The Sword and Laser discussion

We praise the underrated and print books, and we get into the dog-eat-dog world of Fire Upon the Deep!

http://swordandlaser.com/home/2016/9/...
https://soundcloud.com/swordandlaser/...
https://www.patreon.com/posts/268-und...

If you remember what year this book came out and how people got online back then, it becomes quite clear how the Tines' minds work. They are literal Beowulf clusters.

It's a reread for me, and I found it way, way easier the second time around.

When I realized that the characters I was reading in afutd were aliens, I had to go back and reread the chapter from that perspective. And that's not the last time vinge pulled that trick on me!

The podcast picture is screaming Stanisław Lem meme generator

I think Butler and Le Guin are underrated even by sci-fi fans. They should be regarded as being equal to the Big Three, or at least better than the bad one, but they aren't. Authors can be very well regarded but still underrated.

Richard wrote: "When I realized that the characters I was reading in afutd were aliens, I had to go back and reread the chapter from that perspective. And that's not the last time vinge pulled that trick on me!"

Perhaps the best part of A Deepness In The Sky is the way the Spider race is represented as jaunty WWI type people who happen to be aliens.

Jeff wrote: "The podcast picture is screaming Stanisław Lem meme generator"

Heh.

Sean wrote: "If you remember what year this book came out and how people got online back then, it becomes quite clear how the Tines' minds work. They are literal Beowulf clusters."

Brilliant.

After taking that trip down nostalgia lane when we all lived in the Slow Zone, I saw this other video where someone slowed down the dial-up noise by 700%. It is freaky and amazing. Also from the Slow Zone.

http://youtu.be/IF2v32xCD0Y

I have learned that there are quite a few women writers going back pretty much all the way to the beginning. Like, as many or not much fewer than men. Those works just don't get talked about as much, maybe because some of them are holy crap political and social commentaryish.

Love the Lem meme.

My Japanese whiskey experience (not vegetarian/vegan friendly)...

I went to a few tastings at a now closed restaurant in Minneapolis that served a marrow infused Hakusho at one tasting and a marrow infused Hibiki at another. Heaven in a glass.

Interesting to hear LeGuin as an "underrated" author. My dad is why I'm into sci fi, so I'd heard of LeGuin and other authors way more often than more mainstream authors.

I found the spoiler conversation interesting, because of how fascinating Tom found it. I nailed that from early into that first section. Where I got bored is the 2nd section. And now I'm in the 3rd section and probably Lemming it, because it's making me not want to read at all. Clearly not the book for me.

I think it's hilarious that Veronica uses Tassie Dave as a pronunciation guide ... While mispronouncing Tassie.

It's a shortening of Tasmania so it's pronounced with a z sound.

Lindsay wrote: "I think it's hilarious that Veronica uses Tassie Dave as a pronunciation guide ... While mispronouncing Tassie.

It's a shortening of Tasmania so it's pronounced with a z sound."

I have thought of spelling it with a few Zeds to help

But it doesn't bug me enough to ;-)

Haha. I never realized that. I've been rhyming Daves name with Lassie for years...

Rob wrote: "Haha. I never realized that. I've been rhyming Daves name with Lassie for years..."

That's okay, I'm sure everyone outside the Maryland/DC area wonders, "What the hell's a Terpkristin?"

Sean wrote: "Rob wrote: "Haha. I never realized that. I've been rhyming Daves name with Lassie for years..."

That's okay, I'm sure everyone outside the Maryland/DC area wonders, "What the hell's a Terpkristin?""

I STILL DON'T KNOW!

University of Maryland sports teams are the Terrapins, known as the Terps for short.

Veronica wrote: "I STILL DON'T KNOW!"

Veronica, this link may prove helpful: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marylan...

:-)

I had not put together the Terp connection OR remembered Tassie was short for Tazmania. SO ENLIGHTENING!

I always assumed Terpkristin was some sort of Scandinavian name I was unfamiliar with. I can picture the Muppet Swedish Chef saying it.

Well, this thread took an interesting turn while I was at work today. But yes, I got my degrees from the University of Maryland in College Park, MD. So I'm a Terrapin, a "Terp" (and sometimes a twerp). I picked it as a username ages ago when "kristin" was taken on an online soccer management game I was playing at the time...and it's been that way ever since. :)

I always wondered if Tassie Dave was "Tazzie Dave." And now I know!

Brendan wrote: "I think Butler and Le Guin are underrated even by sci-fi fans. They should be regarded as being equal to the Big Three, or at least better than the bad one, but they aren't. Authors can be very wel..."

Funnily enough, my personal "Big Three", as decided around the age of 15, for SF was Asimov, LeGuin and Vinge.

These days I have a problem sticking to 3, but however you slice it, LeGuin is definitely as top notch as it gets.

It's been a while since I read Deepness and Fire. Which one has the Nazi butterflies?

Keith wrote: "It's been a while since I read Deepness and Fire. Which one has the Nazi butterflies?"

Fire has the Butterflies in Jackboots, Deepness has the inventive Spiders.

terpkristin wrote: "Interesting to hear LeGuin as an "underrated" author. My dad is why I'm into sci fi, so I'd heard of LeGuin and other authors way more often than more mainstream authors.

I found the spoiler conve..."

LeGuin is one of the few SF authors that get read in traditional English classes, so I too struggle to see how she'd be underrated, underappreciated maybe...

^On the "Big Three." As a young'un I found a fair amount of confusion among the fen as to whether or not that was Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke, or Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein. I'm thinking it was actually a Big Four.

I like the term "The BACH quartet" for Bradbury, Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein.

I generally assume the Big Three is all but Bradbury.

^ Love it! I'm totally stealing that.