The Incomparable

00:00:00 ◼   ► this episode of the incomparable is [TS]

00:00:02 ◼   ► brought to you by canary a new approach [TS]

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00:00:19 ◼   ► stuck at work find out the oven was left [TS]

00:00:20 ◼   ► on before it's too late or stop burglars [TS]

00:00:23 ◼   ► with the swipe of a finger pick up your [TS]

00:00:24 ◼   ► canary today when you visit meet canary [TS]

00:00:27 ◼   ► dot-com / incomparable incomparable [TS]

00:00:36 ◼   ► number 256 july 2015 [TS]

00:00:42 ◼   ► welcome back everybody to the [TS]

00:00:44 ◼   ► incomparable podcast I'm your host Jason [TS]

00:00:46 ◼   ► L every year for the last few years we [TS]

00:00:49 ◼   ► have looked at the nominees for the hugo [TS]

00:00:52 ◼   ► words which has long been one of the [TS]

00:00:55 ◼   ► finest awards in the world of science [TS]

00:00:58 ◼   ► fiction a little less so lately a little [TS]

00:01:01 ◼   ► less so since we started reading all the [TS]

00:01:02 ◼   ► nominees if I gotta be honest but i [TS]

00:01:05 ◼   ► always loved the Hugo's and I always [TS]

00:01:06 ◼   ► loved reading it makes a good reading [TS]

00:01:08 ◼   ► list to check out especially the novels [TS]

00:01:10 ◼   ► in the hugo award category and so we're [TS]

00:01:14 ◼   ► going to continue our tradition by [TS]

00:01:16 ◼   ► talking about hugo nominees in this [TS]

00:01:18 ◼   ► episode before the hugo nominees are [TS]

00:01:20 ◼   ► given out at Sasquatch on in spokane in [TS]

00:01:23 ◼   ► August which i should mention by the way [TS]

00:01:24 ◼   ► many members of the incomparable will be [TS]

00:01:27 ◼   ► appearing at that convention and [TS]

00:01:29 ◼   ► performing the incomparable radio [TS]

00:01:30 ◼   ► theatre and probably will be recording a [TS]

00:01:32 ◼   ► special episode then too so we will be a [TS]

00:01:35 ◼   ► part of the magic joining me to talk [TS]

00:01:37 ◼   ► about the hugo words it first i would [TS]

00:01:40 ◼   ► like to introduce a one-time Hugo [TS]

00:01:42 ◼   ► nominee for her podcast charity it's [TS]

00:01:44 ◼   ► erica and sign hello [TS]

00:01:46 ◼   ► for a second i was really excited i was [TS]

00:01:48 ◼   ► like oh my god who did you get as a [TS]

00:01:49 ◼   ► guest and everybody's talking about me [TS]

00:01:52 ◼   ► it's you don't get too excited you can [TS]

00:01:55 ◼   ► do you spend a lot of time with this [TS]

00:01:57 ◼   ► this person so yeah you know all of all [TS]

00:02:00 ◼   ► of it pretty much all of it i am also [TS]

00:02:03 ◼   ► out there David lower who I don't have [TS]

00:02:05 ◼   ► you have you done this [TS]

00:02:06 ◼   ► have you done this you go thing before [TS]

00:02:08 ◼   ► yeah i was i was online last year [TS]

00:02:10 ◼   ► alright because they did the retro [TS]

00:02:11 ◼   ► Hugo's and oh yeah you and Monty did a [TS]

00:02:14 ◼   ► lot of retro you going I yes good times [TS]

00:02:16 ◼   ► good times [TS]

00:02:17 ◼   ► and of course I wouldn't talk about [TS]

00:02:18 ◼   ► things that are written without Scott [TS]

00:02:20 ◼   ► McNulty hi scott i am once again [TS]

00:02:23 ◼   ► disappointed in the hugo so keeping up [TS]

00:02:25 ◼   ► the tradition [TS]

00:02:26 ◼   ► well you know they didn't there was no [TS]

00:02:28 ◼   ► no parasite booktube i'm eric grant was [TS]

00:02:31 ◼   ► not nominated so we got we didn't didn't [TS]

00:02:33 ◼   ► have to read any me regret this year [TS]

00:02:34 ◼   ► Scott that's true we did have to read [TS]

00:02:36 ◼   ► well I read well we'll just [TS]

00:02:38 ◼   ► hey ya mean some of us started that and [TS]

00:02:41 ◼   ► didn't finish it [TS]

00:02:42 ◼   ► alright well it's we should we should [TS]

00:02:43 ◼   ► start we should start there [TS]

00:02:45 ◼   ► we should start with the novel's i [TS]

00:02:46 ◼   ► guess.i guess even before we started [TS]

00:02:48 ◼   ► there though we should probably mention [TS]

00:02:49 ◼   ► Hugo's this year very controversial last [TS]

00:02:52 ◼   ► the last few years what has been clear [TS]

00:02:54 ◼   ► to any anybody who is saved on a podcast [TS]

00:02:57 ◼   ► about the Hugo's is that there's a [TS]

00:03:00 ◼   ► there's been a really a real hole in the [TS]

00:03:02 ◼   ► process which is the nomination process [TS]

00:03:05 ◼   ► where it's fairly easy to get a [TS]

00:03:08 ◼   ► nomination if you have a a bunch of [TS]

00:03:11 ◼   ► like-minded people who are voting [TS]

00:03:12 ◼   ► specifically to get some stuff on the [TS]

00:03:14 ◼   ► ballot the nominations are very small [TS]

00:03:17 ◼   ► and and you end up with a small number [TS]

00:03:21 ◼   ► can get you on the ballot and we've seen [TS]

00:03:23 ◼   ► that not just with a sort of organized [TS]

00:03:26 ◼   ► political stuff which we've seen the [TS]

00:03:27 ◼   ► last few years with the sad puppies and [TS]

00:03:30 ◼   ► rabbit puppies campaign which have [TS]

00:03:31 ◼   ► largely filled out the short fiction [TS]

00:03:32 ◼   ► fiction ballot this year but even just [TS]

00:03:35 ◼   ► in phantom I've heard a lot of people [TS]

00:03:37 ◼   ► who are not doctor who fans i know [TS]

00:03:38 ◼   ► that's a crazy idea Erica who would be [TS]

00:03:40 ◼   ► so awful as to not be a doctor who fan [TS]

00:03:42 ◼   ► shaking head complain about all the [TS]

00:03:44 ◼   ► doctor who episodes that have gotten and [TS]

00:03:47 ◼   ► got nominated and then have one of the [TS]

00:03:49 ◼   ► street that has kind of come to an end [TS]

00:03:52 ◼   ► the last couple of years but there's [TS]

00:03:53 ◼   ► appeared there were every almost [TS]

00:03:54 ◼   ► everything was Doctor Who and certainly [TS]

00:03:56 ◼   ► I mentioned the the works of mirror [TS]

00:03:58 ◼   ► grant the case where there's a committed [TS]

00:04:00 ◼   ► fan base was very excited and votes and [TS]

00:04:03 ◼   ► really likes a particular author and and [TS]

00:04:07 ◼   ► so good for them they do that but it [TS]

00:04:09 ◼   ► this year what what has happened is that [TS]

00:04:12 ◼   ► a lot of the categories have been [TS]

00:04:13 ◼   ► swamped by a particular slate of people [TS]

00:04:15 ◼   ► the sad / rabbit puppies where they have [TS]

00:04:19 ◼   ► sort of tactically nominated certain [TS]

00:04:21 ◼   ► certain works because of push and poll [TS]

00:04:26 ◼   ► of what they think science fiction [TS]

00:04:27 ◼   ► should be and because of some politics [TS]

00:04:29 ◼   ► and you know and things that are not [TS]

00:04:32 ◼   ► related to weather stories are good or [TS]

00:04:34 ◼   ► not i would argue so it's it's [TS]

00:04:37 ◼   ► problematic it it reading the hugo [TS]

00:04:40 ◼   ► nominees has always been somewhat [TS]

00:04:41 ◼   ► problematic because there's always that [TS]

00:04:43 ◼   ► moment where you think how did this get [TS]

00:04:44 ◼   ► nominated but this year was really for [TS]

00:04:47 ◼   ► me it was a whole other level than it's [TS]

00:04:50 ◼   ► been in the past [TS]

00:04:51 ◼   ► did did other people feel that same way [TS]

00:04:53 ◼   ► this is only my second year actually [TS]

00:04:56 ◼   ► reading all of the nominees so it [TS]

00:04:59 ◼   ► yeah i would say that Jose and I [TS]

00:05:02 ◼   ► actually like some of the stuff that you [TS]

00:05:03 ◼   ► guys didn't like so much last year right [TS]

00:05:05 ◼   ► and i still felt that there was a [TS]

00:05:06 ◼   ► significant drop-off in the overall [TS]

00:05:09 ◼   ► quality of the work that was that was on [TS]

00:05:11 ◼   ► the ballot for sure Scott well i mean i [TS]

00:05:14 ◼   ► think that this just continues my [TS]

00:05:16 ◼   ► disillusionment with Hugo's in I've [TS]

00:05:19 ◼   ► talked about this before where I is [TS]

00:05:20 ◼   ► always before i started reading also [TS]

00:05:22 ◼   ► nominated works i always thought that [TS]

00:05:24 ◼   ► the Yukos was kind of like the Oscars [TS]

00:05:27 ◼   ► and its really the people's choice and [TS]

00:05:30 ◼   ► if you get the People's Choice you're [TS]

00:05:32 ◼   ► gonna get a lot of crap because the [TS]

00:05:34 ◼   ► people are stupid crap that's that's my [TS]

00:05:38 ◼   ► misanthropy that I was looking for and [TS]

00:05:41 ◼   ► David you do you have any any thoughts [TS]

00:05:43 ◼   ► on this regard [TS]

00:05:44 ◼   ► well this is the first year i've [TS]

00:05:46 ◼   ► officially read them as someone who gets [TS]

00:05:48 ◼   ► to vote since you have to buy a [TS]

00:05:50 ◼   ► membership to ship-to-ship to con and [TS]

00:05:53 ◼   ► then since we're all gonna be there so i [TS]

00:05:55 ◼   ► got well okay I'll read everything you [TS]

00:05:59 ◼   ► know in previous years I've read the [TS]

00:06:01 ◼   ► good stuff i've read the stuff I've [TS]

00:06:02 ◼   ► heard about I've read the stuff that you [TS]

00:06:05 ◼   ► know I've heard about on on the podcast [TS]

00:06:06 ◼   ► even and so so I've kind of avoided [TS]

00:06:10 ◼   ► things that you know you go [TS]

00:06:13 ◼   ► I don't need to read anymore mirror [TS]

00:06:14 ◼   ► grant for instance um so this year [TS]

00:06:18 ◼   ► trying to to plow through everything [TS]

00:06:22 ◼   ► there's some really good things and you [TS]

00:06:26 ◼   ► can go yeah alright I see where that was [TS]

00:06:28 ◼   ► nominated and there's a lot of stuff [TS]

00:06:30 ◼   ► that i would have rejected in a writing [TS]

00:06:33 ◼   ► class which you don't expect that an [TS]

00:06:37 ◼   ► awards ceremony you know novo of a [TS]

00:06:39 ◼   ► series of nominees i mean this is this [TS]

00:06:41 ◼   ► is high school level in some cases if [TS]

00:06:45 ◼   ► that and we'll get to that there's some [TS]

00:06:48 ◼   ► foreshadowing for you [TS]

00:06:50 ◼   ► hello I can't help but think as I read [TS]

00:06:54 ◼   ► all of this stuff that at and apologies [TS]

00:06:56 ◼   ► to Erica but the only category that [TS]

00:06:58 ◼   ► really matters is the novel category and [TS]

00:07:02 ◼   ► I think that a 44 people i mean i know [TS]

00:07:05 ◼   ► there's this the very devoted fandom [TS]

00:07:08 ◼   ► that is involved world cons and they're [TS]

00:07:10 ◼   ► very concerned about the process and I [TS]

00:07:12 ◼   ► understand all that and your respective [TS]

00:07:13 ◼   ► that I don't care about any of that [TS]

00:07:16 ◼   ► and the only thing I ever really care [TS]

00:07:19 ◼   ► about the heroes is the novels because [TS]

00:07:21 ◼   ► i'm a novel reader and i think that the [TS]

00:07:23 ◼   ► slate this slate of novels is not so bad [TS]

00:07:26 ◼   ► with one exception perhaps the rest of [TS]

00:07:32 ◼   ► the rest of the things i think it's [TS]

00:07:33 ◼   ► easier to get stuff in the other [TS]

00:07:35 ◼   ► categories because most people and this [TS]

00:07:38 ◼   ► is I'm assuming most people read more [TS]

00:07:41 ◼   ► novels than they do short fiction which [TS]

00:07:43 ◼   ► it doesn't seem to make much logical [TS]

00:07:45 ◼   ► sense since short fiction takes so [TS]

00:07:48 ◼   ► little time to read but novels are so [TS]

00:07:50 ◼   ► much more popular that I think that [TS]

00:07:51 ◼   ► everyone who's voting certainly when I [TS]

00:07:53 ◼   ► nominated I had a list of novels that I [TS]

00:07:56 ◼   ► nominated I didn't have a list of [TS]

00:07:58 ◼   ► anything else that nominated other than [TS]

00:07:59 ◼   ► podcast short stories generally God [TS]

00:08:01 ◼   ► about a thousand ballots yesterday [TS]

00:08:05 ◼   ► actually had 1174 nominating balance [TS]

00:08:08 ◼   ► yeah the novel in the novella were also [TS]

00:08:10 ◼   ► in the ballpark and best novel got 1,800 [TS]

00:08:12 ◼   ► ballots so dramatically larger pool [TS]

00:08:16 ◼   ► nominating for novel than for the short [TS]

00:08:19 ◼   ► fiction category [TS]

00:08:20 ◼   ► however the number of actual entries [TS]

00:08:22 ◼   ► nominated for best novel is much smaller [TS]

00:08:24 ◼   ► than the number of entries for something [TS]

00:08:26 ◼   ► like best short story best short story [TS]

00:08:27 ◼   ► had 728 best novel only had 587 yeah i [TS]

00:08:31 ◼   ► mean the number of short stories [TS]

00:08:32 ◼   ► published in a year versus the number of [TS]

00:08:34 ◼   ► novels published in a year i think i [TS]

00:08:35 ◼   ► think one of the one of the things and [TS]

00:08:37 ◼   ► we can maybe talk about this if we talk [TS]

00:08:39 ◼   ► about things like graphic story and [TS]

00:08:40 ◼   ► dramatic presentation and it's actually [TS]

00:08:42 ◼   ► I think why the novel was harder for a [TS]

00:08:44 ◼   ► slate to game is it's a lot harder to be [TS]

00:08:48 ◼   ► to create something that's eligible in [TS]

00:08:50 ◼   ► one of those categories like to make a [TS]

00:08:53 ◼   ► TV show or a movie you have there are [TS]

00:08:56 ◼   ► lots of gatekeepers that aren't [TS]

00:08:58 ◼   ► necessarily there for sure I mean for [TS]

00:09:01 ◼   ► some of these short fiction categories [TS]

00:09:02 ◼   ► especially you can just [TS]

00:09:04 ◼   ► just put it on a website and say [TS]

00:09:06 ◼   ► nominate this and it can get nominated [TS]

00:09:09 ◼   ► and it's a lot harder to do that free [TS]

00:09:10 ◼   ► you know major motion picture [TS]

00:09:12 ◼   ► yeah and while Scott may say that the [TS]

00:09:13 ◼   ► you know the novel is the most important [TS]

00:09:15 ◼   ► category at it i don't think i actually [TS]

00:09:17 ◼   ► agree with this it is the most popular [TS]

00:09:18 ◼   ► category but I i would actually argue [TS]

00:09:20 ◼   ► that that the other categories are more [TS]

00:09:22 ◼   ► important because they're going to have [TS]

00:09:24 ◼   ► more of an effect on the authors who are [TS]

00:09:26 ◼   ► nominated in those categories and I am [TS]

00:09:28 ◼   ► totally biased because actually work for [TS]

00:09:30 ◼   ► a magazine the publisher fiction so the [TS]

00:09:33 ◼   ► clear that right up front but I'm but [TS]

00:09:36 ◼   ► what it means [TS]

00:09:37 ◼   ► financially I mean that the novel [TS]

00:09:39 ◼   ► category as well but especially for [TS]

00:09:41 ◼   ► people who published short fiction which [TS]

00:09:42 ◼   ► is somewhat gaining ground on the in the [TS]

00:09:45 ◼   ► past few years but not as fast as if I [TS]

00:09:47 ◼   ► would like I think it's more important [TS]

00:09:50 ◼   ► for those categories because because the [TS]

00:09:52 ◼   ► effect is is much more and more grand [TS]

00:09:55 ◼   ► for the people involved in the category [TS]

00:09:57 ◼   ► well Scott correctly predicted your [TS]

00:09:59 ◼   ► disagreement so that I didn't say that [TS]

00:10:02 ◼   ► it was more important I just was only [TS]

00:10:04 ◼   ► one that mattered [TS]

00:10:05 ◼   ► pardon me for parsing that correctly we [TS]

00:10:09 ◼   ► have a disagreement in the same therapy [TS]

00:10:11 ◼   ► I'm I'm already taking a drink so let's [TS]

00:10:14 ◼   ► let's let's talk about the novel's i'm [TS]

00:10:16 ◼   ► not saying that they're better or worse [TS]

00:10:17 ◼   ► i'm just saying that let's talk about [TS]

00:10:19 ◼   ► them first [TS]

00:10:20 ◼   ► there there were so they're also we had [TS]

00:10:22 ◼   ► some shifting nominations where people [TS]

00:10:24 ◼   ► dropped out who were not happy to have [TS]

00:10:26 ◼   ► been included in slates but i'm just [TS]

00:10:30 ◼   ► going to list the final nominees here [TS]

00:10:32 ◼   ► and we can talk about them some of them [TS]

00:10:33 ◼   ► we've talked about a little bit before [TS]

00:10:34 ◼   ► in our nebulas episode which i will link [TS]

00:10:37 ◼   ► in our show notes but because there were [TS]

00:10:40 ◼   ► a few repeat nominees but we're talking [TS]

00:10:42 ◼   ► about them again since this is a [TS]

00:10:44 ◼   ► different crew then we have on that [TS]

00:10:46 ◼   ► episode Scott and I are the only ones in [TS]

00:10:47 ◼   ► common between the episodes so ancillary [TS]

00:10:50 ◼   ► sword got nominated the sequel to the [TS]

00:10:52 ◼   ► winner last year ancillary justice by [TS]

00:10:54 ◼   ► and lucky [TS]

00:10:55 ◼   ► scott and i talked about this in the [TS]

00:10:57 ◼   ► nebula nebula episode David and Erica [TS]

00:11:01 ◼   ► did you read ancillary sword you okay [TS]

00:11:04 ◼   ► what do what your what your thoughts [TS]

00:11:05 ◼   ► David why don't you go first [TS]

00:11:06 ◼   ► I i really enjoyed it I enjoyed the [TS]

00:11:10 ◼   ► first one and was so sorry that I had to [TS]

00:11:12 ◼   ► miss the episode you guys did on it [TS]

00:11:14 ◼   ► because it just [TS]

00:11:16 ◼   ► it's it's dense it doesn't make any [TS]

00:11:21 ◼   ► apologies for not explaining things your [TS]

00:11:24 ◼   ► pledges you right into this world and [TS]

00:11:25 ◼   ► this this existence and you have to [TS]

00:11:28 ◼   ► figure out your genders you have to [TS]

00:11:30 ◼   ► figure out time you have to figure out [TS]

00:11:32 ◼   ► how the ships and the ancillary is [TS]

00:11:33 ◼   ► everything work and it just held my [TS]

00:11:37 ◼   ► attention which a lot of books don't [TS]

00:11:39 ◼   ► necessarily do you know i'll read and [TS]

00:11:41 ◼   ► can look up at the TV and go what are [TS]

00:11:43 ◼   ► the kids doing and i'll get a drink this [TS]

00:11:45 ◼   ► one I picked up and I I just plowed [TS]

00:11:48 ◼   ► right through it so the sequel pretty [TS]

00:11:51 ◼   ► much the same experience i mean i would [TS]

00:11:55 ◼   ► i would say it was probably my favorite [TS]

00:11:57 ◼   ► of the five but it was close with one of [TS]

00:12:00 ◼   ► the other ones we'll get to that Erica [TS]

00:12:02 ◼   ► what did you think of ancillary sort who [TS]

00:12:04 ◼   ► i am i'm not on the same page as David i [TS]

00:12:07 ◼   ► did as i said on last year's episode i [TS]

00:12:09 ◼   ► enjoyed ancillary justice very very much [TS]

00:12:11 ◼   ► even though reading it felt a little bit [TS]

00:12:14 ◼   ► like work but not in a bad way and I [TS]

00:12:17 ◼   ► felt that that was the the same with [TS]

00:12:18 ◼   ► this one [TS]

00:12:19 ◼   ► it did feel a little bit like work but i [TS]

00:12:22 ◼   ► think you know because some of the best [TS]

00:12:23 ◼   ► books that i've ever read have been [TS]

00:12:25 ◼   ► challenging so that's that's an okay [TS]

00:12:26 ◼   ► thing but the difference here is that [TS]

00:12:28 ◼   ► with ancillary justice [TS]

00:12:29 ◼   ► I was so curious about this world in a [TS]

00:12:31 ◼   ► society that was really anxious to get [TS]

00:12:33 ◼   ► back into that world every time I had to [TS]

00:12:36 ◼   ► put the book down and with ancillary [TS]

00:12:37 ◼   ► stored i just didn't have that impetus [TS]

00:12:39 ◼   ► quite so much this installment just [TS]

00:12:42 ◼   ► didn't have that feeling that like I [TS]

00:12:44 ◼   ► could expect a new discovery around [TS]

00:12:46 ◼   ► every corner which I got with the first [TS]

00:12:48 ◼   ► one so I found myself less likely to [TS]

00:12:49 ◼   ► pick it up i actually ended up [TS]

00:12:51 ◼   ► alternating between this one and skin [TS]

00:12:53 ◼   ► game and between the two of you thought [TS]

00:12:56 ◼   ► I had kind of a a good balance of over [TS]

00:12:58 ◼   ► of all the different elements i was [TS]

00:13:00 ◼   ► looking for but on its own [TS]

00:13:02 ◼   ► ancillary sore just didn't quite float [TS]

00:13:04 ◼   ► my boat I still think it was an [TS]

00:13:05 ◼   ► incredibly well-written book [TS]

00:13:06 ◼   ► well-written story but they still find [TS]

00:13:10 ◼   ► that world fascinating i just wasn't as [TS]

00:13:11 ◼   ► excited about it this time [TS]

00:13:13 ◼   ► so definitely not my favorite this year [TS]

00:13:15 ◼   ► when it is the middle of a trilogy [TS]

00:13:17 ◼   ► exactly is we don't necessarily know and [TS]

00:13:21 ◼   ► I'm really looking forward to the third [TS]

00:13:22 ◼   ► installment because you know quite often [TS]

00:13:24 ◼   ► I feel like you know its middle child [TS]

00:13:26 ◼   ► syndrome like it just kinda [TS]

00:13:27 ◼   ► and then the third one ramp students [TS]

00:13:29 ◼   ► attention back up so I'm excited for [TS]

00:13:31 ◼   ► that one of the things i mentioned in [TS]

00:13:32 ◼   ► the nebula episode was that the very end [TS]

00:13:34 ◼   ► of ancillary justice feels like there [TS]

00:13:36 ◼   ► were suddenly going to be entering into [TS]

00:13:37 ◼   ► Star Trek The Next Generation and what [TS]

00:13:40 ◼   ► ancillary sort gives us deep space nine [TS]

00:13:42 ◼   ► which is a little bit of a surprise that [TS]

00:13:44 ◼   ► we're going to have this smaller story [TS]

00:13:46 ◼   ► on a space station and that took me back [TS]

00:13:48 ◼   ► but what I what I've realized thinking [TS]

00:13:50 ◼   ► about it afterward is that one of the [TS]

00:13:52 ◼   ► things and lucky is really doing is kind [TS]

00:13:54 ◼   ► of critiquing Empire and I think in a in [TS]

00:13:57 ◼   ► a in a novel that is itself a space [TS]

00:14:01 ◼   ► opera she is and the whole idea of Star [TS]

00:14:04 ◼   ► Empire's and things like that [TS]

00:14:05 ◼   ► both books are about the ugly side of [TS]

00:14:09 ◼   ► empire and applying that to a space [TS]

00:14:11 ◼   ► opera context so you know in the first [TS]

00:14:13 ◼   ► book they talk about a massacre in a on [TS]

00:14:16 ◼   ► a planet that is being taken over by the [TS]

00:14:18 ◼   ► ratch Empire and in this book what [TS]

00:14:20 ◼   ► you've got is this planet with [TS]

00:14:22 ◼   ► plantations and what I'm you know poorly [TS]

00:14:25 ◼   ► treated workers on them and this kind of [TS]

00:14:27 ◼   ► upper class of people who are running [TS]

00:14:28 ◼   ► the plantations and I thought that was [TS]

00:14:31 ◼   ► really interesting I thought it just as [TS]

00:14:33 ◼   ► evocative as as the kind of running [TS]

00:14:35 ◼   ► through the the frozen landscape into [TS]

00:14:36 ◼   ► ancillary just as an ancillary sword i [TS]

00:14:39 ◼   ► remember the main character doing her [TS]

00:14:41 ◼   ► runs through the plantations beyond [TS]

00:14:45 ◼   ► where she's supposed to go and seeing [TS]

00:14:47 ◼   ► the people who live and work there and [TS]

00:14:49 ◼   ► and I i just--that's like sort of an [TS]

00:14:52 ◼   ► indelible image for me in this up that [TS]

00:14:55 ◼   ► and also that the swimming pool leaks in [TS]

00:14:56 ◼   ► the space station and that's a key a key [TS]

00:14:59 ◼   ► plot point but you know I I find I am I [TS]

00:15:02 ◼   ► for me I didn't like it as much as [TS]

00:15:04 ◼   ► ancillary justice but what I was [TS]

00:15:06 ◼   ► surprised by is how different it was and [TS]

00:15:10 ◼   ► i like that that was kind of almost [TS]

00:15:11 ◼   ► ambitious in a way certainly do not just [TS]

00:15:14 ◼   ► write the same book again and I see what [TS]

00:15:16 ◼   ► she's doing in terms of the commentary [TS]

00:15:17 ◼   ► she's trying to trying to provide about [TS]

00:15:19 ◼   ► like you know Star Empire's aren't so [TS]

00:15:21 ◼   ► great because they're still empires and [TS]

00:15:22 ◼   ► the Empire's tend to do bad things to [TS]

00:15:24 ◼   ► people under there under their boot yeah [TS]

00:15:27 ◼   ► and see I like the fact that it wasn't [TS]

00:15:29 ◼   ► the same book and and of course I've [TS]

00:15:31 ◼   ► said before I love deep space nine [TS]

00:15:33 ◼   ► something Scott you want to revisit [TS]

00:15:37 ◼   ► ancillary sort a little bit [TS]

00:15:40 ◼   ► uh sure let's see if I can remember Chad [TS]

00:15:42 ◼   ► happens because swimming pool leagues a [TS]

00:15:46 ◼   ► couple weeks that's true there's a [TS]

00:15:47 ◼   ► plantation I remember I heard you guys [TS]

00:15:49 ◼   ► talking about all these elements and I [TS]

00:15:51 ◼   ► was reminded why i remember enjoying it [TS]

00:15:54 ◼   ► okay IIM on the same page with erica i [TS]

00:15:57 ◼   ► think the first book was revelation and [TS]

00:15:59 ◼   ► then you come back to the same [TS]

00:16:00 ◼   ► characters and it can't be a revelation [TS]

00:16:03 ◼   ► again which is kind of a disappointment [TS]

00:16:05 ◼   ► but then it's well-written it's it's [TS]

00:16:08 ◼   ► it's a fine book it's also the middle of [TS]

00:16:10 ◼   ► the trilogy it's hard to give a an award [TS]

00:16:13 ◼   ► to the middle of the trilogy or to a [TS]

00:16:16 ◼   ► book that starts the trilogy that's [TS]

00:16:17 ◼   ► actually the second trilogy that's [TS]

00:16:20 ◼   ► foreshadowing oh so how but I liked a [TS]

00:16:25 ◼   ► lot i like brick I think it's [TS]

00:16:27 ◼   ► fascinating records good character i [TS]

00:16:29 ◼   ► think i think my problem with it is that [TS]

00:16:33 ◼   ► the impression i got and this isn't [TS]

00:16:35 ◼   ► maybe on me is that having set this [TS]

00:16:38 ◼   ► world up in in the first book about the [TS]

00:16:40 ◼   ► the clones and the different Emperor's [TS]

00:16:42 ◼   ► in this star spanning battle between [TS]

00:16:45 ◼   ► clones of the same Emperor who are [TS]

00:16:48 ◼   ► turning against each other in this [TS]

00:16:49 ◼   ► mysterious alien force that's trying to [TS]

00:16:51 ◼   ► undermine the whole thing I expected the [TS]

00:16:53 ◼   ► canvas to get broader in book 2 and it [TS]

00:16:57 ◼   ► it absolutely doesn't there are hints of [TS]

00:17:00 ◼   ► what's going on in the background but we [TS]

00:17:03 ◼   ► didn't get the star spanning you know [TS]

00:17:06 ◼   ► the first book takes us right to the [TS]

00:17:08 ◼   ► palace basically right to the Emperor [TS]

00:17:09 ◼   ► and it by the end of the book and this [TS]

00:17:12 ◼   ► book is you know we're in backwater [TS]

00:17:15 ◼   ► essentially at a space station and that [TS]

00:17:17 ◼   ► that's not bad necessarily like i said i [TS]

00:17:19 ◼   ► love that she didn't write the same book [TS]

00:17:21 ◼   ► again but I thought we were going up and [TS]

00:17:24 ◼   ► we were actually going down and so it [TS]

00:17:26 ◼   ► took me by surprise for me i am a sucker [TS]

00:17:29 ◼   ► for beginnings [TS]

00:17:30 ◼   ► I am but with the first in a trilogy is [TS]

00:17:32 ◼   ► almost always my favorite the first book [TS]

00:17:34 ◼   ► in a series i mean anything we're just [TS]

00:17:36 ◼   ► discovering a new world that's that just [TS]

00:17:38 ◼   ► completely gets me and that's [TS]

00:17:39 ◼   ► foreshadowing for another book will talk [TS]

00:17:41 ◼   ► about so so i think i was predisposed to [TS]

00:17:43 ◼   ► like ancillary justice and you know just [TS]

00:17:45 ◼   ► drop off a little bit no matter what [TS]

00:17:48 ◼   ► Francis restored [TS]

00:17:49 ◼   ► yeah I think that's fair time to take a [TS]

00:17:51 ◼   ► break and let me tell you about our [TS]

00:17:52 ◼   ► sponsor its [TS]

00:17:53 ◼   ► canary an amazing new home security [TS]

00:17:56 ◼   ► device so let me explain what canary is [TS]

00:17:59 ◼   ► it's about six inches tall very [TS]

00:18:01 ◼   ► attractive considering your bookshelf [TS]

00:18:02 ◼   ► sits on the top of my piano in my house [TS]

00:18:05 ◼   ► is perfect for any house or apartment [TS]

00:18:06 ◼   ► it's a complete home security system [TS]

00:18:09 ◼   ► packed into a single device that you [TS]

00:18:11 ◼   ► control from your phone it has no extra [TS]

00:18:13 ◼   ► components it's all in 11 item it sets [TS]

00:18:15 ◼   ► up in just minutes to plug it in [TS]

00:18:17 ◼   ► connected to the internet and that's [TS]

00:18:19 ◼   ► pretty much it [TS]

00:18:20 ◼   ► it can let you live stream video of [TS]

00:18:22 ◼   ► what's happening in your home anytime [TS]

00:18:24 ◼   ► anywhere and whatever canary detects [TS]

00:18:27 ◼   ► anything unusual [TS]

00:18:28 ◼   ► it will send you an alert straight to [TS]

00:18:29 ◼   ► your phone including HD video and audio [TS]

00:18:32 ◼   ► it's got a 1080p HD camera widescreen [TS]

00:18:35 ◼   ► built into it so you can see a pretty [TS]

00:18:37 ◼   ► amazing field of you so if you put it in [TS]

00:18:40 ◼   ► the middle of a room you're going to be [TS]

00:18:42 ◼   ► able to see pretty far to the left and [TS]

00:18:44 ◼   ► to the right [TS]

00:18:45 ◼   ► why it's not going to just give you a [TS]

00:18:47 ◼   ► little narrow area it's got great video [TS]

00:18:50 ◼   ► quality high quality microphone support [TS]

00:18:52 ◼   ► from motion detection a super loud siren [TS]

00:18:55 ◼   ► that I used to terrify my daughter one [TS]

00:18:57 ◼   ► time just I was testing it out i'm [TS]

00:18:59 ◼   ► scaring her was a bonus automatic night [TS]

00:19:02 ◼   ► vision mode so when it gets dark it pops [TS]

00:19:04 ◼   ► into infrared mode and you can see [TS]

00:19:05 ◼   ► perfectly even in total darkness [TS]

00:19:07 ◼   ► it also includes temperature humidity [TS]

00:19:10 ◼   ► and air quality sensors built in so it's [TS]

00:19:12 ◼   ► not just looking for intruders it's also [TS]

00:19:15 ◼   ► seeing what might be wrong in the air is [TS]

00:19:18 ◼   ► it too humid [TS]

00:19:19 ◼   ► is there a problem with air quality is [TS]

00:19:21 ◼   ► it too hot [TS]

00:19:22 ◼   ► all of that is covered it's inside [TS]

00:19:24 ◼   ► canary people are using canary to catch [TS]

00:19:27 ◼   ► burglars to check in on their family or [TS]

00:19:30 ◼   ► on their pets i used canary to check in [TS]

00:19:32 ◼   ► my cat when we were taking a trip make [TS]

00:19:34 ◼   ► sure he was getting fed by our neighbor [TS]

00:19:35 ◼   ► it was great and it just makes you feel [TS]

00:19:38 ◼   ► safe while you're a way to know that [TS]

00:19:39 ◼   ► somebody is watching out and if anything [TS]

00:19:41 ◼   ► weird goes on you're going to get an [TS]

00:19:42 ◼   ► alert so be one of the very first to get [TS]

00:19:44 ◼   ► smart home security with canary by [TS]

00:19:47 ◼   ► canary now by visiting meet canary [TS]

00:19:50 ◼   ► dot-com / incomparable and thanks to [TS]

00:19:53 ◼   ► canary for sponsoring the incomparable [TS]

00:19:55 ◼   ► alright let's move on and talk about the [TS]

00:19:58 ◼   ► dark between the stars by kevin j [TS]

00:20:01 ◼   ► anderson who I have [TS]

00:20:04 ◼   ► i don't think i've read any of his books [TS]

00:20:06 ◼   ► he wrote a lot of star wars books right [TS]

00:20:10 ◼   ► isn't that it's never a star wars books [TS]

00:20:12 ◼   ► here in the the prequel to Superman [TS]

00:20:15 ◼   ► that's all about his parents on Krypton [TS]

00:20:18 ◼   ► and go and he's the one who work with [TS]

00:20:20 ◼   ► Brian Herbert on the interview tomorrow [TS]

00:20:22 ◼   ► okay [TS]

00:20:23 ◼   ► it is he is someone whose books i have [TS]

00:20:25 ◼   ► given up on many minutes put it that way [TS]

00:20:29 ◼   ► and my impression from reading this book [TS]

00:20:31 ◼   ► and and I think this is always fair to [TS]

00:20:33 ◼   ► say this is not not in the middle of a [TS]

00:20:37 ◼   ► series but is the direct sequel to a [TS]

00:20:39 ◼   ► previous series [TS]

00:20:41 ◼   ► okay that explains so much did not know [TS]

00:20:44 ◼   ► that as far as i can tell i I think I [TS]

00:20:46 ◼   ► looked that up and discovered that there [TS]

00:20:48 ◼   ► were there were references in the [TS]

00:20:50 ◼   ► beginning of this book are you [TS]

00:20:52 ◼   ► there's a previous trilogy yeah but this [TS]

00:20:54 ◼   ► book starts basically just picks up [TS]

00:20:57 ◼   ► right from and you start reading if this [TS]

00:20:59 ◼   ► is the only book that you've read in the [TS]

00:21:01 ◼   ► series [TS]

00:21:02 ◼   ► I only speak for myself you have no idea [TS]

00:21:05 ◼   ► what's coming up huh [TS]

00:21:06 ◼   ► yep get ready well you you eventually do [TS]

00:21:09 ◼   ► because he tells you over and over and [TS]

00:21:11 ◼   ► over and over again what each [TS]

00:21:13 ◼   ► character's motivation and every time [TS]

00:21:14 ◼   ► you start a new chapter [TS]

00:21:15 ◼   ► that's true and yet we keep getting new [TS]

00:21:17 ◼   ► can I felt like I don't know how long [TS]

00:21:19 ◼   ► this book was but I felt like there were [TS]

00:21:21 ◼   ► more characters and their work pages [TS]

00:21:23 ◼   ► said that about 8,000 pages long but no [TS]

00:21:26 ◼   ► sorry 5,000 pages long sentence [TS]

00:21:29 ◼   ► elementals appear at some point that I'm [TS]

00:21:31 ◼   ► like what's going on I don't understand [TS]

00:21:33 ◼   ► his sentimental that's right there are [TS]

00:21:37 ◼   ► spaced gypsies [TS]

00:21:38 ◼   ► I don't know yeah they did every chapter [TS]

00:21:41 ◼   ► you think when are we going to get back [TS]

00:21:43 ◼   ► to those characters we saw in the first [TS]

00:21:44 ◼   ► chapter and it takes a long time because [TS]

00:21:47 ◼   ► there are so many characters and there [TS]

00:21:48 ◼   ► are so many chapters and there's so many [TS]

00:21:50 ◼   ► pages and and into his credit I suppose [TS]

00:21:53 ◼   ► this is a I mean this could not be a [TS]

00:21:56 ◼   ► wider screen epic because there's just [TS]

00:22:00 ◼   ► an endless cavalcade of different [TS]

00:22:03 ◼   ► characters that that that come on board [TS]

00:22:05 ◼   ► in the story I couldn't get through it [TS]

00:22:08 ◼   ► in fact I couldn't get more than about a [TS]

00:22:10 ◼   ► hundred and fifty pages into it because [TS]

00:22:12 ◼   ► it reminded me and people who like the [TS]

00:22:16 ◼   ► sort of thing you know [TS]

00:22:17 ◼   ► might like it although I it reminded me [TS]

00:22:19 ◼   ► of foundation a little bit in the sense [TS]

00:22:22 ◼   ► that it is a a galaxy-spanning space [TS]

00:22:25 ◼   ► opera where there's a lot of ideas that [TS]

00:22:28 ◼   ► are told by people standing around [TS]

00:22:30 ◼   ► talking about their ideas and lots of uh [TS]

00:22:35 ◼   ► it's just not a lot of characters about [TS]

00:22:39 ◼   ► a lot of complexity a lot of world [TS]

00:22:41 ◼   ► building and it just it just got it got [TS]

00:22:45 ◼   ► really frustrated after a while like I [TS]

00:22:47 ◼   ► felt I felt I can give foundation to [TS]

00:22:49 ◼   ► pass because it was written like 60 [TS]

00:22:51 ◼   ► years ago but as a modern novel it felt [TS]

00:22:54 ◼   ► like these were the characters were not [TS]

00:22:57 ◼   ► really part of the of of the point here [TS]

00:22:59 ◼   ► it was really just let me download more [TS]

00:23:01 ◼   ► of this world like it was like somebody [TS]

00:23:03 ◼   ► was telling me about this dream they had [TS]

00:23:05 ◼   ► about wouldn't it be cool if the galaxy [TS]

00:23:07 ◼   ► had these people these aliens in it and [TS]

00:23:10 ◼   ► you know [TS]

00:23:11 ◼   ► no it wouldn't be cool I don't want to [TS]

00:23:14 ◼   ► hear about you and as someone who loves [TS]

00:23:17 ◼   ► the foundation trilogy I did not like [TS]

00:23:19 ◼   ► this book at all [TS]

00:23:20 ◼   ► yeah i like the foundation trilogy but [TS]

00:23:22 ◼   ► you see what I mean about you know in by [TS]

00:23:25 ◼   ► modern standards foundation doesn't have [TS]

00:23:26 ◼   ► a lot of like really great characters [TS]

00:23:28 ◼   ► who you you understand their motivation [TS]

00:23:31 ◼   ► it feels it feels more or or like the [TS]

00:23:33 ◼   ► doc smith book something like that it [TS]

00:23:35 ◼   ► feels more you know which I think was [TS]

00:23:38 ◼   ► maybe the point why why some people [TS]

00:23:40 ◼   ► nominated it is it feels me feels pulpy [TS]

00:23:43 ◼   ► and old school but as I think we said [TS]

00:23:46 ◼   ► about something else in the in the [TS]

00:23:47 ◼   ► nebula conversation you know the the [TS]

00:23:51 ◼   ► standards are our greater now than they [TS]

00:23:53 ◼   ► were 60 years ago and I we expect more [TS]

00:23:55 ◼   ► of our novels and from dark between the [TS]

00:23:58 ◼   ► stars i just got just like just a more [TS]

00:24:00 ◼   ► another pile of of of stuff just an [TS]

00:24:03 ◼   ► endless pile of of new stuff that I [TS]

00:24:05 ◼   ► didn't care about and I mean the [TS]

00:24:07 ◼   ► foundation books were not originally [TS]

00:24:09 ◼   ► written as novels I mean they were put [TS]

00:24:11 ◼   ► together from a series of stories that [TS]

00:24:14 ◼   ► he published over several years in the [TS]

00:24:16 ◼   ► different magazines and so there they [TS]

00:24:19 ◼   ► have this really weird that they're not [TS]

00:24:20 ◼   ► structured like novels they're just odd [TS]

00:24:23 ◼   ► right where is this you know presumably [TS]

00:24:25 ◼   ► you have an editor presumably you have [TS]

00:24:28 ◼   ► someone saying by the way [TS]

00:24:30 ◼   ► this should be a book and it should be [TS]

00:24:33 ◼   ► shorter and stuff should happen right [TS]

00:24:36 ◼   ► um yeah yeah I i will say that i [TS]

00:24:40 ◼   ► actually enjoyed this one I'm not going [TS]

00:24:42 ◼   ► to say that it was it was good certainly [TS]

00:24:44 ◼   ► not in the way that a novel isn't David [TS]

00:24:46 ◼   ► you actually just nailed it because i [TS]

00:24:48 ◼   ► felt like i was reading you know an [TS]

00:24:51 ◼   ► old-fashioned see realized work that was [TS]

00:24:53 ◼   ► just published week by week in a [TS]

00:24:54 ◼   ► magazine or newspaper and I actually [TS]

00:24:56 ◼   ► didn't end up reading it sort of as a [TS]

00:24:58 ◼   ► novel I i was busy doing a whole bunch [TS]

00:25:01 ◼   ► of other things so i would read a [TS]

00:25:02 ◼   ► chapter and then go do something else [TS]

00:25:04 ◼   ► and then come back and read a chapter [TS]

00:25:06 ◼   ► and you know there are over a hundred [TS]

00:25:08 ◼   ► chapters in this thing so it took me [TS]

00:25:10 ◼   ► awhile and spread it out and I think [TS]

00:25:11 ◼   ► that vastly improved the reading [TS]

00:25:13 ◼   ► experience if I would have just sat down [TS]

00:25:15 ◼   ► and kept reading reading I think the [TS]

00:25:16 ◼   ► things that annoyed me and there are [TS]

00:25:18 ◼   ► plenty of things that annoyed me the [TS]

00:25:20 ◼   ► things that annoyed me would have would [TS]

00:25:22 ◼   ► have annoyed me much much more [TS]

00:25:23 ◼   ► so I mean I would never ever have put [TS]

00:25:25 ◼   ► this on a ballot to win any kind of [TS]

00:25:28 ◼   ► award but just for for something to do [TS]

00:25:31 ◼   ► something to keep me busy for a good [TS]

00:25:33 ◼   ► chunk of time and just like it occupy my [TS]

00:25:36 ◼   ► mind in between doing other things [TS]

00:25:37 ◼   ► without without challenging it very much [TS]

00:25:40 ◼   ► I was I was fine with that i was i [TS]

00:25:42 ◼   ► enjoyed the process of reading it ok but [TS]

00:25:44 ◼   ► i just i would get pulled out of it [TS]

00:25:47 ◼   ► every now and then just because like I [TS]

00:25:48 ◼   ► said really explaining who the [TS]

00:25:51 ◼   ► characters are every time we see them [TS]

00:25:53 ◼   ► like ok if you are explaining we know [TS]

00:25:55 ◼   ► what Zoe's motivation is every time we [TS]

00:25:57 ◼   ► see her [TS]

00:25:58 ◼   ► that means you recognize that there are [TS]

00:25:59 ◼   ► enough characters that people are going [TS]

00:26:01 ◼   ► to forget by the time they come back to [TS]

00:26:02 ◼   ► it that's that should be a sign that you [TS]

00:26:04 ◼   ► should do something about that perhaps [TS]

00:26:06 ◼   ► you know I think that's also that there [TS]

00:26:09 ◼   ► there seems to be this trend I've [TS]

00:26:10 ◼   ► noticed in reality shows to where you [TS]

00:26:13 ◼   ► have to have you you end up seeing the [TS]

00:26:15 ◼   ► same clips and scenes and quotes about [TS]

00:26:17 ◼   ► five times and a half hour episode of [TS]

00:26:20 ◼   ► something because apparently we don't [TS]

00:26:22 ◼   ► have the attention span or ability to [TS]

00:26:24 ◼   ► remember more than you know five minutes [TS]

00:26:26 ◼   ► the flashback to something that happened [TS]

00:26:28 ◼   ► in the same episode of a TV show was [TS]

00:26:29 ◼   ► like right i do I did was watching mad [TS]

00:26:31 ◼   ► and what I mean you're watching this [TS]

00:26:34 ◼   ► this is the kind of thing that yeah I [TS]

00:26:35 ◼   ► probably probably would have enjoyed it [TS]

00:26:38 ◼   ► back when I was you know 15 and I didn't [TS]

00:26:40 ◼   ► have a lot of stuff just occupy my time [TS]

00:26:43 ◼   ► you know but now I have children I have [TS]

00:26:45 ◼   ► a house to take care of I have things to [TS]

00:26:47 ◼   ► write and make and do and you know I got [TS]

00:26:51 ◼   ► to a point where I said life is too [TS]

00:26:53 ◼   ► short [TS]

00:26:54 ◼   ► I just don't care and I mean I I got [TS]

00:26:58 ◼   ► through his last days of Krypton novel [TS]

00:27:00 ◼   ► which is very similar its it if you like [TS]

00:27:05 ◼   ► reiterating huge Oriole is every time [TS]

00:27:07 ◼   ► you see him because who the hell is [TS]

00:27:08 ◼   ► jerrell you know then yes and and [TS]

00:27:12 ◼   ► talking about ideas and and then pulpy [TS]

00:27:14 ◼   ► things that happen and have you also [TS]

00:27:16 ◼   ► also there are there just ticks as haha [TS]

00:27:19 ◼   ► yes the the tix that for me I've always [TS]

00:27:22 ◼   ► had a problem with novels that do the or [TS]

00:27:24 ◼   ► writing in general that does the [TS]

00:27:26 ◼   ► descriptive download and literally there [TS]

00:27:28 ◼   ► every time I character gets introduced a [TS]

00:27:30 ◼   ► bell goes off and there's a paragraph of [TS]

00:27:33 ◼   ► description some of which really doesn't [TS]

00:27:35 ◼   ► make any sense but there's always [TS]

00:27:37 ◼   ► detailed description so you get the tom [TS]

00:27:40 ◼   ► was a stall striking man with dark skin [TS]

00:27:42 ◼   ► and a lean physique his sinewy muscles [TS]

00:27:44 ◼   ► were all in all the right places rap [TS]

00:27:47 ◼   ► like mono fiber cables around his bones [TS]

00:27:49 ◼   ► had a long face with prominent [TS]

00:27:50 ◼   ► cheekbones and bright eyes a [TS]

00:27:52 ◼   ► form-fitting polymer suit clung to him [TS]

00:27:54 ◼   ► like a reinforced skin [TS]

00:27:56 ◼   ► his voice was rich and deep as if he had [TS]

00:27:58 ◼   ► taken Shakespearean training but this [TS]

00:27:59 ◼   ► man did not look like an actor and this [TS]

00:28:02 ◼   ► that happens for every single character [TS]

00:28:04 ◼   ► engine idle again like 10 pages later [TS]

00:28:07 ◼   ► and I'm just I'm just not a fan of that [TS]

00:28:09 ◼   ► i would much rather discover who these [TS]

00:28:11 ◼   ► people are as we go instead of habit [TS]

00:28:14 ◼   ► have that the big the big download but [TS]

00:28:16 ◼   ► so i I just I couldn't I couldn't do it [TS]

00:28:18 ◼   ► i mean i was complaining on twitter [TS]

00:28:20 ◼   ► about it and Scott yes as i was reading [TS]

00:28:23 ◼   ► is not to mention explaining what [TS]

00:28:26 ◼   ► happened in the past I felt like the the [TS]

00:28:28 ◼   ► exposition was very clunky and a lot of [TS]

00:28:30 ◼   ► places we had characters who both knew [TS]

00:28:32 ◼   ► exactly what was going on talking to [TS]

00:28:35 ◼   ► each other [TS]

00:28:36 ◼   ► explaining something that the other [TS]

00:28:37 ◼   ► person already knows as you already know [TS]

00:28:38 ◼   ► biggest pet peeve and then every once in [TS]

00:28:41 ◼   ► a while we get you know I appreciated [TS]

00:28:42 ◼   ► the fact that a decent number of these [TS]

00:28:44 ◼   ► characters were women and some in [TS]

00:28:46 ◼   ► positions of power and like that is [TS]

00:28:48 ◼   ► always something that I really [TS]

00:28:49 ◼   ► appreciate so so I like to that but then [TS]

00:28:51 ◼   ► every once in a while one of these very [TS]

00:28:52 ◼   ► very subtly sexist things would creep in [TS]

00:28:55 ◼   ► like [TS]

00:28:56 ◼   ► you know how one of the characters [TS]

00:28:58 ◼   ► didn't want to be one of those [TS]

00:28:59 ◼   ► professional women who couldn't balance [TS]

00:29:01 ◼   ► family matters with business assess [TS]

00:29:03 ◼   ► ities this is so far in the future i [TS]

00:29:04 ◼   ► hate the idea that that's still a thing [TS]

00:29:06 ◼   ► that we have to to fight against her or [TS]

00:29:09 ◼   ► maybe the fact that the female voice [TS]

00:29:10 ◼   ► copies the computers a sound matronly [TS]

00:29:13 ◼   ► and protective while the male 1 sound [TS]

00:29:15 ◼   ► more erudite and professorial like that [TS]

00:29:17 ◼   ► kind of stuff just gets my backup [TS]

00:29:20 ◼   ► yeah well Scott you you didn't make it [TS]

00:29:23 ◼   ► all the way through right i do I did I [TS]

00:29:27 ◼   ► regret it did enjoy it's why I'm a [TS]

00:29:30 ◼   ► completist so I had to finish it and and [TS]

00:29:33 ◼   ► and i will never get that time back [TS]

00:29:35 ◼   ► although i can understand how someone [TS]

00:29:37 ◼   ► would like this book I just thought it [TS]

00:29:39 ◼   ► was awful i just i just thought they've [TS]

00:29:42 ◼   ► got to be better options in this kind of [TS]

00:29:43 ◼   ► in this kind of story then yeah then [TS]

00:29:46 ◼   ► this and I think that it was just people [TS]

00:29:49 ◼   ► that some people were upset or maybe not [TS]

00:29:52 ◼   ► upset but thought that kevin j anderson [TS]

00:29:54 ◼   ► has written so much stuff and he's never [TS]

00:29:56 ◼   ► been nominated for Hugo so clearly he [TS]

00:29:58 ◼   ► deserves to be nominated one but he [TS]

00:30:00 ◼   ► doesn't and that's okay all right it [TS]

00:30:04 ◼   ► should be you know quality instead of [TS]

00:30:06 ◼   ► quantity and I mean it he writes many [TS]

00:30:09 ◼   ► books many people buy them and and [TS]

00:30:12 ◼   ► that's the that's his award all the [TS]

00:30:13 ◼   ► money he makes from the books he doesn't [TS]

00:30:16 ◼   ► actually need a huge well now you can [TS]

00:30:18 ◼   ► see he's been nominated for you go [TS]

00:30:20 ◼   ► I let's move on to the Goblin Emperor by [TS]

00:30:24 ◼   ► Catherine Addison this was another one [TS]

00:30:29 ◼   ► of those nebula nominees so Scott and I [TS]

00:30:30 ◼   ► have talked about it a little bit Eric I [TS]

00:30:32 ◼   ► did you read this one I did what do you [TS]

00:30:34 ◼   ► think [TS]

00:30:35 ◼   ► oh my god I loved this book so much it [TS]

00:30:39 ◼   ► kind of took me by surprise i didn't [TS]

00:30:41 ◼   ► know what to expect from it and I found [TS]

00:30:45 ◼   ► myself just completely wrapped up in it [TS]

00:30:48 ◼   ► I mean it grabbed me from like almost [TS]

00:30:49 ◼   ► moment one and i say almost because it [TS]

00:30:51 ◼   ► took me awhile to get used to the [TS]

00:30:53 ◼   ► language yeah there's so many proper [TS]

00:30:55 ◼   ► names that sounds vaguely Hungarian and [TS]

00:30:57 ◼   ► our darkest hours and will to not only [TS]

00:30:59 ◼   ► enough that that kind of threw me out [TS]

00:31:01 ◼   ► but it turns out that Dashon Duke i [TS]

00:31:04 ◼   ► believe it was Sean on the nebula [TS]

00:31:06 ◼   ► episode was so thrown off by the das [TS]

00:31:08 ◼   ► thousand all that [TS]

00:31:09 ◼   ► he ended up just liking it but it turns [TS]

00:31:11 ◼   ► out if you stick with it you discover [TS]

00:31:13 ◼   ► that that is a contextual q got the [TS]

00:31:16 ◼   ► formality of the language but you have [TS]

00:31:18 ◼   ► to you have to figure it out to get [TS]

00:31:20 ◼   ► there [TS]

00:31:20 ◼   ► mm so I mean yeah because you know that [TS]

00:31:23 ◼   ► that sort of thing flows for me just [TS]

00:31:25 ◼   ► fine in Shakespeare but here you know [TS]

00:31:27 ◼   ► it's it's only when they're speaking [TS]

00:31:29 ◼   ► aloud and it depends on who they're [TS]

00:31:31 ◼   ► speaking to you as a character so I did [TS]

00:31:33 ◼   ► appreciate that in their heads no matter [TS]

00:31:35 ◼   ► what they always used a much more sort [TS]

00:31:36 ◼   ► of modern pattern of speech [TS]

00:31:38 ◼   ► oh but so for me I think it was more the [TS]

00:31:40 ◼   ► back-and-forth that took adjusting to [TS]

00:31:42 ◼   ► figuring out when it was when it was [TS]

00:31:43 ◼   ► happening and why and that sort of thing [TS]

00:31:45 ◼   ► but in the end I just completely adored [TS]

00:31:48 ◼   ► the book when it was over I wanted it to [TS]

00:31:50 ◼   ► be not over [TS]

00:31:52 ◼   ► I just I kept catching myself looking [TS]

00:31:54 ◼   ► forward to the next time I could go back [TS]

00:31:55 ◼   ► to reading it and pick it up and then I [TS]

00:31:57 ◼   ► would remember that I was done with it [TS]

00:31:58 ◼   ► and that realization was just like a [TS]

00:32:00 ◼   ► dash of cold water on my soul I was so [TS]

00:32:02 ◼   ► upset you know when I when i'm finished [TS]

00:32:04 ◼   ► i looked up to see surely as a fantasy [TS]

00:32:07 ◼   ► novel like all fantasy novels are [TS]

00:32:08 ◼   ► contractually obligated to be it is part [TS]

00:32:10 ◼   ► of a long-running series of books that [TS]

00:32:12 ◼   ► are planned and i found an article where [TS]

00:32:14 ◼   ► she said no it's a standalone I'm never [TS]

00:32:16 ◼   ► gonna probably never going to revisit [TS]

00:32:18 ◼   ► those characters of that universe and I [TS]

00:32:19 ◼   ► was my response with your little take my [TS]

00:32:24 ◼   ► money [TS]

00:32:24 ◼   ► yeah because my kids for once you wanted [TS]

00:32:26 ◼   ► to do David do you read it [TS]

00:32:28 ◼   ► yeah thoughts this this was one that I [TS]

00:32:31 ◼   ► think I saw a reference to a quite a [TS]

00:32:34 ◼   ► while ago and or maybe you had made a [TS]

00:32:36 ◼   ► reference to it online and I said you [TS]

00:32:38 ◼   ► know how is that you said that's good [TS]

00:32:39 ◼   ► and and so when it popped up on here so [TS]

00:32:42 ◼   ► all right and I mean I've I again I've [TS]

00:32:46 ◼   ► burnt out on fantasy a little bit in [TS]

00:32:48 ◼   ► recent years but i really enjoyed the [TS]

00:32:52 ◼   ► world-building I enjoyed the you know [TS]

00:32:55 ◼   ► again having to figure out the language [TS]

00:32:57 ◼   ► in the cues and and sort of focus on [TS]

00:32:59 ◼   ► that and and with the whole all the the [TS]

00:33:04 ◼   ► political things and then in the bridge [TS]

00:33:06 ◼   ► building and it kind of made me think of [TS]

00:33:09 ◼   ► it as as like a fantasy version of parks [TS]

00:33:11 ◼   ► and recreation [TS]

00:33:12 ◼   ► oddly enough the sort of the procedure [TS]

00:33:16 ◼   ► of going through and making this happen [TS]

00:33:19 ◼   ► so I mean let's let's let's say it a [TS]

00:33:22 ◼   ► fantasy novel when you hear about a [TS]

00:33:24 ◼   ► fantasy novel the government Emperor [TS]

00:33:25 ◼   ► what I think most people would conjure [TS]

00:33:29 ◼   ► up is sort of a generic high fantasy [TS]

00:33:31 ◼   ► epic where the leader of a goblin you [TS]

00:33:35 ◼   ► know a goblin people has to I don't know [TS]

00:33:38 ◼   ► there's a quest they have to Aurora's [TS]

00:33:40 ◼   ► people have to defeat the evil goblins [TS]

00:33:42 ◼   ► Emperor it's something like you'd expect [TS]

00:33:44 ◼   ► what I did not expect is that it is a [TS]

00:33:47 ◼   ► character study coming of age story and [TS]

00:33:50 ◼   ► about politics and finding your way in a [TS]

00:33:55 ◼   ► complicated you know it basically like a [TS]

00:33:57 ◼   ► like the royalty or the the aristocracy [TS]

00:34:01 ◼   ► and how you fit into the into that [TS]

00:34:03 ◼   ► complicated world and that's what the [TS]

00:34:07 ◼   ► Goblin temper is it is not at all when I [TS]

00:34:09 ◼   ► tell people the name of the book they're [TS]

00:34:11 ◼   ► like okay I'm gonna know it's you [TS]

00:34:14 ◼   ► picture isn't anything is not what you [TS]

00:34:16 ◼   ► think that goblins like that [TS]

00:34:18 ◼   ► no these are just it's just racism is [TS]

00:34:22 ◼   ► really that like goblins goblins because [TS]

00:34:24 ◼   ► of the elves and goblins water goblins [TS]

00:34:26 ◼   ► as far as i can tell goblins are else [TS]

00:34:28 ◼   ► with dark skin that's what they aren't [TS]

00:34:29 ◼   ► you captain [TS]

00:34:31 ◼   ► that's it so that's a fascinating little [TS]

00:34:34 ◼   ► angle is the is the sort of race [TS]

00:34:35 ◼   ► relations and this is the Goblin Emperor [TS]

00:34:37 ◼   ► so it is the you know I don't have the [TS]

00:34:41 ◼   ► sad puppies are angry because it's the [TS]

00:34:43 ◼   ► first black emperor and you know or or [TS]

00:34:46 ◼   ► much he's the Obama of the elf Kingdom [TS]

00:34:49 ◼   ► but but uh that's that's an element it [TS]

00:34:54 ◼   ► but really in its core it's about a [TS]

00:34:56 ◼   ► young person who is very smart but not [TS]

00:34:59 ◼   ► educated and has to figure out his place [TS]

00:35:04 ◼   ► in the world and it i'm in i agree with [TS]

00:35:08 ◼   ► every so often I come in one of those [TS]

00:35:10 ◼   ► books and I think this is the book i'm [TS]

00:35:12 ◼   ► going to be recommending the people for [TS]

00:35:13 ◼   ► the next year like among others was a [TS]

00:35:15 ◼   ► good example of that and the genie and [TS]

00:35:16 ◼   ► golem actually and I and when I read [TS]

00:35:19 ◼   ► goblin Emperor I thought to myself up [TS]

00:35:21 ◼   ► this is it this is this is that one that [TS]

00:35:23 ◼   ► I'm going to just recommend to everybody [TS]

00:35:25 ◼   ► for the next year because i liked it so [TS]

00:35:26 ◼   ► much [TS]

00:35:27 ◼   ► yeah this is another book that had [TS]

00:35:28 ◼   ► something that I'm a complete sucker for [TS]

00:35:30 ◼   ► and that is when [TS]

00:35:32 ◼   ► main character are point-of-view [TS]

00:35:33 ◼   ► character is discovering and figuring [TS]

00:35:35 ◼   ► out the world right along with me as [TS]

00:35:37 ◼   ► later i love that sort of thing and not [TS]

00:35:40 ◼   ► only is he discovering the world but [TS]

00:35:41 ◼   ► like you said discovering his place in [TS]

00:35:43 ◼   ► it he's he comes into this world [TS]

00:35:45 ◼   ► basically at the top of it and has to [TS]

00:35:47 ◼   ► figure it out from the top down which is [TS]

00:35:49 ◼   ► really interesting sort of spin to put [TS]

00:35:51 ◼   ► on it [TS]

00:35:51 ◼   ► Scott you have you can have reminded you [TS]

00:35:53 ◼   ► of the government / and I do have a very [TS]

00:35:56 ◼   ► clear recollection of the he's a bridge [TS]

00:36:00 ◼   ► model of the bridge that scene where [TS]

00:36:02 ◼   ► he's fiddling with the model is [TS]

00:36:05 ◼   ► delightful i also remember the scene [TS]

00:36:07 ◼   ► where he's abducted and he is what his [TS]

00:36:12 ◼   ► cousin his his what is the the widow of [TS]

00:36:17 ◼   ► his father who isn't actually his mother [TS]

00:36:20 ◼   ► but was you know she has mother died [TS]

00:36:22 ◼   ► wants her son to become the Emperor and [TS]

00:36:25 ◼   ► not this goblin rather they abduct him [TS]

00:36:27 ◼   ► there's an assassination attempt yeah [TS]

00:36:29 ◼   ► and he's like you know his cousin her [TS]

00:36:31 ◼   ► comes down and it's like what's going on [TS]

00:36:33 ◼   ► and a little the Goblin Emperor's like [TS]

00:36:35 ◼   ► well you can kill me and you will become [TS]

00:36:36 ◼   ► emperor but trust me it's not all that [TS]

00:36:38 ◼   ► great people want to kill you like this [TS]

00:36:41 ◼   ► for instance right and I just thought [TS]

00:36:43 ◼   ► that was a fantastic seed I really love [TS]

00:36:45 ◼   ► this book [TS]

00:36:46 ◼   ► I think it's my favorite book of the the [TS]

00:36:49 ◼   ► nominees and I was going to say that it [TS]

00:36:52 ◼   ► was the kudos to the heroes for alerting [TS]

00:36:55 ◼   ► me to it but actually the nebulas army [TS]

00:36:57 ◼   ► to it so i can't even give that to the [TS]

00:36:58 ◼   ► Hugo's but well that's just timing [TS]

00:37:01 ◼   ► yep but the Liberals get the full credit [TS]

00:37:04 ◼   ► rating represents the air but you can't [TS]

00:37:07 ◼   ► hold it against the he goes for like [TS]

00:37:08 ◼   ► holding out on you but I'm glad I'm glad [TS]

00:37:11 ◼   ► i was worried what with all the the [TS]

00:37:14 ◼   ► hoopla around the he goes this year that [TS]

00:37:16 ◼   ► it would not end up on the ballot for [TS]

00:37:18 ◼   ► whatever reason but i'm very glad that [TS]

00:37:20 ◼   ► it is [TS]

00:37:20 ◼   ► yeah it's great it's also nominated for [TS]

00:37:25 ◼   ► the world fantasy award and it won the [TS]

00:37:28 ◼   ► locus award for best fantasy novel but [TS]

00:37:32 ◼   ► although it didn't win the nebula it it [TS]

00:37:33 ◼   ► is 11 major work [TS]

00:37:35 ◼   ► what did win the left nebula i forgot [TS]

00:37:37 ◼   ► the book that I didn't like [TS]

00:37:39 ◼   ► the book and I like what didn't think [TS]

00:37:42 ◼   ► should win the award I was it an [TS]

00:37:43 ◼   ► isolation [TS]

00:37:44 ◼   ► yes relation which scott doesn't [TS]

00:37:46 ◼   ► recommend as a book to put say winner of [TS]

00:37:48 ◼   ► the nebula word on the cover because [TS]

00:37:50 ◼   ► people read it go what is that [TS]

00:37:53 ◼   ► yes but i think it should have one and I [TS]

00:37:54 ◼   ► was glad it did with a very well-written [TS]

00:37:56 ◼   ► book that I didn't like [TS]

00:37:58 ◼   ► gotcha I was not surprised so it's kind [TS]

00:38:01 ◼   ► of the other minority dark opposite of [TS]

00:38:03 ◼   ► the dark between the stars and then not [TS]

00:38:04 ◼   ► particularly well written book that I [TS]

00:38:06 ◼   ► did kind of like yeah sort of [TS]

00:38:09 ◼   ► sure it's much shorter oh man does have [TS]

00:38:12 ◼   ► not going for it [TS]

00:38:13 ◼   ► our next sponsor is not when you've [TS]

00:38:14 ◼   ► heard before and I think it is relevant [TS]

00:38:16 ◼   ► to your interests [TS]

00:38:18 ◼   ► it is the myth guard institute at signum [TS]

00:38:21 ◼   ► university it was founded in 2012 by dr. [TS]

00:38:23 ◼   ► Cory Olsen with two goals providing high [TS]

00:38:25 ◼   ► quality higher education at a fraction [TS]

00:38:27 ◼   ► of the cost to students around the world [TS]

00:38:29 ◼   ► and get this further the study of [TS]

00:38:32 ◼   ► Tolkien and other speculative fiction [TS]

00:38:34 ◼   ► via a master's program in literature and [TS]

00:38:37 ◼   ► languages yes myth garlic currently [TS]

00:38:39 ◼   ► offers three different levels of classes [TS]

00:38:41 ◼   ► guard academy is completely free and [TS]

00:38:43 ◼   ► open to the public there are weekly [TS]

00:38:44 ◼   ► classes on popular fantasy and science [TS]

00:38:46 ◼   ► fiction works that are elected by the [TS]

00:38:47 ◼   ► public [TS]

00:38:48 ◼   ► it's available as a live webinar or as [TS]

00:38:50 ◼   ► video or audio downloads from the site [TS]

00:38:52 ◼   ► or from itunes u past sessions are [TS]

00:38:54 ◼   ► available in both audio and download [TS]

00:38:56 ◼   ► forms past classes include the likes of [TS]

00:38:58 ◼   ► Lord of the Rings Ender's Game Watership [TS]

00:38:59 ◼   ► Down dune and the princess bride they're [TS]

00:39:01 ◼   ► currently working away through the place [TS]

00:39:02 ◼   ► of valerian by Gerald token couple weeks [TS]

00:39:05 ◼   ► left on that one and up next [TS]

00:39:07 ◼   ► Jonathan strange & Mr Norrell great book [TS]

00:39:09 ◼   ► really enjoying the TV series 2 there's [TS]

00:39:11 ◼   ► also the master's program masters level [TS]

00:39:13 ◼   ► classes if you've been wanting to pursue [TS]

00:39:15 ◼   ► a graduate level humanities degree if [TS]

00:39:17 ◼   ► you too expensive or you too busy [TS]

00:39:19 ◼   ► explore some of your favorite books in [TS]

00:39:21 ◼   ► office while earning you and ma three [TS]

00:39:23 ◼   ► signal universities Midgard Institute [TS]

00:39:25 ◼   ► 12-week semesters to lecture set [TS]

00:39:27 ◼   ► sessions and a discussion section every [TS]

00:39:29 ◼   ► weekend a lively discussion board for [TS]

00:39:31 ◼   ► students and auditors you can improve [TS]

00:39:33 ◼   ► your writing with two or three papers [TS]

00:39:35 ◼   ► per semester excellent support and [TS]

00:39:37 ◼   ► mentoring that's 575 dollars for three [TS]

00:39:40 ◼   ► credit hour class and there's also [TS]

00:39:43 ◼   ► auditing of masters level cap glasses [TS]

00:39:44 ◼   ► you get all the benefits of those [TS]

00:39:46 ◼   ► masters classes except you don't get to [TS]

00:39:47 ◼   ► attend the discussion sections you don't [TS]

00:39:49 ◼   ► have to write the papers you still get [TS]

00:39:51 ◼   ► to attend lectures live and purchase [TS]

00:39:53 ◼   ► Peyton discussion and that's 175 dollars [TS]

00:39:55 ◼   ► for class so this fall [TS]

00:39:57 ◼   ► they're gonna have three different [TS]

00:39:58 ◼   ► classes introduction to anglo-saxon join [TS]

00:40:00 ◼   ► the class to learn the language which [TS]

00:40:02 ◼   ► influence JRR tolkien so immensely go [TS]

00:40:04 ◼   ► from zero took Beowulf in one semester [TS]

00:40:06 ◼   ► there's also tokens wars in middle-earth [TS]

00:40:08 ◼   ► examining the relations between tokens [TS]

00:40:10 ◼   ► early life experiences in world war one [TS]

00:40:12 ◼   ► and his future works and of special note [TS]

00:40:16 ◼   ► for incomparable listeners the force of [TS]

00:40:18 ◼   ► Star Wars examining the epic this is the [TS]

00:40:21 ◼   ► class you're looking for Star Wars is a [TS]

00:40:23 ◼   ► shared language of the United [TS]

00:40:25 ◼   ► generations across the planet [TS]

00:40:26 ◼   ► what traditions and ideas inspired that [TS]

00:40:28 ◼   ► galaxy a long time ago far far away [TS]

00:40:30 ◼   ► how has that universe expanded since its [TS]

00:40:32 ◼   ► inception in 1977 so much more that's [TS]

00:40:35 ◼   ► going to be taught by dr. neh Sturgis a [TS]

00:40:37 ◼   ► well-known scholar speculative fiction [TS]

00:40:39 ◼   ► it's not just an academic success [TS]

00:40:41 ◼   ► examination of the epic but also a [TS]

00:40:42 ◼   ► semester-long line party in preparation [TS]

00:40:45 ◼   ► for the force awakens so here's where [TS]

00:40:47 ◼   ► you need to go myth guard dot-org my th [TS]

00:40:49 ◼   ► g ard dot org slash incomparable that's [TS]

00:40:53 ◼   ► myth guard dot org slash incomparable [TS]

00:40:55 ◼   ► you'll find details for the Star Wars [TS]

00:40:57 ◼   ► class including the class schedule at [TS]

00:40:58 ◼   ► that site and check out all of myth [TS]

00:41:00 ◼   ► guard academy and it's other classes [TS]

00:41:01 ◼   ► this is such a cool idea and I really [TS]

00:41:03 ◼   ► appreciate that myth guard decided to [TS]

00:41:05 ◼   ► sponsor the incomparable thank you very [TS]

00:41:07 ◼   ► much [TS]

00:41:08 ◼   ► let's move on and talk about skin game [TS]

00:41:10 ◼   ► by jim butcher this is the latest [TS]

00:41:13 ◼   ► installment I don't even know how many [TS]

00:41:15 ◼   ► there have been in the Harry Dresden 55 [TS]

00:41:17 ◼   ► serious book 11 book 18 I don't even [TS]

00:41:21 ◼   ► know the dresden files books by jim [TS]

00:41:23 ◼   ► butcher this so I i have an admission [TS]

00:41:27 ◼   ► here i only read the hugo and this is [TS]

00:41:31 ◼   ► this is a or orbit and rock books his [TS]

00:41:34 ◼   ► publishers fault i only read the PDF [TS]

00:41:36 ◼   ► that they sent for the hugo packet I [TS]

00:41:39 ◼   ► didn't is an excerpt it was the first 90 [TS]

00:41:42 ◼   ► pages [TS]

00:41:43 ◼   ► mm so I what I'll say is I've read some [TS]

00:41:47 ◼   ► jim butcher harry dresden books and [TS]

00:41:50 ◼   ► thought they were ok I thought this one [TS]

00:41:53 ◼   ► was fine i wouldn't say no to reading [TS]

00:41:58 ◼   ► the rest of it except that I i would [TS]

00:42:00 ◼   ► rather read it in the sequence in which [TS]

00:42:01 ◼   ► was intended i jumped way ahead by [TS]

00:42:03 ◼   ► reading the first many pages of skin [TS]

00:42:05 ◼   ► game [TS]

00:42:06 ◼   ► but it's fine i I never at any point got [TS]

00:42:10 ◼   ► that feeling of like oh man [TS]

00:42:11 ◼   ► now this is some award-winning material [TS]

00:42:13 ◼   ► and maybe that you know again you could [TS]

00:42:15 ◼   ► argue maybe out my standards are i'm [TS]

00:42:19 ◼   ► looking for something like super not [TS]

00:42:21 ◼   ► necessarily just good but like something [TS]

00:42:23 ◼   ► I feel has something important to say or [TS]

00:42:25 ◼   ► something like that and maybe that is [TS]

00:42:26 ◼   ► one of the sources of people grumbling [TS]

00:42:28 ◼   ► about what gets nominated for Hugo's i [TS]

00:42:31 ◼   ► thought was fine i just again I i don't [TS]

00:42:33 ◼   ► think i would ever say man I gotta run [TS]

00:42:35 ◼   ► wherewhere things being nominated so i [TS]

00:42:37 ◼   ► could run there and nominate this but I [TS]

00:42:40 ◼   ► I you know I think butcher is a fine [TS]

00:42:44 ◼   ► writer and resident is an interesting [TS]

00:42:45 ◼   ► character and he's built this [TS]

00:42:46 ◼   ► interesting magical world and you know I [TS]

00:42:50 ◼   ► after 90 pages of that I was certainly [TS]

00:42:52 ◼   ► intrigued to keep reading it and again [TS]

00:42:54 ◼   ► if I weren't like six books or eight [TS]

00:42:56 ◼   ► books behind i probably would have [TS]

00:42:58 ◼   ► picked up on reading it but instead i [TS]

00:43:00 ◼   ► just decided to stop what everybody else [TS]

00:43:03 ◼   ► think David you read this one [TS]

00:43:05 ◼   ► yeah well I read the 90 page and the X [TS]

00:43:07 ◼   ► here at the same page as me [TS]

00:43:09 ◼   ► alright guys well I read one of the [TS]

00:43:11 ◼   ► earlier books years and years ago [TS]

00:43:12 ◼   ► because people like all you should be [TS]

00:43:15 ◼   ► this you'll enjoy it and I didn't and I [TS]

00:43:18 ◼   ► mean it's fine again if I were 18 and [TS]

00:43:23 ◼   ► just kind of picking science fiction [TS]

00:43:25 ◼   ► books off the shelf at random because I [TS]

00:43:28 ◼   ► was curious about them i might get into [TS]

00:43:30 ◼   ► it I mean I Redbird several xanthe [TS]

00:43:32 ◼   ► novels for crying out loud but here [TS]

00:43:36 ◼   ► well i'll also say unlike at the kevin j [TS]

00:43:38 ◼   ► anderson book which I just couldn't get [TS]

00:43:40 ◼   ► through and I just abandoned I would [TS]

00:43:42 ◼   ► have if I had to hold jim butcher book i [TS]

00:43:44 ◼   ► would read it after would not have been [TS]

00:43:46 ◼   ► a problem sorry I mean it'sit's good [TS]

00:43:48 ◼   ► popcorn writing it's you know I mean I [TS]

00:43:51 ◼   ► stive tons of murder mystery novels and [TS]

00:43:53 ◼   ► tons of you know all kinds of series [TS]

00:43:54 ◼   ► that I would never nominated for [TS]

00:43:56 ◼   ► anything but I'll read them for fun I [TS]

00:43:58 ◼   ► wouldn't call it a guilty pleasure [TS]

00:43:59 ◼   ► because i still like them and I still [TS]

00:44:01 ◼   ► say hey if you like mystery series [TS]

00:44:03 ◼   ► read this if you like magical p is read [TS]

00:44:06 ◼   ► this [TS]

00:44:06 ◼   ► no I think that would nominated for [TS]

00:44:10 ◼   ► anything [TS]

00:44:10 ◼   ► now I don't know Erica and Scotty did [TS]

00:44:14 ◼   ► remind me last year one of the nominees [TS]

00:44:16 ◼   ► for in this category was warbound [TS]

00:44:18 ◼   ► by Larry Correia mom and I was thinking [TS]

00:44:21 ◼   ► about that while I was reading skin game [TS]

00:44:22 ◼   ► because what my thoughts were were [TS]

00:44:24 ◼   ► essentially well this is way better than [TS]

00:44:26 ◼   ► that sound is not not was not it was [TS]

00:44:31 ◼   ► competently written and I read the whole [TS]

00:44:34 ◼   ► thing but in and the genres aren't quite [TS]

00:44:38 ◼   ► the same here but there are these are [TS]

00:44:40 ◼   ► both you know said poppy nominees and [TS]

00:44:41 ◼   ► skin games better than that we were [TS]

00:44:44 ◼   ► really lukewarm about warbound and i can [TS]

00:44:46 ◼   ► i can give you a much greater [TS]

00:44:47 ◼   ► endorsement 22 Jim butchers books [TS]

00:44:50 ◼   ► I you know I think it's I think it's [TS]

00:44:52 ◼   ► much much better than then that book [TS]

00:44:54 ◼   ► that got nominated last year i think [TS]

00:44:55 ◼   ► it's fine [TS]

00:44:56 ◼   ► yeah I actually gave up on the mountain [TS]

00:44:58 ◼   ► book last year not because it was badly [TS]

00:45:00 ◼   ► written but just because I didn't like [TS]

00:45:02 ◼   ► basically the treatment of women and it [TS]

00:45:04 ◼   ► just made me uncomfortable enough that I [TS]

00:45:06 ◼   ► I said well you know it's kind of [TS]

00:45:08 ◼   ► interesting but but not interesting [TS]

00:45:10 ◼   ► enough [TS]

00:45:11 ◼   ► whereas here in skin game i had some of [TS]

00:45:12 ◼   ► the same issues but to a much much much [TS]

00:45:14 ◼   ► much smaller degree and I completely [TS]

00:45:18 ◼   ► agree with everything you said it's it [TS]

00:45:19 ◼   ► is interesting i mean it i just i i knew [TS]

00:45:22 ◼   ► that actually looked it up it's the 15th [TS]

00:45:24 ◼   ► book in the series wow wow ok and I'm [TS]

00:45:27 ◼   ► like 13 behind ya and I honestly didn't [TS]

00:45:31 ◼   ► even realize that that this was part of [TS]

00:45:33 ◼   ► that series i just saw the name and I [TS]

00:45:35 ◼   ► didn't actually know the author's name [TS]

00:45:37 ◼   ► to two related to the dresden files even [TS]

00:45:39 ◼   ► though i'd heard of like the TV show and [TS]

00:45:41 ◼   ► it was based on books so I was just [TS]

00:45:44 ◼   ► taking it as if it were a novel on its [TS]

00:45:46 ◼   ► own [TS]

00:45:47 ◼   ► I very quickly realized that it wasn't [TS]

00:45:49 ◼   ► and that i was was jumping in there but [TS]

00:45:50 ◼   ► I mean it started out quickly enough it [TS]

00:45:52 ◼   ► was interesting and fun and it really [TS]

00:45:55 ◼   ► felt more like a ride than a serious [TS]

00:45:57 ◼   ► book and that's not a bad thing I [TS]

00:45:59 ◼   ► enjoyed it but it's not all those p I [TS]

00:46:01 ◼   ► kind of tropes he's like yes between a [TS]

00:46:03 ◼   ► rock and a hard place now he's between a [TS]

00:46:04 ◼   ► rock and a hard place because there's [TS]

00:46:05 ◼   ► like a demon in his brain or something [TS]

00:46:07 ◼   ► but in the end butcher isn't it is in [TS]

00:46:10 ◼   ► this difficult situation where he has to [TS]

00:46:11 ◼   ► do he has to work with somebody who's [TS]

00:46:13 ◼   ► really bad and maybe betray them but he [TS]

00:46:16 ◼   ► has to work with them because he's kind [TS]

00:46:18 ◼   ► of indebted to somebody else who is the [TS]

00:46:20 ◼   ► queen of fall faeries or something but [TS]

00:46:23 ◼   ► you know because reasons because magical [TS]

00:46:25 ◼   ► reasons and he's gotta work he's got a [TS]

00:46:27 ◼   ► simple a team and some of them are [TS]

00:46:29 ◼   ► people who [TS]

00:46:29 ◼   ► what he's working with and some of the [TS]

00:46:31 ◼   ► Martins enemies and that's a nice little [TS]

00:46:33 ◼   ► fun that's a fun set up that and that's [TS]

00:46:36 ◼   ► a perfectly fun kind of you know set up [TS]

00:46:38 ◼   ► for a magical detective novel which is [TS]

00:46:42 ◼   ► basically what this is [TS]

00:46:43 ◼   ► yeah and I think despite the fact that [TS]

00:46:45 ◼   ► it is the 15th book in a series i felt [TS]

00:46:48 ◼   ► like the the explanation of what came [TS]

00:46:51 ◼   ► before was it was doled out to a certain [TS]

00:46:53 ◼   ► Italian little dribs and drabs [TS]

00:46:54 ◼   ► international appropriate to what was [TS]

00:46:57 ◼   ► going on as opposed to the the dumps [TS]

00:46:59 ◼   ► that we got in the in the dark between [TS]

00:47:01 ◼   ► the stars i think that the main [TS]

00:47:04 ◼   ► character while I learned to sort of [TS]

00:47:05 ◼   ► like him more by the end of the book at [TS]

00:47:07 ◼   ► first he's not the most likable guy ever [TS]

00:47:10 ◼   ► but even that sort of falls into the [TS]

00:47:11 ◼   ► mystery story tropes you get your film [TS]

00:47:13 ◼   ► noir detectives who are usually not well [TS]

00:47:15 ◼   ► particularly likeable guy was right and [TS]

00:47:18 ◼   ► he seemed to me he seemed a little bit [TS]

00:47:19 ◼   ► generic and a little bit sexist you know [TS]

00:47:22 ◼   ► like you know if he gets an earring at [TS]

00:47:24 ◼   ► one point in the book and he's he wants [TS]

00:47:26 ◼   ► to make sure that it's in the correct [TS]

00:47:28 ◼   ► ear he refers to his his female friends [TS]

00:47:31 ◼   ► shoes as man shoes like just just little [TS]

00:47:33 ◼   ► things not a huge deal but enough to [TS]

00:47:35 ◼   ► take me out of the story a little bit [TS]

00:47:36 ◼   ► and you know I don't have a problem with [TS]

00:47:38 ◼   ► including characters who are sexist in [TS]

00:47:40 ◼   ► stories because they exist so you know [TS]

00:47:42 ◼   ► they should be represented [TS]

00:47:43 ◼   ► although they're usually [TS]

00:47:44 ◼   ► over-represented but when that character [TS]

00:47:47 ◼   ► is the one whose head were carried [TS]

00:47:48 ◼   ► around in throughout the whole book it [TS]

00:47:50 ◼   ► gets a little bit here to me but when it [TS]

00:47:53 ◼   ► came down to it that there wasn't enough [TS]

00:47:55 ◼   ► of that to bother me and I quite enjoyed [TS]

00:47:57 ◼   ► the turns of phrase in this book you [TS]

00:48:00 ◼   ► know the butcher is good with a quippy [TS]

00:48:01 ◼   ► you know he describes the the movement [TS]

00:48:03 ◼   ► of something by saying it's cuddle [TS]

00:48:05 ◼   ► humped or k mag lumping towards him that [TS]

00:48:08 ◼   ► light full you know he had some nice [TS]

00:48:10 ◼   ► zuma is well-liked lifted my left arm [TS]

00:48:12 ◼   ► along with my will that sort of thing is [TS]

00:48:14 ◼   ► you know such a such a sparkly little [TS]

00:48:17 ◼   ► thing for me that I quite enjoyed [TS]

00:48:18 ◼   ► reading this book [TS]

00:48:19 ◼   ► Scott what do you think i read the whole [TS]

00:48:22 ◼   ► thing so that's going i have a problem [TS]

00:48:29 ◼   ► with this genre in general [TS]

00:48:32 ◼   ► I don't know what is called like urban [TS]

00:48:34 ◼   ► fantasy i guess yeah in that I feel I [TS]

00:48:38 ◼   ► mean it's fun and I think it was it was [TS]

00:48:40 ◼   ► a enjoyed it i read very quickly I [TS]

00:48:43 ◼   ► didn't hi i agree with you Erykah that [TS]

00:48:45 ◼   ► he did a much better job of i had not [TS]

00:48:46 ◼   ► read any of the dresden books before and [TS]

00:48:49 ◼   ► I didn't feel lost like I felt in the [TS]

00:48:51 ◼   ► Anderson book I well I had kind of new [TS]

00:48:54 ◼   ► harry dresden was but I didn't know any [TS]

00:48:57 ◼   ► of this stuff clearly big important [TS]

00:48:58 ◼   ► things that happened at least in the [TS]

00:48:59 ◼   ► previous book that shaped this book but [TS]

00:49:02 ◼   ► he did a good job of kind of recapping [TS]

00:49:05 ◼   ► that and I didn't feel like you know it [TS]

00:49:07 ◼   ► was like here's the cliff notes of the [TS]

00:49:08 ◼   ► previous novel and here's jump in my [TS]

00:49:11 ◼   ► problem with this genre in general is I [TS]

00:49:13 ◼   ► always feel like something awesome [TS]

00:49:16 ◼   ► happens and then in the next chapter [TS]

00:49:18 ◼   ► it's like well i have to one up that so [TS]

00:49:20 ◼   ► something even more also happens and [TS]

00:49:22 ◼   ► then it's just like highly on and on and [TS]

00:49:24 ◼   ► on and I just get exhausted by the end [TS]

00:49:26 ◼   ► of it one of the like one of the year i [TS]

00:49:29 ◼   ► read very little urban fantasy but I do [TS]

00:49:30 ◼   ► read a series of the iron rude which is [TS]

00:49:35 ◼   ► by what's that kevin hearne I think his [TS]

00:49:37 ◼   ► name's and these are not award-winning [TS]

00:49:39 ◼   ► books but there a lot of fun and he has [TS]

00:49:41 ◼   ► you know the gods come and everybody's [TS]

00:49:44 ◼   ► like killing God left and right and then [TS]

00:49:45 ◼   ► the more gods are killed that it's just [TS]

00:49:48 ◼   ► it gets exhausting but it's fun [TS]

00:49:50 ◼   ► do I think that this should be nominated [TS]

00:49:53 ◼   ► for Hugo well it is so you know I can't [TS]

00:49:56 ◼   ► fight reality but I don't think it [TS]

00:49:58 ◼   ► should be on the list but yeah yeah I'm [TS]

00:50:01 ◼   ► with you there as much as I enjoyed it [TS]

00:50:02 ◼   ► it is not [TS]

00:50:03 ◼   ► yeah I also would not have run two [TS]

00:50:05 ◼   ► places to a denominator we have to get [TS]

00:50:09 ◼   ► to the nominated place wherever that is [TS]

00:50:11 ◼   ► the play might pick up the next book in [TS]

00:50:13 ◼   ► the series but but yeah yeah okay let's [TS]

00:50:18 ◼   ► move on to the three-body problem by [TS]

00:50:20 ◼   ► c-section Lou China's foremost ? science [TS]

00:50:26 ◼   ► fiction writer translated by ken loo who [TS]

00:50:28 ◼   ► is a whore award-winning [TS]

00:50:29 ◼   ► english-language science fiction writer [TS]

00:50:32 ◼   ► in his own right again not nebula [TS]

00:50:35 ◼   ► nominated Scott my have talked about it [TS]

00:50:37 ◼   ► before Erica would you think of this one [TS]

00:50:41 ◼   ► I enjoyed it i wanted to give ken loo a [TS]

00:50:43 ◼   ► huge high five for all of the awesome [TS]

00:50:45 ◼   ► footnotes [TS]

00:50:46 ◼   ► because you know it starts out talking [TS]

00:50:47 ◼   ► about chinese history that I absolutely [TS]

00:50:50 ◼   ► never came into contact with in any of [TS]

00:50:52 ◼   ► my schooling so it was it was very [TS]

00:50:55 ◼   ► helpful to to have you know judicious [TS]

00:50:57 ◼   ► use of footnotes so that I I i learned [TS]

00:51:00 ◼   ► to the things that I needed to know for [TS]

00:51:01 ◼   ► to make the context of this story makes [TS]

00:51:04 ◼   ► sense i thought it was i was intrigued [TS]

00:51:07 ◼   ► by the mystery of it I thought it was [TS]

00:51:09 ◼   ► elegant the physics there's a lot of [TS]

00:51:11 ◼   ► physics and they went over my head and [TS]

00:51:14 ◼   ► made it feel a little bit dry [TS]

00:51:16 ◼   ► I i look at this book as more like a [TS]

00:51:19 ◼   ► piece of art than any of the rest of [TS]

00:51:21 ◼   ► them but as far as pure enjoyment factor [TS]

00:51:23 ◼   ► i didn't get as much out of it because [TS]

00:51:25 ◼   ► it did feel good it felt like something [TS]

00:51:28 ◼   ► that should be hanging on a wall and [TS]

00:51:29 ◼   ► museum as opposed to something i'm [TS]

00:51:30 ◼   ► getting dirty with and really getting [TS]

00:51:32 ◼   ► into I didn't feel enveloped in the [TS]

00:51:34 ◼   ► world the way I did some of the others [TS]

00:51:36 ◼   ► David I i really enjoyed the perpetrator [TS]

00:51:40 ◼   ► was no real hard sci-fi novel mom and I [TS]

00:51:45 ◼   ► mean that that to me one of the first [TS]

00:51:46 ◼   ► thing I think of when I think he goes is [TS]

00:51:48 ◼   ► hard sci-fi many other all these other [TS]

00:51:51 ◼   ► things too but this just this this felt [TS]

00:51:55 ◼   ► like a book that i'm going to read again [TS]

00:51:56 ◼   ► because I do want to serve get the [TS]

00:52:00 ◼   ► physics of it and I want to believe it's [TS]

00:52:02 ◼   ► one of those books where I think I'll [TS]

00:52:04 ◼   ► enjoy it even more knowing where it's [TS]

00:52:07 ◼   ► going so i can pay attention in the [TS]

00:52:09 ◼   ► beginning part like i'm not going to [TS]

00:52:12 ◼   ► read a dresden files novel because it's [TS]

00:52:15 ◼   ► easy to grasp it didn't quite pull me in [TS]

00:52:18 ◼   ► the way ancillary sword did and I mean [TS]

00:52:21 ◼   ► part of that again now that you had the [TS]

00:52:22 ◼   ► grounding of ancillary justice to pull [TS]

00:52:25 ◼   ► you in there but this this might be my [TS]

00:52:28 ◼   ► second favorite [TS]

00:52:29 ◼   ► I mean as much as I enjoyed the Goblin [TS]

00:52:31 ◼   ► Emperor again you know just I I think [TS]

00:52:33 ◼   ► sci-fi when I think you goes and I like [TS]

00:52:37 ◼   ► it with with an asterisk let's put it [TS]

00:52:40 ◼   ► that way because because i think i'm [TS]

00:52:41 ◼   ► gonna go back and reread it now Scott [TS]

00:52:44 ◼   ► you and I talked about this in the [TS]

00:52:45 ◼   ► nebula podcast and one of the things [TS]

00:52:48 ◼   ► that I think we we agreed on is one of [TS]

00:52:51 ◼   ► the nice things about this book is that [TS]

00:52:53 ◼   ► yet it it exposes you to some some [TS]

00:52:56 ◼   ► things that that you you [TS]

00:52:58 ◼   ► aren't usually exposed to and it makes [TS]

00:53:01 ◼   ► you feel like a little bit of an [TS]

00:53:02 ◼   ► outsider and you have to figure out [TS]

00:53:04 ◼   ► what's going on and being an American [TS]

00:53:06 ◼   ► reading a Chinese novel and having to [TS]

00:53:09 ◼   ► you know know a lot more about the [TS]

00:53:11 ◼   ► cultural revolution and things like that [TS]

00:53:13 ◼   ► it's that that is a one of the joys I [TS]

00:53:16 ◼   ► think of reading science fiction in [TS]

00:53:17 ◼   ► general is just is thinking in a [TS]

00:53:20 ◼   ► different way and and putting yourself [TS]

00:53:22 ◼   ► in a kind of an uncomfortable spot and I [TS]

00:53:26 ◼   ► think this book does that [TS]

00:53:27 ◼   ► yes and I think we also agree that it [TS]

00:53:29 ◼   ► feels like maybe it's from a slightly [TS]

00:53:32 ◼   ► different areas of the other hired [TS]

00:53:34 ◼   ► science fiction and nothing there's [TS]

00:53:36 ◼   ► nothing wrong with that at all i think [TS]

00:53:37 ◼   ► it's a great book it is probably my [TS]

00:53:39 ◼   ► second favorite book of this list and I [TS]

00:53:41 ◼   ► look forward to reading the rest of the [TS]

00:53:42 ◼   ► trilogy it struck me as like a seventies [TS]

00:53:46 ◼   ► almost kind of yeah [TS]

00:53:48 ◼   ► Blackie big idea the gods themselves [TS]

00:53:50 ◼   ► kind of thing [TS]

00:53:52 ◼   ► it feels very arthur c clarke to me but [TS]

00:53:54 ◼   ► but like good arthur c clarke yeah I [TS]

00:53:57 ◼   ► think out of out of all the books [TS]

00:53:59 ◼   ► nominated this is the only one that [TS]

00:54:01 ◼   ► really made me feel like I was [TS]

00:54:02 ◼   ► stretching and it made me grow just to [TS]

00:54:05 ◼   ► read it so while I wouldn't say it's my [TS]

00:54:07 ◼   ► second favorite over the books but i [TS]

00:54:09 ◼   ► think i would rank it second when i'm [TS]

00:54:11 ◼   ► doing the voting because I feel like [TS]

00:54:13 ◼   ► like you said this is one of the best [TS]

00:54:15 ◼   ► things about science fiction is the fact [TS]

00:54:16 ◼   ► that it puts you into a new place into a [TS]

00:54:18 ◼   ► new head space and and i like that i did [TS]

00:54:21 ◼   ► that if it if it could have done that [TS]

00:54:23 ◼   ► and also wrapped me up in the world the [TS]

00:54:25 ◼   ► way say the Goblin Emperor did then it [TS]

00:54:27 ◼   ► would be you know number one with a [TS]

00:54:28 ◼   ► bullet but in this case it's a it was it [TS]

00:54:31 ◼   ► was it was beautiful but cold like me [TS]

00:54:33 ◼   ► I'd so this book has a little bit about [TS]

00:54:34 ◼   ► I don't want to say learning curve but [TS]

00:54:37 ◼   ► because it does have a learning curve [TS]

00:54:39 ◼   ► but also i wanted to say I I came around [TS]

00:54:43 ◼   ► on it i was i was down on it a hundred [TS]

00:54:47 ◼   ► pages and hundred fifty pages and i [TS]

00:54:48 ◼   ► thought that that some of the characters [TS]

00:54:51 ◼   ► were just ridiculously kind of broad and [TS]

00:54:53 ◼   ► other characters were non you know [TS]

00:54:55 ◼   ► non-persons just completely not there [TS]

00:54:57 ◼   ► and that the premise of the the kind of [TS]

00:55:00 ◼   ► virtual reality game was dumb and then I [TS]

00:55:04 ◼   ► waited another hundred fifty pages and [TS]

00:55:07 ◼   ► then I i turned around on it and said oh [TS]

00:55:10 ◼   ► no ok like someone [TS]

00:55:12 ◼   ► premise stuff like a guy sees numbers [TS]

00:55:14 ◼   ► counting down in his vision and I'm [TS]

00:55:16 ◼   ► thinking you know this is ridiculous [TS]

00:55:18 ◼   ► they're never gonna figure they're never [TS]

00:55:20 ◼   ► going to address this it's never going [TS]

00:55:21 ◼   ► to be explained why this happens this is [TS]

00:55:23 ◼   ► just something to make us feel creepy [TS]

00:55:24 ◼   ► and is absolutely explained in hook and [TS]

00:55:29 ◼   ► so I I came around a lot of those a lot [TS]

00:55:31 ◼   ► of those issues that turned around on in [TS]

00:55:32 ◼   ► fact the cop who I didn't like at all [TS]

00:55:34 ◼   ► because I thought he was such a [TS]

00:55:35 ◼   ► ridiculous character at the beginning I [TS]

00:55:37 ◼   ► ended up loving that streetwise cop who [TS]

00:55:39 ◼   ► kind of knows you know him yeah he knows [TS]

00:55:41 ◼   ► what's going on the street man i ended [TS]

00:55:43 ◼   ► up really liking him by the end so it [TS]

00:55:46 ◼   ► was it was a funny turn where I really [TS]

00:55:48 ◼   ► went from kind of not liking it and [TS]

00:55:50 ◼   ► thinking oh geez I'm gonna have to read [TS]

00:55:52 ◼   ► this whole thing to end up really [TS]

00:55:55 ◼   ► changing my tune by the middle of it [TS]

00:55:57 ◼   ► really not by the end but by the middle [TS]

00:55:59 ◼   ► yeah it takes a little while to get [TS]

00:56:00 ◼   ► going but once once it does it just [TS]

00:56:02 ◼   ► takes off and I mean it was check out [TS]

00:56:05 ◼   ► this guy [TS]

00:56:06 ◼   ► counting down numbers yeah sure but it [TS]

00:56:09 ◼   ► just seemed like whether things like [TS]

00:56:10 ◼   ► wouldn't it be weird and then it never [TS]

00:56:12 ◼   ► gets explained but it totally got [TS]

00:56:13 ◼   ► explained so that was actually kind of a [TS]

00:56:16 ◼   ► nice moment and that that's the kind of [TS]

00:56:17 ◼   ► thing I like you know the pop the [TS]

00:56:20 ◼   ► popcorn writing doesn't have that no no [TS]

00:56:22 ◼   ► and you know I i mentioned that the [TS]

00:56:24 ◼   ► physics in the math and stuff was over [TS]

00:56:25 ◼   ► my head and that is true but it wasn't [TS]

00:56:28 ◼   ► so over my head that I didn't understand [TS]

00:56:30 ◼   ► what was going on the book he did a [TS]

00:56:31 ◼   ► really nice job of balancing that so [TS]

00:56:33 ◼   ► that I I felt like even though I didn't [TS]

00:56:35 ◼   ► understand the math I understood the way [TS]

00:56:37 ◼   ► that the math was being applied to the [TS]

00:56:39 ◼   ► world in this story so uh let's let's go [TS]

00:56:43 ◼   ► over just before we move on we talked [TS]

00:56:46 ◼   ► about ranking are you going to rank [TS]

00:56:47 ◼   ► these David um yeah I'm torn between [TS]

00:56:51 ◼   ► three body problem and ancillary sword [TS]

00:56:53 ◼   ► but it will be one of those two and then [TS]

00:56:55 ◼   ► goblin Emperor alright and then no word [TS]

00:56:59 ◼   ► and then no one [TS]

00:56:59 ◼   ► Erica I yeah I'm definitely putting the [TS]

00:57:03 ◼   ► Goblin Emperor first and then and then [TS]

00:57:06 ◼   ► three body problem and then probably [TS]

00:57:08 ◼   ► ancillary sword that made that might [TS]

00:57:11 ◼   ► make the no award Barker might not have [TS]

00:57:13 ◼   ► to think about it [TS]

00:57:14 ◼   ► scott i will put the Goblin Empire [TS]

00:57:19 ◼   ► Emperor [TS]

00:57:20 ◼   ► three body problem ancillary sword skin [TS]

00:57:23 ◼   ► games i did enjoy it then no award I i'm [TS]

00:57:28 ◼   ► doing what Scott's doing almost got [TS]

00:57:30 ◼   ► remember all the way who all right so uh [TS]

00:57:34 ◼   ► let's talk about the short fiction [TS]

00:57:36 ◼   ► categories [TS]

00:57:38 ◼   ► uh I don't know how long this will take [TS]

00:57:43 ◼   ► if you would like to talk about [TS]

00:57:44 ◼   ► particularly things in short fiction [TS]

00:57:46 ◼   ► category a place read almost everything [TS]

00:57:48 ◼   ► so I'm ready [TS]

00:57:50 ◼   ► oh ok i am I read some of it i didn't [TS]

00:57:55 ◼   ► find a single thing that I liked ya read [TS]

00:57:58 ◼   ► I read all the short stories I read one [TS]

00:58:03 ◼   ► and one-quarter of the novel it's a [TS]

00:58:07 ◼   ► house it's championship batak that is [TS]

00:58:10 ◼   ► the quarters at everything yes yes I [TS]

00:58:16 ◼   ► found it interesting and I like military [TS]

00:58:19 ◼   ► science fiction i know that i think that [TS]

00:58:23 ◼   ► there are certain aspects of the [TS]

00:58:25 ◼   ► science-fiction community I think that [TS]

00:58:27 ◼   ► military science fiction doesn't get the [TS]

00:58:29 ◼   ► respect that it deserves and that may [TS]

00:58:31 ◼   ► explain why there's so much military [TS]

00:58:32 ◼   ► science fiction on this list but there [TS]

00:58:35 ◼   ► is a difference between good military [TS]

00:58:38 ◼   ► science fiction and bad military science [TS]

00:58:40 ◼   ► fiction and i felt like i was reading a [TS]

00:58:42 ◼   ► lot of bad military science yeah yeah I [TS]

00:58:45 ◼   ► thought big boys don't cry which that's [TS]

00:58:48 ◼   ► the one that's about that like sentient [TS]

00:58:50 ◼   ► tank right I decibel the 1i gave up on [TS]

00:58:54 ◼   ► that was that was that was really bad a [TS]

00:58:57 ◼   ► championship to talk i I didn't like it [TS]

00:58:59 ◼   ► all and gave up on and then was again [TS]

00:59:03 ◼   ► one of these things that I felt very old [TS]

00:59:04 ◼   ► school and had a whole big list of lots [TS]

00:59:07 ◼   ► of complicated alien races and [TS]

00:59:09 ◼   ► characters that I didn't really I felt [TS]

00:59:13 ◼   ► that again like I had been dropped down [TS]

00:59:15 ◼   ► in a series that have been going on for [TS]

00:59:17 ◼   ► 20 years and had lots of detail and yet [TS]

00:59:19 ◼   ► was all very like thirties cereal kind [TS]

00:59:25 ◼   ► of stuff with villains and element like [TS]

00:59:28 ◼   ► many of these felt like maybe the [TS]

00:59:30 ◼   ► novelettes and novellas felt like a [TS]

00:59:32 ◼   ► chapter in something that was [TS]

00:59:34 ◼   ► much much larger and not in the way that [TS]

00:59:36 ◼   ► a not like an installment of a novel as [TS]

00:59:39 ◼   ► part of a series does because when you [TS]

00:59:41 ◼   ► get that usually have a very discreet [TS]

00:59:43 ◼   ► beginning middle and end maybe not the [TS]

00:59:45 ◼   ► dark between the stars but you can you [TS]

00:59:48 ◼   ► feel like you've had a story that fits [TS]

00:59:50 ◼   ► into bigger stories and i did not get [TS]

00:59:53 ◼   ► that feeling with a lot of these novels [TS]

00:59:55 ◼   ► novellas and novelettes because it [TS]

00:59:57 ◼   ► really just felt like the next page [TS]

00:59:59 ◼   ► after [TS]

00:59:59 ◼   ► after [TS]

01:00:00 ◼   ► ended would have completely flown on it [TS]