Signor Finzione Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 That's a lot of expense to go to only to find I wouldn't lend them to you Meanie! Yeah i use them 95% of the time. For the price of one brand new book here, I can get two or three from BD UK (there is also a BD in the US). When I can afford it I buy books from the local bookshops. Otherwise i go to the op shops and book barn here in town. That's generally what I do. If I have money I'll buy one or two from Waterstones, and the rest from Amazon. I probably use Ebay in the same way you use BD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Just picked up Ken Grimwood's Into the Deep for 1p (plus £2.80 p&p ) from Amazon Marketplace That means the TBR has increased again, of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Just picked up Ken Grimwood's Into the Deep for 1p (plus £2.80 p&p ) from Amazon Marketplace That means the TBR has increased again, of course You're out of control Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 You're out of control Sadly true Hence today's additions: Blood and Bone (Malazan Empire Book 5) by Ian C. Esslemont and The Surgeon's Mate by Patrick O'Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Hence today's additions: Blood and Bone (Malazan Empire Book 5) by Ian C. Esslemont After we've spent the last few days insulting the man's writing ability? Oh, Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 After we've spent the last few days insulting the man's writing ability? Oh, Steve. What can I say, it's a collection According to the blurb on the front from (wait for it) SFF Chronicles, it's "his best book to date". And we both know how much they know over there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 What can I say, it's a collection I know, and the covers are just so pretty too. According to the blurb on the front from (wait for it) SFF Chronicles, it's "his best book to date". And we both know how much they know over there Oh god. Surely not a (gasp) five star rating?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 Oh god. Surely not a (gasp) five star rating?? 4.5 stars. And it was reviewed by Werthead, so it doesn't count Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 So aside from Steven Erikson there are other people who write the Malazan series? Or is it like a spin-off series? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 4.5 stars. And it was reviewed by Werthead, so it doesn't count Hmm, I'll let him off then. At least it sounds as though ICE is getting better the more he writes. So aside from Steven Erikson there are other people who write the Malazan series? Or is it like a spin-off series? Steven Erikson co-created the entire Malazan world with his friend Ian C Esslemont - they spent something like 20 years doing it, also creating a board game (I think) and writing a manuscript along the way. While Erikson is the one who has written the main series (and is easily the better writer), Esslemont has written other books that can be slotted in either before, during or after the main series. It's all part of the same timeline, and they both feature some of the same characters; Esslemont's books are sort of an expansion of/supplement to the main series. I've only read a couple of his, but I hope to read them all when I fully re-read the entire series sometime in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 they spent something like 20 years doing it, also creating a board game (I think) Yeah, they started to create the world to use when they were playing a Dungeons & Dragons-style roleplaying game back in the early 80s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Yeah, they started to create the world to use when they were playing a Dungeons & Dragons-style roleplaying game back in the early 80s I know you will hate to hear this, with not being a fan of him, but thats how R.E.F came about his world too. I wonder just how many books D&D influenced a lot of the older fantasy authors... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Steven Erikson co-created the entire Malazan world with his friend Ian C Esslemont - they spent something like 20 years doing it, also creating a board game (I think) and writing a manuscript along the way. While Erikson is the one who has written the main series (and is easily the better writer), Esslemont has written other books that can be slotted in either before, during or after the main series. It's all part of the same timeline, and they both feature some of the same characters; Esslemont's books are sort of an expansion of/supplement to the main series. I've only read a couple of his, but I hope to read them all when I fully re-read the entire series sometime in the future. x Thanks ! That clears things up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Book Depository are driving me mad I placed an order with them on 19th October for Marooned in Realtime and The Peace War, both by Vernor Vinge. They dispatched the former on the 23rd and the latter on the 24th. The Peace War, which was sent out second, arrived on Saturday. Marooned in Realtime still hadn't arrived yesterday, the 29th, which I reckoned at 5 working days, so I contacted them. They came back and said if it hadn't arrived by the 30th, today (fair enough, they take the '5 working days' thing to be from the day after dispatch), to contact them again. So I did. And I've had an email back saying it was dispatched on the 24th and to wait until tomorrow. No no no!! Bloody great, that people working for an online bookshop can't actually read They've got a rather snippy reply from me waiting for them in the morning And what's all this rubbish about 'check with your local sorting office'. I've done that before and been told, politely, that they will always leave a card at the house if there's something to be collected. Go away Book Depository Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Awww book parcels shouldn't cause you this much grief .. there's a law against it I'm sure. Maybe tomorrow eh? Though .. what if? .. your books have actually been marooned in realtime? ... sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Though .. what if? .. your books have actually been marooned in realtime? ... sorry Aww, you beat me to it! Sorry to hear you're having trouble, Steve. Hope your book turns up soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Though .. what if? .. your books have actually been marooned in realtime? ... sorry I'd only accept that if I was told in a Kiefer Sutherland growly voice, with the clock ticking down like in 24 I don't think they'll be impressed with my reply. There was lots of underlining and capitalisation in it Note to self: from now on, place a separate order for each book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 Marooned in Realtime just arrived. Oops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Marooned in Realtime just arrived. Oops! Can you tell when it was actually sent out ? Maybe your emailing made someone check up on it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 That's excellent news ! I never like it when it's delayed or something's wrong, I'm always glad once I've received what I ordered. It's never gone wrong here, except twice (from two different shops), once they sent the wrong book and the other time the preordered game console (my boyfriend's) was stuck in Belgium for a couple of weeks and they eventually send it back to the online shop and my boyfriend was refunded (gladly). We then bought it from another place (I have had it happen that I ordered something that then was never shipped and they kept postponing the date, in the end I cancelled those books and ordered them frpm another shop). I have had delayed packages before though, but I don't remember for how long I had to wait. Most times it's generally here when the shop says it'll be. All is well now though that you've got your book . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 Can you tell when it was actually sent out ? Maybe your emailing made someone check up on it ? Maybe, but I doubt it - they were refusing to look into it until first the 30th and then the 31st. I sent them an email telling them it had arrived and got one back saying they were glad they could help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 Book #63: The Witling by Vernor Vinge From Amazon: This second novel by multiple award-winner Vernor Vinge is a fast-paced adventure where galactic policies collide and different cultures clash as two scientists and their faith in technology are pitted against an elusive race of telekinetic beings.Marooned on a distant world and slowly dying of food poisoning, two anthropologists are caught between warring alien factions engaged in a battle that will affect the future of the world's inhabitants and their deadly powers. If the anthropologists can't help resolve the conflict between the feuding alien factions, no one will survive. Thoughts: Some very early Vinge here. First published in 1976, The Witling is a comparatively short tale compared to his other work that I've read, clocking in at just 220 pages. As an early work, you can tell that his writing was still developing at this stage but, interestingly, it does still explore many of the themes that his later works also bring to the table in more complex style. For example, much like A Fire Upon the Deep and A Deepness in the Sky, The Witling is a 'first contact' story. Ajao, an archaeologist, and Yoninne, his pilot, are surveying the planet Giri without realising that its inhabitants possess a 'talent' far beyond their imagining. When their presence is discovered they try to make an escape, only for their rescue ship to be brought down and destroyed. Marooned on Giri, captives, and having to eat food which contains trace elements that will eventually kill them, they come to realise that they cannot give in without at least attempting to let their people on Novamerika know about the incredible power the inhabitants of Giri can call upon. Whilst I don't think The Witling is anywhere near the same level as A Fire Upon the Deep or A Deepness in the Sky, I still found it very entertaining. It is extremely fast paced and shows an early example of Vinge's skill with characters. Again, the likes of Ajao and Yoninne have nothing like the depth and warmth of later characters, but they still come across with a degree of charm that I found brought them to life. He also handled their sense of peril pretty well, and the race against time in the latter stages of the book works very well. He also manages to cram a fair amount of science in with his fiction. In his usual fashion (although much more briefly here) he manages to make it quite impenetrable at first, and then he steadily reveals the mystery and conveys it in such a way that it's easily understandable. Whereas I'd say A Fire Upon the Deep is essential, The Witling probably fits into the category of 'interesting and fun'. It's a very simple, straightforward adventure story in comparison to his later brilliance. It might be a good place to start for anyone who might find AFUtD a bit intimidating, but it might not be the best place - I still have a few more of his earlier novels to read 7/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Nice review. You said it's 'another first contact story': do you ever find that these kind of stories all feel a bit samey after a while? Or does he manage to handle each one in a way that feels different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Maybe, but I doubt it - they were refusing to look into it until first the 30th and then the 31st. I sent them an email telling them it had arrived and got one back saying they were glad they could help Also, this just reminded me: Dan ordered a game and paid for it to arrive today. It didn't, and he sent Amazon a strongly worded email when he got home. Not long after teatime our next door neighbour knocked on and said our post had been delivered to her house by mistake, including - you guessed it - his game. (And my car insurance renewal quoting me £1175, but that's another story . . . ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 Also, this just reminded me: Dan ordered a game and paid for it to arrive today. It didn't, and he sent Amazon a strongly worded email when he got home. Not long after teatime our next door neighbour knocked on and said our post had been delivered to her house by mistake, including - you guessed it - his game. (And my car insurance renewal quoting me £1175, but that's another story . . . ) Not just me then A couple of Christmases ago I ordered the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion pack from Amazon, and then all that snow came in and it didn't turn up, so I got a refund and went and bought a copy in the shops. Then after New Year the Amazon one arrived I never told them . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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