Author: Finious

Review: The World of Ptavvs

World of Ptavvs by Larry NivenWorld of Ptavvs by Larry Niven
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My Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars3 out of 5 stars
First Published: August 1966
Read from: July 23 to August 12, 2013

The World of Pshaw… I mean, Ptavvs [Niven Re-Read]

Reread this recently during one of my many “Niven binges”. This is one of Niven’s first novels (converted from a serial?) and it is NOT really one of his best.

The World Of Ptavvs is in Larry Niven’s “Known Space” universe but is a stand alone adventure. You get to see some aliens & alien tech from the “early days” of the galaxy. As usual with Niven, there are lots of cool scientific ideas for the most-part well developed. Lots of space travel, hi-tech gadgets, aliens, and a life and death plot… and characters that are very shallow even compared to the Niven standard.

Continue reading Review: The World of Ptavvs

Blue Jay, “Hey.”

Got the day off work today, and slept in a little this morning. I had removed a box fan from one of my apartment windows, and I was just standing looking out the wide open window enjoying the view when I noticed some birds. On the far side of some tennis courts on the school grounds that neighbor my apartment complex, I saw two big blue jays and a larger black bird I could not identify.

Jay (okay, Magpie) on the Prowl - an old photo of mine of a bird similar to this morning's encounter

Curious, I got out my binoculars and checked the trio of birds out. The mysterious stranger was just a big crow. The hyper-territorial jays had probably been harassing it, and now they were all just resting on top of the tennis court fences eyeing each other warily.

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Review: Wyrd Sisters

Wyrd Sisters by Terry PratchettWyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
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My Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars3 out of 5 stars
First Published: 1988
Read from: June 16 to August 24, 2013

Wyrd Sisters – Monty Python meets Shakespeare

I feel like I didn’t give Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett a decent chance and suspect it is more deserving of a 4 star (I really liked it) rating than the 3 star (I liked it) that I have given it here. I had read a lot of Discworld novels recently, and about half way through other books I have been reading began to take over my interest. So there was a long delay finishing this book (finishing it over a month… wait, 2 months?!… from when I started). I’m afraid that effected my appreciation of it. WHILE reading it however I VERY much enjoyed this book.

Reading Discworld novels is like reading a very yummy snack that while it is NOT junk food, you can only eat so much of it in one sitting. In many respects I think if I had been in the mood and read this book as it was meant to be read, I believe it would have been one of my favorite Discworld novels so far. Very much a cross between Monty Python and Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

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We *ARE* In The Twilight Zone

While doing house work, I have been watching original episodes of The Twilight Zone. Heard this little bit of narration from the pen and mouth of Rod Serling.

“You’re looking at Mr. Fred Renard, who carries on his shoulder a chip the size of the national debt.” — “What You Need” The Twilight Zone, S01E11 (1959)

Even in 1959, the U.S. national debt was considered incredibly large. In 1959 it was “only” $290,797,771,717.63 ($290.8 billion). As I write this @ 2pm on 8/21/2013, it just passed $16,909,269,760,000 ($16.9 TRILLION). And you can visually watch it increase by the tune of over $10,000 per SECOND.

But really, I guess it’s not that bad… That is only 58 times bigger than it was 54 years ago. Now just wait $10,000, did I just say that? Just goes to show that we ARE in the Twilight Zone.

Review: The Curse of Chalion

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster BujoldThe Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
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My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4 out of 5 stars
First Published: December 2000
Read from: August 04 to 10, 2013

Cursed by a ‘blah’ Cover & Title, Blessed with Great Writing

I had never read any Lois McMaster Bujold before, and would not have selected this book to read from its description or cover if it had not been for the Sword & Laser book club, which selected it as this month’s pick as a “sword” or fantasy selection. The whole reason I decided to try and follow this club was that I was stuck in a rut of the same old “classic” sci-fi & fantasy authors and there were so many genre authors out but so many seemed to be… well, trash. I wanted to find a club that would read a mix of old & new, sci-fi & fantasy, and that would feature mostly the “good stuff”.

Despite initially judging this book poorly by its cover and my lack of knowledge about the author, The Curse of Chalion would definitely classify as good stuff. The fantasy novel is grounded in a well constructed medieval-like fantasy setting with lots of political intrigue, some action, and a little magic as the Gods work through their followers to manipulate events. Continue reading Review: The Curse of Chalion

So hard to see the beauty.

Some days it is SO hard to see the beauty… Today (7/28/2013) was one of those days.

I won’t go into a lot of detail, but I had an experience with a supervisor / co-worker and supposed comrade / shipmate which shook my faith in humanity. The discovery initially just made me angry. But the action was so blatant and apparently vindictive. The person lied and plead ignorance when I initially asked them about it, and then changed their story and lied to me again when I confronted them with the truth. The event was minor but the vindictiveness of it, the dishonesty, and what it appeared to reveal of this person’s opinion of me… these things quickly turned my initial anger to a deep feeling of sadness and has left me with a very negative outlook on humanity and life. Continue reading So hard to see the beauty.

Review: Ringworld

Ringworld by Larry NivenRingworld by Larry Niven
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My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars5 out of 5 stars
First Published: January 1970
Read from: July 07 to 10, 2013

Ringworld – A Fun & Thought-Provoking Sci-Fi Adventure [Niven Re-Read]

Reread as part of Sword & Laser book club pick for the month of July. I finished this early in the month, wrote a quick note, but am only now doing a full review.

I have read Ringworld an unknown number of times in the past and it is definitely one of my favorite all time “hard sci-fi” exploration adventure stories. Whenever I read it I can’t put it down. Of course it now has me in the mood to consume the sequel Ringworld Engineers which I also enjoy (though not quite as much).

Obviously I love this book. And being biased and having read it so many times I feel I may not be able to give it a normal review here. Instead, having read some other people’s negative reviews, I think I will respond to some of their points.

Continue reading Review: Ringworld

Review: Protector

Protector by Larry NivenProtector by Larry Niven
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My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4 out of 5 stars
First Published: January 1973
Read from: July 10 to 17, 2013

Protector – A Classic Niven Known-Space Sci-Fi Adventure [Niven ReRead]

Re-reading Ringworld earlier this month as part of Sword & Laser book club selection got me in the mood for a re-read of Ringworld Engineers. Part way into that I dug out Niven’s Protector and decided I should re-read that before getting much further in RW Eng. Overall I like this book ALMOST as much as Ringworld, some parts more so, some less. I would rate it a 4.5 if I could, but putting this just under Niven’s Ringworld, Mote in Gods Eye & Dream Park novels which are my favorites.

I enjoy a number of aspects about Protector. A little spoilerish so read on at your own risk… Continue reading Review: Protector