Rowan Lister > Recent Status Updates

Everyone else: “Dude, Kandras are so sick”

Vin: “Fuck Kandras”

Yeden noooooo!

Good so far, more academic than sensationalist, but the author just referenced Lebensraum in the context of living space for Bangladeshi refugees.

Lebensraum (living space) was a concept used by the Nazi party to justify annihilation of Eastern Europeans to make way for German homesteads and farmland. Kind of like manifest destiny, but in Eastern Europe. Point being, this chapter was a bit tone deaf.

This is so pulpy but so fun.

I like the idea of how the form in “The Way We Live Now” by Susan Sontag plays out, with a bunch of random characters describing the actions of one, but it’s so hard to follow. I had to skip it. It’s also so long for something playing with that kind of thing.

“Salvador Late or Early” by Sandra Cisneros, on the other hand, is a concise and beautiful little snapshot of a story.

“The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich was really something else.

“‘What number am I thinking of?’ repeated Mr. Vandemar. ‘It’s between one and a lot,’ he added, helpfully.

‘Seven,’ said the marquis. Mr. Vandemar nodded, impressed.”

God this one’s a stomach twister.

Prequel is a bit slower starting off but I’m really liking the set up anyway. Loving some of the call… forwards to the first book.

“Thing had been going far too smoothly for far too long, and if Viv had been out in the wilderness or on a campaign or camped outside a beast’s lair, a premonition of impending misfortune would have prickled along her spine.”

Haha ok, I see what you did there Travis.

Ummm Joseph E. Kelleam, no one asked you to make a story about three robot homies that is this heart wrenching. “Rust” by Kelleam, is a must.

“The Day Is Done” by Lester del Rey: Hwoogh the Neanderthal faces the end of himself and his people while chowing on some liver soup, and cheering the sun on his journey across the sky. An absolute gem.

Bruh, I don’t know how I feel about “Cloak of Aesir” by John W. Campbell. I think I’d get more out of it on a second reread but Johnny boy just stuck a lot of characters in there and at times too many people were talking to follow what was happening. That being said, the character of the Sarn Mother and the world building were awesome. I’ve never read any space opera in short form and this was a cool intro.

“Trouble With Water” by H. L. Gold was such a trip. A Long Island hot dog seller and hotel owner runs afoul of magic and has to get wasted in order to survive, enlisting the help of other town schmucks along the way.

“I, Robot” was pretty rad. Great commentary on Frankenstein.

The composer that worked with Miyazaki on many Ghibli films, Joe Hisaishi, encouraged Miyazaki to write poems to capture the tone of different characters and scenes. Joe would then use these as a basis for his compositions. These poems are some of my favorite parts of this book.

This feels like a book I’ll reread again and again because there is so much to unpack. Loving it so far.

“Only the End of the World Again” was another real treat. Werewolves having weird existential conversations with fish people is what’s sells paperbacks if you ask me.

“Shuggoth’s Old Peculiar” was a darn treat. Parodying Lovecraft will never get old.

“Changes” is definitely interesting, but “The Daughter of Owls” is just cruel.

You know it’s gonna be a trek when the introduction is 60 pages 😁

I missed Murder Bot.

That being said, this narrator has a clipped robotic way of reading and it doesn’t translate the humor well.

When you’re writing a biography about your dad, maybe don’t spend time telling us the exact physical dimensions of the Hugo and Nebula awards he received.

I think watching Master and Commander has made me enjoy this book more because I can finally hear some accents in the dialogue.

Mans used a lie detector on his kids 👀

Alrighty, school anxiety asmr with grim dark themes. Let’s go.

Sanderson needs to make a real boardgame called Towers.

Brandons ability to weave this many narratives together is like watching a dude play two pianos at once.

Also love that three characters are being developed in different ways through their handling of sieges.

Really loving the pacing, action, and characters in this one. I think the more bland parts of Rhythm of War are all leading to great pay offs in Wind and Truth. Rhythm of War was the slow chain ratcheting ride up to the top of the roller coaster. So far Wind and Truth is the screaming ride on the way down. Can’t wait to get to the loops and twists.

It’s a dandy, jaunty ride so far. Like the focus on the antag’s perspective in this one. Or are they the antag?