All posts by Carl V. Anderson

Book Reviews, Science Fiction

Foundation Group Read, Part 1 (of 2)

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Welcome to the first of a two-part discussion of Isaac Asimov’s novel Foundation. Following are various questions meant to serve as a guide for discussion, followed by my answers to those questions. Group participants were emailed the questions earlier this week and links to their discussion posts will be included at the end. If you are not participating in this specific group read but have read Foundation, please feel free to dive right in to the conversation.

Before getting to the Q&A, allow me to make this public service announcement:

I will be hosting a two-week group read of the second book in the trilogy, Foundation and Empire, beginning January 21st, followed by Second Foundation beginning February 11th. More details will be forthcoming. I hope everyone will consider continuing on with the other two books.

And now, let’s talk about Foundation.

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Book Reviews, Science Fiction

The Stainless Steel Rat ~Harry Harrison

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“Here’s to crime.”

James “Slippery Jim” diGriz is a master criminal, a stainless steel rat in the wainscoting of society, a society that is becoming increasingly devoid of crime thanks to the successful efforts of the galaxy’s infamous Special Corps. Cocky and self-assured, diGriz goes about his business with rare aplomb, each caper uniquely different so as to stay one step ahead of what passes for the law on whatever planet he happens to find himself located. When a particularly clever theft goes awry, Slippery Jim finds himself a cornered rat in a maze that lands him in the lap of the dreaded Special Corps.

And to make matters worse, the inmates are running the asylum, for the Special Corps is headed by none other than the most famous criminal mastermind ever: Harold Inskipp, aka Inskipp the Uncatchable. Soon DiGriz is presented with an offer he cannot refuse. As the old adage goes, “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em”.

At any rate, it is better than having your mind wiped.

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Music

Passenger ~Lisa Hannigan

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It is extremely rare that I review music here at SSD. One of the primary reasons is that I don’t often purchase music, instead getting it through outlets such as Pandora and Youtube. The significance of this is that listening to music in that fashion means it is unlikely that I will listen to a particular album in its entirety, instead catching random samples of an artist’s work. Once in a while, however, the hope of a good aural experience is just too good to pass up, and such was the case with Lisa Hannigan’s second solo effort, Passenger.

Having only heard the title track, I gamely put this on my Amazon wishlist and received it in my Christmas stocking, a gift from my dear wife. It was a calculated risk, as you will see, but one which has paid off with unexpected dividends, for Passenger is the kind of diversely creative album that will have you hitting the “repeat all” button while you engage in an ongoing internal debate about which track is your favorite.

Where much of her debut album, Sea Sew, was filled with toe-tapping, upbeat melodies, Passenger is a more mature, varied and at times melancholic outing with songs that have a melodic heft. In short it is the kind of album I had hoped to find, one that I cannot help but want to listen to, start to finish, over and over again.

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book news, Home

Patrick Rothfuss Sez…

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Okay, maaaaybe I took a little poetic license in reiterating what he said. But it is all for a good cause.

I was commenting on the blog of “A No. 1 Patrick Rothfuss Fan” Logan K. Stewart’s site last night and mentioned that I was kicking myself (you should see the bruises. I think I pulled a groin muscle) for the fact that I forget about Mr. Rothfuss’ most excellent blog for long stretches and by so doing am highly likely missing out on geek-affirming goodness.

And so I was.

You know all those Book Pron posts that we love to read and to write? Those image-laden affairs that cause us to drool all over our cardigans? Well Patrick Rothfuss has made all of us his b*tches! His last month of blogging has page after page after page of the sickest book pron (and geek pron) ever assembled.

Before you go all “good for him, the lucky stiff”, know this: all this book pron is for you and for me. (But mostly for me, ;)).

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Book Reviews, Nonfiction

Dancing Barefoot ~Wil Wheaton

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This past summer I decided to give Wil Wheaton’s book Just a Geek a try after my friend Jeff went on a tear, ripping through it and raving about it the entire time. I borrowed it with the idea that I would slowly work my way through it and then quickly followed suit. I finished it off in no time at all and in turn raved about it to one of our mutual friends who then took the loaner and tore through it himself. Gotta love it when books catch fire within your circle of friends.

Just a Geek was a shoe in on my favorites list for the year and remains one of the most inspiring books I’ve read when it comes to thinking about the way that I want to write on this site. In my review I stated: “…the plain truth is that this book is really for any kind of nerd or geek out there and as such is one I can recommend without reservation. It is a quick, entertaining and satisfying read that has me looking to track down the rest of Wil Wheaton’s books…this was a real treat.”

And indeed it was. I made good on my promise, buying a copy of his essay collection, Dancing Barefoot, as a Christmas gift for Jeff. I thought it was the least I could do by way of thanks for introducing me to Just a Geek in the first place. The bonus of that kind of giving is that as soon as Jeff finished it he offered to loan it to me.

Pretty slick move, wasn’t it? Heh, the gift that keeps on giving. 🙂

It is my great pleasure to announce that this, my first completed book of 2012, was every bit as entertaining as Just a Geek. I only had one minor complaint…

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