The Incomparable

00:00:00 ◼   ► help us keep good sponsors and save me [TS]

00:00:03 ◼   ► from having to get a real job go to pod [TS]

00:00:05 ◼   ► survey dot-com / Snell answer a [TS]

00:00:09 ◼   ► five-minute anonymous survey and you can [TS]

00:00:11 ◼   ► enter a monthly drawing to win a [TS]

00:00:13 ◼   ► hundred-dollar amazon gift card and help [TS]

00:00:15 ◼   ► us find better sponsors and again keep [TS]

00:00:18 ◼   ► me from having to get a real job pod [TS]

00:00:20 ◼   ► survey dot-com / smell that's p.o.d [TS]

00:00:23 ◼   ► surt192xlbp in comfortable number 251 [TS]

00:00:31 ◼   ► jun 2015 [TS]

00:00:36 ◼   ► welcome back everybody to be [TS]

00:00:37 ◼   ► uncomfortable i'm your host Jason Steele [TS]

00:00:39 ◼   ► we're reconvening our group of people [TS]

00:00:41 ◼   ► who read all of the nebula nominated [TS]

00:00:43 ◼   ► novels the novel's nominated by the [TS]

00:00:45 ◼   ► science-fiction writers association for [TS]

00:00:48 ◼   ► best novel of the year last year there [TS]

00:00:50 ◼   ► were eight this year there are only six [TS]

00:00:53 ◼   ► so little less reading we're going to do [TS]

00:00:56 ◼   ► sort of i would say we're going to try [TS]

00:00:58 ◼   ► to keep the spoilers not too heavy so [TS]

00:01:00 ◼   ► you should be able to listen to us talk [TS]

00:01:01 ◼   ► about these novels and decide if you [TS]

00:01:03 ◼   ► want to read them if you haven't already [TS]

00:01:04 ◼   ► so let me tell you who are panel is just [TS]

00:01:07 ◼   ► as it was last year Scott McNulty of [TS]

00:01:09 ◼   ► course I wouldn't do a book club without [TS]

00:01:11 ◼   ► him [TS]

00:01:11 ◼   ► hi Scott hello welcome back it's good to [TS]

00:01:14 ◼   ► be back I feel like I haven't been on [TS]

00:01:16 ◼   ► the uncomfortable and forever [TS]

00:01:17 ◼   ► I know you too busy with your own stuff [TS]

00:01:19 ◼   ► you got stuff you're writing a book you [TS]

00:01:20 ◼   ► doing your own podcast or busy busy busy [TS]

00:01:23 ◼   ► man but I missed you I missed you too [TS]

00:01:25 ◼   ► I'm glad we're here together yes also [TS]

00:01:27 ◼   ► joining us a Fred cash longtime listener [TS]

00:01:29 ◼   ► returning guest you can hear him at the [TS]

00:01:32 ◼   ► three horsemen podcast which is sort of [TS]

00:01:34 ◼   ► spun out of SF signal hi Fred I there [TS]

00:01:37 ◼   ► and what to be decidedly is your I've [TS]

00:01:39 ◼   ► been listening since like episode 8 [TS]

00:01:41 ◼   ► something like that episode a single [TS]

00:01:43 ◼   ► digits I think you've been around seems [TS]

00:01:45 ◼   ► like just yesterday also out there Paul [TS]

00:01:48 ◼   ► lemur you may know him from the skippy [TS]

00:01:50 ◼   ► and fancy podcast which is how the [TS]

00:01:52 ◼   ► co-host of and uh SF signal as well [TS]

00:01:54 ◼   ► hi Paul hello Jason hello in copper [TS]

00:01:57 ◼   ► listeners I'm glad to be back welcome [TS]

00:01:59 ◼   ► back and Sean Duke from skippy and [TS]

00:02:02 ◼   ► vanity and the totally pretentious [TS]

00:02:04 ◼   ► podcast is also out there hi Sean hello [TS]

00:02:07 ◼   ► I will be your resident curmudgeon [TS]

00:02:08 ◼   ► tonight well you can you have to her [TS]

00:02:11 ◼   ► much [TS]

00:02:12 ◼   ► McNulty for that title but i will come [TS]

00:02:15 ◼   ► much the heck Adam okay good [TS]

00:02:17 ◼   ► I don't know about that these young [TS]

00:02:19 ◼   ► starts we're going to occur much your [TS]

00:02:21 ◼   ► budget together [TS]

00:02:23 ◼   ► okay so we got we've got six novel [TS]

00:02:27 ◼   ► nominations here actually by the time [TS]

00:02:29 ◼   ► that this podcast is released i believe [TS]

00:02:31 ◼   ► there will be a winner [TS]

00:02:31 ◼   ► yes yeah i'm only stupefied by the [TS]

00:02:34 ◼   ► inclusion two of these books I have no [TS]

00:02:36 ◼   ► idea why they were included the rest [TS]

00:02:37 ◼   ► pretty good one of these books is the [TS]

00:02:40 ◼   ► sequel to a book that was on this list [TS]

00:02:42 ◼   ► last year [TS]

00:02:44 ◼   ► why don't we start there that would be [TS]

00:02:46 ◼   ► ancillary sword by and lucky [TS]

00:02:49 ◼   ► sequel to ancillary justice you may have [TS]

00:02:51 ◼   ► heard of it we've talked about it on [TS]

00:02:52 ◼   ► like eight different episodes be [TS]

00:02:54 ◼   ► uncomfortable it was nominated for an [TS]

00:02:55 ◼   ► pretty much won every award last year [TS]

00:02:57 ◼   ► this is the sequel and I was trying to [TS]

00:03:00 ◼   ► refresh i read this a little while ago I [TS]

00:03:02 ◼   ► was trying to refresh my memory about [TS]

00:03:04 ◼   ► about what this book is because what I [TS]

00:03:07 ◼   ► remember about is it's not what i [TS]

00:03:08 ◼   ► expected the sequel ancillary justice [TS]

00:03:10 ◼   ► got this kind of broad canvas and and [TS]

00:03:13 ◼   ► you get this character and their she's [TS]

00:03:15 ◼   ► flashing back to previous parts of life [TS]

00:03:19 ◼   ► as a an AI on a starship and now she's [TS]

00:03:22 ◼   ► on the run in theirs and there's a disk [TS]

00:03:25 ◼   ► in a cold planet that they're on and [TS]

00:03:27 ◼   ► then the end up getting on a ship and [TS]

00:03:29 ◼   ► going and attacking the Emperor of the [TS]

00:03:31 ◼   ► of this the Star Empire and this and [TS]

00:03:34 ◼   ► then I then I read a synopsis I was like [TS]

00:03:36 ◼   ► oh yeah this is the one where they get [TS]

00:03:37 ◼   ► stranded on a space station and the in [TS]

00:03:39 ◼   ► the swimming pool leaks that's cold [TS]

00:03:43 ◼   ► there's also a tea plantation yeah so [TS]

00:03:46 ◼   ► we're trying important [TS]

00:03:48 ◼   ► there's a lot of tea there's a lot of [TS]

00:03:49 ◼   ► tea drinking yes so god I I don't want [TS]

00:03:52 ◼   ► to I my point is I was just shocked at [TS]

00:03:56 ◼   ► what this book was because it wasn't [TS]

00:03:58 ◼   ► what I was not expecting i was expecting [TS]

00:03:59 ◼   ► more scope my god is that the last [TS]

00:04:02 ◼   ► chapter of ancillary justice is sort of [TS]

00:04:03 ◼   ► like and then we have a starship and I [TS]

00:04:06 ◼   ► was the captain did the détente' I [TS]

00:04:09 ◼   ► really kind of expected them to go in [TS]

00:04:11 ◼   ► that direction and I suppose it is is [TS]

00:04:13 ◼   ► there sort of sort of like a star trek [TS]

00:04:15 ◼   ► episode in some ways I liked it actually [TS]

00:04:17 ◼   ► a lot but it was it was it was quite a [TS]

00:04:20 ◼   ► change of pace from ancillary justice is [TS]

00:04:21 ◼   ► what i'm saying i didn't like it as much [TS]

00:04:23 ◼   ► as ancillary justice but I did think it [TS]

00:04:25 ◼   ► was good i think she took a bold [TS]

00:04:27 ◼   ► decision and not just doing the same [TS]

00:04:29 ◼   ► thing again and in fact I find parallels [TS]

00:04:32 ◼   ► with this and one that we will be [TS]

00:04:34 ◼   ► talking about later the comet Empire [TS]

00:04:35 ◼   ► novel you know she she didn't do what we [TS]

00:04:38 ◼   ► expected she examines in in-depth one [TS]

00:04:41 ◼   ► planet run by this organization and the [TS]

00:04:45 ◼   ► the good and the bad of what happens so [TS]

00:04:49 ◼   ► I i get kept keep expel k once the shoe [TS]

00:04:52 ◼   ► gonna drop when the shooting started [TS]

00:04:54 ◼   ► never did never really started shooting [TS]

00:04:56 ◼   ► but i did enjoy it because of the ATM [TS]

00:05:00 ◼   ► death looks and altie so there's a lot [TS]

00:05:02 ◼   ► of tea [TS]

00:05:03 ◼   ► oh god what I did think it interesting [TS]

00:05:06 ◼   ► is you're right Fred that this book its [TS]

00:05:08 ◼   ► scale is much more subdued and so I [TS]

00:05:10 ◼   ► thought it was interesting that you know [TS]

00:05:12 ◼   ► she's being identified with what could [TS]

00:05:14 ◼   ► be called the new space opera movement [TS]

00:05:15 ◼   ► and yet with this book it's almost like [TS]

00:05:18 ◼   ► she's doing new planetary romance that's [TS]

00:05:21 ◼   ► the kind of totally total different take [TS]

00:05:24 ◼   ► I think it does suffer a little bit from [TS]

00:05:26 ◼   ► Middle book itís which is a problem [TS]

00:05:29 ◼   ► that i think a lot of middle book suffer [TS]

00:05:32 ◼   ► from and it's hard to kind of escape it [TS]

00:05:33 ◼   ► also probably is suffering and some [TS]

00:05:35 ◼   ► people's minds with the fact that the [TS]

00:05:36 ◼   ► first book basically won every award [TS]

00:05:38 ◼   ► under the Sun including awards probably [TS]

00:05:41 ◼   ► nobody's ever heard of the field and so [TS]

00:05:44 ◼   ► I think no matter what people were going [TS]

00:05:46 ◼   ► to do when they came to this book that [TS]

00:05:48 ◼   ► was going to be in the back of their [TS]

00:05:49 ◼   ► minds and it was something that we [TS]

00:05:50 ◼   ► talked to him like you that she was not [TS]

00:05:53 ◼   ► so much concerned by but it was like [TS]

00:05:54 ◼   ► obviously something that you had to [TS]

00:05:56 ◼   ► think about i liked it though because i [TS]

00:05:59 ◼   ► really love the in-depth sort of [TS]

00:06:01 ◼   ► cultural examination elements [TS]

00:06:03 ◼   ► particularly like T so the fact there's [TS]

00:06:06 ◼   ► lots of tea in it made me happy i also [TS]

00:06:09 ◼   ► appreciate that they're actually tea [TS]

00:06:10 ◼   ► plantations and that was actually being [TS]

00:06:12 ◼   ► discussed on some level but i do think [TS]

00:06:15 ◼   ► it's not quite as strong as ancillary [TS]

00:06:16 ◼   ► sword but still a good book [TS]

00:06:19 ◼   ► it's got I was gonna make a star trek [TS]

00:06:21 ◼   ► parallel just for you which is to say [TS]

00:06:22 ◼   ► that I feel like I feel like I was [TS]

00:06:24 ◼   ► expecting if I was expecting something [TS]

00:06:26 ◼   ► after that last chapter i was expecting [TS]

00:06:28 ◼   ► Star Trek The Next Generation and I got [TS]

00:06:30 ◼   ► a little bit more deep space nine and a [TS]

00:06:32 ◼   ► in a good way that this is this is you [TS]

00:06:36 ◼   ► know the space station and it's a [TS]

00:06:38 ◼   ► particular story and I and I think also [TS]

00:06:41 ◼   ► interesting is there's this whole [TS]

00:06:43 ◼   ► question of what happens when this crew [TS]

00:06:44 ◼   ► and and the people on the station find [TS]

00:06:46 ◼   ► out who break is which happens and it's [TS]

00:06:49 ◼   ► and it's an issue right that the [TS]

00:06:51 ◼   ► identity the identity of the first book [TS]

00:06:54 ◼   ► it's sort of about cultural reaction to [TS]

00:06:56 ◼   ► the identity of that character a little [TS]

00:06:58 ◼   ► bit in the second book anyway how's my [TS]

00:06:59 ◼   ► star trek parallel Scott I like it [TS]

00:07:01 ◼   ► good job Jason thank you how are you and [TS]

00:07:04 ◼   ► I like I like ancillary sort as well [TS]

00:07:06 ◼   ► although i read it a you know like eight [TS]

00:07:08 ◼   ► months ago so who the hell knows what [TS]

00:07:11 ◼   ► happens in it but uh [TS]

00:07:13 ◼   ► i I'm harmonics the pond dreams i do [TS]

00:07:17 ◼   ► remember that i was reading the synopsis [TS]

00:07:18 ◼   ► on wikipedia and it all came back to me [TS]

00:07:22 ◼   ► in a good way [TS]

00:07:23 ◼   ► I mean it's very different outlet and [TS]

00:07:25 ◼   ► I'll just you know [TS]

00:07:26 ◼   ► echo what everyone else said it's [TS]

00:07:27 ◼   ► obviously very different than ancillary [TS]

00:07:30 ◼   ► justice which is a good thing i think [TS]

00:07:31 ◼   ► and it's interesting so she she painted [TS]

00:07:34 ◼   ► this kind of broad picture of her [TS]

00:07:37 ◼   ► universe and now she is playing in a [TS]

00:07:41 ◼   ► particular part of it and giving us a [TS]

00:07:42 ◼   ► little more detail about something so i [TS]

00:07:45 ◼   ► thought it was nice i don't think it [TS]

00:07:47 ◼   ► should win the nebula but I thought it [TS]

00:07:49 ◼   ► was a good book [TS]

00:07:50 ◼   ► stop the metaphor i have for this is [TS]

00:07:52 ◼   ► this is this book is a tea ceremony [TS]

00:07:54 ◼   ► after the big exploding of the first [TS]

00:07:56 ◼   ► novel we have big giant space opera the [TS]

00:07:59 ◼   ► first time in this novel we have a tea [TS]

00:08:02 ◼   ► ceremony a quiet almost a pause it [TS]

00:08:04 ◼   ► I mean most middle books try to go [TS]

00:08:06 ◼   ► bigger batter larger this did the exact [TS]

00:08:10 ◼   ► opposite and giving us this small story [TS]

00:08:13 ◼   ► of a planet and a and its space station [TS]

00:08:16 ◼   ► and there are hints that the aliens are [TS]

00:08:18 ◼   ► going to do something but you don't see [TS]

00:08:19 ◼   ► anything and it's all very quiet and [TS]

00:08:22 ◼   ► subdued in character and character [TS]

00:08:24 ◼   ► focused it is it's it's a tea ceremony [TS]

00:08:26 ◼   ► as middle novel i'm not quite sure it [TS]

00:08:29 ◼   ► completely succeeded it's certainly not [TS]

00:08:32 ◼   ► as incandescent as in summary justice [TS]

00:08:35 ◼   ► was for me but I liked it well enough [TS]

00:08:37 ◼   ► because she was trying to do something [TS]

00:08:39 ◼   ► completely different than most people [TS]

00:08:41 ◼   ► try to do in the middle novels which I [TS]

00:08:42 ◼   ► give it recorded for one of the things I [TS]

00:08:45 ◼   ► like about ancillary justice is the the [TS]

00:08:49 ◼   ► way she kind of takes the this trope the [TS]

00:08:52 ◼   ► space opera troupe of Star Empire's [TS]

00:08:54 ◼   ► right hey star in person who doesn't [TS]

00:08:55 ◼   ► like a good start Empire and says well [TS]

00:08:57 ◼   ► what do we know about empires on earth [TS]

00:08:59 ◼   ► which is that the people they are built [TS]

00:09:01 ◼   ► on the backs of people who are quite [TS]

00:09:03 ◼   ► unfortunate and are treated incredibly [TS]

00:09:05 ◼   ► badly in order to build an empire and [TS]

00:09:08 ◼   ► that's something that does extend to [TS]

00:09:10 ◼   ► this book and I the thing I think [TS]

00:09:12 ◼   ► perhaps rather than the swimming pool [TS]

00:09:14 ◼   ► leaking but the pond licking the thing I [TS]

00:09:15 ◼   ► remember the most is the scenes on the [TS]

00:09:17 ◼   ► planet where we see the people who are [TS]

00:09:20 ◼   ► working on the tee and it's part of this [TS]

00:09:22 ◼   ► being a minority group that's being the [TS]

00:09:25 ◼   ► being oppressed [TS]

00:09:26 ◼   ► and I think I I very clearly remember [TS]

00:09:29 ◼   ► the kid liked the character like goes [TS]

00:09:30 ◼   ► for a run or something like well you [TS]

00:09:32 ◼   ► shouldn't be out anywhere and it's just [TS]

00:09:35 ◼   ► making trouble of finding information [TS]

00:09:36 ◼   ► about who these people are and what's [TS]

00:09:38 ◼   ► going on that the plantation and I [TS]

00:09:40 ◼   ► really enjoyed that continuation of this [TS]

00:09:43 ◼   ► of this approach that she's got to the [TS]

00:09:45 ◼   ► taking the ratch Empire and all of the [TS]

00:09:48 ◼   ► like I all of the connections to it and [TS]

00:09:51 ◼   ► how they're all they're all they're all [TS]

00:09:54 ◼   ► complicit in this kind of awful system [TS]

00:09:57 ◼   ► of empire that that she's in an inside [TS]

00:09:59 ◼   ► of I think that was a that was in this [TS]

00:10:01 ◼   ► book too and I really like that there [TS]

00:10:03 ◼   ► are other good things like when the one [TS]

00:10:06 ◼   ► in Chancellery from the other ship gets [TS]

00:10:09 ◼   ► injured at the captain can understand [TS]

00:10:12 ◼   ► the doctor can't understand why she's so [TS]

00:10:15 ◼   ► concerned about trying to get this [TS]

00:10:17 ◼   ► no spare part fixed night Saigon just [TS]

00:10:20 ◼   ► let her die doesn't ever get used to be [TS]

00:10:22 ◼   ► an ancillary yourself she's like a look [TS]

00:10:24 ◼   ► maybe there's potential for another [TS]

00:10:27 ◼   ► person here there's that and the the [TS]

00:10:29 ◼   ► just the attitude of the the owners of [TS]

00:10:31 ◼   ► the plantation towards a everybody they [TS]

00:10:34 ◼   ► even the little situations where the [TS]

00:10:36 ◼   ► they come up to the station to try to [TS]

00:10:39 ◼   ► start fixing things and the people [TS]

00:10:40 ◼   ► they're like no no you can't do that [TS]

00:10:42 ◼   ► you're gonna you're ruined like for us [TS]

00:10:45 ◼   ► yeah i guess the thing that that that [TS]

00:10:47 ◼   ► struck me about about it out [TS]

00:10:49 ◼   ► I like that it's a change of pace I [TS]

00:10:51 ◼   ► think that too often authors are guilty [TS]

00:10:53 ◼   ► of writing the same book again and again [TS]

00:10:54 ◼   ► because it was successful the first time [TS]

00:10:56 ◼   ► but at the same time the scope of the [TS]

00:10:58 ◼   ► first book is very much like it's a star [TS]

00:11:00 ◼   ► empire and their duplicate copies of the [TS]

00:11:02 ◼   ► Emperor and the feuding with each other [TS]

00:11:04 ◼   ► and there's mysterious aliens doing [TS]

00:11:05 ◼   ► mysterious things and who knows what's [TS]

00:11:07 ◼   ► going to happen next and in this book it [TS]

00:11:09 ◼   ► is more like a more like an intermission [TS]

00:11:12 ◼   ► and in all break in the action there's [TS]

00:11:14 ◼   ► some things going on in the background [TS]

00:11:16 ◼   ► but this is not that scope this is not [TS]

00:11:19 ◼   ► about it in you know it is it is touched [TS]

00:11:23 ◼   ► by it but this is not about we're gonna [TS]

00:11:25 ◼   ► go to the capital and find all of the [TS]

00:11:26 ◼   ► Emperor's and do whatever this is very [TS]

00:11:28 ◼   ► much like we're gonna pause at this at [TS]

00:11:31 ◼   ► this planet this is it it at one point I [TS]

00:11:33 ◼   ► felt like it was almost like a Lois Lois [TS]

00:11:36 ◼   ► McMaster Bujold uh you know proposing a [TS]

00:11:39 ◼   ► novel where was [TS]

00:11:40 ◼   ► like I know we've got this big story but [TS]

00:11:42 ◼   ► where I'm just gonna tell you a story [TS]

00:11:43 ◼   ► about this planet that is just that and [TS]

00:11:45 ◼   ► and that's okay it just took me by [TS]

00:11:47 ◼   ► surprise but but it was good it was not [TS]

00:11:50 ◼   ► incandescent at like like ancillary [TS]

00:11:53 ◼   ► justice i agree but but good and [TS]

00:11:55 ◼   ► entertaining i thought let me take a [TS]

00:11:57 ◼   ► break and tell you about our sponsor new [TS]

00:11:59 ◼   ► sponsor its studio need these people [TS]

00:12:01 ◼   ► make amazing cool things if you're still [TS]

00:12:05 ◼   ► shopping for a last-minute fathers day [TS]

00:12:07 ◼   ► gift a graduation present or you know [TS]

00:12:10 ◼   ► stocking up for a birthday back to [TS]

00:12:11 ◼   ► school [TS]

00:12:12 ◼   ► these are so cool so what does studio [TS]

00:12:15 ◼   ► need make well let's see I've got the [TS]

00:12:16 ◼   ► neat [TS]

00:12:17 ◼   ► I skit it's a set of tools for creating [TS]

00:12:18 ◼   ► this really awesome clear ice you can [TS]

00:12:22 ◼   ► use in cocktails you can use it in ice [TS]

00:12:24 ◼   ► tea you can use it in soda that I i love [TS]

00:12:29 ◼   ► it because you know normal ice that you [TS]

00:12:31 ◼   ► make in your ice maker is cloudy but [TS]

00:12:33 ◼   ► this the system you pour water in an [TS]

00:12:37 ◼   ► insulated thing and you put it in your [TS]

00:12:38 ◼   ► freezer and it freezes and because it's [TS]

00:12:41 ◼   ► insulated there's a bubbly part at the [TS]

00:12:43 ◼   ► bottom and a crystal-clear part of the [TS]

00:12:45 ◼   ► top comes with the chisel so you can pop [TS]

00:12:47 ◼   ► off the crystal clear ice it's really [TS]

00:12:49 ◼   ► cool it's like a spot science experiment [TS]

00:12:51 ◼   ► going on in your freezer and when you're [TS]

00:12:53 ◼   ► done you've got this fancy cocktail bar [TS]

00:12:56 ◼   ► ice that you made yourself [TS]

00:12:58 ◼   ► that's because Tom and Ann at studio [TS]

00:13:00 ◼   ► need made the need I skit they have a [TS]

00:13:02 ◼   ► simple syrup kit it's getting to be iced [TS]

00:13:04 ◼   ► tea time here it's summertime the simple [TS]

00:13:07 ◼   ► syrup get it is a glass bottle it's [TS]

00:13:10 ◼   ► gotta fill line written on it so you put [TS]

00:13:12 ◼   ► in the sugar you put in the water you [TS]

00:13:14 ◼   ► shake it up and you've got simple syrup [TS]

00:13:16 ◼   ► great for sweetening cocktails great for [TS]

00:13:18 ◼   ► sweetening ice-t like i said i use it [TS]

00:13:20 ◼   ► for that it's got this amazing spout it [TS]

00:13:22 ◼   ► is a drip-free spout is the best spout [TS]

00:13:25 ◼   ► that i have ever used for something like [TS]

00:13:27 ◼   ► this and i tried to make my own simple [TS]

00:13:29 ◼   ► syrup get a few years ago it was kind of [TS]

00:13:31 ◼   ► a disaster so that the need [TS]

00:13:33 ◼   ► I skit simple syrup kit are you getting [TS]

00:13:35 ◼   ► it yet the cosmonaut is a wide grip [TS]

00:13:38 ◼   ► stylist that focuses on feel it is super [TS]

00:13:40 ◼   ► if your liver styles for your iphone or [TS]

00:13:42 ◼   ► ipad it is this guy i hate pens and [TS]

00:13:45 ◼   ► pencils [TS]

00:13:46 ◼   ► this is so nice it is wide it is grippy [TS]

00:13:48 ◼   ► if you want to write on a touchscreen [TS]

00:13:50 ◼   ► the cosmonaut is for you and then they [TS]

00:13:52 ◼   ► make the glyph [TS]

00:13:53 ◼   ► which lets you mount your smartphone on [TS]

00:13:55 ◼   ► any tripod you stick the smartphone in [TS]

00:13:58 ◼   ► the glyph and then you put the glyph on [TS]

00:13:59 ◼   ► any standard tripod the it's got that [TS]

00:14:02 ◼   ► it's got the universal tripod thread on [TS]

00:14:04 ◼   ► it so there are so many different things [TS]

00:14:06 ◼   ► that you can check out its to do need to [TS]

00:14:08 ◼   ► get some gift ideas whether it's for [TS]

00:14:10 ◼   ► Father's Day or graduation or something [TS]

00:14:11 ◼   ► later on and i'm going to give you a [TS]

00:14:13 ◼   ► deal [TS]

00:14:14 ◼   ► go to studio need calm that is st udi [TS]

00:14:16 ◼   ► one80 dot-com and use code Zeppelin oh I [TS]

00:14:21 ◼   ► like that code use code Zeppelin and [TS]

00:14:24 ◼   ► you'll get ten percent off anything in [TS]

00:14:26 ◼   ► the store so order soon if you want to [TS]

00:14:28 ◼   ► get it there for father's day but if [TS]

00:14:30 ◼   ► you're if you're running late you can [TS]

00:14:32 ◼   ► also search for the stuff on Amazon you [TS]

00:14:34 ◼   ► can take advantage of prime set shipping [TS]

00:14:35 ◼   ► and get it fast [TS]

00:14:37 ◼   ► thank you so much to studio neat for [TS]

00:14:38 ◼   ► sponsoring incomparable studio knee com [TS]

00:14:40 ◼   ► use code Zeppelin for ten percent off [TS]

00:14:42 ◼   ► all right let's move on to a to trial by [TS]

00:14:45 ◼   ► fire which is a sequel to by Charles [TS]

00:14:48 ◼   ► game and it is equal to a book that was [TS]

00:14:50 ◼   ► nominated for the hugo award last year [TS]

00:14:52 ◼   ► so I read the first book in this series [TS]

00:14:54 ◼   ► and this is the second book in the [TS]

00:14:57 ◼   ► series tales tales and held her and look [TS]

00:14:59 ◼   ► at the Terran Republic you may also [TS]

00:15:01 ◼   ► think you know if it is johnny the [TS]

00:15:04 ◼   ► adventures of Johnny square jaw [TS]

00:15:05 ◼   ► I mean Kane Reardon now the that one was [TS]

00:15:09 ◼   ► also nominated for the nebula yeah was [TS]

00:15:12 ◼   ► it okay so we need to talk about it we [TS]

00:15:14 ◼   ► arrived [TS]

00:15:14 ◼   ► well its back trial by fire so might my [TS]

00:15:18 ◼   ► memory of fire with fire the first one [TS]

00:15:21 ◼   ► was i I think I said it felt like it was [TS]

00:15:23 ◼   ► 33 totally different novels in one where [TS]

00:15:26 ◼   ► we sort of like adventure on a planet [TS]

00:15:28 ◼   ► discovered something interesting and [TS]

00:15:30 ◼   ► then it was go meet new aliens and [TS]

00:15:33 ◼   ► finders place in the world and then the [TS]

00:15:34 ◼   ► last third of was like a conspiracy [TS]

00:15:36 ◼   ► thriller as the humans try to figure out [TS]

00:15:39 ◼   ► what to do at this book is less a less [TS]

00:15:44 ◼   ► of a multiple-choice kind of novel than [TS]

00:15:47 ◼   ► then that was it still a no it'sit's [TS]

00:15:50 ◼   ► a-a-and military action adventure story [TS]

00:15:56 ◼   ► about what which I didn't expect talk [TS]

00:15:58 ◼   ► about sequels that that lead me to [TS]

00:16:01 ◼   ► places that I didn't expect I didn't [TS]

00:16:02 ◼   ► expect after all the diplomacy of of [TS]

00:16:06 ◼   ► fire with fire I did [TS]

00:16:07 ◼   ► not expect a straight-up alien invasion [TS]

00:16:09 ◼   ► novel but that's basically what trial by [TS]

00:16:11 ◼   ► fire is and too long [TS]

00:16:13 ◼   ► it'sit's minutes more military SF in [TS]

00:16:15 ◼   ► space opera television i was like i was [TS]

00:16:18 ◼   ► surprised how much pain is offstage in [TS]

00:16:21 ◼   ► this novel I wasn't expecting that [TS]

00:16:23 ◼   ► yeah he goes away for a while yeah I [TS]

00:16:25 ◼   ► mean we get to do we get to see Trevor [TS]

00:16:27 ◼   ► an old Boland true whenever he's [TS]

00:16:29 ◼   ► offstage everyone's like where is he [TS]

00:16:31 ◼   ► let's talk about him K&I miss Kane i [TS]

00:16:36 ◼   ► hope i can simply quene one day that gee [TS]

00:16:38 ◼   ► I wish you were in this city doesn't [TS]

00:16:40 ◼   ► love interests [TS]

00:16:42 ◼   ► uh-huh so there i mean it's kind of like [TS]

00:16:45 ◼   ► everybody knows it which I found really [TS]

00:16:46 ◼   ► amusing like the two women I guess kind [TS]

00:16:49 ◼   ► of know at least one of them know is [TS]

00:16:51 ◼   ► interested for obvious reasons and then [TS]

00:16:52 ◼   ► the other could nose and then they're [TS]

00:16:54 ◼   ► like nine other people who know that [TS]

00:16:56 ◼   ► they know or don't know where they don't [TS]

00:16:57 ◼   ► know which one knows which of detail of [TS]

00:17:00 ◼   ► the romance and so there's lots of this [TS]

00:17:02 ◼   ► discussion because they all know a [TS]

00:17:03 ◼   ► detailed that's important to Cain and [TS]

00:17:05 ◼   ► other people so I a little bit [TS]

00:17:08 ◼   ► complicated but uh yeah kind of it it [TS]

00:17:11 ◼   ► worked i guess that part of it [TS]

00:17:13 ◼   ► this book was dumb oh boy oh boy haha [TS]

00:17:18 ◼   ► all good experience god yeah yeah I I [TS]

00:17:21 ◼   ► didn't like the first one I thought was [TS]

00:17:25 ◼   ► okay i thought this one was also ok but [TS]

00:17:29 ◼   ► I I don't like the character I think [TS]

00:17:32 ◼   ► that the aliens are kind of stupid [TS]

00:17:35 ◼   ► I ice i read the whole book so i didn't [TS]

00:17:38 ◼   ► i didn't stop reading it but I didn't [TS]

00:17:41 ◼   ► feel like I felt I with my life was not [TS]

00:17:44 ◼   ► enriched by reading this book a I don't [TS]

00:17:49 ◼   ► know I don't know I don't understand [TS]

00:17:50 ◼   ► this is one of the one of the two books [TS]

00:17:52 ◼   ► that i am confused as to why it was [TS]

00:17:54 ◼   ► nominated for a nebula I guess maybe [TS]

00:17:56 ◼   ► people just like mr. cat and but uh or [TS]

00:18:00 ◼   ► dr. Gannon [TS]

00:18:02 ◼   ► I don't get it lowered again into you [TS]

00:18:05 ◼   ► haha space Lord cash for what it is it's [TS]

00:18:09 ◼   ► competent at what it is [TS]

00:18:10 ◼   ► hi prey is well its military SF yeah he [TS]

00:18:15 ◼   ► spells on numbers and letters correctly [TS]

00:18:17 ◼   ► it's it's it essentially adventurer SF [TS]

00:18:21 ◼   ► in a military setting it's me [TS]

00:18:23 ◼   ► I think it has more link with with space [TS]

00:18:25 ◼   ► after that is military SF but that's [TS]

00:18:27 ◼   ► kind of me and my weird definition so [TS]

00:18:30 ◼   ► the first book felt very space opera [TS]

00:18:31 ◼   ► like and this one has moments of space [TS]

00:18:34 ◼   ► opera but the the series actually that [TS]

00:18:36 ◼   ► reminded me the most an idea i'm not [TS]

00:18:38 ◼   ► close to being well-read in military SF [TS]

00:18:41 ◼   ► but it did remind me of John John [TS]

00:18:42 ◼   ► birmingham so acts of time which is [TS]

00:18:46 ◼   ► about that that 21st century naval fleet [TS]

00:18:49 ◼   ► that goes back and change the course of [TS]

00:18:50 ◼   ► the Second World War [TS]

00:18:52 ◼   ► alright and i enjoyed those books a lot [TS]

00:18:54 ◼   ► i enjoyed them [TS]

00:18:55 ◼   ► I I feel like there's a little more [TS]

00:18:56 ◼   ► social clash and a little more I mean [TS]

00:18:59 ◼   ► there's some interesting things in those [TS]

00:19:00 ◼   ► books that I felt were not as much in [TS]

00:19:03 ◼   ► this book but but I you know the fact is [TS]

00:19:06 ◼   ► there are long descriptions in this book [TS]

00:19:08 ◼   ► of like how various kinds of ammunition [TS]

00:19:10 ◼   ► work in zero gravity that I just don't [TS]

00:19:13 ◼   ► care about I don't the nuts-and-bolts [TS]

00:19:15 ◼   ► stuff just passes right over me and I [TS]

00:19:18 ◼   ► know I get that some people just love [TS]

00:19:20 ◼   ► that but it's just not those kind of [TS]

00:19:22 ◼   ► mechanics of he's detailing like what [TS]

00:19:25 ◼   ► the weapons are that are made up and how [TS]

00:19:27 ◼   ► they work and like how the physics works [TS]

00:19:29 ◼   ► and all that that's the stuff that just [TS]

00:19:30 ◼   ► rolls over me I did I can I liked it a [TS]

00:19:32 ◼   ► lot better when we had these characters [TS]

00:19:34 ◼   ► doing things I thought the whole stuff [TS]

00:19:36 ◼   ► of everything happening on the island of [TS]

00:19:38 ◼   ► Java and the local population [TS]

00:19:39 ◼   ► interacting with the people who were [TS]

00:19:41 ◼   ► being kind of smuggled in in order to [TS]

00:19:43 ◼   ► make the attack I thought that stuff was [TS]

00:19:45 ◼   ► pretty interesting [TS]

00:19:46 ◼   ► I thought the alien stuff was was ok [TS]

00:19:49 ◼   ► like the idea that the aliens are just [TS]

00:19:52 ◼   ► using earth as a as a it's just part of [TS]

00:19:56 ◼   ► a larger game and they're all trying to [TS]

00:19:57 ◼   ► play each other and so although it seems [TS]

00:19:59 ◼   ► very different from the first novel [TS]

00:20:00 ◼   ► actually what we see in the convocation [TS]

00:20:02 ◼   ► and the first novel is kinda boring out [TS]

00:20:04 ◼   ► here they're just playing it with our [TS]

00:20:06 ◼   ► planet which is kind of I think kind of [TS]

00:20:08 ◼   ► interesting although you can I mean like [TS]

00:20:09 ◼   ► I figured out what the plot twist was [TS]

00:20:11 ◼   ► about how about who one of the alien [TS]

00:20:13 ◼   ► races was a very early hon I was like oh [TS]

00:20:16 ◼   ► well that's what the answer is this is [TS]

00:20:17 ◼   ► what's happening here but you know and [TS]

00:20:20 ◼   ► can Reardon is just a little bit too [TS]

00:20:22 ◼   ► much of a Johnny square job for me I [TS]

00:20:23 ◼   ► feel like I'm not sure I felt like he [TS]

00:20:25 ◼   ► had any depth is sort of good at [TS]

00:20:26 ◼   ► everything [TS]

00:20:27 ◼   ► and you know everybody loves him and you [TS]

00:20:31 ◼   ► know it's like I like a hero but he's [TS]

00:20:32 ◼   ► like the perfect amazing superhero guy [TS]

00:20:36 ◼   ► forgive me for bringing bringing them up [TS]

00:20:38 ◼   ► in this context Jason but it's out of [TS]

00:20:41 ◼   ► the fence to charles to charles or his [TS]

00:20:43 ◼   ► book but this is this feels to me like [TS]

00:20:46 ◼   ► the kind of novel a good example of a [TS]

00:20:49 ◼   ► good and well written example kind of [TS]

00:20:51 ◼   ► novel the said puppies want to promote [TS]

00:20:54 ◼   ► it's better than some of the stuff that [TS]

00:20:56 ◼   ► wound up on the hugo bout thanks that [TS]

00:20:58 ◼   ► puppy's rabbit puppies [TS]

00:20:59 ◼   ► this is much better than most of the [TS]

00:21:01 ◼   ► stuff that they tried to push but it's [TS]

00:21:03 ◼   ► that same sort of spirit [TS]

00:21:06 ◼   ► yeah well I mean it is a it although [TS]

00:21:08 ◼   ► it's funny because I i get the sense [TS]

00:21:09 ◼   ► like beam and militaries SF has [TS]

00:21:12 ◼   ► definitely a more conservative kind of [TS]

00:21:15 ◼   ► tint to it and that's fine but when i [TS]

00:21:19 ◼   ► read trial by fire I think there's some [TS]

00:21:21 ◼   ► really interesting kind of subversive [TS]

00:21:22 ◼   ► things in it i mean you could read trial [TS]

00:21:24 ◼   ► by fire as being about because it is it [TS]

00:21:27 ◼   ► is more advanced people who have their [TS]

00:21:29 ◼   ► own politics coming to a less advanced [TS]

00:21:31 ◼   ► planet and stomping on it in order to [TS]

00:21:34 ◼   ► it's very hard for me not to look at [TS]

00:21:37 ◼   ► this and say I think he's actually [TS]

00:21:38 ◼   ► making parallels to imperialism on earth [TS]

00:21:42 ◼   ► and an advanced and rich countries [TS]

00:21:46 ◼   ► fighting proxy wars in poor countries [TS]

00:21:48 ◼   ► except in this case we have to look at [TS]

00:21:51 ◼   ► earth as the poor country which kind of [TS]

00:21:52 ◼   ► puts you in the place of all the people [TS]

00:21:55 ◼   ► being stomped on by rich countries in it [TS]

00:21:58 ◼   ► you know in our in our actual world so I [TS]

00:22:00 ◼   ► actually find found at many moments I [TS]

00:22:03 ◼   ► was like this is kind of subversive I [TS]

00:22:05 ◼   ► wonder if people who love military SF [TS]

00:22:07 ◼   ► who might be a little bit more [TS]

00:22:08 ◼   ► conservative are going to read that and [TS]

00:22:12 ◼   ► not like it or let it go or what because [TS]

00:22:14 ◼   ► it was actually doesn't it does not seem [TS]

00:22:16 ◼   ► like proselytizing and like a super [TS]

00:22:19 ◼   ► conservative piece of politics in this [TS]

00:22:23 ◼   ► book at all it to me I the way I read it [TS]

00:22:25 ◼   ► was it was much more sneaky than that [TS]

00:22:28 ◼   ► nuance yeah yeah yeah i mean that is one [TS]

00:22:31 ◼   ► of the things I really did enjoy about [TS]

00:22:32 ◼   ► this book is again and does attempt to [TS]

00:22:35 ◼   ► kind of explore the really messy [TS]

00:22:37 ◼   ► political and [TS]

00:22:39 ◼   ► and in some cases physical elements of [TS]

00:22:42 ◼   ► actually invading another country while [TS]

00:22:45 ◼   ► also trying desperately to argue [TS]

00:22:48 ◼   ► philosophically that it's not an [TS]

00:22:49 ◼   ► invasion which is an imperialist idea [TS]

00:22:53 ◼   ► that yeah we're not actually invading [TS]

00:22:54 ◼   ► you were showing up and we're here to [TS]

00:22:57 ◼   ► help [TS]

00:22:57 ◼   ► we're here to help yeah right these are [TS]

00:22:59 ◼   ► just military advisers we set them right [TS]

00:23:02 ◼   ► we'll do everything we can to kind of [TS]

00:23:05 ◼   ► avoid admitting that what's happening is [TS]

00:23:07 ◼   ► an invasion and there are a couple [TS]

00:23:08 ◼   ► conversations with with Cain and one of [TS]

00:23:13 ◼   ► the aliens the name of which I've [TS]

00:23:14 ◼   ► forgotten but one of the bug monkey [TS]

00:23:16 ◼   ► creatures where he within the buggy [TS]

00:23:20 ◼   ► creatures basically saying like no no [TS]

00:23:21 ◼   ► we're not invading you've completely [TS]

00:23:22 ◼   ► misinterpreted what's happening and [TS]

00:23:23 ◼   ► we're all going [TS]

00:23:24 ◼   ► no he's interpreted exactly what's [TS]

00:23:27 ◼   ► happening you have propped up [TS]

00:23:28 ◼   ► hey they koo you know and and supported [TS]

00:23:32 ◼   ► this guy and it's an invasion that's [TS]

00:23:34 ◼   ► what exactly is this happened here for [TS]

00:23:37 ◼   ► reasons that are never fully review at [TS]

00:23:38 ◼   ► least not up to that point or not [TS]

00:23:40 ◼   ► revealed to everybody else so like [TS]

00:23:42 ◼   ► humanity doesn't really know what the [TS]

00:23:43 ◼   ► hell is going on and you expect them to [TS]

00:23:45 ◼   ► just kind of like oh we're just be fine [TS]

00:23:47 ◼   ► with this is all gonna be good we're [TS]

00:23:48 ◼   ► just gonna have tea and crumpets later [TS]

00:23:50 ◼   ► on it'll be great i love those elements [TS]

00:23:53 ◼   ► although I will admit that i agree with [TS]

00:23:56 ◼   ► you Jason that some of the descriptions [TS]

00:23:58 ◼   ► stuff felt a little as you know Bob wish [TS]

00:24:01 ◼   ► to me haha kind of three characters [TS]

00:24:03 ◼   ► describing details and maybe that is an [TS]

00:24:06 ◼   ► audience specific thing I don't know but [TS]

00:24:09 ◼   ► that's something that I personally don't [TS]

00:24:11 ◼   ► like them either a couple moments in the [TS]

00:24:13 ◼   ► book where I was like okay you don't [TS]

00:24:15 ◼   ► need to explain the plan to me [TS]

00:24:16 ◼   ► just do it right well the John [TS]

00:24:18 ◼   ► birmingham stuff which I again is one of [TS]

00:24:20 ◼   ► my more recent exposures to some [TS]

00:24:22 ◼   ► military SF is similar in that way and [TS]

00:24:24 ◼   ► we're always like wow I really love it [TS]

00:24:26 ◼   ► when you're talking about what a 1940's [TS]

00:24:27 ◼   ► person would react how they would react [TS]

00:24:29 ◼   ► to an ipad but then when you detail like [TS]

00:24:32 ◼   ► you know the way that the turbines are [TS]

00:24:34 ◼   ► used on these 20 you know 2020 era jet [TS]

00:24:37 ◼   ► fighters I just my eyes glaze over and I [TS]

00:24:40 ◼   ► think maybe that's just it's part of the [TS]

00:24:42 ◼   ► package is that you know that people [TS]

00:24:44 ◼   ► like affect the tom clancy right yeah [TS]

00:24:46 ◼   ► yeah yeahs Houston i used to thumb pass [TS]

00:24:49 ◼   ► those two and then when i read time [TS]

00:24:50 ◼   ► playing yeah okay I get it [TS]

00:24:53 ◼   ► invitation it's certainly to some degree [TS]

00:24:56 ◼   ► it's an audience thing and I think that [TS]

00:24:59 ◼   ► that's partly why but sometimes I I [TS]

00:25:02 ◼   ► bounced hard off of this book I overall [TS]

00:25:04 ◼   ► enjoy that was a lot of fun [TS]

00:25:06 ◼   ► that's not necessarily we look for when [TS]

00:25:08 ◼   ► it comes to like I'm nominating a novel [TS]

00:25:10 ◼   ► I don't look just strictly for fun I [TS]

00:25:12 ◼   ► look for a little more than that but at [TS]

00:25:15 ◼   ► the same time that mean there were there [TS]

00:25:17 ◼   ► moments are as like this book could be [TS]

00:25:18 ◼   ► like 200 pages shorter [TS]

00:25:20 ◼   ► oh yeah that is for sure if it felt it [TS]

00:25:23 ◼   ► felt very long at points that it was [TS]

00:25:25 ◼   ► just again we're doing because I felt [TS]

00:25:27 ◼   ► like we were on the wheel of like let's [TS]

00:25:28 ◼   ► go to all the characters and let's see [TS]

00:25:30 ◼   ► them again and let's see them again that [TS]

00:25:31 ◼   ► was like there was there were way too [TS]

00:25:32 ◼   ► many spins at the wheel where I felt [TS]

00:25:34 ◼   ► like are we wait you know we're waiting [TS]

00:25:36 ◼   ► for that plan to go into it into action [TS]

00:25:38 ◼   ► and we're still waiting and we're still [TS]

00:25:40 ◼   ► waiting and Scott mentioned that earlier [TS]

00:25:42 ◼   ► it it's too long i did the other [TS]

00:25:44 ◼   ► subversive thing by the way the in here [TS]

00:25:46 ◼   ► is that the the only people on earth who [TS]

00:25:48 ◼   ► are really collaborating with the [TS]

00:25:50 ◼   ► invaders or corporations I thought that [TS]

00:25:51 ◼   ► was also an interesting thing that he [TS]

00:25:53 ◼   ► yeah if you want to read it that way [TS]

00:25:55 ◼   ► that he's saying the government's are [TS]

00:25:57 ◼   ► trying to protect the Earth and the [TS]

00:25:58 ◼   ► corporation's just turn tail because [TS]

00:25:59 ◼   ► they figure they can become more [TS]

00:26:01 ◼   ► profitable deal with the aliens that's [TS]

00:26:03 ◼   ► interesting [TS]

00:26:04 ◼   ► yeah it that felt less hammering me in [TS]

00:26:08 ◼   ► the head then another book that's on our [TS]

00:26:10 ◼   ► list that was talking about political [TS]

00:26:12 ◼   ► stuff that fog I was being smacked in [TS]

00:26:15 ◼   ► the face a lot [TS]

00:26:16 ◼   ► this one didn't do that despite the fact [TS]

00:26:18 ◼   ► that it should have given that it's very [TS]

00:26:21 ◼   ► blatant like corporations involved like [TS]

00:26:24 ◼   ► there's evil they are they're not really [TS]

00:26:26 ◼   ► good people and all ultimately wants [TS]

00:26:28 ◼   ► their bank loan armies yeah but I never [TS]

00:26:31 ◼   ► felt like I was being like like he was [TS]

00:26:33 ◼   ► bashing a political point into my head I [TS]

00:26:35 ◼   ► just felt like no we're just dealing [TS]

00:26:36 ◼   ► with very unsavory characters yeah and [TS]

00:26:39 ◼   ► you know at the same time they they [TS]

00:26:41 ◼   ► sometimes will make arguments that and [TS]

00:26:43 ◼   ► trying to support and prop up their own [TS]

00:26:45 ◼   ► ideas like completely oblivious to the [TS]

00:26:47 ◼   ► fact that you know they're insane but [TS]

00:26:51 ◼   ► you know I don't know it it's fun book i [TS]

00:26:54 ◼   ► enjoyed it just a little long and needs [TS]

00:26:56 ◼   ► to be cut [TS]

00:26:57 ◼   ► i I didn't think it was too long I mean [TS]

00:26:58 ◼   ► I went through it like him about two [TS]

00:27:01 ◼   ► days and now I enjoyed it so I'm the [TS]

00:27:05 ◼   ► emerging here on this [TS]

00:27:06 ◼   ► I think the positive margin [TS]

00:27:10 ◼   ► yeah something like that anymore about [TS]

00:27:13 ◼   ► trial by fire [TS]

00:27:14 ◼   ► I you know I felt that last last time we [TS]

00:27:16 ◼   ► did this we talked about about game and [TS]

00:27:19 ◼   ► I felt like we came across maybe a [TS]

00:27:22 ◼   ► little more negatively than intended you [TS]

00:27:24 ◼   ► know Scott didn't like it [TS]

00:27:25 ◼   ► we will be clear about that I I'd love [TS]

00:27:28 ◼   ► it but I you know but I thought it was [TS]

00:27:32 ◼   ► okay [TS]

00:27:32 ◼   ► I you know I i didn't i didn't love it [TS]

00:27:35 ◼   ► parts of it i liked i felt like the [TS]

00:27:37 ◼   ► world is really interesting and a end [TS]

00:27:41 ◼   ► I've read alien invasion novels that I [TS]

00:27:44 ◼   ► liked better and you know again this [TS]

00:27:47 ◼   ► this book was not as much about [TS]

00:27:49 ◼   ► exploring the world until like the last [TS]

00:27:50 ◼   ► couple of chapters as it was about lots [TS]

00:27:54 ◼   ► of military units fighting and that read [TS]

00:27:56 ◼   ► less interesting to me then that even [TS]

00:27:58 ◼   ► the last book was his sponsor break time [TS]

00:28:01 ◼   ► again i want to tell you about mail [TS]

00:28:02 ◼   ► route i use mail route has been using [TS]

00:28:03 ◼   ► her out for a couple of years mail route [TS]

00:28:05 ◼   ► is a service that sits between your mail [TS]

00:28:07 ◼   ► server and the big bad internet and what [TS]

00:28:09 ◼   ► it does is it filters out spam viruses [TS]

00:28:11 ◼   ► and bounced emails not only do you not [TS]

00:28:13 ◼   ► see them they don't get to your server [TS]

00:28:15 ◼   ► they stay away from your server if you [TS]

00:28:18 ◼   ► get a lot of spam if you're running [TS]

00:28:19 ◼   ► around mail server it can actually slow [TS]

00:28:21 ◼   ► down your server because you're getting [TS]

00:28:23 ◼   ► in all of this extra junk mail some [TS]

00:28:25 ◼   ► spammer somewhere is feeding mail at [TS]

00:28:27 ◼   ► your server this happen to me not too [TS]

00:28:29 ◼   ► long ago and then when mail route gets [TS]

00:28:32 ◼   ► in the way you know what that stuff goes [TS]

00:28:33 ◼   ► away mail route takes the punishment [TS]

00:28:35 ◼   ► they take that stuff in they take the [TS]

00:28:37 ◼   ► good stuff and pass it on to your mail [TS]

00:28:40 ◼   ► server and then they keep the bad stuff [TS]

00:28:42 ◼   ► and if there's something in there that [TS]

00:28:44 ◼   ► turns out it isn't bad then mail route [TS]

00:28:46 ◼   ► will send you a little note saying [TS]

00:28:47 ◼   ► here's all the stuff that i found that i [TS]

00:28:50 ◼   ► think is bad [TS]

00:28:51 ◼   ► 1-click in that email and that mail is [TS]

00:28:54 ◼   ► delivered and that person is whitelisted [TS]

00:28:56 ◼   ► and they'll never be filtered out again [TS]

00:28:57 ◼   ► it doesn't happen that often but when it [TS]

00:28:59 ◼   ► does it's a really easy feature you [TS]

00:29:01 ◼   ► don't have to set up any hardware you [TS]

00:29:03 ◼   ► have to set up any software all that [TS]

00:29:05 ◼   ► happens in the cloud mail route does the [TS]

00:29:07 ◼   ► work there and delivers clean mail to [TS]

00:29:09 ◼   ► your inbox large organizations like [TS]

00:29:11 ◼   ► universities and corporations rely on [TS]

00:29:13 ◼   ► mail route it's easy to use from the [TS]

00:29:15 ◼   ► perspective of being a desktop user and [TS]

00:29:16 ◼   ► if you're an email admin RIT pro they [TS]

00:29:18 ◼   ► built tools with you in mind there's an [TS]

00:29:20 ◼   ► a [TS]

00:29:20 ◼   ► p i4 account management support for ldap [TS]

00:29:22 ◼   ► an active directory TLS male bagging [TS]

00:29:25 ◼   ► outbound relay everything you'd want [TS]

00:29:27 ◼   ► from people who handle your mail [TS]

00:29:28 ◼   ► there's a risk-free trial you don't even [TS]

00:29:30 ◼   ► have to put a credit card down you sign [TS]

00:29:31 ◼   ► up point the MX record of your domain at [TS]

00:29:34 ◼   ► mail route so that they can take the [TS]

00:29:35 ◼   ► punishment for you your mailbox and [TS]

00:29:37 ◼   ► hardware completely protected because [TS]

00:29:39 ◼   ► it's a risk-free trial there's no reason [TS]

00:29:41 ◼   ► not to try it [TS]

00:29:42 ◼   ► everybody listens to the incomparable [TS]

00:29:44 ◼   ► can receive ten percent off of a [TS]

00:29:45 ◼   ► lifetime of your account go to mail [TS]

00:29:47 ◼   ► route dotnet / smell right now that's [TS]

00:29:50 ◼   ► mail route dotnet / smell and thank you [TS]

00:29:53 ◼   ► to my route for sponsoring the [TS]

00:29:54 ◼   ► incomparable alright let's move on how [TS]

00:29:57 ◼   ► about the three-body problem this is a [TS]

00:29:58 ◼   ► Chinese novel translated into english by [TS]

00:30:03 ◼   ► award winner winner can lu it wildly [TS]

00:30:09 ◼   ► popular in china and and then brought [TS]

00:30:12 ◼   ► over to the english-speaking world in [TS]

00:30:14 ◼   ► this translation it was a lot a lot of [TS]

00:30:17 ◼   ► stuff I did not expect the the opens [TS]

00:30:19 ◼   ► with the Cultural Revolution which is [TS]

00:30:21 ◼   ► probably a period of history that we in [TS]

00:30:24 ◼   ► America do not understand at all or know [TS]

00:30:26 ◼   ► anything about so that was a wonderful [TS]

00:30:28 ◼   ► thing [TS]

00:30:28 ◼   ► yeah and then just the second half of [TS]

00:30:31 ◼   ► the novel where you get into the virtual [TS]

00:30:34 ◼   ► reality in the the the computer game [TS]

00:30:38 ◼   ► I mean there's just some scenes that are [TS]

00:30:39 ◼   ► just jaw-dropping Lee amazing like a [TS]

00:30:42 ◼   ► computer meat out of living beat the [TS]

00:30:45 ◼   ► whole yes [TS]

00:30:46 ◼   ► yeah you know assembling in themselves [TS]

00:30:48 ◼   ► and in the you know I don't know how [TS]

00:30:51 ◼   ► exciting a game this would be because it [TS]

00:30:53 ◼   ► just seemed to be undergoing not much [TS]

00:30:57 ◼   ► action but just some of the stuff that [TS]

00:31:00 ◼   ► they depict in this book is amazing and [TS]

00:31:02 ◼   ► then the third part which is when we get [TS]

00:31:04 ◼   ► into what's going on behind the scenes a [TS]

00:31:08 ◼   ► lot of exposition but again a really [TS]

00:31:10 ◼   ► interesting story and I'm look I'm I [TS]

00:31:12 ◼   ► like can't wait for the second book to [TS]

00:31:14 ◼   ► come out it came across from me as it as [TS]

00:31:17 ◼   ► a weird fusion of Gregory Benford and [TS]

00:31:21 ◼   ► isaac asimov I mean I am I felt a little [TS]

00:31:25 ◼   ► bit like Timescape but the characters [TS]

00:31:27 ◼   ► weren't quite as they're much more as a [TS]

00:31:30 ◼   ► movie and much more ideas in the light [TS]

00:31:32 ◼   ► the in science and philosophy the game [TS]

00:31:36 ◼   ► and everything because revolution must [TS]

00:31:38 ◼   ► warn you about the cultural revolution [TS]

00:31:39 ◼   ► forwarding this book I knew from the [TS]

00:31:41 ◼   ► movie the red violin [TS]

00:31:42 ◼   ► don't judge me ah so that's why did you [TS]

00:31:46 ◼   ► heard a little bit i'll so but yeah I [TS]

00:31:51 ◼   ► mean the characters weren't there by [TS]

00:31:52 ◼   ► just say it's like the working out [TS]

00:31:55 ◼   ► working out of everything was and this [TS]

00:31:57 ◼   ► is route some real beauty and can look I [TS]

00:32:00 ◼   ► mean can lose translation is [TS]

00:32:03 ◼   ► pitch-perfect this is like he should he [TS]

00:32:07 ◼   ► should be translating more Chinese [TS]

00:32:08 ◼   ► novels clearly if this if this is what [TS]

00:32:11 ◼   ► he can do given a given full given full [TS]

00:32:13 ◼   ► length stuff to work out the keys [TS]

00:32:15 ◼   ► translating sequel though which is kind [TS]

00:32:17 ◼   ► of disappointing now he's doing the [TS]

00:32:18 ◼   ► third and that was only because he was [TS]

00:32:20 ◼   ► working on his own novel that's alright [TS]

00:32:22 ◼   ► just get timed out that way [TS]

00:32:24 ◼   ► yeah and and this does didn't feel like [TS]

00:32:27 ◼   ► his own now I've ride up [TS]

00:32:29 ◼   ► I've read his I've right out of the [TS]

00:32:31 ◼   ► Great Sea Kings in feel like grace the [TS]

00:32:32 ◼   ► King so it's not like he wrote we wrote [TS]

00:32:34 ◼   ► the book thank God well but but he [TS]

00:32:37 ◼   ► clearly ready rendered Oh lose pros into [TS]

00:32:41 ◼   ► very very good English and it [TS]

00:32:44 ◼   ► I mean I i could look it may be up with [TS]

00:32:49 ◼   ► some very apparent to me that this is [TS]

00:32:50 ◼   ► the list came out 1980 you would [TS]

00:32:52 ◼   ► probably sweep all the words without [TS]

00:32:54 ◼   ► question now I think I want more little [TS]

00:32:57 ◼   ► more from from characters and I got [TS]

00:32:59 ◼   ► that's an interesting thing to say Paul [TS]

00:33:02 ◼   ► M [TS]

00:33:05 ◼   ► I didn't have an issue with the [TS]

00:33:08 ◼   ► characters i thought i thought the [TS]

00:33:09 ◼   ► characters were fine i mean sometimes it [TS]

00:33:11 ◼   ► felt a little thin but I think that's [TS]

00:33:13 ◼   ► because it's dealing with so much [TS]

00:33:14 ◼   ► high-concept elements but overall I [TS]

00:33:18 ◼   ► really love this and i love that [TS]

00:33:20 ◼   ► included footnotes to explain stuff that [TS]

00:33:22 ◼   ► I know nothing about because they didn't [TS]

00:33:24 ◼   ► teach anything about the cultural [TS]

00:33:25 ◼   ► revolution in high school they may have [TS]

00:33:27 ◼   ► mentioned it but they certainly didn't [TS]

00:33:29 ◼   ► teach it so when things are happening [TS]

00:33:31 ◼   ► and there are references to things that [TS]

00:33:32 ◼   ► I know nothing about it was really nice [TS]

00:33:34 ◼   ► to have the context available [TS]

00:33:36 ◼   ► I also really love that this book messed [TS]

00:33:38 ◼   ► with narrative style a lot it jumps [TS]

00:33:42 ◼   ► between various kinds of things [TS]

00:33:43 ◼   ► throughout the book huh [TS]

00:33:45 ◼   ► sometimes even John residents itself [TS]

00:33:47 ◼   ► which I really like [TS]

00:33:50 ◼   ► mostly because that's the kind of stuff [TS]

00:33:52 ◼   ► that really appeals to me a lot when it [TS]

00:33:54 ◼   ► comes on her novels is anything that's [TS]

00:33:55 ◼   ► kind of messing with the traditions as [TS]

00:33:58 ◼   ► it were [TS]

00:33:59 ◼   ► now granted this is coming out of China [TS]

00:34:01 ◼   ► so I don't know what the literary [TS]

00:34:02 ◼   ► traditions in China are which means i [TS]

00:34:06 ◼   ► don't understand what from a literary [TS]

00:34:08 ◼   ► perspective it may be playing against or [TS]

00:34:10 ◼   ► with so I'm interpreting that from a [TS]

00:34:13 ◼   ► completely American perspective which [TS]

00:34:14 ◼   ► could be totally wrong but all that I [TS]

00:34:18 ◼   ► found really enjoyable I love the [TS]

00:34:19 ◼   ► concept i found it very bewildering the [TS]

00:34:23 ◼   ► beginning because it's so embedded in [TS]

00:34:25 ◼   ► the cultural revolution and I'm thought [TS]

00:34:27 ◼   ► i was reading science fiction novel and [TS]

00:34:29 ◼   ► what was going on but once it started to [TS]

00:34:31 ◼   ► really clarify what was happening it [TS]

00:34:33 ◼   ► made a lot of sense and I just overall I [TS]

00:34:36 ◼   ► think it's probably one of the strongest [TS]

00:34:37 ◼   ► novels of the lot and is I think Paul [TS]

00:34:41 ◼   ► you may be kind of right that it's a [TS]

00:34:43 ◼   ► maybe if this was came earlier it may [TS]

00:34:45 ◼   ► have been more of a sweeping kind of [TS]

00:34:47 ◼   ► ordeal however I i would not be [TS]

00:34:49 ◼   ► surprised if this picked up one of the [TS]

00:34:51 ◼   ► major SF awards not would be surprised [TS]

00:34:53 ◼   ► either idea i've been especially because [TS]

00:34:56 ◼   ► it's because because it is giving us a [TS]

00:34:59 ◼   ► window into chinese science fiction and [TS]

00:35:01 ◼   ► that alone is a good thing above the [TS]

00:35:04 ◼   ► merits of the book itself Scott what [TS]

00:35:06 ◼   ► what's your take on the three-body [TS]

00:35:07 ◼   ► problem I i enjoyed it i like [TS]

00:35:12 ◼   ► I like that it is a non-western book so [TS]

00:35:15 ◼   ► this is I think probably the first [TS]

00:35:17 ◼   ► Chinese science fiction book I've ever [TS]

00:35:19 ◼   ► read [TS]

00:35:20 ◼   ► and so it was interesting to have a very [TS]

00:35:23 ◼   ► different perspective on kind of a [TS]

00:35:26 ◼   ► sci-fi tropes so it was a fascinating [TS]

00:35:29 ◼   ► from that perspective and I like books [TS]

00:35:31 ◼   ► that make me feel a little alien to the [TS]

00:35:37 ◼   ► book that makes any sense so it's from [TS]

00:35:39 ◼   ► such a different cultural perspective [TS]

00:35:40 ◼   ► that was you you know different than my [TS]

00:35:44 ◼   ► own so I feel like the other as I'm [TS]

00:35:48 ◼   ► reading it which is always an [TS]

00:35:49 ◼   ► interesting experience and i liked it i [TS]

00:35:52 ◼   ► mean i didn't think you know compared to [TS]

00:35:54 ◼   ► American science fiction is a little [TS]

00:35:56 ◼   ► clunky but that's just a personal [TS]

00:36:00 ◼   ► opinion I I thought was very good and I [TS]

00:36:03 ◼   ► think it deserved to be nominated i'm [TS]

00:36:04 ◼   ► not sure if it's going to win who knows [TS]

00:36:05 ◼   ► but I like thumbs up for me [TS]

00:36:09 ◼   ► Scott is the one that you said it's it's [TS]

00:36:11 ◼   ► barely science fiction until the end [TS]

00:36:13 ◼   ► yes if thats remember your comment as i [TS]

00:36:17 ◼   ► was reading about the cultural [TS]

00:36:18 ◼   ► revolution and thinking huh [TS]

00:36:19 ◼   ► Scott I see what Scott was saying now [TS]

00:36:21 ◼   ► although i really like the stuff about [TS]

00:36:23 ◼   ► the cultural revolution because I too [TS]

00:36:25 ◼   ► had no no idea and and so that was fun [TS]

00:36:28 ◼   ► like like like several of you have said [TS]

00:36:30 ◼   ► it was it was it's fun to see something [TS]

00:36:32 ◼   ► in it from a different cultures [TS]

00:36:33 ◼   ► perspective and about things that we [TS]

00:36:35 ◼   ► don't get you know taught here not [TS]

00:36:38 ◼   ► understanding just the level of violence [TS]

00:36:41 ◼   ► and upheaval that happened and then [TS]

00:36:44 ◼   ► watching this one character kind of end [TS]

00:36:46 ◼   ► up in a very strange place because of [TS]

00:36:49 ◼   ► what happens to her and her father [TS]

00:36:51 ◼   ► during the Cultural Revolution I thought [TS]

00:36:53 ◼   ► that was all really interesting and I [TS]

00:36:56 ◼   ► kept wondering okay what where is this [TS]

00:36:58 ◼   ► going [TS]

00:36:59 ◼   ► and then we get to the we get to the but [TS]

00:37:02 ◼   ► some there's some stuff in here that's [TS]

00:37:03 ◼   ► just really bizarre the I felt I felt [TS]

00:37:06 ◼   ► almost like like Stephen King kind of [TS]

00:37:10 ◼   ► things there Dean Koons kind of things [TS]

00:37:13 ◼   ► where they where the person is almost [TS]

00:37:15 ◼   ► driven the scientist is driven almost [TS]

00:37:16 ◼   ► mad by the fact that suddenly there's a [TS]

00:37:19 ◼   ► account down happening in his vision [TS]

00:37:22 ◼   ► wherever he looks [TS]

00:37:23 ◼   ► you're such a bizarre kind of like how [TS]

00:37:26 ◼   ► could that exists and must be going [TS]

00:37:28 ◼   ► crazy but he sees it everywhere and I [TS]

00:37:30 ◼   ► just thought like wow I'm now it's [TS]

00:37:32 ◼   ► almost like i'm reading a horror novel [TS]

00:37:34 ◼   ► here and I don't know how this is gonna [TS]

00:37:37 ◼   ► get paid off and you know what [TS]

00:37:38 ◼   ► in the end it is explained which I never [TS]

00:37:41 ◼   ► believed there would be an explanation [TS]

00:37:43 ◼   ► for that and it was and it is actually [TS]

00:37:45 ◼   ► explain the virtual reality stuff I [TS]

00:37:47 ◼   ► think saying that it would not make a [TS]

00:37:49 ◼   ► particularly entertaining game is [TS]

00:37:51 ◼   ► probably a strong point I felt like it [TS]

00:37:54 ◼   ► was really surreal and interesting i [TS]

00:37:57 ◼   ► have to admit that i found the the [TS]

00:37:59 ◼   ► breaks between those scenes where we [TS]

00:38:01 ◼   ► would go back to that the chain-smoking [TS]

00:38:03 ◼   ► cop who wisecracks but is it is working [TS]

00:38:06 ◼   ► class but is actually very wise and [TS]

00:38:09 ◼   ► provides a sort of grounding for the for [TS]

00:38:12 ◼   ► the for the for the scientists i really [TS]

00:38:14 ◼   ► love that character i started hating him [TS]

00:38:16 ◼   ► and then I end up loving him because he [TS]

00:38:18 ◼   ► was such a change of pace from the [TS]

00:38:20 ◼   ► temples and pyramids and things that are [TS]

00:38:22 ◼   ► happening in the in the virtual reality [TS]

00:38:24 ◼   ► so I I yeah there were moments where I [TS]

00:38:28 ◼   ► thought this is the most bizarre thing [TS]

00:38:29 ◼   ► I've ever read and and think that the [TS]

00:38:32 ◼   ► characters are always very well drawn [TS]

00:38:33 ◼   ► I'm also fascinated by the fact that it [TS]

00:38:36 ◼   ► the main character in this book is [TS]

00:38:37 ◼   ► essentially somebody who decides that [TS]

00:38:39 ◼   ► that that what's the line and [TS]

00:38:42 ◼   ► ghostbusters uh he thought that humanity [TS]

00:38:45 ◼   ► was too sick to survive and then they [TS]

00:38:47 ◼   ► look around the the jail cell and say [TS]

00:38:49 ◼   ► well maybe he that that's that's who the [TS]

00:38:52 ◼   ► character is in this book she thinks I i [TS]

00:38:54 ◼   ► wrote down the line I've lost hope in [TS]

00:38:56 ◼   ► the human race after what I've seen [TS]

00:38:57 ◼   ► human society is incapable of [TS]

00:38:59 ◼   ► self-improvement and we need the [TS]

00:39:01 ◼   ► intervention of an outside force so you [TS]

00:39:03 ◼   ► talk about alien invasions and things [TS]

00:39:05 ◼   ► like that you know in this book that's [TS]

00:39:08 ◼   ► sort of where we end up as somebody who [TS]

00:39:09 ◼   ► feels like they need that you know they [TS]

00:39:12 ◼   ► want to they're building a movement to [TS]

00:39:14 ◼   ► give up on humanity which is just that's [TS]

00:39:18 ◼   ► a big idea and its really interesting [TS]

00:39:20 ◼   ► and then at the end I go what this is [TS]

00:39:23 ◼   ► the start of the series and you know I [TS]

00:39:25 ◼   ► had that much too but i liked it i i i [TS]

00:39:28 ◼   ► didn't love it i think i like they're [TS]

00:39:32 ◼   ► there are definitely at least a couple [TS]

00:39:33 ◼   ► books on this list that i like better [TS]

00:39:35 ◼   ► but but it's [TS]

00:39:37 ◼   ► so different and that goes for a lot I [TS]

00:39:39 ◼   ► mean it's different and novel and weird [TS]

00:39:41 ◼   ► and has some really huge ideas which is [TS]

00:39:44 ◼   ► sort of what I was thinking when when [TS]

00:39:46 ◼   ► when there is a concept of if this had [TS]

00:39:49 ◼   ► been written 20 or 30 or 40 years ago [TS]

00:39:51 ◼   ► like there was a period in sci-fi where [TS]

00:39:53 ◼   ► I felt like it was all about big ideas [TS]

00:39:55 ◼   ► and the characters were kind of not that [TS]

00:39:57 ◼   ► important and this book isn't quite as [TS]

00:40:00 ◼   ► Extreme as that but it's kinda like that [TS]

00:40:02 ◼   ► where the ideas are huge and the [TS]

00:40:03 ◼   ► characters are around i used to be i [TS]

00:40:06 ◼   ► used to be into that source is just like [TS]

00:40:08 ◼   ► one day with Rama I can't tell you much [TS]

00:40:10 ◼   ► about all about the character I could [TS]

00:40:11 ◼   ► tell you all about that damn spaceship [TS]

00:40:13 ◼   ► characters like if I can't do anything [TS]

00:40:16 ◼   ► about surprises there were characters i [TS]

00:40:18 ◼   ► guess people don't wander around that [TS]

00:40:20 ◼   ► spaceship they had the flying thing [TS]

00:40:22 ◼   ► that's all I remember about what the [TS]

00:40:24 ◼   ► character amber but the spaceship on my [TS]

00:40:26 ◼   ► god this patient and this book this [TS]

00:40:28 ◼   ► novel writing me of that so the era of [TS]

00:40:30 ◼   ► science picked out by agree not quite [TS]

00:40:32 ◼   ► not quite as Extreme but that sort of [TS]

00:40:34 ◼   ► error [TS]

00:40:34 ◼   ► yeah sounds like everybody everybody [TS]

00:40:37 ◼   ► liked it although a you know we're all [TS]

00:40:39 ◼   ► we are are all Outsiders in a way [TS]

00:40:41 ◼   ► looking at this and and but you know I [TS]

00:40:43 ◼   ► can i love the challenge of that this is [TS]

00:40:45 ◼   ► not something like you've read before I [TS]

00:40:47 ◼   ► think that's really exciting to get a [TS]

00:40:49 ◼   ► book that you think also important to [TS]

00:40:51 ◼   ► give us breath and exposed to other [TS]

00:40:53 ◼   ► stuff books was just world SMS Sean can [TS]

00:40:55 ◼   ► attest yeah well the author grew up [TS]

00:40:58 ◼   ► reading I I'm much i'm not clear whether [TS]

00:41:00 ◼   ► reading in English or reading and [TS]

00:41:02 ◼   ► translation but grew up reading Western [TS]

00:41:03 ◼   ► science fiction as well as stuff in [TS]

00:41:05 ◼   ► China and I think that's really [TS]

00:41:07 ◼   ► interesting where that person now that [TS]

00:41:09 ◼   ► author has kind of internalize that and [TS]

00:41:11 ◼   ► then spun it back out into their own [TS]

00:41:14 ◼   ► thing so it's it's kind of cool that [TS]

00:41:16 ◼   ► then it comes back to us [TS]

00:41:18 ◼   ► I really hope this novel does really [TS]

00:41:20 ◼   ► well and i'm guessing from a sales [TS]

00:41:22 ◼   ► perspective is has because this is kind [TS]

00:41:24 ◼   ► of with his moments where think they put [TS]

00:41:26 ◼   ► a lot of money to translate this book [TS]

00:41:28 ◼   ► right and if it bombed the chances that [TS]

00:41:31 ◼   ► we would get another Chinese science [TS]

00:41:33 ◼   ► fiction novel translated anytime soon [TS]

00:41:35 ◼   ► would be pretty slim and there's so much [TS]

00:41:37 ◼   ► stuff being written in China right now [TS]

00:41:39 ◼   ► that's not in english and you gotta pay [TS]

00:41:41 ◼   ► a translator to get it you can't just [TS]

00:41:43 ◼   ► like have like it's not like fansubs for [TS]

00:41:46 ◼   ► japanese anime hey [TS]

00:41:47 ◼   ► nobody's gonna translate paste or novel [TS]

00:41:50 ◼   ► into google translate [TS]

00:41:51 ◼   ► no no he mean he's obviously done well [TS]

00:41:56 ◼   ► enough so that tour has done to the two [TS]

00:41:59 ◼   ► other books in the trilogy but if you [TS]

00:42:01 ◼   ► look on amazon and barnes and nobles you [TS]

00:42:03 ◼   ► can get electronic book editions of many [TS]

00:42:06 ◼   ► of his other books at this point maybe [TS]

00:42:08 ◼   ► about a dozen i think i'm not sure how [TS]

00:42:11 ◼   ► well as translated but yea yea there up [TS]

00:42:13 ◼   ► there up for sale [TS]

00:42:15 ◼   ► well I would be that sounds really [TS]

00:42:17 ◼   ► sketchy putting out they were all were [TS]

00:42:19 ◼   ► on sale like the first week they went up [TS]

00:42:21 ◼   ► so I picked them all up so I had some [TS]

00:42:23 ◼   ► point I'll get 1 i'll let you know how [TS]

00:42:24 ◼   ► they are but they're you let me know if [TS]

00:42:26 ◼   ► they sound like Google Translate hope [TS]

00:42:29 ◼   ► not i'm also hoping they were legally [TS]

00:42:32 ◼   ► translated and easy ass you know [TS]

00:42:35 ◼   ► benefiting to that would be my concerns [TS]

00:42:37 ◼   ► because I know there's been a couple [TS]

00:42:38 ◼   ► instances have pirated pirate black box [TS]

00:42:42 ◼   ► yeah yeah yeah and I know in in China [TS]

00:42:45 ◼   ► there there's a-there come some infamous [TS]

00:42:47 ◼   ► harry potter ripoffs that exists in [TS]

00:42:50 ◼   ► China which is kind of funny but you can [TS]

00:42:53 ◼   ► google it it's fun too [TS]

00:42:54 ◼   ► let's take a break let me tell you about [TS]

00:42:56 ◼   ► one of our sponsors it's lootcrate would [TS]

00:42:58 ◼   ► you classify yourself as a geek gamer [TS]

00:42:59 ◼   ► pop-culture nerd and loot crate is the [TS]

00:43:02 ◼   ► subscription box for you for less than [TS]

00:43:05 ◼   ► twenty dollars a month you get six to [TS]

00:43:06 ◼   ► eight items gamer and pop-culture [TS]

00:43:08 ◼   ► licensed gear apparel collectibles [TS]

00:43:10 ◼   ► unique one-of-a-kind items and much more [TS]

00:43:12 ◼   ► make sure to head to loot crate dot-com [TS]

00:43:15 ◼   ► / smell and the code smell to save three [TS]

00:43:17 ◼   ► dollars on any new subscription every [TS]

00:43:20 ◼   ► month lootcrate there's a different [TS]

00:43:21 ◼   ► theme all the items in the box that you [TS]

00:43:23 ◼   ► receive our curated around that theme [TS]

00:43:24 ◼   ► inspired by things like classic movies [TS]

00:43:26 ◼   ► and video game releases pop-culture [TS]

00:43:28 ◼   ► franchises previous credits included [TS]

00:43:30 ◼   ► items from Star Wars Marvel the walking [TS]

00:43:32 ◼   ► dead legend of zelda many more i have a [TS]

00:43:35 ◼   ► Power Rangers t-shirt now this year so [TS]

00:43:38 ◼   ► far they've been creates featuring [TS]

00:43:39 ◼   ► exclusive items from Star Wars Voltron [TS]

00:43:41 ◼   ► epic apparel retro gaming inspired [TS]

00:43:43 ◼   ► mashup figures create all about strategy [TS]

00:43:45 ◼   ► games create all about covert operations [TS]

00:43:47 ◼   ► there's more awesomeness to come to [TS]

00:43:49 ◼   ► create as a friend who knows what you [TS]

00:43:50 ◼   ► love and surprises you with awesome [TS]

00:43:52 ◼   ► presence every month until the [TS]

00:43:54 ◼   ► nineteenth of any given month at nine [TS]

00:43:55 ◼   ► p.m. pacific time to subscribe and then [TS]

00:43:57 ◼   ► you'll receive that months create once [TS]

00:43:59 ◼   ► the cutoff happens it's over [TS]

00:44:01 ◼   ► you'll never see that crate so go to [TS]

00:44:03 ◼   ► loot crate dot-com / now enter code [TS]

00:44:05 ◼   ► smell and you'll save three dollars on [TS]

00:44:07 ◼   ► your new subscription today thank you to [TS]

00:44:08 ◼   ► loot crate for sponsoring the [TS]

00:44:10 ◼   ► uncomfortable [TS]

00:44:11 ◼   ► alright let's move on to coming home by [TS]

00:44:13 ◼   ► jack mcdevitt haha ok so so so let me [TS]

00:44:17 ◼   ► let me tell you seriously let me tell [TS]

00:44:19 ◼   ► you something about jack mcdevitt I've [TS]

00:44:21 ◼   ► read I've read almost every jack [TS]

00:44:22 ◼   ► mcdevitt novel mom i love that the [TS]

00:44:26 ◼   ► character is inexplicably eat sandwiches [TS]

00:44:28 ◼   ► at various points throughout the books i [TS]

00:44:30 ◼   ► think Jack never really love sin which [TS]

00:44:31 ◼   ► is I I once you once once you know once [TS]

00:44:35 ◼   ► you look for the munching on a sandwich [TS]

00:44:36 ◼   ► you can't not see it in every book he [TS]

00:44:39 ◼   ► writes I like the the persona Hutchins [TS]

00:44:42 ◼   ► books I I generally like like these [TS]

00:44:45 ◼   ► books the Alex Benedict books they're [TS]

00:44:47 ◼   ► fun adventure ii Indiana Jones the kind [TS]

00:44:50 ◼   ► of thing there's always somebody who's [TS]

00:44:52 ◼   ► there's always a spaceship accident and [TS]

00:44:54 ◼   ► there's somebody who is revealed to be [TS]

00:44:56 ◼   ► the villain who hold somebody at [TS]

00:44:57 ◼   ► gunpoint and they're almost like I mean [TS]

00:44:59 ◼   ► the they're off almost a form like romeo [TS]

00:45:03 ◼   ► yeah there is a formula it's adventurous [TS]

00:45:06 ◼   ► his world building is interesting and [TS]

00:45:08 ◼   ► they're fun and I really enjoyed reading [TS]

00:45:10 ◼   ► those books so now i see that coming [TS]

00:45:12 ◼   ► home [TS]

00:45:13 ◼   ► the latest Alex Benedict book has been [TS]

00:45:15 ◼   ► nominated for a nebula lord I so I get [TS]

00:45:18 ◼   ► to read for this podcast I didn't even [TS]

00:45:20 ◼   ► know it was out so I go and I read it [TS]

00:45:22 ◼   ► and I think to myself [TS]

00:45:23 ◼   ► really this is the one you nominate [TS]

00:45:24 ◼   ► because it's I think it's the least [TS]

00:45:26 ◼   ► interesting of any of the books of his [TS]

00:45:28 ◼   ► that i've read so that's my that's my [TS]

00:45:31 ◼   ► take is I actually like this author and [TS]

00:45:32 ◼   ► I like this series and it's comforting [TS]

00:45:35 ◼   ► and it's not great art but i'm not sure [TS]

00:45:37 ◼   ► this one's even like among his best let [TS]

00:45:40 ◼   ► alone art in any way I didn't understand [TS]

00:45:44 ◼   ► why is the series is called the Alex [TS]

00:45:46 ◼   ► Benedict series right in this book he [TS]

00:45:48 ◼   ► hardly appears at all and she chases [TS]

00:45:51 ◼   ► chases the chronicler of the adventures [TS]

00:45:53 ◼   ► of Alex Benedict and so chases the [TS]

00:45:55 ◼   ► narrator chase kolpath is the narrator [TS]

00:45:57 ◼   ► realities can can I ask a question for [TS]

00:45:59 ◼   ► those that have read all the other books [TS]

00:46:01 ◼   ► it is this just like clive cussler Dirk [TS]

00:46:04 ◼   ► Pitt but in space kind of oh I mean I'll [TS]

00:46:07 ◼   ► be honest and say that I when I picture [TS]

00:46:10 ◼   ► Alex Benedict I sort of [TS]

00:46:12 ◼   ► a pictures at Brannigan [TS]

00:46:17 ◼   ► oh uh in my mind that sort of who i'm [TS]

00:46:21 ◼   ► picturing he's a you know not quite [TS]

00:46:24 ◼   ► dashing hero but yeah I mean that that's [TS]

00:46:27 ◼   ► what these that's what these are is [TS]

00:46:29 ◼   ► faster than light travel adventures to [TS]

00:46:32 ◼   ► in his case he's he's yeah you could say [TS]

00:46:34 ◼   ► that I mean he's supposed to be kind of [TS]

00:46:36 ◼   ► an Indiana Jones because he's this [TS]

00:46:37 ◼   ► archaeologist who is finding but he [TS]

00:46:39 ◼   ► finds relics and sells them instead of [TS]

00:46:41 ◼   ► like turning them into the museum so [TS]

00:46:43 ◼   ► he's got that kind of questionable you [TS]

00:46:45 ◼   ► know is he really on the side of good or [TS]

00:46:47 ◼   ► not or is he just a mercenary but you [TS]

00:46:51 ◼   ► know that you place them on on [TS]

00:46:52 ◼   ► interesting situations and it can be [TS]

00:46:54 ◼   ► very it can be very interesting but yeah [TS]

00:46:56 ◼   ► alex is sidelined for a lot of this and [TS]

00:46:59 ◼   ► it's just yeah it was it's not that [TS]

00:47:01 ◼   ► interesting [TS]

00:47:01 ◼   ► it's not that interesting book and I'm [TS]

00:47:03 ◼   ► saying that is somebody who likes jack [TS]

00:47:05 ◼   ► mcdevitt so I'm a little baffled for by [TS]

00:47:07 ◼   ► why this is getting honors I am really [TS]

00:47:10 ◼   ► baffled that you just said that the [TS]

00:47:12 ◼   ► characters in this book is kinda like [TS]

00:47:14 ◼   ► Indiana Jones which is possibly the most [TS]

00:47:17 ◼   ► false statement of my occupied by [TS]

00:47:20 ◼   ► occupation right i mean literally [TS]

00:47:22 ◼   ► geologist he is an archaeologist he [TS]

00:47:24 ◼   ► looks for relics that's like saying like [TS]

00:47:27 ◼   ► you know [TS]

00:47:27 ◼   ► ER doctors are just like Grey's Anatomy [TS]

00:47:29 ◼   ► yeah you on that they are did their [TS]

00:47:34 ◼   ► doctors doctors the doctors that's not [TS]

00:47:38 ◼   ► it's just well no I really didn't like [TS]

00:47:40 ◼   ► this book if it's unclear what yet and [TS]

00:47:44 ◼   ► it feels it feels a little bit like this [TS]

00:47:45 ◼   ► is the i think one of the problems I [TS]

00:47:47 ◼   ► have with it is i feel like this is the [TS]

00:47:48 ◼   ► resolution of a plot arc for him which [TS]

00:47:50 ◼   ► is at long last he's been with his his [TS]

00:47:53 ◼   ► missing uncle has been there for all [TS]

00:47:55 ◼   ► this time of like Oh his uncle died as [TS]

00:47:57 ◼   ► uncle disappeared in this thing and then [TS]

00:47:59 ◼   ► in the last book I didn't first book he [TS]

00:48:01 ◼   ► disappears [TS]

00:48:01 ◼   ► yeah that's right yeah and so so you end [TS]

00:48:04 ◼   ► up with this [TS]

00:48:05 ◼   ► oh and then they figure out what's [TS]

00:48:06 ◼   ► happening and then there's a ghost ship [TS]

00:48:08 ◼   ► and then this one they like all right I [TS]

00:48:09 ◼   ► think we can solve it and they bring him [TS]

00:48:11 ◼   ► back but it it sort of feels like more [TS]

00:48:14 ◼   ► of a capstone to a story arc then a [TS]

00:48:16 ◼   ► story and you know what I love about [TS]

00:48:19 ◼   ► these books as they end up in really [TS]

00:48:21 ◼   ► weird you know they end up in really [TS]

00:48:23 ◼   ► weird planets somewhere and [TS]

00:48:25 ◼   ► some alien you know or lost human [TS]

00:48:27 ◼   ► culture and and i find that kind of [TS]

00:48:29 ◼   ► fascinating and hear what the one thing [TS]

00:48:31 ◼   ► that I would say is really interesting [TS]

00:48:33 ◼   ► about this book as opposed to his other [TS]

00:48:34 ◼   ► books is that he shied away from the [TS]

00:48:36 ◼   ► earth and here the earth is the Lost [TS]

00:48:39 ◼   ► Planet they go to earth and and and the [TS]

00:48:41 ◼   ► most thing that will stick with me from [TS]

00:48:43 ◼   ► these books is the fact that these [TS]

00:48:46 ◼   ► people in the far future have [TS]

00:48:48 ◼   ► essentially no concept of life in in our [TS]

00:48:52 ◼   ► time or even like a thousand years after [TS]

00:48:54 ◼   ► our time that that even though we think [TS]

00:48:57 ◼   ► well met you know now we're never going [TS]

00:48:59 ◼   ► to be ancient history we are our time is [TS]

00:49:01 ◼   ► completely lost to these people and I [TS]

00:49:03 ◼   ► thought that was kind of interesting [TS]

00:49:04 ◼   ► making worth the loss planet but it's [TS]

00:49:06 ◼   ► much less you know you know if there's [TS]

00:49:09 ◼   ► like literally a boat accident this park [TS]

00:49:12 ◼   ► your boat a book quoted quote accident [TS]

00:49:15 ◼   ► it was not it was not an accident very [TS]

00:49:17 ◼   ► yes i was going to say it's very Murder [TS]

00:49:19 ◼   ► She Wrote Scott but I don't want to [TS]

00:49:20 ◼   ► insult Murder She Wrote that's right [TS]

00:49:21 ◼   ► don't belittle mercy no no but his [TS]

00:49:24 ◼   ► partner mystery kind of stuff out at [TS]

00:49:26 ◼   ► that point [TS]

00:49:27 ◼   ► yes they're there is a formula I'm a [TS]

00:49:29 ◼   ► great driver had a bunch of jack [TS]

00:49:31 ◼   ► mcdevitt hours i met jack is very nice [TS]

00:49:33 ◼   ► guy [TS]

00:49:34 ◼   ► this doesn't feel like one of his better [TS]

00:49:36 ◼   ► outspending now be perfectly honest i [TS]

00:49:39 ◼   ► mean i mean i can see the forms i can [TS]

00:49:41 ◼   ► see what he's doing but it's just that [TS]

00:49:44 ◼   ► he's done better than this I know you're [TS]

00:49:45 ◼   ► pretty this Jack why don't why did this [TS]

00:49:48 ◼   ► would get nominate I don't know but I [TS]

00:49:51 ◼   ► mean I I would i have to say i have to [TS]

00:49:53 ◼   ► say this is probably the weakest of the [TS]

00:49:56 ◼   ► nebula nominees for me i'm not saying [TS]

00:49:59 ◼   ► it's a bad book but it's just not it's [TS]

00:50:01 ◼   ► not so does it look I'm yeah [TS]

00:50:03 ◼   ► oh it's a bad but yeah I'm gonna agree [TS]

00:50:07 ◼   ► and I like I said I like Devin read the [TS]

00:50:09 ◼   ► books in this series i think this is the [TS]

00:50:11 ◼   ► weakest of all the nominees [TS]

00:50:13 ◼   ► it's sad because I do like him in [TS]

00:50:14 ◼   ► general of all the of all the books that [TS]

00:50:16 ◼   ► have chosen and I don't think it's just [TS]

00:50:19 ◼   ► me analyze the good under a different [TS]

00:50:21 ◼   ► light because I got nominated because i [TS]

00:50:22 ◼   ► didn't really enjoy it and I i really [TS]

00:50:24 ◼   ► enjoy reading the McDevitt books the [TS]

00:50:27 ◼   ► kind of books i read on vacation [TS]

00:50:28 ◼   ► especially if I'm like on or near a [TS]

00:50:29 ◼   ► beach and I really enjoy them it's like [TS]

00:50:32 ◼   ► it's just fun and it's a fifth fastest [TS]

00:50:35 ◼   ► reading it's an adventure and this one [TS]

00:50:36 ◼   ► was just more like a slug and not [TS]

00:50:37 ◼   ► interesting [TS]

00:50:38 ◼   ► too bad but what do you think fried well [TS]

00:50:41 ◼   ► i mean i think this is at wondering [TS]

00:50:44 ◼   ► whether he's gonna reboot the series but [TS]

00:50:46 ◼   ► the next one was ending the series for [TS]

00:50:48 ◼   ► this night but not the uncles back [TS]

00:50:50 ◼   ► yeah i mean it's it's not like i do [TS]

00:50:53 ◼   ► agree it's not the best book I like his [TS]

00:50:54 ◼   ► books overall i did enjoy a lot of this [TS]

00:50:56 ◼   ► in the whole mystery of where where the [TS]

00:50:59 ◼   ► Apollo Landers in all the stuff that's [TS]

00:51:02 ◼   ► going on I mean all the books it's like [TS]

00:51:04 ◼   ► a fibber mcgee book or a John McDonald [TS]

00:51:07 ◼   ► book I mean this you know they don't we [TS]

00:51:08 ◼   ► start off with a opening chapter which [TS]

00:51:11 ◼   ► you're like will eventually tie into the [TS]

00:51:13 ◼   ► rest and there's always a lot of digging [TS]

00:51:16 ◼   ► in libraries and stuff and travel and [TS]

00:51:19 ◼   ► sandwiches and sandwiches I anyway [TS]

00:51:21 ◼   ► department but no t we should say that [TS]

00:51:24 ◼   ► that he did win the nebula for seeker in [TS]

00:51:26 ◼   ► 2005 which is the third book in the alex [TS]

00:51:28 ◼   ► bennett series that was expected that [TS]

00:51:30 ◼   ► was a much better part of this violates [TS]

00:51:33 ◼   ► like half of all of my rules of bad [TS]

00:51:35 ◼   ► novel writing one is involved a prologue [TS]

00:51:38 ◼   ► that references a story that is more [TS]

00:51:40 ◼   ► interesting than the actual novel haha [TS]

00:51:42 ◼   ► heart is this dark age that occurs which [TS]

00:51:45 ◼   ► was like why you tell that story i'm [TS]

00:51:46 ◼   ► like when the earth went to crap that [TS]

00:51:48 ◼   ► sounds so exciting but your it's of [TS]

00:51:50 ◼   ► course told by a lady at the uncle or [TS]

00:51:52 ◼   ► whatever you just tell us that these [TS]

00:51:53 ◼   ► telling this kid he's like hey let's go [TS]

00:51:55 ◼   ► take this to her in the moon base and [TS]

00:51:56 ◼   ► like we'll have sandwiches and talk [TS]

00:51:58 ◼   ► about interesting stuff that happened to [TS]

00:52:00 ◼   ► us and it's like well that sounds much [TS]

00:52:01 ◼   ► more interesting but then we get the [TS]

00:52:02 ◼   ► actual story and about 50 pages in us [TS]

00:52:05 ◼   ► like this is not going very quickly [TS]

00:52:08 ◼   ► about what is the story and so I scroll [TS]

00:52:13 ◼   ► forward you know it's like okay well [TS]

00:52:15 ◼   ► let's let's figure out maybe some crazy [TS]

00:52:16 ◼   ► stuff happens later right like maybe [TS]

00:52:18 ◼   ► some big plot twist happens MIT from the [TS]

00:52:20 ◼   ► book and so we'll get some crazy stuff [TS]

00:52:21 ◼   ► in the end like I don't know crazy [TS]

00:52:23 ◼   ► aliens with like lasers on their heads [TS]

00:52:25 ◼   ► show up for something [TS]

00:52:26 ◼   ► nope that's not what happens we get [TS]

00:52:28 ◼   ► basically what is a 350-page story that [TS]

00:52:30 ◼   ► should have been like a 70-page novella [TS]

00:52:33 ◼   ► yeah I can i I can't argue with that i [TS]

00:52:37 ◼   ► can tell you what I think I think check [TS]

00:52:38 ◼   ► David does not [TS]

00:52:39 ◼   ► he's a feel-good kind of writer somebody [TS]

00:52:41 ◼   ► wants to write the story about the dark [TS]

00:52:42 ◼   ► ages he just wants to have it there [TS]

00:52:44 ◼   ► because these books are very comfortable [TS]

00:52:45 ◼   ► they're all about people eating [TS]

00:52:47 ◼   ► sandwiches and going to restaurants [TS]

00:52:50 ◼   ► and going on going to the beach and they [TS]

00:52:53 ◼   ► fly in their little you know auto-drive [TS]

00:52:55 ◼   ► little space pods that fly them places [TS]

00:52:58 ◼   ► or you know two different cities and [TS]

00:53:00 ◼   ► it's like a travel log it's super like [TS]

00:53:02 ◼   ► it's like or just creature comforts for [TS]

00:53:05 ◼   ► everybody it is a magical place the [TS]

00:53:07 ◼   ► future the far future and i also found [TS]

00:53:10 ◼   ► like the central concept like all the [TS]

00:53:12 ◼   ► characters say repeatedly there are no [TS]

00:53:14 ◼   ► mysteries left to solve we're so bored [TS]

00:53:16 ◼   ► we've solved everything but then they [TS]

00:53:17 ◼   ► have this huge central mystery of why [TS]

00:53:19 ◼   ► the ship's keep falling and disappearing [TS]

00:53:21 ◼   ► and no one knows how to figure it out [TS]

00:53:23 ◼   ► it's very confusing now that didn't i [TS]

00:53:25 ◼   ► didn't buy that for a second like you [TS]

00:53:27 ◼   ► serious like you had a prologue where [TS]

00:53:28 ◼   ► you announce a mystery you know what [TS]

00:53:30 ◼   ► happened to the Landers where they go [TS]

00:53:33 ◼   ► there's a mystery you don't know the [TS]

00:53:34 ◼   ► answer to that question clearly and like [TS]

00:53:37 ◼   ► come on they cannot have got like 10,000 [TS]

00:53:38 ◼   ► years in the future we can have got to a [TS]

00:53:40 ◼   ► point where humanity is like well [TS]

00:53:41 ◼   ► there's nothing else for us to figure [TS]

00:53:42 ◼   ► out so we're all bored now [TS]

00:53:45 ◼   ► are you serious are you serious you've [TS]

00:53:48 ◼   ► figured everything out [TS]

00:53:50 ◼   ► no I'm not mmm no not buying it so I [TS]

00:53:54 ◼   ► just didn't like this book yeah no [TS]

00:53:56 ◼   ► comment [TS]

00:53:56 ◼   ► sean is passionate feel like I hear you [TS]

00:53:59 ◼   ► I hear you're just so bored I just [TS]

00:54:01 ◼   ► inclined and I'm inclined to like his [TS]

00:54:03 ◼   ► stuff and like I said it's like a warm [TS]

00:54:05 ◼   ► it's like a warm blanket it's just all [TS]

00:54:07 ◼   ► its just cozy to read them and I was [TS]

00:54:09 ◼   ► like here it's just not some [TS]

00:54:11 ◼   ► oh well maybe next time jack mcdevitt [TS]

00:54:12 ◼   ► maybe hope so next time i was really [TS]

00:54:15 ◼   ► looking forward to that one and then it [TS]

00:54:16 ◼   ► just almost made me cry entire ok [TS]

00:54:20 ◼   ► alright let's talk we got two left [TS]

00:54:25 ◼   ► let's talk about annihilation by jeff [TS]

00:54:27 ◼   ► vandermeer yes i think first you go [TS]

00:54:30 ◼   ► first [TS]

00:54:31 ◼   ► yes that's right the seven times yes [TS]

00:54:34 ◼   ► Fred well it is short which i think is [TS]

00:54:36 ◼   ► really interesting i was reading it and [TS]

00:54:37 ◼   ► thinking wow this was really moving [TS]

00:54:39 ◼   ► along and I was watching on my kindle i [TS]

00:54:41 ◼   ► was watching the percentage going up [TS]

00:54:42 ◼   ► going wow this is this is not a thousand [TS]

00:54:45 ◼   ► page novel thank goodness i think it's [TS]

00:54:48 ◼   ► it's three it's 18 thousand page novel [TS]

00:54:51 ◼   ► broken into three parts and this is the [TS]

00:54:53 ◼   ► first part me he wrote this [TS]

00:54:56 ◼   ► he had a he got sick and had this weird [TS]

00:54:58 ◼   ► dream [TS]

00:55:00 ◼   ► so he started writing it down as a novel [TS]

00:55:03 ◼   ► and this is what came out and this is [TS]

00:55:04 ◼   ► kind of white I mean maybe this is why [TS]

00:55:06 ◼   ► people don't like it but this is why I [TS]

00:55:07 ◼   ► do like it it feels like a dream to me [TS]

00:55:09 ◼   ► and it all the good ways and basically [TS]

00:55:14 ◼   ► what happened is in sometime in the past [TS]

00:55:17 ◼   ► something weird happened in the u.s. [TS]

00:55:19 ◼   ► probably in florida and seal Sean off [TS]

00:55:23 ◼   ► behind a a place called the southern [TS]

00:55:25 ◼   ► reach where weird things happen and the [TS]

00:55:27 ◼   ► government keeps sending expeditions [TS]

00:55:29 ◼   ► into trying to figure out what's going [TS]

00:55:31 ◼   ► on this expedition you have four [TS]

00:55:34 ◼   ► characters none of which use their names [TS]

00:55:37 ◼   ► are only known by the professions they [TS]

00:55:40 ◼   ► go in and basically as soon as they get [TS]

00:55:42 ◼   ► into this via the area reacts things [TS]

00:55:45 ◼   ► start going weird people die people [TS]

00:55:48 ◼   ► transform strange creatures are seen and [TS]

00:55:52 ◼   ► strange buildings are explored so it's [TS]

00:55:55 ◼   ► more a mood thing it's a you're not [TS]

00:55:57 ◼   ► getting a characterization out of this [TS]

00:55:58 ◼   ► you're not hardly even get a story but [TS]

00:56:01 ◼   ► you're just going to get this very [TS]

00:56:02 ◼   ► strange feeling like a dream which for [TS]

00:56:05 ◼   ► some authors like polo or Lovecraft or a [TS]

00:56:09 ◼   ► van Vogt excelled in this sort of thing [TS]

00:56:11 ◼   ► and I kind of enjoy that because of that [TS]

00:56:13 ◼   ► line I totally agree i love this book [TS]

00:56:16 ◼   ► uh I thought it was great i also think [TS]

00:56:19 ◼   ► it would be so I was talking to one of [TS]

00:56:21 ◼   ► my friends about this book and about [TS]

00:56:23 ◼   ► this podcast and how I thought that this [TS]

00:56:25 ◼   ► book was the best-written of the three [TS]

00:56:28 ◼   ► like the writing is just beautiful its [TS]

00:56:31 ◼   ► atmospheric but the plot is [TS]

00:56:34 ◼   ► inconsequential the characters are [TS]

00:56:36 ◼   ► inconsequential and I can understand how [TS]

00:56:39 ◼   ► that would drive people crazy and just [TS]

00:56:41 ◼   ► hate this book because if you're reading [TS]

00:56:45 ◼   ► it for a plot and characters you're just [TS]

00:56:46 ◼   ► going to be like what the hell that I [TS]

00:56:48 ◼   ► just read this makes no sense and I'm [TS]

00:56:50 ◼   ► angry [TS]

00:56:51 ◼   ► but and that's why I don't think if I [TS]

00:56:54 ◼   ► could wave a magic wand and award the [TS]

00:56:57 ◼   ► nebula just something i would not give [TS]

00:56:59 ◼   ► its to annihilation because i feel like [TS]

00:57:01 ◼   ► the nebula award like shows up on a [TS]

00:57:04 ◼   ► cover and someone who's sci-fi curious [TS]

00:57:07 ◼   ► will pick it up and then they will read [TS]

00:57:08 ◼   ► this book and possibly never read any [TS]

00:57:10 ◼   ► science between over again and I don't [TS]

00:57:13 ◼   ► want that to happen so a little more [TS]

00:57:15 ◼   ► straightforward story would probably be [TS]

00:57:16 ◼   ► better suited to win the nebula but if [TS]

00:57:18 ◼   ► if I had to pick the one that I love the [TS]

00:57:20 ◼   ► most to win i would i would pick [TS]

00:57:22 ◼   ► annihilation [TS]

00:57:24 ◼   ► well this might be I mean if the hugo [TS]

00:57:26 ◼   ► last year they gave what they nominated [TS]

00:57:29 ◼   ► the wheel time because they have this [TS]

00:57:30 ◼   ► obscure rule about series this might [TS]

00:57:33 ◼   ► have been the case where they should [TS]

00:57:34 ◼   ► have done that with this because all [TS]

00:57:35 ◼   ► three books came out last year in this [TS]

00:57:38 ◼   ► trilogy and are now out and under one [TS]

00:57:40 ◼   ► set of covers and each 18 it's [TS]

00:57:43 ◼   ► interesting how he changed the approach [TS]

00:57:45 ◼   ► for each book and it's a very [TS]

00:57:47 ◼   ► interesting experiment for the whole [TS]

00:57:48 ◼   ► thing and maybe that should have been [TS]

00:57:50 ◼   ► the denomination of course we would've [TS]

00:57:53 ◼   ► been reading a what that's 1,800 what [TS]

00:57:56 ◼   ► yeah but I would be okay with that [TS]

00:57:58 ◼   ► because Jeff and Amir is he's a genius [TS]

00:58:02 ◼   ► I've been a fan of his Sin City Saints [TS]

00:58:04 ◼   ► and madmen meter which is also a [TS]

00:58:07 ◼   ► beautiful book not a short book but [TS]

00:58:08 ◼   ► deservedly a long book and also has [TS]

00:58:11 ◼   ► fruiting bodies mushrooms [TS]

00:58:13 ◼   ► yeah it if family or is extremely weird [TS]

00:58:17 ◼   ► author and that makes sense given all [TS]

00:58:19 ◼   ► the anthologies on weird stuff he's done [TS]

00:58:21 ◼   ► it's clear that that's where he's at [TS]

00:58:23 ◼   ► home [TS]

00:58:24 ◼   ► we're just kind of ripping apart reality [TS]

00:58:26 ◼   ► a little bit and that's part of why i [TS]

00:58:28 ◼   ► love about annihilation not least that [TS]

00:58:30 ◼   ► it's you know what part of it is it's [TS]

00:58:32 ◼   ► short and so it it's nice that it's not [TS]

00:58:35 ◼   ► a 10,000 page novel so I could I could [TS]

00:58:37 ◼   ► really push through it but it's his [TS]

00:58:39 ◼   ► prose is really crisp and his ideas are [TS]

00:58:43 ◼   ► just like the further you get into this [TS]

00:58:45 ◼   ► book it's like going into a madhouse and [TS]

00:58:48 ◼   ► i love that I love that about all of his [TS]

00:58:50 ◼   ► work is a lot like that it's it's very [TS]

00:58:52 ◼   ► surreal at times [TS]

00:58:54 ◼   ► genre bending it's crazy [TS]

00:58:58 ◼   ► he just as weird stuff with the like the [TS]

00:59:01 ◼   ► natural landscape amitabh this book is [TS]

00:59:03 ◼   ► fairly obviously influenced by by [TS]

00:59:05 ◼   ► Florida the Florida fauna and i know he [TS]

00:59:08 ◼   ► said in interviews that it you know he'd [TS]

00:59:10 ◼   ► go out to the woods and like take hikes [TS]

00:59:12 ◼   ► and see weird stuff in the woods link [TS]

00:59:14 ◼   ► like we're daughter creatures and stuff [TS]

00:59:16 ◼   ► i don't know if he's actually seen weird [TS]

00:59:17 ◼   ► creatures that's what just we said in [TS]

00:59:19 ◼   ► interviews but while the board the [TS]

00:59:21 ◼   ► boring stuff in the book is actually [TS]

00:59:23 ◼   ► happened to him real or yeah [TS]

00:59:26 ◼   ► ah i'm even shoot at it or whatever but [TS]

00:59:29 ◼   ► that that's directly from his own [TS]

00:59:31 ◼   ► experiences arm and the the right i [TS]

00:59:36 ◼   ► think the writing or the tunnel [TS]