the moon is [TS]

00:25:52 ◼   ► apparently correct me if I'm wrong [TS]

00:25:54 ◼   ► because it has been a little while since [TS]

00:25:55 ◼   ► I wrote it to the moon it suggested is a [TS]

00:25:58 ◼   ► stabilizing feature of this whether it's [TS]

00:26:01 ◼   ► earth or not it's a stabilizing feature [TS]

00:26:03 ◼   ► of this planet and since since some [TS]

00:26:06 ◼   ► magical something happen to knock it out [TS]

00:26:08 ◼   ► of orbit that's why there have been all [TS]

00:26:10 ◼   ► these disasters and so now the big plan [TS]

00:26:13 ◼   ► is that they need to catch the moon they [TS]

00:26:17 ◼   ► need to beating to the moon's coming [TS]

00:26:19 ◼   ► back around it's apparently in an orbit [TS]

00:26:20 ◼   ► that brings it back around every so [TS]

00:26:22 ◼   ► often and that all of this has been [TS]

00:26:24 ◼   ► leading to that moment and it's such an [TS]

00:26:25 ◼   ► just a ridiculous thing that it's just [TS]

00:26:28 ◼   ► out like I cannot believe she just did [TS]

00:26:30 ◼   ► that which is we're gonna you know we're [TS]

00:26:32 ◼   ► going to use all our powers this [TS]

00:26:34 ◼   ► what we're gonna do we're gonna get that [TS]

00:26:35 ◼   ► we're gonna get that moon back what it's [TS]

00:26:37 ◼   ► and that's how the second book ends so [TS]

00:26:40 ◼   ► um yeah the moon the moon is coming back [TS]

00:26:43 ◼   ► I think is what they say at the very end [TS]

00:26:45 ◼   ► of the Ovilus gate so we have to get it [TS]

00:26:46 ◼   ► that's that's the thing that I love [TS]

00:26:49 ◼   ► about this book too is that it really [TS]

00:26:51 ◼   ► did cast so many different shades of [TS]

00:26:54 ◼   ► light on the first book and the things [TS]

00:26:56 ◼   ► that I already thought that I knew about [TS]

00:26:58 ◼   ► the first book it widened the world and [TS]

00:27:01 ◼   ► changed change the way I saw things in a [TS]

00:27:03 ◼   ► number of ways it the moon was certainly [TS]

00:27:05 ◼   ► one of them and the obelisks being such [TS]

00:27:07 ◼   ► an important important piece of the [TS]

00:27:10 ◼   ► puzzle and also even just some of the [TS]

00:27:12 ◼   ► characters and stuff like you said Jason [TS]

00:27:14 ◼   ► I wasn't I didn't really think that we [TS]

00:27:16 ◼   ► were going to find out anything about [TS]

00:27:17 ◼   ► her daughter and then suddenly we not [TS]

00:27:19 ◼   ► only find out the the journey of her [TS]

00:27:21 ◼   ► daughter but that that she may or may [TS]

00:27:23 ◼   ► not in the third book have a really big [TS]

00:27:26 ◼   ► role to play in this catching the moon [TS]

00:27:28 ◼   ► sort of thing and then also we find out [TS]

00:27:31 ◼   ► in I think it's in the second book we [TS]

00:27:33 ◼   ► find out that when when cyan i believe [TS]

00:27:37 ◼   ► is her name at the time when she lifts [TS]

00:27:39 ◼   ► that first broken obelisk out of the mud [TS]

00:27:41 ◼   ► she for a brief moment she sees somebody [TS]

00:27:44 ◼   ► inside of it and we don't find out until [TS]

00:27:46 ◼   ► the second book that that's somebody [TS]

00:27:48 ◼   ► that she saw inside of it ends up being [TS]

00:27:50 ◼   ► this same little boy rock stone shooters [TS]

00:27:56 ◼   ► don't younger Noah who follows her [TS]

00:27:58 ◼   ► around all the way through the first [TS]

00:28:00 ◼   ► book and then into the second book and [TS]

00:28:01 ◼   ► right essen like we didn't even know [TS]

00:28:03 ◼   ► that that was the same same creature [TS]

00:28:05 ◼   ► until the second book and I'm like oh my [TS]

00:28:07 ◼   ► oh my god that's just it's another [TS]

00:28:10 ◼   ► mind-blowing moment character-wise to [TS]

00:28:12 ◼   ► this is all very carefully plotted right [TS]

00:28:14 ◼   ► I mean she obviously hadn't written all [TS]

00:28:15 ◼   ► three books before the first book was [TS]

00:28:17 ◼   ► released but clearly the story and the [TS]

00:28:19 ◼   ► details were there be a just it is it is [TS]

00:28:23 ◼   ► completely consistent it doesn't feel [TS]

00:28:24 ◼   ► like it's one book and the fifth season [TS]

00:28:26 ◼   ► can be enjoyed on its own without [TS]

00:28:29 ◼   ► reading the second book it doesn't feel [TS]

00:28:30 ◼   ► like you were sent you know you bought [TS]

00:28:32 ◼   ► half a book and a coupon for the rest of [TS]

00:28:34 ◼   ► it but yet it is I really appreciate the [TS]

00:28:38 ◼   ► feeling of planning like she knows what [TS]

00:28:39 ◼   ► story she's telling and and in obelisk 8 [TS]

00:28:42 ◼   ► you can see oh okay like a lot of the [TS]

00:28:45 ◼   ► stephanopoulos gate was totally set up [TS]

00:28:46 ◼   ► in [TS]

00:28:47 ◼   ► fifth season abs it absolutely was was [TS]

00:28:50 ◼   ► set there which is which is great I like [TS]

00:28:52 ◼   ► to see that I gives me confidence to [TS]

00:28:53 ◼   ► know that that the writer of the book [TS]

00:28:55 ◼   ► I'm reading has the confidence to and [TS]

00:28:57 ◼   ► the planning ability to do all of that [TS]

00:28:59 ◼   ► so that i can I can just read it and not [TS]

00:29:01 ◼   ► be afraid that they're gonna let me down [TS]

00:29:02 ◼   ► yeah I'd love to know how she like what [TS]

00:29:07 ◼   ► her specific process is for this so I [TS]

00:29:09 ◼   ► know you know I've heard like Patrick [TS]

00:29:11 ◼   ► Rothfuss talk about outlining books and [TS]

00:29:13 ◼   ► that kind of thing so is that something [TS]

00:29:15 ◼   ► that she did I haven't read a lot about [TS]

00:29:16 ◼   ► her her process but there are those [TS]

00:29:19 ◼   ► threads that she's carrying through and [TS]

00:29:21 ◼   ► a lot of them are like small little [TS]

00:29:23 ◼   ► things that I didn't notice until the [TS]

00:29:25 ◼   ► second read through and I was like oh [TS]

00:29:27 ◼   ► yeah that you know that happens well I [TS]

00:29:30 ◼   ► guess the third read through that [TS]

00:29:30 ◼   ► happens to connect this thing in the [TS]

00:29:33 ◼   ► second book but it's not profound and I [TS]

00:29:36 ◼   ► can't think of an example off the top of [TS]

00:29:37 ◼   ► my head but it's just it's a beautiful [TS]

00:29:40 ◼   ► beautifully woven and I wonder how how [TS]

00:29:43 ◼   ► she's planning that is she carrying it [TS]

00:29:45 ◼   ► in her head did she write an outline or [TS]

00:29:48 ◼   ► is it just all coming together and she's [TS]

00:29:49 ◼   ► like oh yeah you know she just knows you [TS]

00:29:52 ◼   ► know she dreamed it all and knows all of [TS]

00:29:54 ◼   ► these details i don't know i love the [TS]

00:29:57 ◼   ► idea of her just dreaming at all because [TS]

00:29:59 ◼   ► and then waking up and Giada get down [TS]

00:30:01 ◼   ► yeah totally what else should we say [TS]

00:30:03 ◼   ► about a fifth season and obelisk eight [TS]

00:30:06 ◼   ► um you know it's not completed but it's [TS]

00:30:08 ◼   ► coming out soon with the next part the [TS]

00:30:10 ◼   ► summer i wasn't i felt that obelisk [TS]

00:30:13 ◼   ► eight was was a very good follow up to [TS]

00:30:16 ◼   ► fifth season i I didn't you know [TS]

00:30:19 ◼   ► structurally it could do what the first [TS]

00:30:20 ◼   ► book did with the three different [TS]

00:30:21 ◼   ► timelines but it still found a way to [TS]

00:30:23 ◼   ► tell threaded stories in this world and [TS]

00:30:26 ◼   ► also further that mystery that comes [TS]

00:30:28 ◼   ► from the first book and I I didn't you [TS]

00:30:30 ◼   ► know I was quite happy about it I [TS]

00:30:32 ◼   ► thought good job good job inkay Jamison [TS]

00:30:35 ◼   ► good job good job well and I mean you [TS]

00:30:38 ◼   ► know this is I think a leading brought [TS]

00:30:40 ◼   ► this up the second book in a series [TS]

00:30:42 ◼   ► there's always that's a problem that the [TS]

00:30:46 ◼   ► first book out you know is your first [TS]

00:30:48 ◼   ► entree into this world and all this [TS]

00:30:50 ◼   ► stuff is exciting and new when you're [TS]

00:30:52 ◼   ► surprised by everything a second book [TS]

00:30:54 ◼   ► has a big job too it's almost impossible [TS]

00:30:57 ◼   ► for it to surprise you as much as the [TS]

00:30:59 ◼   ► first book does [TS]

00:31:00 ◼   ► but that being said I think this is a [TS]

00:31:02 ◼   ► really good second part of a trilogy [TS]

00:31:04 ◼   ► hopefully the third one will wrap it up [TS]

00:31:08 ◼   ► in be in a satisfying way and and I [TS]

00:31:12 ◼   ► enjoyed I would suggest that no one read [TS]

00:31:14 ◼   ► the second book without reading the [TS]

00:31:16 ◼   ► first book I don't know why you would do [TS]

00:31:18 ◼   ► that but people do lots of weird stuff [TS]

00:31:21 ◼   ► like listen to podcasts about books they [TS]

00:31:23 ◼   ► haven't read just one it just one [TS]

00:31:25 ◼   ► example one of the mysteries we didn't [TS]

00:31:27 ◼   ► talk about which was another part that I [TS]

00:31:29 ◼   ► really liked about the obelisk eight is [TS]

00:31:32 ◼   ► the character of her guardian from the [TS]

00:31:35 ◼   ► first book who at the end of the first [TS]

00:31:37 ◼   ► book I just assumed that he was [TS]

00:31:39 ◼   ► destroyed and nope he wasn't well part [TS]

00:31:43 ◼   ► of him sort of was because he's not even [TS]

00:31:45 ◼   ► quite the same character and through his [TS]

00:31:47 ◼   ► sort of like struggled to regain his own [TS]

00:31:51 ◼   ► self we learn more about another mystery [TS]

00:31:55 ◼   ► that is sort of related to the mystery [TS]

00:31:57 ◼   ► of the moon and the obelisks and there's [TS]

00:32:00 ◼   ► a thing in his head and it yeah there's [TS]

00:32:03 ◼   ► a thing that we don't completely [TS]

00:32:05 ◼   ► understand yet so I don't really know [TS]

00:32:07 ◼   ► how to articulate it but it's it [TS]

00:32:09 ◼   ► deepened the mystery and made that [TS]

00:32:12 ◼   ► character who I thought was already sort [TS]

00:32:15 ◼   ► of multi-layered and multifaceted in the [TS]

00:32:18 ◼   ► first book even deeper and even more [TS]

00:32:20 ◼   ► interesting and infuriating at the same [TS]

00:32:22 ◼   ► time because like you know he was doing [TS]

00:32:25 ◼   ► some bad stuff but then then he does [TS]

00:32:27 ◼   ► some good stuff and it's just it's it's [TS]

00:32:30 ◼   ► very good I like him Emily way the way [TS]

00:32:33 ◼   ► that that his story is revived in the [TS]

00:32:36 ◼   ► second book is really interesting [TS]

00:32:37 ◼   ► because you know yes he is apparently [TS]

00:32:39 ◼   ► dead in the water literally dead in the [TS]

00:32:42 ◼   ► water in the first book and the second [TS]

00:32:44 ◼   ► book the second book basically says okay [TS]

00:32:46 ◼   ► remember that guy who was dead in the [TS]

00:32:48 ◼   ► water well he was dead and in the water [TS]

00:32:51 ◼   ► and sinking and then something really [TS]

00:32:54 ◼   ► strange happened and he was dead so he's [TS]

00:32:58 ◼   ► still dead but he's now sort of not [TS]

00:33:00 ◼   ► because of this thing that happened to [TS]

00:33:02 ◼   ► him and there's this question like who [TS]

00:33:04 ◼   ► you know what force is motivating him [TS]

00:33:07 ◼   ► now and why is he different and that's [TS]

00:33:09 ◼   ► unclear because you do get the sense [TS]

00:33:10 ◼   ► that you have you have competing [TS]

00:33:12 ◼   ► factions here [TS]

00:33:13 ◼   ► about like do they want the moon to come [TS]

00:33:15 ◼   ► back or not do they want the the the the [TS]

00:33:17 ◼   ► people who live on the surface of the [TS]

00:33:19 ◼   ► planet to survive and be stable or is it [TS]

00:33:22 ◼   ► better if they all die so that the stone [TS]

00:33:25 ◼   ► people can just live and be happy and [TS]

00:33:27 ◼   ► that's all like not entirely clear at [TS]

00:33:30 ◼   ► this point but I do like that that that [TS]

00:33:32 ◼   ► the book doesn't say you know oh it [TS]

00:33:35 ◼   ► turned out he didn't die they're like [TS]

00:33:36 ◼   ► know what you saw he did pay a price and [TS]

00:33:39 ◼   ► and this guy is is kind of him but kind [TS]

00:33:42 ◼   ► of not and and that was really good I [TS]

00:33:45 ◼   ► felt like I felt like that was her [TS]

00:33:47 ◼   ► playing fair and not just reviving a [TS]

00:33:49 ◼   ► character and saying you know fooled you [TS]

00:33:51 ◼   ► but instead saying no there was a price [TS]

00:33:53 ◼   ► to pay you saw what you saw and then [TS]

00:33:55 ◼   ► this thing happened after that yeah and [TS]

00:33:56 ◼   ► I like they when they're in the the calm [TS]

00:33:59 ◼   ► the geode thing right they discover this [TS]

00:34:02 ◼   ► control room and you know it gives you [TS]

00:34:05 ◼   ► because a lot of this is a fantasy I [TS]

00:34:08 ◼   ► would characterize yes but it's it's [TS]

00:34:10 ◼   ► theirs then there are these dashes of [TS]

00:34:12 ◼   ► science fiction where you find a control [TS]

00:34:14 ◼   ► room and there are pictographs and they [TS]

00:34:17 ◼   ► have to try and decipher it and their [TS]

00:34:18 ◼   ► buttons and they control all the stuff [TS]

00:34:20 ◼   ► and there's what these like metal things [TS]

00:34:23 ◼   ► that try to kill you or insert [TS]

00:34:26 ◼   ► themselves into you it's unclear what [TS]

00:34:28 ◼   ► they do but they're probably not good I [TS]

00:34:30 ◼   ► love the whole idea of this lived in [TS]

00:34:31 ◼   ► world that the the we didn't have this [TS]

00:34:33 ◼   ► debate on a previous episode didn't we [TS]

00:34:35 ◼   ► um i love i love the debate about is it [TS]

00:34:39 ◼   ► science fiction owners of fantasy the [TS]

00:34:40 ◼   ► lived in world thing though the fact [TS]

00:34:42 ◼   ► that there have been many many dead sibs [TS]

00:34:43 ◼   ► right these previous civilizations that [TS]

00:34:45 ◼   ► died and their tech is still around and [TS]

00:34:47 ◼   ► that's a really fun bit it throughout [TS]

00:34:50 ◼   ► and in the obelisk eight you get them [TS]

00:34:52 ◼   ► yeah they're living in this underground [TS]

00:34:53 ◼   ► city but it's got like a trapdoor and [TS]

00:34:55 ◼   ► tunnels and stuff that lead to the [TS]

00:34:57 ◼   ► surface so you think it's just this old [TS]

00:34:58 ◼   ► town like from a western or something [TS]

00:35:00 ◼   ► it's just a little desert of town but [TS]

00:35:01 ◼   ► you go down through go through this in [TS]

00:35:03 ◼   ► this building and then down and suddenly [TS]

00:35:05 ◼   ► there's this whole city underneath it in [TS]

00:35:08 ◼   ► this geode and then there's a control [TS]

00:35:10 ◼   ► room so it's like where's this from what [TS]

00:35:11 ◼   ► is this old tech people don't really [TS]

00:35:13 ◼   ► know how it works they just try to keep [TS]

00:35:15 ◼   ► the air circulating that's all that's [TS]

00:35:17 ◼   ► all pretty great that's why i maintain [TS]

00:35:19 ◼   ► that this is earth and this is a science [TS]

00:35:22 ◼   ► fiction book and that it is just so far [TS]

00:35:23 ◼   ► in the future that the technology that [TS]

00:35:25 ◼   ► they have [TS]

00:35:26 ◼   ► you know it's Clark's law that that you [TS]

00:35:28 ◼   ► know but its technology so advanced it [TS]

00:35:30 ◼   ► might as well be magic and I mean [TS]

00:35:32 ◼   ► they're taught that they actually have [TS]

00:35:34 ◼   ► some hazy records that the I can't [TS]

00:35:38 ◼   ► remember exactly when the first season [TS]

00:35:39 ◼   ► was but I know they're talking like time [TS]

00:35:41 ◼   ► frames of 20,000 30,000 yes and I mean [TS]

00:35:44 ◼   ► when you think about the entire [TS]

00:35:46 ◼   ► existence of human history at this point [TS]

00:35:49 ◼   ► I can't even fathom what 20,000 years in [TS]

00:35:52 ◼   ► the future might look like so that's why [TS]

00:35:54 ◼   ► my my headcanon until it has proved [TS]

00:35:56 ◼   ► otherwise perhaps in another book is [TS]

00:35:58 ◼   ► that this is earth and it's just far in [TS]

00:36:00 ◼   ► the future which is what I thought in [TS]

00:36:01 ◼   ► the first book and now I think it even [TS]

00:36:03 ◼   ► more after we mu to escape we'll see [TS]

00:36:05 ◼   ► what the moon looks like when it comes [TS]

00:36:07 ◼   ► back how about that that'll tell us [TS]

00:36:09 ◼   ► everything yeah well just say is that [TS]

00:36:11 ◼   ► Armand it is called the broken earth [TS]

00:36:13 ◼   ► series and it does talk about the [TS]

00:36:16 ◼   ► continents breaking apart and coming [TS]

00:36:18 ◼   ► together and you know like like these [TS]

00:36:20 ◼   ► series of continents continental drifts [TS]

00:36:23 ◼   ► and then coming together again in a way [TS]

00:36:26 ◼   ► that kind of makes me think it's it's [TS]

00:36:29 ◼   ► earth maybe I mean earth earth the [TS]

00:36:31 ◼   ► planet and earth like the idea of land [TS]

00:36:33 ◼   ► and ground is not necessarily not [TS]

00:36:35 ◼   ► necessarily the same Erika the reason [TS]

00:36:37 ◼   ► that I think that though I think of it [TS]

00:36:39 ◼   ► as fantasy and not science fiction is [TS]

00:36:41 ◼   ► mostly because I don't see a lot of [TS]

00:36:43 ◼   ► scientific backing for people who can [TS]

00:36:46 ◼   ► cause earthquakes with their minds and [TS]

00:36:48 ◼   ► you know that that that seems to be [TS]

00:36:50 ◼   ► magic you're right i mean maybe they [TS]

00:36:53 ◼   ► were genetically engineered and maybe [TS]

00:36:54 ◼   ► but i'm not sure you can genetically [TS]

00:36:56 ◼   ► engineer somebody to be telekinetic like [TS]

00:36:59 ◼   ► that that seems like still seems like [TS]

00:37:01 ◼   ► fantasy to me with science rapping maybe [TS]

00:37:04 ◼   ► they did it in the x-men I'm sure at [TS]

00:37:06 ◼   ► some point people thought that it was [TS]

00:37:08 ◼   ► impossible for another human being to [TS]

00:37:10 ◼   ► make fire so all right okay technology [TS]

00:37:13 ◼   ► yeah well they're its mutants Scott it's [TS]

00:37:16 ◼   ► the x-men their meals right the mutants [TS]

00:37:19 ◼   ► right you can't argue with atomic [TS]

00:37:20 ◼   ► science atomic energy creates mutants [TS]

00:37:23 ◼   ► and mutants have powers and I think I've [TS]

00:37:25 ◼   ► just proven Oh Erica's point that they [TS]

00:37:27 ◼   ► made their dispensers well in denying in [TS]

00:37:30 ◼   ► the obelisk gate there isn't it's [TS]

00:37:32 ◼   ► revealed that she has you'd like these [TS]

00:37:34 ◼   ► organ origins [TS]

00:37:37 ◼   ► there you go they can do even more than [TS]

00:37:39 ◼   ► control the the earth right they can [TS]

00:37:41 ◼   ► there's like energy between cells or [TS]

00:37:44 ◼   ► something so they could do other crazy [TS]

00:37:45 ◼   ► things and the stone and the stone [TS]

00:37:48 ◼   ► eaters but you know were actually [TS]

00:37:50 ◼   ► adapted genetically altered altered [TS]

00:37:53 ◼   ► molecular Lee somehow from people they [TS]

00:37:56 ◼   ► were originally humans that went too far [TS]

00:37:58 ◼   ► but but I will sort of concede the the [TS]

00:38:01 ◼   ► fantasy point on on one level Jason and [TS]

00:38:03 ◼   ► that is the whole sort of father earth [TS]

00:38:06 ◼   ► thing and the idea of the planet itself [TS]

00:38:09 ◼   ► having I don't know a personality in [TS]

00:38:11 ◼   ► mind a life something which again not [TS]

00:38:13 ◼   ► quite clear yet that does sort of strike [TS]

00:38:16 ◼   ► me as as fantasy and I'm not sure I can [TS]

00:38:18 ◼   ► see any science fictiony way to redeem [TS]

00:38:20 ◼   ► that part of it so yeah I guess I'm [TS]

00:38:22 ◼   ► still reserving a little judgment I'm [TS]

00:38:24 ◼   ► pretty sure there's just a computer at [TS]

00:38:25 ◼   ► the core of the earth Erica blown this [TS]

00:38:29 ◼   ► is a Star Trek episode but we we have [TS]

00:38:32 ◼   ► that now right like now we talk about [TS]

00:38:34 ◼   ► mother earth and what his mother earth [TS]

00:38:35 ◼   ► want and and all of that so it it could [TS]

00:38:40 ◼   ► just be an inversion of we're not people [TS]

00:38:42 ◼   ► are not mother earth is not answering [TS]

00:38:44 ◼   ► right that's that's generally we're not [TS]

00:38:46 ◼   ► gonna use God well nothing that's true i [TS]

00:38:49 ◼   ► will not be sensitive in that way fair [TS]

00:38:53 ◼   ► and haul me mother earth or send me a [TS]

00:38:55 ◼   ► text actually if you do this please [TS]

00:38:57 ◼   ► don't call me yeah don't call just in [TS]

00:38:59 ◼   ► the text it's an email if you really [TS]

00:39:01 ◼   ► need to but oh no Johnny email either [TS]

00:39:03 ◼   ► yeah if you really need to but just [TS]

00:39:06 ◼   ► don't I don't I don't want to talk to [TS]

00:39:07 ◼   ► mother earth um anything I want to talk [TS]

00:39:10 ◼   ► about her 100,000 think kingdom series a [TS]

00:39:13 ◼   ► little bit a little bit is that okay or [TS]

00:39:15 ◼   ► are there more things to say about fifth [TS]

00:39:18 ◼   ► season a novel escape before we do that [TS]

00:39:20 ◼   ► I just want to say how much i love [TS]

00:39:21 ◼   ► syenite just stop I love cyan I I love [TS]

00:39:25 ◼   ► she's she is a tough woman who's been [TS]

00:39:29 ◼   ► put in a tough situation and she is [TS]

00:39:33 ◼   ► determined to make it work as best for [TS]

00:39:35 ◼   ► her as she can and um I don't know I [TS]

00:39:39 ◼   ► think part of that is how I was raised [TS]

00:39:41 ◼   ► as kind of a working-class person and [TS]

00:39:43 ◼   ► you know you you ascend to the best you [TS]

00:39:46 ◼   ► can while maintaining social [TS]

00:39:48 ◼   ► harmony and not rocking the boat too [TS]

00:39:51 ◼   ► much and I think the reason I like [TS]

00:39:54 ◼   ► syenite so much is because I see so much [TS]

00:39:56 ◼   ► of myself in her she's maybe a little [TS]

00:39:58 ◼   ► bit more abrupt and blunt than I tends [TS]

00:40:03 ◼   ► to be but I just um that that period in [TS]

00:40:08 ◼   ► her life I don't know there was [TS]

00:40:10 ◼   ► something about it that I just thought [TS]

00:40:12 ◼   ► was amazing and I felt like in some ways [TS]

00:40:16 ◼   ► it was her being as true to herself as [TS]

00:40:19 ◼   ► she could be because when she was young [TS]

00:40:21 ◼   ► she was doing what she needed to do to [TS]

00:40:23 ◼   ► survive and when she was older she was [TS]

00:40:26 ◼   ► doing what she needed to do to blend in [TS]

00:40:28 ◼   ► but a lot of what we get with syenite is [TS]

00:40:30 ◼   ► her just just doing what she needs to do [TS]

00:40:34 ◼   ► and I so greatly appreciated that and [TS]

00:40:36 ◼   ► appreciated how it was I don't know [TS]

00:40:39 ◼   ► uncomplicated I guess in some ways while [TS]

00:40:42 ◼   ► all this complication was happening [TS]

00:40:44 ◼   ► around her yeah it's it's the first book [TS]

00:40:47 ◼   ► really makes you wonder I mean talk [TS]

00:40:50 ◼   ► about putting a spotlight on a on a [TS]

00:40:52 ◼   ► person and their character is if you [TS]

00:40:56 ◼   ► show them in those three phases of their [TS]

00:40:58 ◼   ► lives and you know by viewing what [TS]

00:41:02 ◼   ► happened to them in these three key [TS]

00:41:04 ◼   ► phases you really do gain great and [TS]

00:41:06 ◼   ► great ER understanding about that [TS]

00:41:08 ◼   ► character and that this is a fully [TS]

00:41:09 ◼   ► realized character we we learned what [TS]

00:41:12 ◼   ► happened when she was a child we learned [TS]

00:41:14 ◼   ► what happened when she was a [TS]

00:41:15 ◼   ► professional and then we learned what [TS]

00:41:17 ◼   ► happened when she tried to build a life [TS]

00:41:18 ◼   ► after being a professional and having [TS]

00:41:22 ◼   ► that kind of fall apart and it turns out [TS]

00:41:25 ◼   ► have her whole family kind of died and [TS]

00:41:28 ◼   ► and be and having her history wiped out [TS]

00:41:31 ◼   ► and and so it's yeah it's a it's it's a [TS]

00:41:34 ◼   ► character you don't get to know [TS]

00:41:36 ◼   ► characters that well in books very often [TS]

00:41:38 ◼   ► and see that many aspects of them as you [TS]

00:41:40 ◼   ► do with her the hundred thousand [TS]

00:41:42 ◼   ► kingdoms which i guess is called the [TS]

00:41:44 ◼   ► inheritance trilogy is where she first [TS]

00:41:46 ◼   ► kind of made her name which i still [TS]

00:41:48 ◼   ► haven't read yet so I I really loved the [TS]

00:41:51 ◼   ► hundred thousand kingdoms and the funny [TS]

00:41:54 ◼   ► thing is I never read the other two [TS]

00:41:55 ◼   ► books in the series a shout out to Glen [TS]

00:41:57 ◼   ► Glen fleischmann read all of women loves [TS]

00:41:59 ◼   ► them but he yet would still not be on [TS]

00:42:01 ◼   ► this pot [TS]

00:42:02 ◼   ► no shout out to clan take that back I i [TS]

00:42:05 ◼   ► personally retract Jason's shout out to [TS]

00:42:07 ◼   ► Glenn Glenn who I say to you Glenn who [TS]

00:42:11 ◼   ► hundred thousand kingdoms so that's her [TS]

00:42:13 ◼   ► debut a fan I'm fantasy in a much [TS]

00:42:17 ◼   ► clearer way this is this is a world [TS]

00:42:19 ◼   ► where they're the gut there are gods and [TS]

00:42:21 ◼   ► there are there are God llings which are [TS]

00:42:23 ◼   ► basically like demigods and there are [TS]

00:42:26 ◼   ► people and there is this very [TS]

00:42:29 ◼   ► complicated scenario where there's an [TS]

00:42:30 ◼   ► incredibly rich family called the era [TS]

00:42:33 ◼   ► Mary I think whoo-hoo basically have one [TS]

00:42:38 ◼   ► of the gods of the planet chained up and [TS]

00:42:41 ◼   ► they're like the gods or their slave is [TS]

00:42:44 ◼   ► kind of and they're essentially there is [TS]

00:42:47 ◼   ► a revolt and things change over the [TS]

00:42:50 ◼   ► course of the book kind of dramatically [TS]

00:42:52 ◼   ► for the epistemological foundations of [TS]

00:42:55 ◼   ► this society is one way to put it when [TS]

00:42:58 ◼   ► when you get God's kind of coming and [TS]

00:42:59 ◼   ► going it's kind of a big deal but I love [TS]

00:43:02 ◼   ► this book when I first read it and one [TS]

00:43:04 ◼   ► of the things I loved about it if you [TS]

00:43:05 ◼   ► can Rack your brains those of you who [TS]

00:43:07 ◼   ► have read this back to back to the last [TS]

00:43:09 ◼   ► time you read it one of the things I [TS]

00:43:11 ◼   ► loved about it is just the I'm a sucker [TS]

00:43:14 ◼   ► for the idea that there's an incredible [TS]

00:43:16 ◼   ► power that is controlled but could be on [TS]

00:43:19 ◼   ► the verge of breaking free and killing [TS]

00:43:22 ◼   ► you at any time the magician's books [TS]

00:43:25 ◼   ► have some of this to where they talk [TS]

00:43:26 ◼   ► about God's there's something I love [TS]

00:43:28 ◼   ► that about fantasy gods this idea that [TS]

00:43:30 ◼   ► like we have magic and we have people [TS]

00:43:32 ◼   ► and people are cool but their gods and [TS]

00:43:35 ◼   ► if they smite you you you are smoked [TS]

00:43:38 ◼   ► that's the end for you and that's the [TS]

00:43:40 ◼   ► world of a hundred thousand kingdoms is [TS]

00:43:43 ◼   ► that they've chained up a god who's [TS]

00:43:44 ◼   ► incredibly powerful and if you make one [TS]

00:43:46 ◼   ► wrong step he will destroy you and I [TS]

00:43:49 ◼   ► love that about about that new this [TS]

00:43:51 ◼   ► Prince of Darkness this this did the [TS]

00:43:54 ◼   ► nighttime God who's who's kind of the [TS]

00:43:56 ◼   ► devil you could you could and then you [TS]

00:43:59 ◼   ► feel kind of sorry for him because he's [TS]

00:44:01 ◼   ► been he's been enslaved by these awful [TS]

00:44:03 ◼   ► humans for a long time it's a it's a lot [TS]

00:44:06 ◼   ► of world building in these books too yes [TS]

00:44:08 ◼   ► yeah I'm a I'm a sucker for mythology [TS]

00:44:11 ◼   ► growing up I loved Greek mythology in [TS]

00:44:13 ◼   ► Roman mythology and [TS]

00:44:15 ◼   ► I checked to the same books out of the [TS]

00:44:17 ◼   ► library over and over and over again [TS]

00:44:19 ◼   ► same Greek myths and this kind of filled [TS]

00:44:22 ◼   ► that for me and this and this idea too [TS]

00:44:26 ◼   ► that that this family really has taken [TS]

00:44:30 ◼   ► the gods and enslaved them all of them [TS]

00:44:33 ◼   ► except for maybe one I think if I'm [TS]

00:44:36 ◼   ► remembering correctly like that was [TS]

00:44:39 ◼   ► fascinating to me it was very very [TS]

00:44:41 ◼   ► interesting and I thought it was really [TS]

00:44:44 ◼   ► well executed it's a it's a fascinating [TS]

00:44:47 ◼   ► book it turns out having so I didn't [TS]

00:44:48 ◼   ► read the other two books in the series [TS]

00:44:50 ◼   ► until last month and I read them both so [TS]

00:44:54 ◼   ► in preparation for this podcast and it's [TS]

00:44:56 ◼   ► funny looking back on it now that what [TS]

00:44:59 ◼   ► seemed like this kind of mind-blowing [TS]

00:45:00 ◼   ► story about like the rise and fall of [TS]

00:45:03 ◼   ► God's is in the context of the other two [TS]

00:45:06 ◼   ► books merely the prelude for what is to [TS]

00:45:09 ◼   ► come which is pretty amazing that you [TS]

00:45:12 ◼   ► think that because it turns out that of [TS]

00:45:13 ◼   ► course the rise and fall of gods and the [TS]

00:45:16 ◼   ► creation of new gods that happens in a [TS]

00:45:18 ◼   ► hundred thousand kingdoms leads to a [TS]

00:45:20 ◼   ► room attic power shift and so you know [TS]

00:45:24 ◼   ► several years after I read the first [TS]

00:45:26 ◼   ► book I picked up the second book and [TS]

00:45:27 ◼   ► couldn't remember a whole lot about the [TS]

00:45:29 ◼   ► first book as I started reading it and [TS]

00:45:31 ◼   ► it's at ten years after the hundred [TS]

00:45:33 ◼   ► thousand kingdoms and you get to see a [TS]

00:45:35 ◼   ► little hint of what's been going on with [TS]

00:45:38 ◼   ► these with these gods since there's been [TS]

00:45:40 ◼   ► they've achieved their freedom and and [TS]

00:45:43 ◼   ► the light God has has had to be [TS]

00:45:46 ◼   ► sentenced to some punishment for being [TS]

00:45:49 ◼   ► complicit in the sleigh enslavement of [TS]

00:45:51 ◼   ► the other gods and it's a very different [TS]

00:45:53 ◼   ► book the the broken kingdoms very [TS]

00:45:57 ◼   ► different book but a really good book in [TS]

00:46:00 ◼   ► fact I think my favorite of the three is [TS]

00:46:02 ◼   ► that second book and they does stand [TS]

00:46:06 ◼   ► alone I feel like more than the the [TS]

00:46:08 ◼   ► fifth season series does in the sense [TS]

00:46:11 ◼   ► that the second book the third book [TS]

00:46:13 ◼   ► doesn't stand alone but the second book [TS]

00:46:14 ◼   ► it's got a completely different [TS]

00:46:16 ◼   ► protagonist and although the characters [TS]

00:46:18 ◼   ► from the first book do appear in it it [TS]

00:46:20 ◼   ► really is about the journey of the of [TS]

00:46:21 ◼   ► the protagonist of the of the second [TS]

00:46:23 ◼   ► book who is a blind artist who can only [TS]

00:46:25 ◼   ► see in a very clever [TS]

00:46:28 ◼   ► set up she can only see Magic so she's [TS]

00:46:32 ◼   ► blind but if somebody's magical she can [TS]

00:46:34 ◼   ► see them and she can see the magic they [TS]

00:46:36 ◼   ► do and at some point she's taken up into [TS]

00:46:38 ◼   ► the the city in the inside the World [TS]

00:46:41 ◼   ► Tree that the the rich family lives in [TS]

00:46:43 ◼   ► which is this enormous tree that it's [TS]

00:46:46 ◼   ► like it sounds and suddenly she can see [TS]

00:46:48 ◼   ► everything because everything is Magic [TS]

00:46:50 ◼   ► up there and that's pretty cool too so [TS]

00:46:52 ◼   ► it's a it's it's a I really love the [TS]

00:46:55 ◼   ► second book a lot I don't know alene [TS]

00:46:57 ◼   ► what you thought about the about the [TS]

00:46:58 ◼   ► other books in the series I did not like [TS]

00:47:01 ◼   ► the third one as much and i agree with [TS]

00:47:03 ◼   ► you i thought the second book was was [TS]

00:47:06 ◼   ► considerably better than the first one [TS]

00:47:07 ◼   ► and considering how quickly i blew [TS]

00:47:11 ◼   ► through the first one I feel like that's [TS]

00:47:12 ◼   ► quite a testament and because I really [TS]

00:47:15 ◼   ► really did love the hundred thousand [TS]

00:47:18 ◼   ► kingdoms I loved the promise of it I [TS]

00:47:20 ◼   ► love to the execution and the ending [TS]

00:47:24 ◼   ► surprised me I mean you don't see many [TS]

00:47:27 ◼   ► people ascend to godhood in Boca so so [TS]

00:47:31 ◼   ► it was I just I just thought it was it [TS]

00:47:33 ◼   ► was delightful in the second book like [TS]

00:47:36 ◼   ► you said I think because it had that [TS]

00:47:38 ◼   ► humanizing element and to it in the [TS]

00:47:41 ◼   ► humanist humanization of the gods right [TS]

00:47:43 ◼   ► because in the first book we have we [TS]

00:47:47 ◼   ► have the gods of slaves but they're [TS]

00:47:49 ◼   ► still God's right there still um feared [TS]

00:47:53 ◼   ► and revered kind of in a way right and [TS]

00:47:55 ◼   ► their tent their tens of thousands of [TS]

00:47:56 ◼   ► years old and they're still powerful and [TS]

00:47:58 ◼   ► they're still capricious and they still [TS]

00:47:59 ◼   ► look down on humans right there their [TS]

00:48:01 ◼   ► gods but they're just kind of in Chains [TS]

00:48:02 ◼   ► yeah yeah and in book 2 and the gods the [TS]

00:48:08 ◼   ► full God's didn't take part as much and [TS]

00:48:10 ◼   ► it was more humanity in the demigods and [TS]

00:48:13 ◼   ► i liked it i thought i thought it was I [TS]

00:48:17 ◼   ► thought it was great I thought again the [TS]

00:48:19 ◼   ► world building is so rich and wonderful [TS]

00:48:22 ◼   ► and I I agree yeah I love the second [TS]

00:48:26 ◼   ► book I love the first book i liked the [TS]

00:48:28 ◼   ► third book but i didn't love it to the [TS]

00:48:30 ◼   ► level that i do the other to the second [TS]

00:48:32 ◼   ► books even kind of like a murder mystery [TS]

00:48:33 ◼   ► it's basically like a demigod is dead [TS]

00:48:35 ◼   ► and how could [TS]

00:48:37 ◼   ► have been happened and who killed them [TS]

00:48:39 ◼   ► and why and I I was tickled by that too [TS]

00:48:43 ◼   ► it's like well this is a very different [TS]

00:48:45 ◼   ► approach to a second book in a trilogy [TS]

00:48:46 ◼   ► and it ends up yes it ends up linking to [TS]

00:48:50 ◼   ► everything that happened in the first [TS]

00:48:51 ◼   ► book it's not just happening in the [TS]

00:48:54 ◼   ► background there are things connected to [TS]

00:48:56 ◼   ► it but you know and you should probably [TS]

00:48:58 ◼   ► read the first book before you read the [TS]

00:49:00 ◼   ► second book but the second book just [TS]

00:49:01 ◼   ► stand it stands on its own as well it is [TS]

00:49:03 ◼   ► yeah it is a in a new character lead [TS]

00:49:06 ◼   ► character and her friend shiny who is a [TS]

00:49:09 ◼   ► character of mystery whose identity is [TS]

00:49:13 ◼   ► revealed later on in the book and that [TS]

00:49:15 ◼   ► that's really a fun thing to this this [TS]

00:49:19 ◼   ► the secret of her magical power to see [TS]

00:49:22 ◼   ► magic and to draw these draw these [TS]

00:49:25 ◼   ► pictures that sort of come to life which [TS]

00:49:28 ◼   ► is a pretty cool stuff there's a lot of [TS]

00:49:30 ◼   ► good stuff there's Scott you have any [TS]

00:49:31 ◼   ► recollection of these books at all I've [TS]

00:49:34 ◼   ► been recognized I to read all three I [TS]

00:49:37 ◼   ► remember that mostly because I just [TS]

00:49:40 ◼   ► checked good reads to me ever that in [TS]

00:49:41 ◼   ► fact i had read them all because i [TS]

00:49:43 ◼   ► remember the first two i have absolutely [TS]

00:49:46 ◼   ► no memory of what happens in the third [TS]

00:49:48 ◼   ► one the third book is about about CA who [TS]

00:49:50 ◼   ► is the trickster god and he basically be [TS]

00:49:52 ◼   ► friends these two children and they make [TS]

00:49:53 ◼   ► a blood oath and the blood oath turns [TS]

00:49:55 ◼   ► him into a mortal and he starts to age [TS]

00:49:58 ◼   ► and he's this he's this Cupid like [TS]

00:50:00 ◼   ► figure i always thought like he's a he's [TS]

00:50:03 ◼   ► a he's a trickster god like low-key but [TS]

00:50:05 ◼   ► he's also always seen as a child and [TS]

00:50:07 ◼   ► he's the god of children and suddenly [TS]

00:50:09 ◼   ► he's like going into adolescence and [TS]

00:50:11 ◼   ► he's an adult and he gets older and he's [TS]

00:50:14 ◼   ► because he's going to die and the gods [TS]

00:50:16 ◼   ► don't know what to do about it and it [TS]

00:50:20 ◼   ► turns out that there's a whole plot of [TS]

00:50:21 ◼   ► like somebody else wants to become a [TS]

00:50:23 ◼   ► full god instead of a demigod and the [TS]

00:50:25 ◼   ► universe is put at risk it's sort of [TS]

00:50:27 ◼   ► like the end of a doctor who season [TS]

00:50:28 ◼   ► where suddenly all reality is at risk is [TS]

00:50:31 ◼   ► how can we how can we increase the the [TS]

00:50:33 ◼   ► stakes to the highest possible point [TS]

00:50:35 ◼   ► which is the entire universe will be [TS]

00:50:36 ◼   ► destroyed if they can't solve this [TS]

00:50:38 ◼   ► problem and it was you know it was fine [TS]

00:50:41 ◼   ► but um CA is not one of my favorite [TS]

00:50:44 ◼   ► characters anyway and i think it was [TS]

00:50:46 ◼   ► trying it was a high degree of [TS]

00:50:47 ◼   ► difficulty to get you to care about him [TS]

00:50:49 ◼   ► and there's some good characters in that [TS]

00:50:51 ◼   ► book it's not bad but it's not as good [TS]

00:50:53 ◼   ► as the first do I think yeah yeah I'm [TS]

00:50:55 ◼   ► pretty remember enjoying the second I [TS]

00:50:56 ◼   ► mean I enjoyed the first and the second [TS]

00:50:58 ◼   ► for the second one sticks out in my mind [TS]

00:50:59 ◼   ► well reminded me a little bit of like [TS]

00:51:01 ◼   ► maybe some of those max Gladstone books [TS]

00:51:03 ◼   ► where it's like it's magic but it's also [TS]

00:51:06 ◼   ► kind of genre like a different kind of [TS]

00:51:08 ◼   ► genre like it really is like a murder [TS]

00:51:10 ◼   ► mystery there's no detective well there [TS]

00:51:13 ◼   ► is kind of police people but it's like [TS]

00:51:14 ◼   ► who killed the demigod is a fun [TS]

00:51:16 ◼   ► storyline to follow even though it does [TS]

00:51:19 ◼   ► become way bigger than that because in [TS]

00:51:20 ◼   ► the case of all good detective stories [TS]

00:51:22 ◼   ► it turns out it's not just about the one [TS]

00:51:24 ◼   ► person who died there's a whole [TS]

00:51:26 ◼   ► conspiracy around it and that's good too [TS]

00:51:28 ◼   ► so yeah yes that's a good book I liked [TS]

00:51:32 ◼   ► the lawn broken kingdoms so yeah those [TS]

00:51:35 ◼   ► are worth reading too she has other [TS]

00:51:37 ◼   ► books though I have not read ah as I [TS]

00:51:40 ◼   ► have read the killing moon but I have [TS]

00:51:42 ◼   ► not read the second book in that series [TS]

00:51:45 ◼   ► okay and there are only two at least at [TS]

00:51:47 ◼   ► this right I think I saw somewhere on [TS]

00:51:49 ◼   ► maybe in the kindle store it referred to [TS]

00:51:52 ◼   ► it as the dream blood duology which [TS]

00:51:54 ◼   ► means there was only two books people [TS]

00:51:55 ◼   ► just buy the two books but I haven't I [TS]

00:51:57 ◼   ► haven't read it and I think they just [TS]

00:51:59 ◼   ► came out with a one-volume with both [TS]

00:52:01 ◼   ► books in it right you can buy that I [TS]

00:52:04 ◼   ► enjoyed the first one it's about these [TS]

00:52:07 ◼   ► people who harvest dream energy and do [TS]

00:52:10 ◼   ► all kinds of things with it I was [TS]

00:52:13 ◼   ► enjoyable it's cool and allene have you [TS]

00:52:15 ◼   ► read those I don't I've tried reading uh [TS]

00:52:19 ◼   ► I've tried reading it but it's got that [TS]

00:52:23 ◼   ► higher barrier to entry um like nine fox [TS]

00:52:27 ◼   ► gambit and so I actually picked it up on [TS]

00:52:29 ◼   ► audible so I'm gonna try listening to it [TS]

00:52:32 ◼   ► and seeing how I do with it I will get [TS]

00:52:36 ◼   ► those i think i have the killing moon [TS]

00:52:37 ◼   ► and haven't read it so i will probably [TS]

00:52:39 ◼   ► do that at some point but i just read to [TS]

00:52:41 ◼   ► four books in short succession so i'm [TS]

00:52:42 ◼   ► going to take a little break which goes [TS]

00:52:44 ◼   ► back to one of our initial points we [TS]

00:52:45 ◼   ► just I feel like her books are so rich [TS]

00:52:47 ◼   ► and and thought-provoking and they're [TS]

00:52:49 ◼   ► well written and and they aren't quick [TS]

00:52:51 ◼   ► reads which doesn't mean that they're [TS]

00:52:52 ◼   ► they're slogs they're not but but I do [TS]

00:52:55 ◼   ► feel like after I read one of them it is [TS]

00:52:58 ◼   ► like a really good rich meal and I kind [TS]

00:53:00 ◼   ► of want to let it settle and [TS]

00:53:03 ◼   ► and and also she only writes you know [TS]

00:53:06 ◼   ► maybe if we're lucky a book a year right [TS]

00:53:08 ◼   ► so I also don't want to just I kind of [TS]

00:53:10 ◼   ► want to save them know that they're [TS]

00:53:12 ◼   ► there i got a couple NK jemisin books [TS]

00:53:14 ◼   ► out there that i haven't read yet [TS]

00:53:15 ◼   ► because they are i love them when i read [TS]

00:53:17 ◼   ► them and so there's that weird thing [TS]

00:53:19 ◼   ► it's a little bit like dan talking about [TS]

00:53:21 ◼   ► how he doesn't want to read the last [TS]

00:53:22 ◼   ► Terry Pratchett novel because then there [TS]

00:53:24 ◼   ► won't be any any left right it's a [TS]

00:53:26 ◼   ► little bit like that yeah where is NK [TS]

00:53:29 ◼   ► jemisin still read in books it's fine [TS]

00:53:30 ◼   ► she's fine but again it's like why you [TS]

00:53:33 ◼   ► know I don't want to use up the queue [TS]

00:53:34 ◼   ► there and then have to just wait [TS]

00:53:35 ◼   ► painfully like I have to do when there's [TS]

00:53:37 ◼   ► a new game of thrones novel right which [TS]

00:53:39 ◼   ► is like no cheese it was great while I [TS]

00:53:42 ◼   ► was getting caught up and then I got [TS]

00:53:43 ◼   ► caught up and now I'm just like [TS]

00:53:44 ◼   ► everybody else going George where's the [TS]

00:53:45 ◼   ► book so you know that's no good yeah I [TS]

00:53:49 ◼   ► think you're I think you're an analogy [TS]

00:53:51 ◼   ► about the very rich meal is probably [TS]

00:53:53 ◼   ► kinder sounding than meisa but mine it [TS]

00:53:55 ◼   ► was about exercise huh but but I tell [TS]

00:53:58 ◼   ► you I feel better after exercising than [TS]

00:54:00 ◼   ► I do after having eaten a good meal so i [TS]

00:54:02 ◼   ► think i need you know somewhere in the [TS]

00:54:04 ◼   ► happy medium in between those things we [TS]

00:54:06 ◼   ► have to start eating our rich meals [TS]

00:54:08 ◼   ► while we're exercising Oh think just [TS]

00:54:10 ◼   ► knowing about it that is that would be [TS]

00:54:13 ◼   ► it that would be a great diet I'm sure [TS]

00:54:15 ◼   ► somebody has already come up with that [TS]

00:54:16 ◼   ► fad diet be fad diet where you can eat [TS]

00:54:18 ◼   ► anything you like but only while you're [TS]

00:54:20 ◼   ► running hey if not we could make a [TS]

00:54:22 ◼   ► million this is this is the you know [TS]

00:54:24 ◼   ► next moneymaker for the incomparable [TS]

00:54:25 ◼   ► right yeah or biking you know whatever [TS]

00:54:27 ◼   ► you can run or bike but you basically it [TS]

00:54:29 ◼   ► you have to be you have to be pedaling [TS]

00:54:31 ◼   ► or running furiously and then and then [TS]

00:54:34 ◼   ► you can eat like a hamburger but only [TS]

00:54:36 ◼   ► when you're running and and we'll call [TS]

00:54:38 ◼   ► it the vomit while running diet it'll be [TS]

00:54:41 ◼   ► great you the pounds just come off yes [TS]

00:54:46 ◼   ► there they melt away that's right or are [TS]

00:54:49 ◼   ► vomited away one of us they get washed [TS]

00:54:52 ◼   ► away this district attorney here let's [TS]

00:54:58 ◼   ► save him right yeah I don't know how we [TS]

00:54:59 ◼   ► got here it was probably it's something [TS]

00:55:01 ◼   ► involving a floating gym or a moon but [TS]

00:55:04 ◼   ► we're gonna move on a moon and very [TS]

00:55:06 ◼   ► quickly do a round of what are we [TS]

00:55:08 ◼   ► reading which were we talk about books [TS]

00:55:09 ◼   ► that we've read recently that we would [TS]

00:55:11 ◼   ► like to mention does have to be [TS]

00:55:13 ◼   ► something you're reading right this [TS]

00:55:14 ◼   ► moment but books that you've read [TS]

00:55:15 ◼   ► recently that you would like to mention [TS]

00:55:16 ◼   ► scott j said what have you been reading [TS]

00:55:18 ◼   ► as I've been doing yes I've been reading [TS]

00:55:21 ◼   ► a bunch of stuff as of late currently I [TS]

00:55:24 ◼   ► am reading as mentioned in the beginning [TS]

00:55:26 ◼   ► the latest ian macdonald book which is [TS]

00:55:29 ◼   ► the second part in his new moon trilogy [TS]

00:55:33 ◼   ► I thought I originally thought it was [TS]

00:55:35 ◼   ► only just be two books but I here now [TS]

00:55:37 ◼   ► the ending of this book is not actually [TS]

00:55:38 ◼   ► an ending so I don't know how many books [TS]

00:55:40 ◼   ► it's going to be which is kind of [TS]

00:55:43 ◼   ► disappointing because I do get a little [TS]

00:55:45 ◼   ► sick of long-running series but I enjoy [TS]

00:55:49 ◼   ► ian MacDonald so I trust him and I will [TS]

00:55:51 ◼   ► just continue to read whatever he writes [TS]

00:55:52 ◼   ► I like new moon so you're reading wolf [TS]

00:55:56 ◼   ► moon I am reading wolf moon all right I [TS]

00:55:59 ◼   ► didn't know that was out I'll read that [TS]

00:56:02 ◼   ► I like I like new moon it was fun it's [TS]

00:56:04 ◼   ► out you should read it just came out [TS]

00:56:05 ◼   ► didn't it like uh yesterday or so yeah I [TS]

00:56:08 ◼   ► think uh yeah it's really good i'm [TS]

00:56:10 ◼   ► enjoying it so far not done twenty-five [TS]

00:56:12 ◼   ► percent in ok and it's good you will [TS]

00:56:15 ◼   ► this is not a spoiler but a 1980s [TS]

00:56:18 ◼   ► fashion is back in style on the moon [TS]

00:56:20 ◼   ► swing so if you if you've got your your [TS]

00:56:23 ◼   ► leg warmers and your rip sweatshirt and [TS]

00:56:26 ◼   ► your big hoop earrings here's what you [TS]

00:56:28 ◼   ► do go to the moon cocos moon and [TS]

00:56:31 ◼   ► everyone will welcome you welcome you oh [TS]

00:56:34 ◼   ► that's great exactly oh all the people [TS]

00:56:37 ◼   ► of the room the other book that i read [TS]

00:56:39 ◼   ► right before that was a book that it was [TS]

00:56:41 ◼   ► on my kindle for a long time my wife had [TS]

00:56:44 ◼   ► read it she told me to read it i know'd [TS]

00:56:46 ◼   ► her advice but then i read it about a [TS]

00:56:48 ◼   ► year after she told me to go stalkers by [TS]

00:56:51 ◼   ► mary robinette kowal oh yeah so she's [TS]

00:56:55 ◼   ► cool but it's good said world war one [TS]

00:56:57 ◼   ► the idea is that the mediums are real [TS]

00:57:00 ◼   ► and they are a secret that the British [TS]

00:57:04 ◼   ► Army is using they train their soldiers [TS]

00:57:07 ◼   ► to look around as they're dying and [TS]

00:57:10 ◼   ► remember what's happening and then their [TS]

00:57:12 ◼   ► souls are taken and interrogated by [TS]

00:57:15 ◼   ► mediums and they get information about [TS]

00:57:18 ◼   ► the battlefield and such and there's a [TS]

00:57:20 ◼   ► mystery it's it's very good and very red [TS]

00:57:23 ◼   ► it in like four hours very good all [TS]

00:57:26 ◼   ► right I like our books I've read a [TS]

00:57:28 ◼   ► couple of her their books [TS]

00:57:30 ◼   ► and I know some people are turned off by [TS]

00:57:31 ◼   ► the idea of Jane Austen with magic so [TS]

00:57:34 ◼   ► this is a world war one with [TS]

00:57:36 ◼   ► spirituality so tell me I guess it's [TS]

00:57:39 ◼   ► better I don't know all right aleem [TS]

00:57:41 ◼   ► anything that you've been reading lately [TS]

00:57:43 ◼   ► you'd like to mention um I well we just [TS]

00:57:47 ◼   ► recorded our Neil Gaiman episode margin [TS]

00:57:49 ◼   ► ago so we're didn't we yeah so I've been [TS]

00:57:53 ◼   ► reading so i read american gods and in [TS]

00:57:57 ◼   ► NC boys I've been rereading the expanse [TS]

00:58:00 ◼   ► series i'm working on i'm reading a lot [TS]

00:58:02 ◼   ► this is a nice thing i'm working on [TS]

00:58:05 ◼   ► going through the expanse series again I [TS]

00:58:07 ◼   ► haven't read the most recent book yet [TS]

00:58:09 ◼   ► because I'm I'm working my way through [TS]

00:58:11 ◼   ► him again but one thing I wanted to [TS]

00:58:13 ◼   ► mention was i recently read the giver so [TS]

00:58:17 ◼   ► when I was young The Giver by Lois Lois [TS]

00:58:19 ◼   ► Laurie came out and there was no sequel [TS]

00:58:22 ◼   ► to it and I loved that book i read it i [TS]

00:58:24 ◼   ► don't know like four or five times and [TS]

00:58:26 ◼   ► then in my adulthood she actually came [TS]

00:58:29 ◼   ► out with three sequels to it and so I if [TS]

00:58:33 ◼   ► you're like me maybe in your mid 30s or [TS]

00:58:36 ◼   ► younger and you didn't know that there [TS]

00:58:38 ◼   ► were sequels to the giver and you read [TS]

00:58:40 ◼   ► that book when you were little you might [TS]

00:58:41 ◼   ► want to go check those out because they [TS]

00:58:43 ◼   ► were pretty good I didn't love the [TS]

00:58:44 ◼   ► fourth one but but they were all really [TS]

00:58:47 ◼   ► interesting I thought it was kind of a [TS]

00:58:49 ◼   ► fascinating world that she put together [TS]

00:58:51 ◼   ► and yeah working my way through the [TS]

00:58:54 ◼   ► nebula bus novel books very slowly but [TS]

00:58:57 ◼   ► working my way through them to Erica I [TS]

00:59:00 ◼   ► was just sort of looking back at the [TS]

00:59:02 ◼   ► stuff that I've been reading lately and [TS]

00:59:04 ◼   ► I realized it is pretty much all stuff [TS]

00:59:07 ◼   ► that is written by my friends so I feel [TS]

00:59:08 ◼   ► like I'm being super nepotistic here but [TS]

00:59:13 ◼   ► but this is legitimately what I have [TS]

00:59:15 ◼   ► been reading I read the lost child of [TS]

00:59:17 ◼   ► which ferd by paul cornell which is the [TS]

00:59:19 ◼   ► sequel to The Witches of lich ferd [TS]

00:59:22 ◼   ► they're both novellas published on tour [TS]

00:59:24 ◼   ► com and quite enjoyed that just [TS]

00:59:26 ◼   ► delightful little world it's it's very [TS]

00:59:29 ◼   ► fantastical one takes place in a little [TS]

00:59:31 ◼   ► English country village that's sort of [TS]

00:59:34 ◼   ► on the border of fairyland ish sort of [TS]

00:59:37 ◼   ► stuff so and has three really amazing [TS]

00:59:40 ◼   ► women at the heart of the story all who [TS]

00:59:43 ◼   ► have very [TS]

00:59:44 ◼   ► very different personalities and [TS]

00:59:45 ◼   ► interact I think in a very realistic way [TS]

00:59:47 ◼   ► so love those i also i am working my way [TS]

00:59:53 ◼   ► through the nebula books which are not [TS]

00:59:55 ◼   ► written by friends of mine but the other [TS]

00:59:56 ◼   ► book that i am in the middle of right [TS]

00:59:57 ◼   ► now is also by paul cornell and it is [TS]

00:59:59 ◼   ► called [TS]

00:59:59 ◼   ► called [TS]

01:00:00 ◼   ► chalk and it is a we were talking about [TS]

01:00:03 ◼   ► books sometimes taking a long time to [TS]

01:00:05 ◼   ► read because they're difficult and this [TS]

01:00:07 ◼   ► is is one like that and it's not [TS]

01:00:09 ◼   ► difficult in a bad way it is just it is [TS]

01:00:11 ◼   ► a book that has sort of dark fantasy [TS]

01:00:14 ◼   ► elements but it is a lot about bullying [TS]

01:00:18 ◼   ► and follows the the life of this young [TS]

01:00:20 ◼   ► boy who is growing up in England and the [TS]

01:00:23 ◼   ► struggles that he goes through and if [TS]

01:00:25 ◼   ► you had any kind of a rough childhood in [TS]

01:00:27 ◼   ► school it can like it hits really close [TS]

01:00:30 ◼   ► to home um in a lot of ways so it's it's [TS]

01:00:33 ◼   ► very good and I'm only about halfway [TS]

01:00:35 ◼   ► through and haven't haven't gotten to [TS]

01:00:38 ◼   ► you know to see everything that happens [TS]

01:00:40 ◼   ► so far but it is one that I have to take [TS]

01:00:42 ◼   ► in sort of small bites in order to get [TS]

01:00:45 ◼   ► through it because otherwise it's just [TS]

01:00:46 ◼   ► going to be a little bit too heavy for [TS]

01:00:48 ◼   ► me and also as usual I am trying to keep [TS]

01:00:52 ◼   ► up on uncanny magazine because I do [TS]

01:00:54 ◼   ► their podcast over there and for their [TS]

01:00:56 ◼   ► last for the last episode of the podcast [TS]

01:00:59 ◼   ► or one of the recent ones I got to read [TS]

01:01:01 ◼   ► a story by Maya Verity co-host tansy [TS]

01:01:03 ◼   ► rayner Roberts and it is called some [TS]

01:01:05 ◼   ► Cupid's kill with arrows and it is a [TS]

01:01:09 ◼   ► very light-hearted short little story [TS]

01:01:13 ◼   ► about what if Greek gods were actually [TS]

01:01:16 ◼   ► real and you ended up speed dating a [TS]

01:01:20 ◼   ► bunch of them and then it kind of goes [TS]

01:01:22 ◼   ► on from there and it's it's just kind of [TS]

01:01:24 ◼   ► hilarious and fun and in addition to [TS]

01:01:28 ◼   ► that there's a whole bunch of nonfiction [TS]

01:01:29 ◼   ► in uncanny magazine these days there [TS]

01:01:32 ◼   ► they have been sort of soliciting essays [TS]

01:01:34 ◼   ► about resistance and how people who [TS]

01:01:36 ◼   ► create art can survive in a world that [TS]

01:01:39 ◼   ► is changing from what we sort of have [TS]

01:01:42 ◼   ► have dealt with before and how to how to [TS]

01:01:44 ◼   ► keep yourself sane and and keep creating [TS]

01:01:46 ◼   ► and that sort of stuff so that's all [TS]

01:01:49 ◼   ► good things to read at the uncanny which [TS]

01:01:51 ◼   ► I've had been enjoying quite a bit nice [TS]

01:01:52 ◼   ► um i just read john scalzi as the [TS]