Thought or Rant of the day!!!

[Comy]

Thought: I wish I had more friends that read sci fi/fantasy books. I think I've bled my mother dry of recommendations and I'm caught in this horrible cycle of reading (mostly) shitty UF/PNR books. I keep going into them hoping they'll be more UF than PNR but that almost never happens. In addition to that, I am ridiculous and can rarely make myself stop reading a book once I've started it, even if I can tell three pages in that it's terrible. If it's a series, it can take me four to five books to stop reading it.

'Nother thought: I've been having two rather unpleasant recurring dreams for the past couple weeks.
Aaand another thought: I get really nervous if I think my mother and the not-so-little thug are arguing. He wears violence like a medal and age has taken its toll on both of them. I worry for her because she sees him through a mother's eyes and not a sister's knowledge. I feel like this is a weird thing to put in a public forum, but I needed to just get the thought out.

[Doug R.]

I have no idea what those acronyms mean.

[gejyspa]

Paranormal Romance, and Urban Fantasy, according to Google searching...
now what THAT in turn means, I haven't much of a clue.
(actually, both are on wikipedia)

[Doug R.]

I'm not terribly into reading sci fi/fantasy, but when I write, I exclusively write fantasy. It makes it easy to not fall into the industry mold when you don't know what the industry mold is.

[Sunni Daez]

Random... remark seen in Facebook..


You know that children are growing up when they start asking questions, that have answers.

[Addicted]

You know that children are growing up when they start asking questions, that have answers.

I thought they were somewhat grown when they started asking questions that I - couldn't - answer. Some things are just not black and white. Like why is it okay for that man to beat his wife and why are the refugees locked up and why does it hurt so much and why does God let suffering happen and why does that Mummy not look after ker kids and why does my friends skin colour make him a target for teasing. (all asked by my brood recently sad to say and answer I tried as best I could)

I read fantasy, but prefer true Science Fiction. Like Isaac Asimov and Arthur C Clarke. More faves are Van Vogt and Adam Bear. Will list more if you are interested Comy.

[gejyspa]

I'm at the next stage -- kids don't actually ASK you questions, they TELL you questions, because they think they already KNOW all the answers.

[curious]

Addicted... I think some of those questions are very very 'black and white', like why is it okay for that man to beat his wife? It's not... plain and simple. As long as the 'adults' continue to shroud simple issues in a repugnant and tortuously misguided set of pseudo-principles, that serve only to allow us not to intervene, That man will always beat his wife.

Now I am no moral crusader, nor do I hold the higher moral ground, and yes... i do see the point on 'grey' issues, so am possibly being a little unkind here. The issue of abuse and racism just make me jump, is all. Apologies.
Now God on the other hand..? Where do you start? And... how to raise a family? With one eye constantly open, the other, trying to get some sleep.

Now my rant... Coffee grinders..!! Mine's 'unwell', and the failure of this little machine has so many consequences for the rest of my day...

[Indigo]

Now my rant... Coffee grinders..!! Mine's 'unwell', and the failure of this little machine has so many consequences for the rest of my day...

That's just... horrible
Yeah, I'm one of those who would feel far worse and far far more stressed if their coffee machine broke than any other thing breaking in the house. In fact, when I moved, it was the FIRST thing I plugged. The first one. Even before than bulbs.

*Sending an espresso to curious*

[Wolfsong]

Thought: I wish I had more friends that read sci fi/fantasy books. I think I've bled my mother dry of recommendations and I'm caught in this horrible cycle of reading (mostly) shitty UF/PNR books.

You're in luck!

Firstly:

Armor by John Steakley (if you read nothing else ever in your entire life, read this.)
Liberation, Being the Adventures of the Slick Six After the Collapse of the United States of America by Brian Francis Slattery
The Black Company series (the most epic awesome top notch military fantasy)
Left Hand of Darkness
Malazan Book of the Fallen series (also top notch military fantasy)
Briefing for a Descent into Hell by Doris Lessing
House of Leaves
Jason and Media by James Gardner
Grendel by James Gardner

The following in no particular order:

Ender's Game (with the rest of that series, including Ender's Shadow)
Old Man's War (with the rest of that series)
Ranks of Bronze by David Drake
The Book of the New Sun series by Gene Wolfe
Riverworld series by Jose Farmer
The Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series by Tad Williams
There is No Darkness
Forever War
Forever Peace
Starfish by Peter Watts

[gejyspa]

Addicted... I think some of those questions are very very 'black and white', like why is it okay for that man to beat his wife? It's not... plain and simple. As long as the 'adults' continue to shroud simple issues in a repugnant and tortuously misguided set of pseudo-principles, that serve only to allow us not to intervene, That man will always beat his wife.

Weird that this discussion turned to wife beating. Yesterday, I happened to be looking through the plot of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel (and Liliom, upon which it is based) and also thinking about a lyric in Fiorello! (spec. "..And if he likes me, who cares how frequently he strikes me?") and wondering, "Geez! Was it really considered socially respectable in the 1940s and 1950s to beat your wife, to the extent that lyricists can include these references without batting an eyelash?"

[Comy]

Wolfsong, you are my new hero. <3

Addicted, I am definitely interested in any recommendations.

[muidoido]

I don't know how it was in the 50's, but nowadays, if I see some jerktard beating his wife, he will be instantly teleported to jail, probably with some dents and bruises, because my teleporter isn't very kind with these cowards (specially when they try to resist the teleporting procedure)... We have a very rigorous law against domestic violence here in Brazil.

[curious]

Another rant:
Someone trying to tear my f**king balls off in PM, just because I qualify their point..?
Please... come back with am intelligent response here. I will read it, unlike mine, which you seemed not to... and just offloaded your angst onto me, behind the scenes.

For God's sake... I'm having a shit day..!!

[Addicted]

Another rant:
Someone trying to tear my f**king balls off in PM, just because I qualify their point..?
Please... come back with am intelligent response here. I will read it, unlike mine, which you seemed not to... and just offloaded your angst onto me, behind the scenes.

For God's sake... I'm having a shit day..!!

As you wish.

I found it offensive that you jumped on a point I made and then made a leap and assumed my point of view. You've given me principles and attitudes I don't have and then criticsed them. While I agree it's not okay for anyone to beat anyone and teach my children that, I don't think that a 'simple' answer will suffice. I disagree that I shroud the issue (which is not simple) and that I have a repugnant and tortuously misguided set of pseudo-principles. As I have not stated here any explanation I gave my kids or what my principles are, how do you know? How do you know I do not intervene in the domestic violence I know of or that I teach my children not to. Perhaps you are refererring to my society in general and not me personally, but that is not clear.

Why make a point and then apologise for it? Then you trivalise the issue with coffee grinders?

For your sake, not God's, I hope your day improves.

My original point stands. My kids used to ask questions I could answer simply. They now ask some that are incredibly complicated and require much though and soul searching, first to help them grow as people and second, sometimes to clarify my own thoughts on such issues.