What's the Deal With... This Quote, It's Just So Bad

I was going through my books, as I'm want to do every now and then (alas, I'm just a kid with his toys), and I came across my copy of The Ghost Brigades, the sequel to Old Man's War by John Scalzi. Sadly, I still have yet to read it, but I couldn't help but laugh at this quote on the back of the book...

Says the Dallas Morning News:

"If Stephen King were to try his hand at science fiction, he'd be lucky to be half as entertaining as John Scalzi."

Wow, where to begin?

First off, "If" Stephen King wrote science fiction? I'm pretty sure I could make a compelling argument that ALL he writes is some type of science fiction, but at least we can agree on The Running Man, The Long Walk, The Dark Tower, THE STAND, even The Tommyknockers and I haven't even touched his short stories. I'm sure plenty have a much stricter definition of science fiction than I do, but even so, something of King's would probably fit.

Wikipedia, bastion of wisdom that it is, literally says, "Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction!, and fantasy." (emphasis and exclamation mark added)

Sadly, if you know anything at all about science fiction, you immediately discern that the Dallas Morning News knows nothing about it. Whoever wrote it went, "well, I know Stephen King writes lots of stuff..." ...and that's about the extent to which this person thought through this comparison.

I'm not quite sure what they're going for either, but I think it's that Scalzi is a pretty hilarious writer and entertaining in a comical way, which Stephen King does not attempt to be at least as far as I've experienced...so that doesn't quite fit either. They're like night and day comparisons here.

I'm also sure that whoever included the quote on the back of the book thought, "well the quote does positively compare the author to Stephen King, so that obligates us to put it on the book."

This reminds me I need to read more Scalzi, but probably not for any possible connection to Stephen King. :)

What's the Deal With... Goodreads Choice Awards

An internet rant is a beautiful thing, I mean, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest and we've got to get them off...and our significant others are just plain tired of hearing the same thing over and over again. 

In light of this, I decided to institute a new feature on the blog where I can bring up whatever's on my mind, be it terrible book covers, titles, ideas, bloggers (okay, probably just one blogger), you name it and have some fun with it. 

---------------- 

Anyone who reads the blog regularly already knows that I'm a huge fan of Goodreads. You can literally spend (definitely not waste) hours and hours on the site organizing your books, reading reviews, finding out stats, comparing books, and more. 

If I had to choose between keeping Google and Goodreads, it wouldn't even be a contest, Goodreads all the way.

But no one's perfect, not even the inimitable Goodreads.

For some reason, they've decided to start the voting for their "Choice Awards" in October of the same year. Says their announcement:

The Opening Round lasts until November 10. Vote now to make sure your favorite books make it into the Semifinals.

I don't know about you, but last time I checked there are still a couple months after October. Okay, so I guess technically you could read a book that comes out in November during those first 10 days and vote for it, but that's probably not really going to happen right?

Other awards (Hugo, Nebula, DGLA for instance) seem to function just fine having the voting after the year has a chance to take it's toll. I'd chalk it up to worry about the Mayan end-of-the-world scenario if this didn't occur each year, but what's the deal?

After a bit of research, I found out that books released after the voting begins are included in the next year's awards, but doesn't that just seem like an unnecessary complication? I can possibly see Butcher's Cold Days (Nov. 27, 2012 release date) making next year's cut (maybe), but I can't help thinking this is just silly. 

Please, someone with better sense than me explain this to me.

Ps. Happy Halloween!

What's the Deal With... The Library Spine Label for Fantasy, Unicorns?!

An internet rant is a beautiful thing, I mean, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest and we've got to get them off...and our significant others are just plain tired of hearing the same thing over and over again. 

In light of this, I decided to institute a new feature on the blog where I can bring up whatever's on my mind, be it terrible book covers, titles, ideas, bloggers (okay, probably just one blogger), you name it and have some fun with it. 

---------------- 

A unicorn? Really? On EVERY single fantasy book in the entire library? Do librarians really think that everyone who reads fantasy is an eight year old girl?

At least the science fiction spine label is often a cutsie little rocket ship, or planets (or mystery with it's detective dude).

Come on! Where's the humanity? Fantasy book covers are already embarrassing enough, but why can't we even be safe with just the spine pointed outward?

I get the reason for these handy spine labels, it makes it so easy to spot the good books, especially in a library without a section devoted solely to science fiction and fantasy.

But honestly, I'll take no label to one like this, without a doubt. Please, let's start a petition to change this important thing that I'm temporarily passionate about!

What's the Deal With... Editors These Days?

I just got an update on my Facebook feed that, sadly, I haven't been paying much attention to lately. John Marco is one of my favorite authors. If you haven't read the Tyrants and Kings series (beginning with The Jackal of Nar), you really should. It's got a wonderful blend of grey as far as characters are concerned. It's hard not to root for the bad guys at some points and hate the good guys at others.


Anyway, and the reason for this post, John Marco reported through his blog (The Happy Nerd) and on Facebook that he turned in the manuscript for his latest book, The Forever Knight, over a year ago - in October 2010 and his editor still has yet to read it. Why does this keep happening? Not long ago it was Ian Tregillis having problems getting things going with The Coldest War, book two in the Milkweed Triptych.

(Cover for The Sword of Angels)

I can see having a publishing schedule and I understand it's a long process, but come on. You haven't even read it yet? Not only is it disrespectful to the author who's put their blood and sweat into the writing, but it can't be good business. But then again, maybe everyone's just going with the George R.R. Martin formula, the longer you wait, the more you sell right?

As you can imagine, Marco is pretty frustrated with the whole situation as you can see in the comments on his facebook page. In responding to some fans who are eagerly awaiting the next book, he writes:

I can't wait either, but waiting is all I've been doing since I turned in the manuscript over a year ago! I'm still waiting on my editor to read it. It's frustrating as hell, but I'm glad you're looking forward to it.

Well, we've at least been given a tentative date for The Forever Knight, as Marco writes:

My next novel, The Forever Knight, will be published in November by DAW Books. It’s been a long wait and I’m looking forward to finally holding the printed book in my hands and seeing it in stores.

Please check this space from time to time for updates. I’ll also be posting an excerpt from the book within the next couple of months."

This was posted mid-January, but the comments about the editor not having read the book are from yesterday. I don't know if that's just to appease the author/fans for now because it seems like you'd need to get the process going pretty quickly if you want to meet that release date. I can say I'm looking forward to more from a really underrated author.

What's the Deal With... eReaders That Do EVERYTHING?

An internet rant is a beautiful thing. Because, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest and we've got to get them off...and our significant others are just plain tired of hearing the same thing over and over again.

In light of this, I decided to institute a new feature on the blog where I can bring up whatever's on my mind, be it terrible book covers, titles, ideas, bloggers (okay, probably just Pat), you name it and have some fun with it.

----------------

I know, two "What's the Deal With" 's this week. I must be really grumpy. Finals does that to me.

Does anyone else find it a bit pathetic that the way we're selling eReaders these days is to make them anything but an eReader?


They now have internet access, games, apps, etc. An infinite possibility to waste time by doing anything other than read. Why do people hate reading so much?

I know, as a social-network-connected blogger, I should be embracing such things, but I obviously have enough things to keep me from reading, the primary reason for doing any of this.

And that's why I decided against the Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, and any other eReader that's not just for reading.

What's the Deal With... The WoW Chuck Norris Commercial?

An internet rant is a beautiful thing. Because, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest and we've got to get them off...and our significant others are just plain tired of hearing the same thing over and over again.

In light of this, I decided to institute a new feature on the blog where I can bring up whatever's on my mind, be it terrible book covers, titles, ideas, bloggers (okay, probably just Pat), you name it and have some fun with it.

----------------

You've probably seen this commercial, but here it is if you missed it:



Chuck Norris doing the Chuck Norris joke kills the Chuck Norris joke.

It's just a fact.

Make a character look like Chuck Norris (as they did) and I could see this working if that's all you did, but actually including the real Chuck Norris makes me think he might actually think those things are true. Obviously he doesn't, but come on World of Warcraft, don't you know how jokes work?

What's the Deal With... Margaret Atwood? Speculative or Science Fiction?

An internet rant is a beautiful thing. Because, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest and we've got to get them off...and our significant others are just plain tired of hearing the same thing over and over again.

In light of this, I decided to institute a new feature on the blog where I can bring up whatever's on my mind, be it terrible book covers, titles, ideas, bloggers (okay, probably just Pat), you name it and have some fun with it.

----------------

Margaret Atwood's newest book, called In Other Worlds, is about, well I'll just let you read the blurb:

In Other Worlds: Science Fiction and the Human Imagination is Margaret Atwood’s account of her rela­tionship with the literary form we have come to know as science fiction. This relationship has been lifelong, stretch­ing from her days as a child reader in the 1940s through her time as a graduate student at Harvard, where she explored the Victorian ancestors of the form, and continuing with her work as a writer and reviewer. This book brings together her three heretofore unpublished Ellmann Lectures of 2010—“Flying Rabbits,” which begins with Atwood’s early rabbit superhero creations and goes on to speculate about masks, capes, weakling alter egos, and Things with Wings; “Burning Bushes,” which follows her into Victorian other-lands and beyond; and “Dire Cartographies,” which investi­gates utopias and dystopias. In Other Worlds also includes some of Atwood’s key reviews and musings about the form, including her elucidation of the differences (as she sees them) between “science fiction” proper and “speculative fiction,” as well as “sword and sorcery/fantasy” and “slip­stream fiction.” For all readers who have loved The Handmaid’s Tale, Oryx and Crake, and The Year of the Flood—not to mention Atwood’s 100,000-plus Twitter fol­lowers— In Other Worlds is a must.

First, she's offended by having her work called "science fiction" (it's "speculative" fiction") and now it was just a misunderstanding since she's such a big fan that was she was really offended at was the incorrect use of terms. I call BS. (This article discusses what I'm talking about to some extent.)

Please just be honest with us - you don't want to fall into "that" category which has such a stigma. We all know the truth.

I've heard nothing but good things about her work, but things like this just make hard. Is this not a good enough reason to refuse to read her books?

What's the Deal With... This Cover for The Iron Dream

An internet rant is a beautiful thing, I mean, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest and we've got to get them off...and our significant others are just plain tired of hearing the same thing over and over again.

In light of this, I decided to institute a new feature on the blog where I can bring up whatever's on my mind, be it terrible book covers, titles, ideas, bloggers (okay, probably just Pat), you name it and have some fun with it.

----------------
There's not much to say on this one other than I'm pretty sure I'll have to read this at some point just to find out why Hitler is riding a futuristic motorcycle.

Anyone read it?

What's the Deal With... This Amazon Kindle Commercial

An internet rant is a beautiful thing, I mean, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest and we've got to get them off...and our significant others are just plain tired of hearing the same thing over and over again.

In light of this, I decided to institute a new feature on the blog where I can bring up whatever's on my mind, be it terrible book covers, titles, ideas, bloggers (okay, probably just Pat), you name it and have some fun with it.

----------------

First, if you haven't seen this Amazon Kindle commercial, here it is:



So, this commercial is trying to tell you that you can download a book in less than 60 seconds, which is fine and all, but it's how they do it that bugs me.

Really? Of all things book people (or bibliophiles if that's how you roll) hate, it is going to book stores. They just despise looking through thousands of adventures and imagination-expanding possibilities and would do anything, including purchasing an Amazon Kindle, to avoid them.

Wait a darn second, I'm calling BS. If I say I'm going to the bookstore, you better not count on my coming back for at least a few hours. It's one of my all-time favorite places to play. :)

And while I realize we've allowed one bookstore to crash (although I'm pretty sure it's them not us at fault) and while the Amazon Kindle is a great thing (it's finally on my Christmas wishlist), bibliophiles do not want to avoid bookstores.

What's The Deal With... Comment Approval

An internet rant is a beautiful thing, I mean, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest and we've got to get them off...and our significant others are just plain tired of hearing the same thing over and over again.

In light of this, I decided to institute a new feature on the blog where I can bring up whatever's on my mind, be it terrible book covers, titles, ideas, bloggers (okay, probably just Pat), you name it and have some fun with it.

----------------

Is it just me or does it kill the conversation when you leave a comment on a blog and then have to wait for owner approval.

Suddenly, you realize there were actually 5 other people who already commented and said the exact same thing you did (and now you look dumb) or you'd like to respond to someone and there's no way they're coming back by the time the comment is posted.

Please don't be offended because I love the many blogs that do this and I know lots of people have found it handy. I'm sure there are plenty of good reasons, I just like to complain sometimes. :)

There's a similar thing on Goodreads where you have to answer a question to "friend" someone. Dumb. If you don't want someone as a friend, delete them later. It's pretty easy.

What's The Deal With... Fantasy Names

An internet rant is a beautiful thing, I mean, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest and we've got to get them off...and our significant others are just plain tired of hearing the same thing over and over again.

In light of this, I decided to institute a new feature on the blog where I can bring up whatever's on my mind, be it terrible book covers, titles, ideas, bloggers (okay, probably just Pat), you name it and have some fun with it.

----------------

This week I decided to change the title of this post/meme (What's the Deal With... instead of SFF Fail...). I don't think SFF can really ever "fail" so I decided to drop that and I apologize profusely.

So what's the deal with fantasy names that have an apostrophe. One of the worst usages I've ever found is from this review with the name - Ol't'ro, but can anyone beat me on that?

Two apostrophes seems to really be pushing it.

I also read somewhere that (for fun) you're supposed to pronounce the apostrophe as "boing." Lets make this happen people. Ol-boing-t-boing-ro. I like it.