Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Unfamiliar Territory

Unfamiliar Territory

Robert Silverberg

Date: 1978   —   used only   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Stories

This is a classic collection of prime SF, and even the stories that seem a little dated or out-of-step (such as "Caught in the Organ Draft", which postulates a future in which healthy young folk are required to donate organs to wealthy seniors— something that seems unlikely now, given the parallel medical advances) are well-written and entertaining. The best science fiction is about today's fears and struggles, told through the lens of the future, and Silverberg's collection is best viewed as a compendium of issues of the 70s, a few of which we still have today, and some of which seem far distant. (Anyone who grew up with "Duck and Cover" will know what I mean; kids today generally don't have nightmares of everybody in the world dying in mutually assured destruction.)

At any rate, Silverberg is a supremely good writer, and this book is a good introduction to his work. If you can find it.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Those Who Hunt the Night

Those Who Hunt The Night

Barbara Hambly

Date: 12 November, 1988   —   used only   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

Oh, look. MORE vampire fiction. In this case, a mortal man is hired to find out who is killing the vampires of London. Failure is dangerous, as the vampires who hired him know not only where he lives but of his beloved wife. But success might be more dangerous, since he might be too dangerous to let free...

This is not a bad mystery, and the characters are well-drawn within the strictures of Edwardian society. The vampires, in this instance, have the traditional vunerabilities to sunlight and certain woods, but in this case they also are susceptible to silver. Not a bad addition to vampiric folklore.

Monday, January 29, 2007

Ladies of Mandrigyn

Ladies of Mandrigyn

Barbara Hambly

  —   used only   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

Mercenary captain Sun Wolf isn't particularly interested in bringing his troop to the city of Mandrigyn, who wants to hire him to free the city from an evil wizard. After all, it's almost certain death, and all of the men who resisted have been taken to the mines. But then the ladies kidnap him and give him a deadly poison that promises a drawn-out and painful death if he escapes, since it is only held in check by the power of a half-trained wizardling who doesn't know the secret of the Trial that makes a person a full wizard. So he agrees to train the women in secret so that they can take on the wizard... because if they only go halfway, they'll be slaves again within a season.

This is a different world than that of the Windrose Chronicles, and stands very well on its own. It is utterly true to itself, right up until the coda, and deals with the realities of war, the longing for power that some people have, and the fears of change that are near-universal. Fun if you can find it.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

The Silent Tower

The Silent Tower (Windrose Chronicles, Book 1)

Barbara Hambly

  —   used only   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

This is a crossover novel, one which has a protagonist from our world who ends up at another. And— whoa, does "our world" feel dated, because Joanna Sheraton is a computer programmer in the early 80s. You know, before the Macintosh. In fact, pretty much before PCs in general. (Yeah, they were there. But it's like the Internet in 1994; present, but only "cutting edge" people really are into it.) And it's got a dark and depressing DKS cover (sorry, Mr. Sweet, I don't much like your work) that sets the tone of the novel; for some reason, dark covers make me think of the whole novel as taking place in the dark. Admittedly, that is more or less the case here.

The other world is the same as that of The Stranger at the Wedding, and takes place a few years beforehand. However, where Kyra provided the witty and sarcastic wizard before, now the only wizards you see need to get that stick out of... well, anyway, the only humanized wizard character is the rogue wizard Antryg, who is mildly insane, and might possibly be the bad guy. And Joanna just wants to get home, but she doesn't know if she can trust Antryg, even though she's really starting to like him...

And darnit, it's a two-part story, and the second book is out of print! How's that for annoying?

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Stranger at the Wedding

Stranger at the Wedding

Barbara Hambly

Date: 02 March, 1994   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

The wizard Kyra has a problem. Her sister Alix is about to be married, and Kyra has premonitions that Alix is going to die on her wedding night— premonitions she can't tell her family about, since her father all but disowned her for going off to be a wizard. Worse yet are the witchfinders of the Inquisition, who take a very dim view of magic in general, and wizards in particular. And to top it all off, as a Council wizard, Kyra has sworn to never use magic to directly interfere in human affairs, and if she does so, she loses all protections that the Council has to offer.

That is, if she's caught.

This is an interesting character study, delving into the history of Kyra and her father, but mostly it's just fun.

Friday, January 26, 2007

The Willow Garden

The Willow Garden (Land of Ten Thousand Willows, Bk 3)

Kathryn Grant

Date: 01 August, 1989   —   used only   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

Read it for a conclusion to the series, but don't expect anything coherent. This whole series feels shallow, as though the author had the surface details right but didn't get into the myths at all; with so much cultural heritage to draw on, there is little reason to invent something out of whole cloth, especially when the end result gives no feel for the peoples of a land, only shallow stereotypes at best.

That makes it sound worse than it is, but I am sure that it will work perfectly well for adventure-minded youths. I am not one of them, and I require more sophistication and depth to my reading. (Keep in mind that I consider Sandman deep and sophisticated.)

Thursday, January 25, 2007

The Black Jade Road

The Black Jade Road (Land of Ten Thousand Willows)

Kathryn Grant

Date: 01 February, 1989   —   used only   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

Now that Ty-Sun has his bride-to-be— and what was up with those Puritans, anyway?— he has to get her home. The problem is that he's quickly lost his only remaining ship, and crossing all of Asia on foot may be the only way. Moreover, the Enemy is close behind, and likely to put obstacles both real and fictional in their paths.

The problem that begins to become evident in this book is that this story is all plot, and somewhat thin at that. The justifications for several things are specious at best— particularly the "death" and moving of servant Martin— and seem to be stuck in only to make the plot more exciting. The trips to the astral plane that Ty-Sun makes seem to directly affect the physical world in an inconsistent fashion.

I give this a 3 for the simple reason that it's not badly written, but one should tread with caution. Give it to kids who've loved The Hobbit but haven't graduated to The Lord of the Rings quite yet, or to those who love fairytales but haven't started asking too much about the whys behind them yet.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

The Phoenix Bells

The Phoenix Bells (The Land of Ten Thousand Willows, Book I)

Kathryn Grant

Date: 01 March, 1987   —   used only   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

The Emperor of the Willow Garden, a locale vaguely based on a mystical China, has had a prophecy that if he does not marry his bride within three years of his father's death, tragedy will come to the world. His bride will be one who can hear the Phoenix Bells, the call of the dragons, and such a one is only to be found outside the Garden. So far so good. However, Emperor Ty-Sun is a bit indulgent, and his general Soong has to pressure him to leave at all. The journey is hard, since it seems that a malignant power is attempting to thwart them, at besides, what the heck are they doing heading NORTH around Asia going into winter?

Not too bad a beginning, but I would definitely classify it as a juvenile— much better for the young crowd than for the adults.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

The Mammoth Book of Roman Whodunits

The Mammoth Book of Roman Whodunnits

Michael Ashley, ed.

Date: 01 October, 2003   —   $10.46   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Mystery, Historical

Mammoth books are good investments. They do their best to live up to their name, and are lasting collections of themed stories, something that seems to mostly be falling out of favor (or at least out of publication.) By creating a line that crosses genres, Mammoth has enabled the possibility of a story collection backlist, something I am very much in favor of.

They also happened to have published some stories by a friend of mine, just so you know.

This collection is, as the title suggests, set in the Roman Empire. Ashley has made the decision to set the stories in chronological order, so a student of history can follow along with realtive ease. The styles of the stories range from the plausibly historical to the 'set in history but really with modern characters' type. They range from the murder mystery to the uncovering of petty thievery, and the sleuths involved are everything from nuns to slaves to little girls. Aside from that, the only comment I can make is that they're good for whetting the appetite, and one should be on the lookout for the authors one likes.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Cat Crimes 2

Cat Crimes 2 (Cat Crimes)

Martin Greenberg, ed.

Date: 30 June, 1992   —   used only   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Mystery

Cats and crime go together. In fact, cats and blood go together, as is evident in this collection of short stories, because cats have claws, and those claws are sharp— though sometimes the instrument of death is as innocent as bumping a radio off a shelf into the bath. As with many story collections by various authors, you will most likely care for some tales more than others, but it is worth a read if you like stories with cats in them— even if some of them are only mysteries in the most tenuous sense.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

The Science of Power

The Science of Power (Night-Threads)

Ru Emerson

Date: 01 December, 1995   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy
Third of three

Events come to a close with this book, as do the truly useless reviews of this series. Honestly, there's no way to write about these books without either giving away half the plot or sounding silly while avoiding doing so. Good characterization, like all the other books; interesting-though-clichéd plot, like all the other books; easy read for tired brains. And there you go.

Oh, yeah. What's with the cover?

Saturday, January 20, 2007

The Art of the Sword

The Art of the Sword (Night-Threads)

Ru Emerson

Date: 01 December, 1994   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy
Second of three

Heh. "I won my wife in a card game, to hell with those Spanish Grandees." (Note: Folk song. Lyrics mutate.)

Speaking of ridiculous plot devices...

Ru Emerson somehow makes the silliest concepts work in this book. Kidnapping, enforced marriages while drunk, The Secret Society of Women Terrorists (and Sewing Circle)... okay, maybe not quite that last one, but still.

Friday, January 19, 2007

The Craft of Light

The Craft of Light (Night-Threads, No 4)

Ru Emerson

Date: 01 May, 1993   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

Somebody finally shot the person dictating the titles. This trilogy is set about four years after the conclusion of One Land, One Duke. Jennifer and Robin have settled into their respective lives (Robin has had two small-fry during that time) and Chris is travelling the world, establishing trade (since he has a good eye for what will be popular.)

However, with the recent opening of the borders comes problems; there's a cocaine-based drug that is starting to get pushed in Rhadaz, possibly as part of a larger plot; the Thukar (Duke) of Sikkre's brothers are still scheming to take his land away from him; and the plight of the women of Holmaddan might mask something more sinister.

If you liked the first trilogy, here is more of the same style. There you go.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

One Land, One Duke

One Land One Duke

Ru Emerson

Date: 12 December, 2002   —   $13.57   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy
Third of three

Oh, good lord. Way to take the title silliness to its extreme limit.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

The Two In Hiding

The Two in Hiding (Night-Threads)

Ru Emerson

Date: 12 December, 2002   —   $13.57   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy
Second of three

About what you'd expect as a continuation of the previous novel. Good characters, interesting subplots, yadda yadda.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

The Calling of the Three

The Calling of the Three (Night-Threads, Book 1)

Ru Emerson

Date: 01 October, 1990   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

This is a case of not judging a book by its cover. Everything about this book, from its cover art (which is changed for later editions, I've noticed) to its title to the horrible description on the back cover, screams tacky.* Heck, the plot device is that hoary old trick of pulling people from our world into another world for whatever reason and purpose. And yet, for some reason I bought not only this book but the other two in the trilogy with no recommendation and no hints.

And was pleasantly surprised.

Yes, there is nothing new about the concept. Jennifer Cray, her sister Robin, and her sixteen-year-old nephew Chris are pulled into Rhadaz by a Night-Thread Wielder in order to help the heir to the Zelharri duchy reclaim his patrimony. Aletto, crippled when young, has reached his majority but his uncle still holds power, citing his inability to rule; he and his sister Lialla have escaped the fort and need assistance to bring their case to the Emperor— and the magic chose Jennifer. (Chris and Robin were the catalyst and an extra, repectively.) Jennifer, who loves music (though she became a lawyer for stability), has a talent that can be developed for Wielding Thread.

But it's not the plot. Emerson's characters are lively and interesting, and behave like people instead of archetypes. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, she throws a joker into the deck. Sure, this world seems to have split from ours several centuries back— but then why is the geography different? Sure, science and magic seem to work along logical rules, but then where the heck do the rampaging ghosts fit in? And time seems to run different from our world, except when it doesn't.

You will need to get all three books at once to have them make any sense. They do not stand alone. So (take a hint, publishers), when does the omnibus edition come out?

*The cover art on my edition is done by Larry Elmore, a really good black & white artist, and his color work is competently done. However, the overall impression screams cliché. That is all.

Monday, January 15, 2007

The Triplets of Bellview

The Triplets of Belleville

Date: 04 May, 2004   —   $18.72   —   DVD / VHS

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I don't normally review movies on here but I'm making an exception for this because it is so very strange.

This is not a movie that would get made in America because we don't think this way. Except, just maybe, for Terry Gilliam. It's just plain bizarre. And judging from the reviews, this is a love-it or hate-it kind of movie. Overall, it shows a bizarre sensibility much like that shown in Delicatessen, where a sense of surrealism underlies a seemingly naturalistic world.

Though there are some bits of dialogue that have been translated into English, they're muttered and pretty much unnecessary. You could watch the whole movie in a language you don't understand (like, say, the French they leave in without translating or subtitling) and it makes sense. The whole movie functions like a mood piece, where the little details are left to create an impression, rather than relying on action.

I won't go into the plot— it's far, far better to go in blind and experience the madness firsthand— but I will state that the true center of the film is the relationship between the grandmother and the cyclist. It is obvious that in her quiet way, she idolizes him, and will do anything to keep him safe and happy. And the lengths to which she demonstrates that are incredible.

The animation has repeatedly been referred to as "hand drawn", which is true on the face of things, but it is quite obvious that computers were used extensively throughout the film, and not just at certain obvious points (such as the dreams of the faithful dog.) A little hint: every time there is a pan, revolve, or even a character seen from different oblique angles in one shot, computers were used as an aid to the drawing process. Look at animations from the 40s and 50s— they avoid those types of shots because they are technically difficult. Such shots in this movie show how computers can assist in all forms of animation, not merely in the style of Pixar features.

A few complaints have been made about the "anti-American" nature of Belleville, which the obese Statue of Liberty in its harbor would seem to support, but the director specifically stated that Belleville is a capital of an overly consumeristic society with its look based on Montreal, so it is entirely possible to not be offended and enjoy the film anyway. Just so you know.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Illusion

Illusion

Paula Volsky

Date: 01 January, 1993   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

Any student of the French Revolution will recognize the scene. A capital city, a privileged class that is truly blind to the suffering of the underclass, a few gifted rhetoricians, and an atmosphere that is ready to pop... and you know that a Reign of Terror is just around the corner.

You know, but the Exalted don't.

Exalted Miss Eliste vo Derrivale is concerned about her appearance at court, not the rumblings of serfs. In fact, once in the hands of her capable great-aunt Zeralenn, she learns that to worry about such things is beneath her. Yet she can't help but worry about the increasing problems for the Exalted, and the growing power of the raconteur Whiss Valeur. And then the city is clamped down, and Eliste has to learn all too well what the sufferings of her people are like.

Though the framework of the story is based on the French Revolution, Volsky has turned the tension up by the addition of magic, and by adding elements of the Russian experience (such as complete bodily serfdom, even after death) to make the people's experience even more miserable. One can spot elements of multiple repressive societies throughout history. If one is interested, one can even name the historical characters some figures are based upon.

Disclaiimer: I love Les Miserábles. That may affect how I view such books.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Monstrous Regiment

Monstrous Regiment (Discworld Novels)

Terry Pratchett

Date: 31 August, 2004   —   $6.75   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy/Satire

Meh. This is a well-written tale about young Polly Perks, who joins her country's army as a boy so that she can save her brother, who is well-intentioned but slow. As it soon becomes evident, however, her country is losing, and she has to figure out a way to survive while keeping her secret, especially as her troop is the last one standing...

but...

Even though it's well written, and funny, and Pratchett (where even his worst is pretty darned good), I can't muster a whole lot of enthusiasm for this book. To begin with, it's a book about joining the Army, and I've never been particularly fond of stories about joining the Army. Secondly, the major humor point of the novel is fairly obvious even if you're not familiar with the Discworld, where absurdities are taken to extremes. And thirdly, it doesn't have more than a hint of familiar characters, which is fine for when you're trying to establish new ones, but Polly (Oliver) has a complete character arc and therefore probably won't show up again.

Friday, January 12, 2007

The Ethos Effect

The Ethos Effect

L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Date: 30 November, 2004   —   $7.19   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Science Fiction

This book is set after the Parafaith War, and Trystin Desoll is in fact one of the secondary characters. It's not a bad book. But overall I feel as though there's both too much buildup for too little ending, and too little background for the very consequential decisions that Van Albert, the protagonist, has to make. In other words, I would have preferred more book for the discussion on ethics that took place; very likely other people will like it for the same reason.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

A Discussion On Beauty

We begin with the quote.

L.E. Modesitt, Archform: Beauty, 205-206:
"We require students to be able to read, to understand economics, to learn about history. Music has been a part of every culture since the Neandertals. Shouldn't they be required to be exposed to something that's been a big part of human history since even before people could write? Shouldn't that be part of higher education? Excellence in the arts is a big part of what makes a society great. Can you name a culture that was great that didn't have great art?"

"Isn't greatness a subjective judgement?" [...]

""That's always what people say when they don't like something. You're in politics. I'm not. Wouldn't you say you know more about politics than I do?"

"I'd hope so," he said with a laugh.

"So why does every politician and every administrator question our judgement as artists and scholars? Why can a businessman or an economist use their knowledge and be respected, but why does every parent and every politician and administrator seem to think they know more about our field than we do?" [...]

"Because everyone with any education at all thinks that they can sing or write. When the arts keep getting degraded by politicians who pander to the ignorant, and when the only question is how much money a performer makes, and not how good they are, then the arts suffer. When the arts suffer, we all suffer, because credits are used as the only measure of excellence. Credits don't measure excellence. They only measure popularity, and they're not the same thing."
This is a future society extrapolated from our own, one where a common feeling among the young is "Classical stuff, should have been buried with the composers..." How many people have encountered a similar lack of respect for the arts, visual, textual, and musical?

Personally, I find it incomprehensible that people should not only be satisfied with pop (which is fine, I like it too), but actively deny that more complex forms of music have value. That future snot (again, not my term!) is only echoing a feeling that many of us have encountered in others in one form or another.

Witness how some music gets derided for being "pretentious," even when the only thing being displayed is technical excellence.

My husband has a theory, not original, that understanding music is like understanding language, and when all that a person is exposed to is baby talk (pop), one does not develop a deep musical vocabulary or understanding. Studies support this thesis, and a good understanding of music has been shown to aid both mathematical and language comprehension. People buy "Baby Mozart" products with the hope of instilling this kind of understanding, understanding which previously was available through such mundane sources as old Warner Brothers cartoons. (Nowadays, the chances of an animated cartoon having a complex, classical soundtrack are slim. What a pity.)

However, though the danger of straying too far toward the popular taste is evident, the danger of the other direction is also apparent. How many people have made jokes about modern art? (Raises own hand.) Though experts in any field are important, it becomes problematic when the population suspects that they are charlatans. Is that really art, or is someone having a joke at the public's expense?

Art students often complain that their professors are more concerned with the subjects of art than with the techniques necessary to convey them; it's very frustrating to be told to build a house that reflects your needs without being told how to, for example, lay bricks. So then the question becomes how to determine if a person is actually an expert... and then if that expertise is actually important. Which, of course, cycles back to the question of "What is art, anyway?"

Hmmm. Sounds non-rational to me.

So if art is important, how are we to determine such? Is there less art— transcendant, centuries-spanning creativity— now than in previous time? Is there more? Can we know?

I welcome your contributions.

Archform: Beauty

Archform: Beauty

L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Date: 19 July, 2002   —   $6.99   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Science Fiction

Several points:
1. The woman on the cover looks brain dead.
2. Unlike every other Modesitt book I have read, this one has multiple protagonists and a story which revolves around their connections. This really works.
3. This also has the first female protagonist I've ever encountered from him; I had wondered if Modesitt were afraid he would fail in the realistic portrayal of a woman. He didn't. He should write more of them.
4. This is set in the (comparatively) near-future, centuries instead of millenia from now. While all science fiction is in some way a reflection of the fears of today, set in a future setting, in this case the nearness encouraged a greater empathy with the characters.

What is likewise interesting about this book is that the main philosophical point— that beauty has value— is made into a sort of sub-plot, with the machiinations of a businessman taking the center stage. Because of this, the argument for beauty has greater weight: it is not the center of the characters' lives (except for one), and because of this, we feel the threat to value that is coming about.

Many of the worries of this future are recognizeable. Despite medical nanites, new diseases are always a threat; accidents still occur; fights over water and population are still going on, despite the Collapse referred to; and young snots (not my term!) are preferring the "rez" music, synthpop and otherwise manufactured music, to actual craft. There's even a small chance that you might get targeted not because of who you are, but because you're in somebody's way. They've even refined the technology to affect your moods, a fear that someday those deals really will seem too good to pass up.

But at the center of the novel is the worth of craft in a culture where everything can be replicated and tweezed. Even today we have the technology to put singers' voices on pitch, so some students already wonder why they need to practice singing. What if you could be tone-deaf and still be a popular singer? Of course, some people, like singer and professor Luara Cornett, disagree:

"We require students to be able to read, to understand economics, to learn about history. Music has been a part of every culture since the Neandertals. Shouldn't they be required to be exposed to something that's been a big part of human history since even before people could write? Shouldn't that be part of higher education? Excellence in the arts is a big part of what makes a society great. Can you name a culture that was great that didn't have great art?"
Hmm. The longer quote deserves a post in itself.

Anyway, good book, may he write many more as interesting.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

An Essay on Non-Rational Thought

Have you ever had a situation where you have been thinking about a topic, preparing to write on it, and then you stumble across someone saying exactly what you wanted to say, except in a more precise and interesting manner?

L.E. Modesitt, Archform: Beauty, 325-326:
The so-called rational analytical approach embodies a fundamental flaw, a flaw that has consistently and historically either been ignored by both rationalists and scholars or minimized. This flaw is the assumption that matters, feelings, or occurrences that cannot be described rationally or quantified objectively are of such little significance that they will not affect the outcome of the analysis. Further, such "non-rational" feelings or occurrences are all too often termed "irrational" and thus dismissed as beneath consideration.
...
The problem is merely made worse by the rationalists who dismiss those who cannot present their case or argument objectively and rationally. Failure to present a case in rational terms does not mean that the case does not exist; it only means that either the presenter cannot provide a logical format or that the case is not susceptible to logical presentation. By insisting on an ojectively rational case, the rationalists impose what can best be called "the tyranny of logic."
...
Moreover, the tyrants of logic question the value of the so-called irrational. Of what use is great art? Beautiful music? Inspiring architecture?

In point of fact, any decision—indeed, any organization or culture—which does not incorporate emotion, passion, and other so-called irrational factors will in the long run fail, because the absolute reliance upon quantified facts and pure logic reduces the intelligence of the decisions of that culture. The evidence of history demonstrates that few strong societies have existed transgenerationally without an internal culture embodying irrational elements such as love, beauty, art, and music.
I am not a rational thinker. The more acceptable term is "intuitive," but even that supposes that rational processes are going on at some level inside the brain.

Of course, you might not know this. I managed to get along just fine in college— a place where rational processes are all but necessary— due to early training. In other words, I can follow a step-by-step chain of logic because I have learned to do so; I can build an argument with much thought. Incidentally, I got very good grades in philosophy, but average grades in English, because the teachers in English reward a well-constructed argument, while the philosophy professors are more interested in unusual lines of thought.

But throw me into a debate and I'm likely to flounder. There are many things out there that I just know, but if you ask me to explain them, I'm at a loss. Such "knowledge" often crosses the line into value territory— where is the logical argument for doing the best job you can, when the difference between that and an adequate job is imperceptible?

Or take the big one, religion. To me, it is obvious that science and faith have nothing to do with one another, yet there are many people out there who insist that it does, and since faith is not in the province of reason, their arguments are impossible to counter— those "tyrants of logic" cited above. "When all you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail."

In all reality, however, I don't know what the solution is. Many people believe that if you can't explain something, you don't understand it, and our culture has, to a certain extent, accepted this. People who insist otherwise are greeted with skepticism, and, since they are on an unfamiliar battleground, tend to lose.

But the battle is still worthy. I can't explain it. I just know.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Scion of Cyador

Scion of Cyador : The New Novel in the Saga of Recluce (Saga of Recluce)

L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Date: 09 December, 2001   —   $7.19   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

Since Lorn has survived thus far, we can be assured of his greatness, and events start to heat up as the ailing emperor starts a decline and people start jockeying for position. Lorn is an interesting character in that he kills certain people without remorse— such as corrupt officials whose schemes affect the country— and wonders about other deaths, such as the tactical removal of barbarians so as to stop raids along the border. He's very interested in the concept of justice but is more in line with the concept of necessity.

Of course, the ending for this book is obvious from a mile away, but it's the journey, not the destination, that is important here.

Monday, January 08, 2007

Magi'i of Cyador

Magi'i of Cyador (The Saga of Recluce)

L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Date: 15 May, 2001   —   $7.19   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy

Waaayyy back in the mists of time, before the fall of angels, there was a land called Cyador, where the remnants of a Rationalist society made their way on Candar. Lorn, the eldest son of a Magi'i, is sent off to become a lancer (and, potentially, to be killed, because he's too smart for certain people's taste.) Along the way, he schemes to survive while doing what he feels is best for his land.

Modesitt treats his chaos protagonists more kindly than his order protagonists; the wisest of them all end up gray anyway. Lorn is no different, and the somewhat misogynistic society he moves through allows him to show his better side in that he actually thinks of women as individuals, not accessories (as later Cyadorans, and many of his contemporaries, do.) It falls in line with the rest of his Recluce novels— if you like one, you'll probably like the rest, though it does seem overly familiar ground.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

The Book of Jhereg

The Book of Jhereg: Contains the Complete Text of Jhereg, Yendi, and Teckla (Vlad Taltos)

Steven Brust

Date: 01 August, 1999   —   $10.88   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Fantasy
This book is a compendium of Jhereg, Yendi, and Teckla, the first three published books featuring Vlad Taltos.

So now I must wonder how I managed to miss Brust all of these years. I've seen these books described as "swashbuckling", though that is a description that better fits the author himself (featured on the ninth page of the final segment of the World's End graphic novel [Sandman].) I would rather liken them to mystery novels, even though they are not presented as such; Taltos has all the abilities of a good detective, as well as a mean hand with a dagger (or several.)

Vlad lives as a sort of second-class citizen, a standard human (more or less) in a city of Dragaera, tall semi-elvish types with long lifespans and powerful sorcery. His father bought a title with the Jhereg, the one branch of the Dragaeran race that will accept anybody. However, a lifetime of taunts and beatings led him to develop his career as a sort of mob boss and assassin— the second job not always permanent, as people can often be revivified after death. That way, he gets to beat up and kill Dragaerans and get paid for it as well.

However, since all he knows are Dragaeran (most "Easterners" live in a slum, and Vlad's not interested in slums), he actually has a few friends who are Dragaeran, which would seem strange were it not for the fact that it's fairly evident that Vlad has not really thought things through. In both Jhereg and Teckla (Yendi is set a bit earlier chronologically) he is forced to face some of his preconceptions; though he shies away from doing so, it is obvious that it's only a matter of time before he must.

All three books are very fast-paced and take place in a short period of time; I would highly recommend purchasing the omnibus so that you can continue on once you've got a taste for the tale of Vlad.

*P.S. Damn you, Borders, for not having the sequels available when I needed my fix.

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Gravity Dreams

Gravity Dreams

L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Date: 15 July, 2000   —   $6.99   —   Book

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Rating:

Fiction, Science Fiction

This book is set somewhat earlier than the Parafaith War, when space travel is more of a continuum than an instantaneous jump. Tyndel is a member of a low-tech community, teaching a vaguely Eastern style of thought that discourages questions. However, he is infected with nanites, becoming what his people call a demon, and he flees towards the high-tech country to the north. They save him, but nothing is free: Tyndel is perfectly suited to become one of the rare pilots in space, edging around dagers along the paths.

Of course, as with many Modesitt protagonists, he's none too happy about his lot, but once he gets over himself he becomes quite entertaining. And then, of course, there is the anomaly in space, the one that many pilots have been lost near. The one that now seems to be talking to him...