The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

FAQ You, Seriously

Posted on | August 28, 2013 | 39 Comments

— Wombat-socho

1. Where did all these book posts start coming from?

We’ve had them here at The Other McCain for a while, as you can see by clicking on the “Books” tag at the bottom of this post. Stacy reads a lot, I read a lot, and Smitty likewise is a big fan of the printed word. Every so often we run across something we think you ought to read or might like to read, and a book post results.

2. How come you’re reviewing all this Buck Rogers stuff?

To paraphrase Gahan Wilson, I review what I read, and most of what I read these days is science fiction because to be honest, most mainstream fiction is depressing crap written to please the leftist mandarins of the New York publishing houses. Also, as a number of folks have pointed out, if you want to avoid socialist/multiculti/prognazi crap, your best option is to read science fiction, especially if it’s published by a certain publishing house. Also also, judging from all the comments, people seem to like it. Finally, in case you hadn’t noticed, science fiction, comic book and fantasy fans won the culture wars back in the 1980s. Suck it up, buttercup.

3. Why didn’t you include [insert book title and/or author here] in your post?

There may be a couple of reasons. I may not have read the book (or the author), and in that case I’m not going to write about it since I’d rather be silent than pop off with something that makes it obvious I have no idea what I’m talking about. I may not have included it because it’s not pertinent to the week’s topic. (All you people who complained that Starship Troopers wasn’t mentioned in “Space Opera”, I’m looking at you.) Finally, I may simply have forgotten, as was the case with A. Bertram Chandler’s most excellent John Grimes stories. Here, try To the Galactic Rim.

4. But you left out [award-winning book/author]!

Again, I may not have read it. It’s also possible that I read it and thought it was crap, and since I’m talking about books I liked that I think you might like, I’m going to leave it out. If you liked it, great. Blogs are free; go write your own book post on one.

5. Hi, I’m J. Random Scrivener, Esq., and I just wrote my first self-published SF novel. Would you review it?

Why not? Send me a copy and we’ll see if I like it. After reading these weekly book posts for the last month or so, you should have some idea of what my tastes run to, so if your debut novel is trying to do for Star Trek what Fifty Shades of Grey did for Twilight , then please spare both of us the embarrassment.

6. I can’t believe you included [book title] in that post. That book was awful!

Sorry you didn’t like it. Here, I have some more books you probably won’t like either.

7. I can’t believe you included [author] in that post. He’s an awful, chigger-hating, faggot-burning, gun-fondling, heterosexist Neanderthal!

Yes. That’s part of the reason I find him entertaining and follow him on Facebook. Are you sure you’re at the right blog?

8. I like what you’re doing with these book posts, and want to encourage you to continue your fine work.

Thank you, it’s good to hear that. You can provide encouragement (and help support my addictions to protein bars, SF novels and Chick-Fil-A) by buying stuff through the Amazon links scattered throughout these posts. You’re already going to buy the stuff, why not do it here and give me a taste in the process? I’d be much obliged.

And that’s about all the questions I thought needed answering. Now, we have some books that people mentioned in the comments to last week’s post. Mind you, I haven’t read these myself, but most of the readers here at The Other McCain are sensible folk with good taste, so the odds are good you’re not going to be stuck reading some horrendous piece of krep.

Lots of folks waxed enthusiastic about Peter F. Hamilton, especially his Night’s Dawn Trilogy and Confederation Saga. Here’s The Reality Dysfunction from the former and Pandora’s Star from the latter. Also mentioned in this connection was Alistair Reynolds’ Revelation Space.

Other series mentioned were David Feintuch’s Seafort Saga (starting with Midshipman’s Hope), David Drake’s RCN novels (With the Lightnings – free on the Kindle!), Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy (Heir to the Empire). John Ringo’s Live Free or Die got a mention, and since who says A must say B, we also need to mention Schlock Mercenary: The Tub of Happiness. Also also, Star Trek: The Complete Original Series, Babylon 5: The Complete Seasons, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Complete Series


There’ll probably be another book post later in the week, when I figure out what I want to do it on.


Category: Blogging, Books

Comments

39 Responses to “FAQ You, Seriously”

  1. MrEvilMatt
    August 28th, 2013 @ 12:04 pm

    FAQ You, Seriously: – Wombat-socho 1. Where did all these book posts start coming from? We’ve had them here at… http://t.co/py2eY6UjOS

  2. Lockestep1776
    August 28th, 2013 @ 12:04 pm

    FAQ You, Seriously: – Wombat-socho 1. Where did all these book posts start coming from? We’ve had them here at… http://t.co/kXzvv6ZZv9

  3. Citzcom
    August 28th, 2013 @ 12:04 pm

    FAQ You, Seriously: – Wombat-socho 1. Where did all these book posts start coming from? We’ve had them here at… http://t.co/gXdKa2x9cc

  4. Dianna Deeley
    August 28th, 2013 @ 12:09 pm

    Wombat, thank you for these book threads.

    I am currently up to my eyebrows in prep for a quarterly meeting, or I’d participate more.

  5. rsmccain
    August 28th, 2013 @ 12:28 pm

    Everything You Wanted to Know About @wombat_socho’s Sci-Fi Jones (But Were Afraid to Ask) http://t.co/fOcTjVN4R0 #tcot

  6. wombat_socho
    August 28th, 2013 @ 12:33 pm

    RT @smitty_one_each: TOM FAQ You, Seriously http://t.co/cSOJxpZQtZ #TCOT

  7. Wombat_socho
    August 28th, 2013 @ 12:36 pm

    Your contributions are always appreciated.

  8. Quartermaster
    August 28th, 2013 @ 1:05 pm

    I read Feintuch’s Seafort series and was not impressed. I didn’t find the main character at all sympathetic. I ended up hating the guy before it was over. I can’t say I didn’t give him a chance as I read the entire series and was glad it was over when I finished. Fortunately, I was able to get the entire series from a local used bookstore.
    There is another series, written by Rick Shelley, about the Dirigent Mercenary Corps that starts out with “Officer Cadet” and ends with “Colonel” that is pretty good. It’s in the same sub-genre as Pournelle’s Mercenary series. Enjoyable, but not quite as well written. I’ll have to update this post after I get home and see what the author’s name.
    This series of posts is a good relief from the K8rs and other hateful real world trash we are forced to endure.

  9. Anon Y. Mous
    August 28th, 2013 @ 1:05 pm

    Hey, what’s with all the DVD links at the end of your book post? For a minute I thought there may have been some DS9 book series that had existed outside of my awareness. I mean, you can link to Men’s ties with SF designs if you want, but it just seems out of place.

  10. EdwdLny
    August 28th, 2013 @ 1:42 pm

    ” chigger-hating ” There are people who like chiggers ? Who ? PETC ? Hah, who’d have thought ?

  11. Quartermaster
    August 28th, 2013 @ 1:51 pm

    I don’t anyone that actually likes Chiggers. There are times I appreciate what they are when they aggravate someone I think needs aggravating, but other wise, no, I don’t like them either. I hate them when I get them.
    Ticks I like even less. Alas, we have a lot of two legged ticks in our society.

  12. arioch1066
    August 28th, 2013 @ 2:11 pm

    7. I can’t believe you included [author] in that post. He’s an
    awful, chigger-hating, faggot-burning, gun-fondling, heterosexist
    Neanderthal!

    Yes. That’s part of the reason I find him entertaining and follow him on Facebook. Are you sure you’re at the right blog?

    I spit coffee all over the place when I got to this.

  13. Wombat_socho
    August 28th, 2013 @ 2:52 pm

    Some people like to actually watch ships blow up on the small screen now and again, as opposed to reading about it. One’s eyes do get tired occasionally.

  14. Wombat_socho
    August 28th, 2013 @ 2:52 pm

    You know who I’m referring to, right?

  15. Wombat_socho
    August 28th, 2013 @ 2:54 pm

    I’m pretty sure Facebook’s community moderators love them some chiggers.

  16. Wombat_socho
    August 28th, 2013 @ 2:55 pm

    I’ve heard good things about Rick Shelley’s series as well. It’s not Hugo-winning stuff, but it’s probably decent brain candy.

  17. Miley Cyrus and Her Dumbed Down Deb Ball | Regular Right Guy
    August 28th, 2013 @ 2:55 pm

    […] FAQ You, Seriously […]

  18. richard mcenroe
    August 28th, 2013 @ 3:05 pm

    I’m willing to guess, from a short list.

    But you left out SPACE: 1999! i’VE lOST ALLALLALL FaitH in U as a Critik!!!1!11!!!!ELEVENTY!!!1

  19. Wombat_socho
    August 28th, 2013 @ 3:26 pm

    Oh, man, what a horrible series that was.

  20. M. Thompson
    August 28th, 2013 @ 4:50 pm

    I’ve been watching DS9 on Netflix over the summer, and been rather impressed. They managed to have only a couple of stinkers each season, but still, the assumptions behind Star Trek . . .

  21. MarshalZhukov01
    August 28th, 2013 @ 7:08 pm

    I know, I know, but the conservative, novel version of Troopers is far superior to Verhoven’s leftist satire and especially his take on how we shouldn’t go easy on juvenile offenders.

  22. BobBelvedere
    August 28th, 2013 @ 7:27 pm

    RT @smitty_one_each: TOM FAQ You, Seriously http://t.co/Xc3oAEU6ig #TCOT | by the always lovable @wombat_socho!

  23. richard mcenroe
    August 28th, 2013 @ 8:06 pm

    Yes, but my friend on the show was cute so I was stuck thru at least the first season.

  24. richard mcenroe
    August 28th, 2013 @ 8:07 pm

    It was written by an Irish playwright who had never read a word of SF in his life (or written for television) but had the unbeatable professional credit of sleeping with Sylvia.

  25. Retro_Rockets
    August 28th, 2013 @ 10:12 pm

    The stories and the science part of the science fiction was horrible, but the models were great.
    I’ve always wanted a good model of a Eagle or Mark IX Hawk, but I stink at making models.

  26. retro_rockets
    August 28th, 2013 @ 10:17 pm

    If you don’t mind, I’m trying to start writing science fiction. Nothing published or self published, but I’ve posted parts of a story I’m working on and would like any comments and feedback I can get.

    Thanks to anyone that can spare the time to check it out.

    http://retrorockets.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/the-interdiction-intercept-comments-requested/

  27. Thinking Americanist
    August 28th, 2013 @ 11:58 pm

    7. I can’t believe you included [author] in that post. He’s an awful, chigger-hating, faggot-burning, gun-fondling, heterosexist Neanderthal!

    Somebody call for me?

  28. Wombat_socho
    August 29th, 2013 @ 3:30 am

    I’m convinced that the competition with Babylon 5 made Deep Space 9 a better show. DS9, like B5, got dark, had season-long plot arcs, and kicked the whole Roddenberry view of the future as a peaceful place where talking would solve everything to the curb.

  29. Wombat_socho
    August 29th, 2013 @ 3:31 am

    No argument with that at all.

  30. K-Bob
    August 29th, 2013 @ 3:56 am

    I totally agree with that.

  31. K-Bob
    August 29th, 2013 @ 4:03 am

    I’ll just throw in Red Dwarf, Lexx, And of course, Dr. Who as honorable mentions in most categories, since a few TV and Movie thingies get mentioned. (If, for nothing else, as plain old brain candy.)

    At some point I’d be interested in a post covering things like Snow Crash and Ghost In The Shell. SF, but not space related. I guess Niven’s Gil “the arm” Hamilton would fit there.

    Or did we do that category already? Hmmm.

  32. Quartermaster
    August 29th, 2013 @ 10:01 am

    It’s a decent series. A sympathetic central character that human. I’d recommend it.
    I haven’t read any of Shelley’s other work, but I plan to look for more of his stuff when I get over to Asheville in the next cuppla weeks to the used book stores.
    By the by, if you want a good source of used books on the innerwebz, Alibris is a very good source. I go there first before anyone else and have gotten books through them I couldn’t find through Powell’s, Abe or Amazon.

  33. Quartermaster
    August 29th, 2013 @ 10:02 am

    Wouldn’t know. I stay away from social media. I already have too many time wasters in my life.

  34. Quartermaster
    August 29th, 2013 @ 10:06 am

    I didn’t take Verhoven’s destruction of Starship Troopers as satire. Verhoven seems to actually think that way. It was his intention to ridicule Heinlein’s novel and make it seem like a fascist society rather than an illustration of what is expected of a true citizen.
    And we shouldn’t go easy on juvvie offenders.

  35. Quartermaster
    August 29th, 2013 @ 10:07 am

    Most of the guys in the commentariat here resemble that remark.

  36. Wombat_socho
    August 29th, 2013 @ 11:10 am

    Well, I did one on combat SF, but that’s not what you’re talking about here.

  37. rmnixondeceased
    August 29th, 2013 @ 3:00 pm

    Heh. I know I do!

  38. richard mcenroe
    August 30th, 2013 @ 1:35 am

    Ditto. They made an Estes-launchable model of the Eagle for awhile.

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